Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville is the first public college in the state to roll out an election administration certificate program.

“It provides students an academic perspective on election administration that also includes field experience,” said Georgia College Political Science Professor Claire Sanders.

The certificate doesn’t qualify a student to administer an election in the state but allows them to take a focused look at the process.

To obtain the certification, students must complete 12 hours of coursework, and an internship focused on election administration. To fulfill this requirement, the students assisted in the recent runoff elections.

“The consensus from the students was that serving in the election process is something that builds confidence in the elections process,” Sanders told WSB’s Jonathan O’Brien.

Junior Political Science major Jack Howle said if he had not taken part in the certificate program, he probably never would’ve worked at the polls. “And I would’ve never come to realize this is something I genuinely really enjoy,” he explained.

Seeing the process firsthand, Howle has a new level of faith in Georgia’s elections. “It would take an act of God, I think to cheat an election in Georgia,” Howle said.

Professor Sanders hopes the program will continue to grow in the years to come.

©2022 Cox Media Group