Election Security Initiative and Continuity & Security Tabletop Exercise
Election Security & Continuity Tabletop
In my role with Denver Elections, I led a comprehensive security preparedness initiative designed to enhance coordination and readiness across multiple city agencies. Partnering with local emergency management and key stakeholders, I developed and facilitated a strategic tabletop exercise, crafted a citywide action plan, and established robust communication protocols and training materials.
This initiative focused on identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, streamlining processes, and fostering cross-agency collaboration—ultimately creating a framework that supports both immediate preparedness and long-term resilience. The experience not only bolstered the security of our election processes but also laid the groundwork for a sustainable approach to managing complex, high-stakes challenges.
The Problem
The evolving threat landscape in election administration has become increasingly complex, influenced by past incidents, shifting political dynamics, and growing reliance on technology. In Denver, this meant facing the challenge of ensuring seamless coordination and readiness among the diverse agencies responsible for election security and continuity. The goal was to proactively refine response strategies and establish clear operational procedures ahead of the election cycle.
Pain Points
- Uncertainty among internal stakeholders regarding established procedures and roles.
- Limited engagement and alignment with key external partners.
- Inefficient information-sharing channels between involved agencies.
- Gaps in communication protocols needed to address a dynamic operational environment.
- Increased anxiety among staff as they prepared for a critical election period.
Why It Mattered
Addressing these challenges was essential to ensure the safety of both staff and voters, maintain uninterrupted election operations, and uphold the integrity of the process.
The Solution
- Coordinated Cross-Agency Collaboration:
Partnered with lead agencies, city departments, and external partners to define roles, identify risks, and align contingency and continuity planning. - Enhanced Communication & Engagement:
Held regular stakeholder meetings, leveraged subject matter experts, and implemented collaborative platforms and visual management systems to foster transparency and collective accountability. - Established a Robust Operational Framework:
Developed a suite of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), a comprehensive citywide action plan, and training tools that standardized processes and ensured preparedness.
Developed a Scalable Tabletop Exercise
Designed and facilitated a low-cost, adaptable exercise that simulated real-world election security scenarios, laying the groundwork for future drills.
Key Learnings
- Enhanced Operational Integrity:
Addressed key vulnerabilities and established a resilient framework for election security, including customizable materials that can be adapted for other jurisdictions. - Cost-Effective Readiness:
Delivered a low-lift, high-impact model that streamlines future election preparedness efforts without significant resource demands. - Empowered Teams:
Boosted morale and preparedness across agencies, ensuring teams felt resilient and ready to face the unprecedented challenges of the 2024 General Election.
As daunting as today's challenges may seem, they open up exciting opportunities to boost security, efficiency, and transparency across your operations. Our experience showed that with the right strategies, you can implement scalable, low-cost solutions that enhance operational continuity and resilience, adaptable to any organization. Building strong partnerships, leveraging institutional expertise, and staying proactive are essential to turning challenges into lasting success.