Counting Votes, Facing Threats: What It's Like to Run an Election

There are people in communities big and small around the country who dedicate their working lives to making sure that if you’re an eligible voter, you get to cast a ballot.   And their vital role in American democracy has gotten much harder in the last few years.  Audie talks with Defiance County, Ohio Board of Elections director Tonya Wichman and Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth, Al Schmidt, about how they have experienced increased scrutiny, how they built dealing with harassment into their day-to-day work, and why they still do the job as many others in the field – fed up with fear – have walked away.  Share your thoughts or questions with us – we'd love to hear from you! Text or leave a voicemail at 202-854-8802. We may use your note in a future episode of the show.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

Every Thursday on The Assignment, host Audie Cornish explores the animating forces of this extraordinary American political moment. It’s not about the horse race, it’s about the larger cultural ideas driving the conversation: the role of online influencers on the electorate, the intersection of pop culture and politics, and discussions with primary voices and thinkers who are shaping the political conversation.