Snead: Private funding of election offices sows distrust in the democratic process

Submitted by Jason Snead, director of Honest Elections Project 

Greenwich is considering accepting a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, a coalition created by the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL). But this “gift” is a trojan horse for the “Alliance” to push liberal politics into election offices throughout the nation.

The Alliance offers services that touch every aspect of election administration, from political consulting to training and guidance. It’s not charity either. Participating offices are expected to give the Alliance detailed information on their practices. The Alliance then develops “improvement plans” to reshape how they operate. Although they claim to be non-partisan, CTCL has already leveraged these local election offices to help push a Democratic Party priority to inject billions of federal dollars into election offices nationwide.

The grant offered to Greenwich is part of an $80 million national initiative with deep ties to Democratic politics, campaigns, and left-wing donors. Many insist there is nothing to see here. Would they be so blasé if a group of former Trump campaign staff started doling out millions in Koch money to influence election administration?

Recently, an election clerk in Ottawa County, MI withdrew from the Alliance and cited grave concerns about taking “grant dollars from private individuals who may or may not have a political or economic interest in the outcome of elections.” This is coming from someone who leads an election office that CTCL itself identified as a “Center of Election Excellence.”

If this “Alliance” is really a good government group, why are they eager to evade state laws prohibiting private election funding? They are pumping $2 million into DeKalb County, GA even though private election funding has been outlawed in Georgia. Now, the state election board is investigating.

Bottom line, the private funding of election offices sows distrust in the democratic process. Greenwich citizens deserve to know their elections are accountable to the people, not out of state special interest.