Helping Law Enforcement Plan for a Safe Election Season

Published July 10, 2024

Democracy depends on safe elections. And the responsibility of keeping voters, election officials, and the election process safe falls to thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country.

It’s a complex mission, requiring months of planning and coordination. And it’s only become more challenging in recent years. Elections now cover an entire season, from the start of early voting through certification. In some states, that process lasts several months. At the same time, threats to the election process – and the people involved – have become more serious.

Over the course of late 2023 and early 2024, more than 60 law enforcement leaders assembled to talk about protecting the 2024 election. They raised questions, identified needs, exchanged ideas, and shared lessons from past elections.

The law enforcement leaders were convened by States United and our partners at the National Policing Institute and 21st Century Policing Solutions. The shared wisdom from those gatherings has been collected into a library of guidance documents, designed to help law enforcement agencies all over America keep their communities safe in the upcoming election.

The reports cover topics including how to prepare officers to de-escalate potential heated situations at the polls, how to balance the rights of protesters with the need to safeguard the election process, how to make sure officers are taking care of themselves during a stressful season, and more.

One clear theme runs through the reports: Law enforcement agencies already have the policies, practices, and expertise they’ll need to keep election season safe. These resources are meant to help them apply that know-how to the 2024 election.

You can view all the reports on the National Policing Institute’s website.

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About the States United Democracy Center

The States United Democracy Center is a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. We connect state officials, law enforcement leaders, and pro-democracy partners across America with the tools and expertise they need to safeguard our democracy. For more information, visit statesuniteddemocracy.org.