Job Opportunities

Election Administration Organizer
Mainers for Modern Elections / Democracy Maine

Background:

Since 2017, a coalition of Maine advocacy groups has campaigned to make Maine’s election system more fair, accessible, and secure, leading to the passage of automatic voter registration in 2019, online voter registration in 2021, and repeated expansion of access to voting by absentee ballot from 2020 through 2022, among other victories. This coalition, now known as Mainers for Modern Elections (MME), includes such groups as the League of Women Voters of Maine, Maine Conservation Voters, RepresentUS, and Maine Voices Network.

Despite these successes, MME recognizes that we are missing an important strategic partner in our work: Maine’s town and city clerks, who are the primary administrators of Maine elections. While we have developed relationships with individual clerks, further organizing is needed to turn them into the powerful partner we need to support expanding ongoing absentee voting and ensure secure, accessible, and equitable elections for years to come.

Therefore MME is seeking an election administration organizer who will work to:

• Develop Maine town and city clerks' voice to fight election dis- and misinformation.
• Develop deeper relationships with town and city clerks across the state for legislative efforts, including 2022 federal funding for election administration and a permanent expansion of ongoing absentee voting in Maine in 2023.
• Ensure a consistent voting experience for voters across a State with local control of elections.

Given the decentralization of Maine’s voting infrastructure, the organizer will work to ensure that Maine’s town and city clerks have access to clear and consistent education in advance of  November’s election and 2023’s Legislative Session. They will work with clerks to encourage Maine’s congressional delegation to support federal funding to state and local governments for administering elections, known as the Elections Infrastructure Initiative. They will also work with the clerk’s association and the Secretary of State’s office to deploy a new CVR and finish the implementation of automatic voter registration (AVR) and begin the implementation of online voter registration (OVR).

The organizer will be an employee of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections Democracy Maine, and will report to the Executive Director, with additional oversight, work planning, and support from a supervisory committee of MME partners including Maine Conservation Voters, Maine Voices Network, and RepresentUS. 

Core responsibilities:

• Build relationships with town and city clerks across the state and identify strong voices to build trust in elections.
• Connect clerks with resources and training to expand their ability to communicate with voters and the media.
• Match volunteer interests with corresponding local needs through adopt-a-clerk programs or similar strategies. 
• Represent Mainers for Modern Elections at community events, coalition meetings, and educational presentations as needed.
• Network and build relationships with allied organizations.
• Participate in the development of advocacy, voter engagement, and organizing strategies.
• Manage project data to ensure accurate tracking and outreach.
• Serve as a conduit between impacted communities and voter protection efforts and town and city clerk
• Encourage clerks to contact Maine’s congressional delegation, encouraging them to support proposed federal funding for state and local governments. This may include providing clerks with education and advocacy tools.

Qualifications:

• We are seeking candidates who are excellent at building relationships and are creative and flexible in pursuing results. You should have:
• An ability to adapt to shifting priorities without losing sight of deliverables and deadlines.
• Strong skills in listening, in-person communication, and diplomacy.
• A track record of working with individuals with diverse identities and lived experiences.
• A commitment to non-partisanship and inclusion.
• Experience working remotely while consistently meeting goals.  
• Experience with election administration, and experience organizing in rural areas, are pluses but are not required. 
• Location, Compensation, and Start Date
• Candidates will be considered anywhere in Maine. When it becomes possible, travel throughout Maine will be a requirement of this job, and applicants are expected to maintain a reliable car and valid driver’s license. This is a full-time, grant-funded position through July 2023 with compensation in the $50,000-55,000 range,  based on experience. Potential for extension may exist, depending on funding. Health, vision, dental, short-term disability, and earned time benefits are offered to all employees. The organizer should be able to start by mid-May to early June.  

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and a cover letter by email to Nadya Mullen at nadya@democracymaine.org using the subject line Election Administration Organizer.

Democracy Maine is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate in employment against persons based on color, race, religion, age, ability, gender, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran or marital status. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.