State of Maryland

An Election Program Specialist IV is the advanced level of specialized work providing program and technology support to staff members of a local election office. Employees in this classification coordinates, maintains and troubleshoots election programs and work in conjunction with State Board of Elections staff, local government staff, vendors and contractors to resolve program issues. Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees in this classification receive managerial supervision from an Election Director, Election Deputy Director, program manager or program supervisor of a local election office. Employees may be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays and to travel to polling sites during an Election cycle.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Election Program Specialist IV is differentiated from the Election Program Specialist III in that the Election Program Specialist IV is responsible for resource management and quality assurance and receives managerial supervision.  The Program Specialist IV is differentiated from the Election Program Manager I in that the Election Program Specialist IV does not supervise.

Coordinates, maintains and troubleshoots election program systems, such as election equipment, voter registration, polling places, election judges, absentees, voter outreach, administrative and or technology in accordance with established policies and procedures;

Interacts with local government and State Board of Elections staff to discuss and coordinate program activities;

Evaluates office program procedures and makes recommendations to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the program;

Designs, organizes and delivers formal and informal training on election program operations;

Manages quality assurance for local election office programs and reports results to the program supervisor, program managers, Election Directors and Deputy Directors;

Manages resources for local election office programs, such as voting equipment, ballots, polling place locations, recommendation for staffing, event coordination, supplies and materials; May address and resolve issues related to election office programs;

Monitors appropriate level of access and privileges for programs and assists users with passwords and other security procedures;

Coordinates voting equipment maintenance and programming, inventory and preparation;

Identifies polling place facilities to comply with election laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Purchases supplies;

Accepts and processes candidate and committee filings;

Performs the full range of specialized clerical or clerical work in a local election office;

Assists with redistricting; Provides Tier II Help Desk support for issues encountered at polling sites during Election Cycle and documents problems and provides resolutions;

Provides routine and ad hoc reports, such as Public Service Requests, to the Election Director and Election Deputy Director, program supervisor or program manager of the local election office on election program activities;

Attends meetings and training outside of the local election office;

Works with local and State government staff to maintain accurate program information on the website;

Responds to general election inquiries from the public;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of State and federal election law, regulations and policies and procedures;

Knowledge of State primary and general election procedures for federal, State and municipal elections;

Knowledge of election office policies and procedures;

Knowledge of resource management, policies, practices and procedures;

Knowledge of quality assurance policies, practices and procedures;

Knowledge of the functions and capabilities of microcomputers;

Knowledge of microcomputer operating systems and program software packages;

Skill in word processing, personal computer and other office equipment and related software applications;

Skill in maintaining accurate and detailed records;

Skill in Help Desk troubleshooting;

Ability to remain organized while performing multiple functions or tasks;

Ability to maintain workflow despite frequent interruptions and changing priorities;

Ability to communicate effectively and tactfully and maintain confidentiality when communicating with the general public, State officials, candidates, election judges, and co-workers;

Ability to use independent judgment in applying and explaining election laws, rules and procedures;

Ability to meet time sensitive deadlines and demands;

Ability to develop and deliver formal and informal training to end users in the operations of election programs;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with program users, local government staff and State Board of Elections staff, vendors and contractors;

Ability to prepare routine and ad hoc reports.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Four years of experience applying election laws, rules and procedures in a local election office.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute one year of specialized clerical, data processing, technical or administrative experience for each six months of the required experience applying election laws, rules and procedures in a local election office. Specialized clerical, data processing, technical or administrative experience is defined as work in an office which requires reviewing, verifying and interpreting information in order to make determinations and resolve work problems in accordance with policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures.

2. Candidates may substitute two years of general clerical, data processing, technical or administrative experience for each six months of the required experience applying election laws, rules and procedures in a local election office.  General clerical, data processing, technical or administrative experience is defined as work performing a variety of duties which are clear-cut and typically found in office settings, such as filing, copying, inputting data, general computer skills, and directing telephone calls.

3. Candidates may substitute thirty credit hours from an accredited college or university for the required experience.

1. Employees in this classification are required to be registered voters in the State of Maryland in accordance with Election Law Article, Section 2-207(d), Annotated Code of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification may not hold any public office or party office or be a candidate for public or party office or take an active part in political management or political campaigns in accordance with Election Law Article, Section 2-301(b).

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.