Harris School of Public Policy Hosts AI + Elections Clinic Bootcamp

The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy's Cyber Policy Initiative recently hosted the AI + Elections Clinic, a hands-on bootcamp organized by Arizona State University's Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory (MODL) for local election officials. The clinic, held at the Keller Center, focused on preparing election administrators for the rapidly evolving impact of artificial intelligence on election administration and election security.

Delivered in partnership with Ready for Tuesday and supported by Microsoft, the full day bootcamp combined technical instruction, collaborative workshops, live demonstrations, and operational planning exercises designed specifically for election administrators. Programming was led in part by Michael Moore of the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, which contributed instructional content drawing on its frontline experience confronting AI-enabled threats to election administration. The bootcamp was geared toward helping participants better understand how AI systems work, how generative AI may reshape election operations, and how election officials can better position their offices to contend with emerging AI-enabled threats.

“It’s great to see the AI + Elections Clinic Bootcamp work with election officials in the State of Illinois, especially with the upcoming election in November,” said Jake Braun, executive director of the Cyber Policy Initiative at Harris. “Election officials need to prepare themselves for emerging threats that are compounded by AI, because they aren’t stopping anytime soon.”

Sessions covered AI fundamentals for election administration, deepfake threats to civic integrity, election security, and a hands-on workshop where teams prototyped AI tools to address real operational challenges in their offices. Additional speakers and facilitators included election administrators, AI practitioners, civic technology experts, and election security specialists from organizations such as the NYU Brennan Center for Justice.

"We're grateful to the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and its Cyber Policy Initiative for opening their doors to the AI + Elections Clinic Bootcamp and helping us bring this programming to election officials in the region," said Bill Gates, Executive Director of Arizona State University's Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory and a former Chairman of the Maricopa County, Arizona, Board of Supervisors. "Election administrators are navigating a fast-moving technology landscape, and partnerships like this one are how we make sure they have the support, training, and tools they need to do their jobs well."

The AI + Elections Clinic is an initiative led by ASU's Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory to equip election officials with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate AI's growing role in election administration. The Harris School of Public Policy - Cyber Policy Initiative was proud to host this convening as part of its broader focus on operational cybersecurity, democratic resilience, and the policy implications of emerging technologies. As the intersection of AI and democratic systems continues to grow, the Cyber Policy Initiative looks forward to supporting future programming that advances AI security and election resilience.