Dole and Kennedy institutes announce funding from Election Trust Initiative

LAWRENCE — The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate have recently been awarded funding from the Election Trust Initiative for their Bolstering Elections Initiative to promote investment in America’s critical elections infrastructure. 

The collaboration between the institutes seeks to highlight needed resources to administer secure and resilient elections, with a particular focus on state and local funding models, and help catalyze action.

“We’re inspired by our namesakes’ bipartisan engagement on voting rights and respect for the institutions and processes of American governance,” said Audrey Coleman, director of the Dole Institute. “Local administration of elections is essential, yet resources are uneven and often inadequate to support the complex infrastructure a modern election demands. This initiative examines various ways in which that gap can be closed to promote safety, security and trust in our electoral processes.”

Kennedy Institute CEO Adam Hinds said, “Senators Dole and Kennedy leveraged the power of their relationship into meaningful and lasting elections policy for the good of all Americans. It is time for this generation to do the same. Our goal is to support the tireless elections administrators who are the backbone of our democracy. We need a strong 21st century election system in America, and part of achieving that is understanding the range of funding sources and options today.”

The Election Trust Initiative, a nonpartisan grant-making organization, works to strengthen the field of election administration over the long term, guided by the principle that America’s election systems must be secure, transparent, accurate and convenient. The grant awarded to the Dole and Kennedy institutes will support the creation of a landmark report that equips election administrators with data and research to inform policymakers about the need for increased investment in the U.S. elections infrastructure to bolster electoral systems.

The Department of Homeland Security designated elections as a critical infrastructure sector in 2017, yet there is no national standard or policy to sustainably fund elections systems, leaving states and local regions to define it for themselves. With public trust in election results deteriorating and frontline election workers leaving the field at alarming rates, pressure is mounting on state and local election systems and administrators, according to the department. The impact of insufficient resources for this essential government service has failed to be addressed.

As the 2024 election cycle comes to an end, the Kennedy and Dole institutes seek to draw attention to the lack of investment in the American electoral administration and processes. The institutes have assembled over a dozen top academics and experts in the field of election administration to raise awareness about the impact of limited resources on elections administrators and to educate policymakers on models of success across the country.

The Bolstering Elections Initiative addresses critical baseline questions to inform future policy recommendations. These questions include themes such as: How does election funding vary across states and regions? What are best practices and data that equip administrators to advocate for election funding for their jurisdictions? How can we inform policymakers at the state and federal level about the need to invest in sustainable election funding?

Additionally, the initiative continues the Dole Institute’s support and advancement of Jayhawks Rising, the University of Kansas’s strategic plan, which includes a goal to foster research and discovery that addresses key issues locally, nationally, and worldwide. The report created with this grant will include research conducted by academics and experts at KU.

“It is great to see this investment from the Election Trust Initiative to support the work of the Dole Institute and the University of Kansas, which are leading the way on the critical topic of election administration funding,” said Zach Mohr, a member of the initiative’s research group and associate professor with the KU School of Public Affairs & Administration. “KU and the Dole Institute are leading the way in the research and practice of election administration, which supports the visions of growth in research and discovery and community engagement espoused in the Jayhawks Rising strategic plan.”

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, a vibrant forum for civil discourse, civic engagement, and idea exchange across the political spectrum, features historical archives, exhibits, and public programs for all ages. 

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities.