The high turnover of election administrators and staffing shortages in county election offices are pervasive issues throughout our state and our nation. Nationwide, turnover rates have risen from 28% in 2004 to 39% in 2022. This increase has resulted in costs for taxpayers due to the expenses involved in searching for, hiring, and training new staff to administer elections. Further, the loss of institutional knowledge that accompanies such turnover disrupts our elections and heightens the threat of hostility toward election workers. 
 
It is past time that we work to address our shortage of election workers, which is why I am introducing legislation to create an election fellowship pilot program in Pennsylvania modeled, in part, after Arizona’s Fellows in Election Administration program. Implemented in 2024, the Arizona program has demonstrated its success with over half of fellows expressing interest in working in election administration, and two-thirds of fellows saying they would consider a career in local or state government.
 
By establishing this pilot program, we can give Pennsylvania’s current election administrators much-needed assistance while also training the next generation for careers in election administration and government. An election fellowship program is a low-cost way of improving our election administration needs in the short and long term, and I ask that you join me in co-sponsoring this bill.