Summit focuses on preserving election integrity

Nov. 23—Combating disinformation and distrust of the U.S. election system ahead of the 2024 election was a major focus during a national symposium on election integrity, says an Indiana State University faculty member who attended.

Carly Schmitt, ISU associate professor of political science, attended the event in Washington, D.C., hosted by he U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) and the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.

The symposium included 80 former members of Congress and institutional leaders across the political spectrum.

Those attending "are concerned about the upcoming 2024 election and the consistently maintained level of distrust in our election system by some members of the public," Schmitt said.

"The near unanimous consensus of participants was a strong concern the upcoming 2024 elections will produce greater levels of disinformation, political violence and threats against volunteers and election officials than we've already seen," according to a news release from symposium officials.

Speakers addressed topics including perceptions of election system integrity as well as experiences of poll workers.

"What you see is that democracy is under threat and we should be deeply concerned ahead of the 2024 election," Schmitt said.

More than 60% of Republicans still believe that President Joe Biden didn't win the 2020 presidential election legitimately.

Some in the Republican Party who are running for elected office "are still using this election conspiracy and this big lie to win elections," Schmitt said.

A key next year will be voter education, she said. Some people won't listen, but others will.

"Election experts are saying these elections we are having now are the most secure that the United States has ever had. So we spread this information through voter engagement and voter education," Schmitt said.

She plans to undertake efforts both in her capacity as an ISU political science faculty member and as co-president of the League of Women Voters of Vigo County.

As a political scientist, Schmitt said she is concerned about next year's elections. "I think all political scientists are concerned. We don't need another Jan. 6 on our hands."

When people really, fundamentally believe their votes don't matter and that elections are a sham, "They believe they need to take action because the government is no longer government by the people," she said.

But as far as the 2020 presidential election results not being legitimate, "What they believe is not reality," Schmitt said.

Next year, anything could be possible if political elite and some media continue to suggest elections aren't secure and results aren't valid, she said.

On a local level, she noted that poll workers and election officials are community members. "When we make statements that elections are rigged or fraudulent, we are attacking neighbors who run and administer our elections," she said.

But she also noted that in most places, those concerns don't tend to occur at the local level.

"People trust their own, but not the other ones next to them," Schmitt said, and data backs that up.

She also emphasized that while right now, one party is pushing election denialism and questioning the integrity of the system "to keep momentum in their party and run (and win) elections ... the other party could do the same at some point.

"We must all be vigilant, regardless of party, in combating misinformation and lies about our democratic institutions, especially elections," she said.