Redefining “Integrity” in U.S. Election Administration: A Case Study Using the Multiple Streams Framework

The problem, policies and politics streams of the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) provides a clear theoretical structure to examine changes in the concept of election integrity since the 2020 election. Increased attention to perceived, but unproven, voter fraud claims (politics), coupled with an environment of mistrust in government institutions and the nationalization of state politics (problem), and push to create laws to restrict access to the ballot (policy) created a policy window that enabled actors to reframe the concept of election integrity. State election laws already define election malfeasance and guide election administrators and public prosecutors on how to adjudicate those that commit it. In this exploratory study, we examine the state of the field as it pertains to the spectrum of approaches undertaken by state legislatures to manage election integrity—from “election fraud” hotlines to expanded jurisdictions to formalized election integrity units. What do these new definitions of integrity look like in practice and how do they impact election administration? We explore the administrative functions, organizational arrangements, and the level of integration within the current governmental structure of these new approaches.