What is our state-based election system?
Why Do States Run Elections?
Recent public statements have raised questions about who controls American elections and whether election administration should be more centralized at the national level. Under the U.S. Constitution, the primary responsibility for running elections belongs to the states. State and local officials oversee voter registration, ballot design, polling locations, vote counting, audits, and certification of results.
This structure reflects America’s federal system of government, designed to distribute power and reduce the risk that any single official or institution could control the entire electoral process.
What makes state control of elections more secure?
America’s election system is decentralized across 50 states and thousands of local jurisdictions. Because there is no single national election database or centralized vote-counting authority, an issue in one jurisdiction does not compromise the entire system. In cybersecurity and governance, distributed systems are often more resilient than centralized ones.
Local accountability also strengthens integrity. Election officials operate within their communities and are often long-serving career administrators bound by state law and transparency requirements. Many serve across changes in party control, reinforcing the nonpartisanship of election administration and creating institutional continuity and a documented record of procedures over time.
State and local officials oversee the full lifecycle of elections with multiple layers of protection, from chain-of-custody procedures to post-election audits. In most states, bipartisan teams are required for ballot handling and vote counting. Paper ballots or voter-verifiable paper records allow results to be audited independently of voting machines. Rather than relying on a single national authority, the system is built on redundancy, verification, and shared responsibility – features that increase resilience and reinforce public trust.
Why does this matter for democracy?
Public trust in elections depends on transparency, security, and constitutional clarity. The way American elections are structured – with primary responsibility resting in the states – is not accidental. It reflects a deliberate constitutional design meant to prevent the concentration of election power in a single national authority.
Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution (the “Elections Clause”) assigns responsibility for the “Times, Places and Manner” of congressional elections to state legislatures, while allowing Congress limited oversight. Article II gives states authority over presidential electors, and the Tenth Amendment reserves undelegated powers to the states. This shared framework reflects the Founders’ concern about consolidating control over elections in one branch or office.
While Congress may regulate aspects of federal elections, and debates about expanding federal authority are not new, any major shift in control would require legislation consistent with constitutional limits. For example, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, enacted under Congress’s authority to enforce the 14th and 15th Amendments, established federal oversight in jurisdictions with documented histories of racial discrimination. This intervention did not replace state administration of elections, but sought to ensure equal access to the ballot where constitutional rights were being violated.
The president does not have unilateral authority to take over election administration. By dividing authority between states and the federal government, and separating powers across branches, the American system builds in multiple checks that strengthen institutional resilience.
Why does this matter for Jewish communities?
Jewish history underscores the importance of institutional guardrails and limits on concentrated power. A system that distributes authority across states, requires bipartisan oversight, and embeds transparency into election administration helps protect minority rights and democratic stability. Regardless of political affiliation, safeguarding clear constitutional boundaries and resilient institutions strengthens democracy for everyone.
What can be done?
Learn
Review how your own state administers elections. Many state election offices publish detailed explanations of their security protocols and audit procedures.
Speak
Share clear, factual information about how elections are run and safeguarded. Engage with local election officials to better understand how the system works.
Act
Serve as a poll worker or election observer. Attend public “logic and accuracy” tests and other community briefings hosted by local election officials to better understand election safeguards. Support nonpartisan civic education efforts.
