As states continue to enhance their election security measures, transparency and collaboration remain key to maintaining public trust.
In this month’s installment of “State of Play,” a bipartisan video series created by A Starting Point and NCSL, Maryland Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D) and Missouri Rep. Peggy McGaugh (R) discuss the critical issue of election security in the United States.
Kagan, who serves on the Education, Energy and Environment Committee and as a member of the Election Assistance Commission’s Board of Advisors, believes U.S. elections are safe and secure. However, she adds that misinformation and disinformation are major challenges in Maryland and across the country.
Maryland’s approach, she says, involves having the state Board of Elections manage marketing materials and information to ensure local boards receive accurate, cost-free resources to share with their communities.
McGaugh, chair of the Elections and Elected Officials Committee, acknowledges the difficulty of combating inaccurate information but praises the collaborative efforts of local authorities in Missouri, emphasizing that her state’s bipartisan approach helps maintain confidence and credibility in elections.
Kagan and McGaugh agree on the importance of transparency in the vote-counting process.
“Transparency is fundamental to assuring people that their votes are being counted, that they’re being counted accurately and fairly,” Kagan says.
And both legislators invite the public to witness the process.
“Bringing people in to witness the process is always the best anecdote for false information,” McGaugh says.