Election officials and state and federal legislatures can help ensure elections are run by well-trained, experienced professionals by supporting and improving recruitment, workforce development and retention programs and practices.

Experts have noted a range of possible solutions and approaches for election officials, including: investing in training and mentorship programs; addressing the impact of turnover by capturing institutional knowledge and creating succession plans; and developing processes for transparent communication with the public and other stakeholders. State associations of election officials could also create spaces for election administrators to continue to share resources and best practices for addressing workforce challenges.

Possible approaches for state and federal legislatures include: incentivizing or requiring training and continuing education for election officials to improve job satisfaction and performance; requiring state election offices to clearly articulate election procedures as election laws shift; and compensating election administrators and staff at competitive rates. Some advocates have called for higher and more predictable federal funding for elections to adequately support state and local election administration and allow election offices to implement policy and administrative reforms. States could also pass new laws to protect election officials and workers from threats, harassment and violence.

Experts propose a range of evidence-based, nonpartisan methods to verify the integrity of the full election cycle and protect the security and integrity of elections. Key checks include testing and auditing of voting systems, public observation of vote tabulation and post-election audits.

Election security experts agree that the most secure and reliable voting systems use voter-verified paper ballots, ensuring there is a physical paper record for audits or in case of technology errors or breaches. Additional ways to ensure secure, evidence-based elections include: a voting system that allows for voter verification before casting a ballot, a strong chain of custody for ballots, and post-election audits that verify that computers counted ballots accurately. In particular, post-election audits promote public trust in election results and provide an opportunity to detect errors, deter hacking and fraud, and facilitate continuous improvement in election administration.

There are many ways to create opportunities for relationship-building, collaboration and compromise in Congress to support constructive policymaking. For instance, in the 116th and 117th Congresses, the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress made 200 recommendations in over 30 categories to improve the functioning of Congress, including ways to encourage civility and bipartisanship.

Possible approaches include: offering nonpartisan new Member orientations and bipartisan Member retreats; creating bipartisan Members-only spaces in the Capitol to encourage more collaboration across party lines; establishing bipartisan committee staff briefings and agenda-setting retreats; incentivizing committees to experiment with alternative hearing formats to encourage more bipartisan participation; promoting collaboration, civility and relationship-building through voluntary trainings and events for Members and staff; and implementing technology tools to facilitate collaboration on legislation and issues of mutual interest.

A range of potential electoral reforms could reduce pathways for extremists and instead elevate consensus-minded leaders, create incentives for compromise and effective governance, and give greater voice to a wider swath of eligible voters.

For example, nonpartisan, open primaries would allow all eligible voters to vote for any candidate, regardless of party. Instant runoffs or ranked choice voting allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, potentially increasing competition and coalition-building and ensuring the winner has the support of the majority of voters. Independent redistricting could give voters more of a voice in elections by removing partisan influence over district maps. Fusion voting allows minor political parties to elevate policy priorities and gives voters more choices on the ballot.