Kevin Johnson in The Fulcrum:

The time is right for a whole new approach to the governance of elections in America. We have a system dominated by the two parties when most voters no longer affiliate with either. We have a structure that relies on political insiders putting “country before party” when the prevailing ethos has become “to the victor belong the spoils.”

The good news is that voters from all sides strongly support less partisanship in managing elections. A 2022 MIT survey found that more than 70% of Republicans and Democrats support “only selecting election officials on a nonpartisan basis.”

Backed with this kind of bipartisan support, governance initiatives can provide a new focus for reform, rebuilding fairness and trust in elections, and fortifying the rule of law. States like Michigan and Minnesota have already passed laws that prevent potential abuse by canvass boards in the certification process, and others should follow suit.

State laboratories of democracy can explore more politically neutral ways to select chief election officers and state supreme court justices. Governance reform should also end manipulative partisan control of state ballot measures.