How it Works
Each 90-min online course will include expert teaching, demo, Q/A, and interactive exercises. All you'll need is a stable internet connection and a computer with a video camera, OR, a reliable phone line if you choose to call in.
Spur new ways of thinking through our interactive demos of tech resources. We’ll show you what to expect, how to navigate, and more. That way, you’ll know how to get started right after class.
We’ll provide you with a video recording and comprehensive participant guide after every course for continued practice on your own or with your team.
Meet new friends and come together on common tech challenges and solutions. Each course will include live Q&A and a group discussion.
Open Courses
Course 1: Orientation - Introduction to CTCL Online Series
Get a head start to CTCL Online Series by meeting your instructors and familiarizing yourself with our video platform.
Monday, February 12
1:00–1:30 PM CT
Cost: Free
What you'll learn:
- Course objectives and expectations
- Background on our organization and your instructors
- How to navigate our online training platform successfully
Course 2: Social Media for Voter Engagement
Enhance your office’s ability to reach voters where they are, using popular social media channels.
Tuesday, February 13
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you'll learn:
- What research demonstrates on where voters look for civic information
- Best practices for using social media and how to streamline content creation
- Introduction to a design software and design principles for creating compelling graphics
Course 3: Improving Your Election Website
Make your election website more effective at providing important civic information.
Thursday, February 15
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you’ll learn:
- Principles of writing in plain language and using simple design to reflect voters’ needs and make information easy to understand
- Strategies to update your election website to keep the public informed and invested year-round
- Introduction to a digital tool that will strengthen your writing skills for the public
Course 4: Accessible Communication for Election Offices
Learn the basics of how to provide information to everyone in your community, regardless of ability.
Tuesday, February 20
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you'll learn:
- Why accessibility matters for civic life and strategies of communications fit for all people
- Introduction to principles of accessibility
- Introduction to a digital tool to test the accessibility of your election website
Course 5: Collecting, Analyzing, and Visualizing Election Data
Discover how to use election data to tell powerful stories.
Thursday, February 22
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you’ll learn:
- Introduction to principles of data analysis
- How to integrate healthy data habits for your team
- Introduction to a digital tool that will visualize your election data
Course 6: Messages to Motivate Voters
Dig deep into the types of messages and communication tools election officials can use to inspire different audiences so that they come to the polls election after election.
Tuesday, February 27
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you’ll learn:
- Understand what research shows about how to encourage people to become more civically engaged
- Motivational messages to empower your voters
- How to test your outreach materials for successful elections
Course 7: Poll Worker Management Best Practices
Gain strategies for effectively recruiting, training, and coordinating poll workers.
Thursday, March 1
1:00–2:30 PM CT
Cost: $40
What you’ll learn:
- Best practices from the field and new strategies for recruiting poll workers
- How to evaluate your workforce of poll workers
- How to use simple tech tools to enhance your poll worker management
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can my election office pay by check instead of credit card?
A: Yes. Email us at hello@techandciviclife.org and we can register you for courses and send your office an invoice for payment.
Q: I've registered for a course. When will I receive information and materials for the course?
A: 24 hours prior to each course you will receive login information and course materials via the email you provided when you registered.
Q: I added courses to my cart but I don't see how to get to the next step. Where do I pay?
A. If you're registering on your desktop, after adding courses to your cart, proceed to the checkout by scrolling to the top of the screen and clicking on your cart in the upper right corner.
Q. It's less than 24 hours before my course but I haven't received my course materials. Where can I find them?
A. Your course materials may be in your spam folder in your inbox. Please double check! If you are unable to find the email, please contact us at hello@techandciviclife.org or call 872-588-6843.
Stories from the classroom
"I believe the instructors were very knowledgeable. The hands-on training and feedback we received was great."
— County Clerk/Registrar of Voters, Shasta County, CA
"We had excellent service and leadership to guide us. Our instructors were helpful, friendly, patient, and knowledgeable."
— County Clerk, Laclede County, MO
“I enjoyed all of the training but really liked the interactive parts and the great humor."
— Board of Elections, Harford County, MD
Meet your instructors
Whitney May first caught the election bug in 2007 at the Durham County Board of Elections, where she trained hundreds of poll workers. Later, working with a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., she refined her training skills to deliver engaging courses to government officials.
As an instructor, Whitney wants to advance your tech skills while connecting you with other curious election officials.
Kurt Sampsel enjoys introducing election administrators to new tools and then watching them shape the voting experience. Bringing his experience as a university instructor and communications specialist, Kurt is proud to support the important work of election officials nationwide.
As an instructor, Kurt likes to promote dialogue and see election folks overcome challenges through discussion.
About CTCL
Why do we do what we do?
We launched our first in-person training course in 2013 when we helped Mercer County, WV build their very first election website. Since then, we've traveled from town-to-town and state-to-state to help hundreds of election officials around the country learn new tech skills in order to strengthen their relationship with voters, office holders, and candidates. We've worked with directors, county clerks, and election administrators—from their 20s to their 70s. All of whom want to refine and deepen the impact they can bring to the community they're working with, because they know that their skills pave the way for what others can accomplish.
Why online classes?
We want to provide true national reach, and make it possible for all election officials to learn, regardless of time, geography, or ability. There's a ton of great online courses out there, but nothing that's truly focused on the unique tech needs of election offices. We want to even the playing field and give election officials easy access to high-quality professional development, which is why we took matters into our own hands and launched our online series.