Leadership in Election Administration Final Report January 28, 2025 – May 28, 2026

Social Capital as Democratic Infrastructure

The LEAP project has 1) identified significant gaps in the current election administration professionalization infrastructure, 2) demonstrated that the professional isolation of election officials is a systemic risk to the stability of our democratic processes, and 3) provided a roadmap for bridging the technical expertise/strategic leadership pipeline. By investing in the social capital of election professionals, we are not just training individuals; we are building a resilient, networked, professional election administration infrastructure. When election officials are connected throughout the election administration ecosystem, they are more likely to persist in the field, preserve institutional knowledge, and lead the next generation through the complexities of modern election administration. A networked election official is a resilient election official.

Providing these leaders with the visibility tools and peer support systems identified in this report is an essential investment in the stability and representativeness of our democratic institutions. Continued financial support is necessary to scale up to move from an experimental pilot to a sustainable leadership pipeline.