Bolstering Elections Administration: A Conversation with State and Local Officials

Join the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate for a conversation with Kansas election officials Jamie Shew, Douglas County Clerk, and Scott Schwab, Kansas Secretary of State, about the state of election administration in Kansas, including the challenges they face, and how they might be addressed and what support—including financial—they’ll need to bolster resilient elections in Kansas.

This program is presented in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

Jamie Shew was elected County Clerk/County Election Officer for Douglas County, Kansas in 2004. He is currently in his fourth term of office. Prior to his election, he worked in higher education administration and business management. He is active in Election Center, IaGo, GFOA, Kansas Association of Counties, and Kansas County Clerks & Elections Officials Association, where he served as president in 2014-15. Jamie has achieved Master County Clerk status in Kansas and earned national Certified Election Registration Administrator (CERA) status in 2017.

Scott Schwab serves as the Kansas Secretary of State. He first entered public office in 2002 serving as a representative in the Kansas House of Representatives. During this time, he chaired multiple committees and acted as Speaker Pro Tempore. In 2018, Schwab won the election to become the Kansas Secretary of State. As part of his work in this role, Schwab has made it a priority to offer guidance and support to county election officials. He has also worked to enhance the Office business filing system and to improve IT security. Additionally, Schwab is committed to ensuring that Kansas is recognized as a top state for election integrity, where every vote counts as one person’s voice. In 2023, Schwab was elected as the President of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS).