NEW ORLEANS, La. — Macoupin County Clerk & Recorder Pete Duncan recently participated as a panelist at the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference during a session titled “Building County Resilience Through Election Standards.”
The session brought together county election, emergency management, and cybersecurity leaders from across the country to discuss how nationally recognized election standards can strengthen election operations, improve resilience, enhance transparency, and build public trust.
Duncan joined Scott Iles, Chief Safety and Security Officer for Charleston County, South Carolina; Noah Praetz, President of Ready for Tuesday; and Michael Moser, Elections Consultant with the Center for Tech and Civic Life. The discussion was moderated by Schleicher County, Texas Treasurer Jennifer Henderson.
During the panel, Duncan shared the perspective of a rural election jurisdiction, emphasizing the importance of national standards for counties with limited staff and resources.
“Not every county has a dedicated cybersecurity team or a large election department,” Duncan said afterwards. “Nationally recognized standards provide a roadmap for counties of all sizes. They help smaller jurisdictions prioritize improvements and build on proven best practices rather than reinventing the wheel.”
Duncan also noted that strong election standards help establish consistent expectations while allowing flexibility for local governments to meet the needs of their communities.
“Election quality shouldn’t depend on the size of a county,” Duncan said. “Standards provide a common benchmark that helps every jurisdiction continue improving while maintaining secure, transparent, and reliable elections.”
The session highlighted the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence’s Certification Program and ongoing efforts to develop nationally recognized standards that support election officials across the country.
“I was honored to represent Macoupin County and rural election officials in this national discussion,” Duncan said. “It’s important that counties of every size have a voice as these standards continue to evolve.”