This project researches how to maintain election integrity amid new norms such as social distancing. Additionally, since voter turnout is higher for presidential elections, our current health crisis complicates our electoral system. Furthermore, a greater percentage of Americans historically vote in-person on election day.
The questions guiding this research study are the following:
Has voting in America ever been postponed?
Has global voting ever been prevented due to unprecedented factors?
Who has the power in the U.S. to make the decision to postpone an election?
Who has the power to encourage or sway election outcomes?
What is the role of public administrators to support U.S. elections?
Does the public administrator have a different role in elections outside of the U.S.?
Will public administrators’ roles change in our current pandemic?
In the end, the research study reflects upon history as well as the roles of nonprofit organizations and public administrators to facilitate elections. It seeks to answer who has the decision-making power to shift the voting methods or to postpone an election. Also, the research examines lessons from the past to inform the current challenges we face in this national election year. Through scholarly research, the study reflects on the nation’s voting process to determine what actions states, nonprofits, and public administrators must take to maintain election integrity during a pandemic.
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Blair Campbell received a B.A. in International Relations from West Chester University and completed an internship with Mayor Comitta of West Chester. Passionate about the protection of human rights, she moderated a panel on the awareness and prevention of human trafficking. Interested in leadership ethics and public policy, Blair received an M.A. in Public Administration from Villanova University and is a member of the national honor society, Pi Alpha Alpha. During her graduate studies, she participated in Villanova on the Hill, a week-long immersion program in Washington D.C. Inspired by this experience; Blair is seeking a career change to work in the public sector. Most recently, she completed her capstone project about the maintenance of election integrity during a pandemic.