Keepers of Our Republic

Election Day is almost here. What do election officials want you to know before you cast your ballot?

In this ELECTION 2026 SPECIAL episode of Keepers of Our Republic, we asked 12 election officials from Georgia and North Carolina one question: What’s the one thing you want voters to know on Election Day? Their answers cover making a voting plan, checking your registration, getting information from trusted sources, being patient with election workers, and understanding why results aren’t final on election night. Their message is clear: make your voice heard, and remember the people working behind the scenes to ensure every eligible vote is counted.

Featuring:

• Corinne Duncan — Election Services Director, Buncombe County, NC
• Travis Doss — Executive Director, Richmond County Board of Elections, GA
• Ackyn Beck — Elections Supervisor, Floyd County, GA
• Noah Beck — Elections Director, Polk County, GA
• Deidre Holden — Elections Director, Paulding County, GA
• Tonnie Adams — Elections Supervisor, Heard County, GA
• Rebecca Anglin — Director of Elections, Greene County, GA
• Olivia McCall — Director of Elections, Wake County, NC
• Sydney Romine — Director of Elections, Surry County, NC
• Milton Kidd — Director of Elections, Douglas County, GA
• Tim Tsujii — Elections Director, Forsyth County, NC
• Michael Dickerson — Elections Director, Mecklenburg County, NC

Subscribe to Keepers of Our Republic for more conversations with the election officials and judges working to protect free and fair elections and strengthen public trust.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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What really happens to your ballot after you cast it? On this episode of Keepers of the Republic, host Tate Fall speaks with Christopher Channell, Director of Elections for Glynn County, Georgia, about the safeguards that protect election security and help ensure accurate results. Channell explains how election officials test voting equipment, secure machines with tamper-evident seals, maintain chain of custody, and safely transport ballots and results after polls close.

The conversation also explores post-election audits, including risk-limiting audits, and how these checks help verify election results. Channell shares how local election offices work to improve security and transparency, encourages voters to ask questions and observe election procedures firsthand, and explains why public participation is essential to building confidence in free and fair elections.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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On this episode of Keepers of the Republic, host Tate Fall sits down with Ryan Germany, former General Counsel to the Georgia Secretary of State, to discuss election administration, election litigation, and the forces shaping public trust in American elections.

Germany shares what he learned working through some of Georgia’s most contested elections, including how claims of voter suppression, election fraud, and voting machine vulnerabilities can shape public perceptions. He explains the complex work behind election administration, from voter registration systems and election technology to the county officials and poll workers responsible for making elections run smoothly. 

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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Michael Dickerson has run elections in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, for 28 years. In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, he takes us inside one of the country’s largest local election offices—how early voting transformed elections, what it took to run the 2020 election during COVID, and what happens when 567,000 ballots have to be recounted.

He also explains the layers of security and preparation behind every election, the challenges of managing a growing county with 850,000+ registered voters, and why the people who show up to run elections are ultimately what keep the system working.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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What does it really take to run an election? Andrew Richards, Elections Director for Davidson County, North Carolina, joins Keepers of Our Republic to talk about the people, preparation, and behind-the-scenes work that make elections happen. Andrew shares lessons from more than a decade in election administration, why “boring” elections are the goal, how his team uses poll-worker feedback to improve each election, and why recruiting and retaining poll workers is so important.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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Missouri’s congressional redistricting fight has taken a series of unexpected turns, with state and federal courts weighing in on which map will be used in the upcoming election. In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Brooke Bergen is joined by Eric Fey, Director of the St. Louis County Board of Elections, and Brianna Lennon, Boone County Clerk, to unpack the complicated legal battle over Missouri’s new congressional map, the state’s citizen referendum process, and the recent decisions involving the Missouri Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Eighth Circuit. 

This is a developing situation, and the episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people tasked with running elections while the legal questions remain unresolved.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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What happens when a major disaster strikes just weeks before an election?

 In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Tate Fall sits down with Corinne Duncan, Election Services Director for Buncombe County, North Carolina, to discuss what it takes to run elections in the face of unexpected challenges. Corinne shares how her team navigated the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated Asheville and Buncombe County just weeks before the 2024 election, from losing power and communications to adapting early voting and relying on relationships with emergency management, fire departments, law enforcement, and other county partners

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

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In this episode of Keepers of Our Republic, host Tate Fall sits down with Philip Hinson, Deputy Director of Elections for Union County, North Carolina, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to run a secure election.

From testing voting equipment and protecting election infrastructure to responding when the power goes out at a polling place, Philip explains the layers of preparation, security, and oversight that voters may never see. He also breaks down how logic and accuracy testing, bipartisan review, post-election audits, chain-of-custody procedures, and physical security work together to protect the election process.

Philip also shares how Union County uses ballot-on-demand technology to make sure voters receive the correct ballot—and how seemingly small security features can add another layer of protection.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple message: elections don't just happen. They take planning, testing, transparency, and thousands of people working together to make sure voters can have confidence that their ballots are counted as intended.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

Follow Us on Social Media:

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Most Americans are familiar with the U.S. Supreme Court—but far fewer understand how state courts operate or why many states elect their judges.

This week, attorney Brooke Bergen sits down with Tom Phillips, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, for a conversation about the unique role state courts play in our constitutional system. Judge Phillips explains how judges interpret the law, the differences between state and federal courts, and the advantages and challenges of electing judges.

The conversation also explores how campaign spending can affect public confidence in the judiciary, why courts are increasingly being asked to resolve issues left to the political branches, and how judges can help strengthen public understanding of the rule of law.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

Follow Us on Social Media:

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What does it take to administer elections for more than 858,000 registered voters?

This week, host Tate Fall sits down with Olivia McCall, Director of Elections for Wake County, North Carolina, to discuss the logistics, leadership, and transparency required to oversee one of the largest election operations in the state.

Olivia shares how she found her career in election administration, what it takes to prepare hundreds of polling places and thousands of election workers, and why public outreach is just as important as election-day operations. She also discusses Wake County's award-winning media partnership program, which helps reporters accurately communicate election procedures before misinformation can take hold.

From staffing and voter education to planning for rapid population growth, this conversation offers an inside look at the people and processes that make elections work.

At Keep Our Republic, we believe that strengthening trust in elections starts with helping people understand how they work. Through conversations with election officials, judges, and civic leaders, Keepers of Our Republic highlights the dedicated public servants who make our democracy possible.

Welcome back to Keepers of our Republic, a new weekly podcast from Keep Our Republic that takes listeners inside the institutions at the heart of American democracy. 

Every week, Keepers of Our Republic features thoughtful conversations with election administrators and retired federal judges. We explore how elections are really run, discuss why an independent judiciary is essential to a strong republic, and separate fact from fiction in a fast-changing world. 

Learn more about Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan nonprofit, at our website, https://keepourrepublic.org

Follow Us on Social Media:

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Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KeepOurRepublicAction/

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