When It Comes to Elections, Start with a Trusted Source

Open Letter | October 21, 2026

By Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State and President of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and Michael Howe, North Dakota Secretary of State and President-elect of NASS

As Americans prepare to vote in elections across the country, they will have important questions, from how and where to vote to how their votes are counted and results certified. 

The answers matter. And because elections are administered differently across the country, the answers may vary depending on where you live.

That is why the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) created #TrustedInfo, a nonpartisan voter education initiative with a simple message: When you have questions about elections, turn to your state and local election officials.

This year, #TrustedInfo2026 continues that effort by encouraging voters to seek accurate, reliable and timely information directly from the officials responsible for administering elections in their communities.

This effort is especially important today, as voters encounter election information from many different sources and may not know which sources are reliable. Even information shared with the best of intentions may be inaccurate, incomplete or out of date - or it may only apply in another state. In a fast-moving information environment, inaccurate information can spread widely before it is corrected.

Voters should not have to sort through that confusion on their own.

Election officials work throughout the year to provide voters with up-to-date information about the elections process, from registering to vote and how to vote, to the procedures that take place after Election Day. They are in the best position to explain the laws, safeguards and processes in place in each state.

As President and President-elect of NASS, we represent different states and different political parties. The same is true across our association. NASS members come from every region of the country, operate under different state laws and do not always agree on matters of public policy. But as chief election officials of our respective states, we share a fundamental responsibility: to administer elections fairly and impartially and to serve every eligible voter. That commitment is at the heart of #TrustedInfo2026. We want voters to know that regardless of who they vote for or where they stand on the issues, they can turn to election officials for authoritative, accurate information about elections.

A good place to begin is CanIVote.org, NASS’s nonpartisan voter information website. It connects voters directly to their official state election websites and state-specific resources on registration, polling places, voting and other important election information. Voters can also visit their state and local election websites directly and follow official election offices through their verified communications channels.

Every voter plays a role as well. Before sharing information about an election deadline, voting requirement, election procedure or result, take a moment to check it against information provided by the appropriate state or local election official. If a friend, neighbor or family member has a question about voting, help point them to an official source. As you read about potential changes to the election process, there is no need to speculate about how you or other voters in your state may be affected. Instead, look to official channels or contact your state election office with your questions. 

Americans will disagree about candidates, policies and politics. Vigorous debate is an essential feature of our democratic system. But wherever they live and whichever candidates they support, voters deserve accurate information about how to participate in our elections.

On that, election officials across the country agree.

This election year, #TrustedInfo2026 is our call to every voter: Ask questions. Check the source. And when it comes to information about elections, start with the officials who administer them.

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Media Contacts:
John Milhofer, Director of Research and Public Affairs
jmilhofer@nass.org | 202-624-3529 | www.nass.org

Press Inquiries
communications@nass.org