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2025 election guides equip officers with tools to handle polling place threats

Law enforcement and election officials now have state-specific references to support voter safety, updated with the latest legal changes

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WASHINGTON — Election officials and law enforcement officers across the country will head into upcoming elections with updated tools to help keep polling places safe. The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (CSSE) has released updated 2025 quick reference guides that summarize each state’s election security laws for officers and election officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

First introduced in 2022, the pocket-sized guides are designed to help officers quickly identify statutes related to voter intimidation, polling place interference and other potential threats. The 2025 edition incorporates new statutes and amendments enacted since 2024, giving responders the most current legal information as they prepare for elections in November.

“There are no off years in elections,” said Tina Barton, CSSE co-chair and former city clerk of Rochester Hills, Michigan. “As a former election official, I know firsthand how critical it is to have clear, accessible guidance about election laws. Updating these guides reflects the importance of growing the collaboration between law enforcement and the election community to ensure every voter and election worker is protected.”

Kathy Boockvar, former secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, led the update effort, gathering feedback from state and local officials to verify accuracy. Boockvar called the guides “a key resource for safeguarding our elections,” noting that tailoring content to each jurisdiction helps officials ensure safe, lawful operations.

Recent Brennan Center data cited by CSSE found that more than one in three local election officials have experienced threats, while coordination between election offices and local police rose from 62% in 2024 to 82% in 2025. CSSE said the guides, along with new tools such as a Security Assessment Checklist and Bomb Threat Resource Guide, aim to further strengthen that cooperation. Committee members also continue to host tabletop exercises nationwide to help agencies prevent and respond to election-related violence.

2025 Law Enforcement Quick Reference Guides:

Police1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.

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