State Election Administrators Training (SEAT)
To register for classes, visit http://auditors.iowacounties.org.
About SEAT
The State Election Administrators Training program provides professional training for Iowa's county election officials.
SEAT was established as a 28E entity among the Iowa Secretary of State's Office, Iowa State Association of County Auditors and the Iowa State Association of Counties. The first statewide three-day SEAT training session was held in August 2002, and subsequent training sessions have been held each year since.
SEAT participants are certified as Iowa Certified Election Administrators after successful completion of 40 hours of classes. Initially, participants attend classes offered in two sessions over a one year time period. Following certification, election administrators must attend 24 course hours of continuing education in a four year period to retain their certification. Certification renewal may be accomplished by submitting an application for approval to the SEAT Board stating attendance at related election training offered by other organizations.
The specific goals of the SEAT training are:
- Enhance the trust of Iowans in the state electoral process by certifying the professional competence of Iowa's election administrators.
- Provide a forum in which Iowa election administrators can share and learn from their counterparts about best practices in the administration of elections.
- Provide an educational curriculum that will increase the knowledge of elections in Iowa.
- Provide an educational curriculum that will build the skills of election administrators to effectively engage the voting public and media in the pursuit of conducting well-run elections.
Upcoming Sessions
SEAT Boards
Board of Directors, 2013
| Name | Office | |
|---|---|---|
| Carla Becker Term: 2/1/2013 - 1/31/2015 |
Delaware County Auditor | cbecker@co.delaware.ia.us |
| Gloria Carr Term: 2/1/2012 - 1/31/2014 |
Floyd County Auditor | gcarr@floydcoia.org |
| Harlen Hansen Term: 2/1/2013 - 1/31/2015 |
Humboldt County Supervisor | hghansen@wildblue.net |
| Lois Huitink, Chair Term: 2/1/2013 - 1/31/2015 |
Sioux County Auditor | loish@siouxcounty.org |
| Scott Reneker Term: 2/1/2012 - 1/31/2014 |
Jefferson County Auditor | jeffaud@iowatelecom.net |
| Sarah Reisetter Term: 2/1/2013 - 1/31/2015 |
Director of Elections, Secretary of State's Office | sarah.reisetter@sos.iowa.gov |
SEAT Curriculum Committee, 2013
| Name | Office | |
|---|---|---|
| Kristi Everett | First Deputy of Elections, Pottawattamie County Auditor's Office |
kristi.everett@pottcounty.com |
| Cari Gritton | Cedar County Auditor | cgritton@cedarcounty.org |
| Roxanna Moritz | Scott County Auditor | auditor@scottcountyiowa.com |
| Sarah Reisetter | Director of Elections, Secretary of State's Office | sarah.reisetter@sos.iowa.gov |
| Marisa Roseberry, Chair | Assistant Director of Elections, Secretary of State's Office |
marisa.roseberry@sos.iowa.gov |
| Eric Van Lancker | Clinton County Auditor | vanlancker@clintoncounty-ia.gov |
| Shelley Wolf | Bremer County Auditor | swolf@co.bremer.ia.us |
Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes
PEO Certification Program
The Precinct Election Official Certification Program evolved from the success of the SEAT program. County auditors and Secretary of State staff determined it was important to offer a comprehensive statewide training for front-line precinct election officials (PEOs). The initial goal of this voluntary program was to have least one certified PEO in each of Iowa's precincts by November 2008.
Overall objections were:
- Provide uniform training to PEOs across the state
- Teach PEOs how to work together at the polls
- Teach PEOs how to avoid confrontation with voters
- Teach PEOs how to identify problems and use available resources to solve them
- Provide training to PEOs on opening and closing the polls
- Provide training to PEOs on handling special situations at the polls
- Provide training to PEOs on working with voters with special needs
The program was offered as classroom training. PEOs received a guidebook and were required to take a test before achieving their certification.
Currently, this program is no longer offered; however, the Secretary of State's Office, the Iowa State Association of County Auditors and the Iowa State Association of Counties are working on developing a new program. The Secretary of State's Office will continue to provide a PEO guidebook for counties.