The Institute for Applied and Professional Ethics presents Dr. Barry Burden discussing "Ethics and the Administrators of Democracy" at 4:30 p.m. on March 18 in Scripps 111 and via livestream .

Burden is Professor of Political Science , Director of the Elections Research Center , and the Lyons Family Chair in Electoral Politics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison .

Abstract : Meddling in the administration of democratic elections has become one of the greatest threats to the American political system. Among the many challenges confronted by election administrators is the 2020 presidential election was unprecedented pressure from party leaders to engage in unethical professional behavior that would prevent the winning candidate from taking office. I consider how election administrators dealt with efforts at election subversion, why it happened, and how it is likely to influence future election cycles. The fragility of the democratic system and its dependence on honorable behavior make the work of often invisible election officials and partisan lawmakers essential to maintaining fair elections.