Comparing Elite and Mass Public Opinion on Election Administration and Reform

In this chapter, we compare local election officials’ and public opinion on identically worded questions in two national surveys conducted prior to the 2020 election. We examine the values, beliefs, and opinions that local election officials (LEOs) have about election integrity and reform and how their opinions differ from the public at large. We argue that the position of LEOs as “elites” and “experts” in election administration will lead them to have more nuanced and informed opinions about some aspects of the election system. In particular, LEOs believe that voter fraud occurs less frequently than many in the general public, and we think LEOs are closer to the truth on that question. At the same time, the attitudes and beliefs of LEOs share some features with the mass public, particularly when evaluating issues that are at a “distance” from local administration, such as levels of election integrity at the national level and support levels for particular election reforms. Comparing the opinions of LEOs to the general public is important in the current political environment where election officials are often forced to respond to unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.