Elections grow more complex every year, requiring increased technical, managerial, and policy expertise. At the same time, rising retirements — 40% of local election officials are eligible to retire by 2028 — are creating a huge gap in election administration leadership. Whether you are a student just starting out in the workforce, a professional seeking a new path, a government employee ready to pivot, or a current election professional looking to advance your career, the field of election administration offers exceptional opportunities to step up and lead.
The University of Minnesota's Certificate in Election Administration (CEA) gives you a practical path to build those abilities and meet the moment. We help recent graduates, career-changers, government workers, and current election professionals step into meaningful public-service roles — or grow in their existing ones — with the credibility, confidence, and real-world readiness to lead.
What You Gain
The CEA prepares and positions you to move up and lead in election administration. Graduates of our program successfully move into roles such as Elections Specialist, Elections Coordinator, City Clerk, Registrar, and Director of Elections in jurisdictions across the country.
By earning this certificate, you will:
- Advance Your Career: Election administration provides a dependable path in government service for professionals seeking strong benefits, a predictable salary, and meaningful responsibility.
- Stand Out to Employers: You will stand out in hiring processes because you have formal training in a field that increasingly demands specialized knowledge and steady leadership.
- Build Your Professional Network: Students gain access to a growing professional network through partnerships, alumni mentorship, and career services.
Flexible Online Training
The Certificate in Election Administration is an online and part-time program, allowing you to stay in your current role while you add new skills. Designed for experienced individuals already managing state and local election offices, as well as students and career-changers seeking to enter the field, this rigorous 12-credit program is accessible online 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world. Courses are taught by nationally recognized election experts, giving you direct access to the skills and best practices used in the field today.
Meeting a National Need
Rising retirements are creating an urgent need for well-prepared election leaders across the country. The CEA provides a structured, credible on-ramp into a field that has historically lacked clear training pathways. Housed within the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School — a top ranked public policy institution — this program strengthens your resume and prepares you to deliver the steady leadership our election system demands.
Certificate Options
- Post-baccalaureate (bachelor’s degree required)
- Undergraduate (no bachelor’s degree required; one year of work experience in election administration or related field or 45 college credits)
View Certificate in Election Administration application requirements
CEA Spotlight
Curriculum
The fully online Certificate in Election Administration requires 12 semester credits, including three core courses and five elective credits.
Core Courses (Required)
PA 3969 / PA 5971 – Survey of Election Administration (3 cr.)
Fall 2025, Fall 2026, Fall 2027
Comprehensive course on the general building blocks of election administration from voter registration to recounts. Students will learn how the three levels of government interact to manage different aspects of the election process; recognize the key debates and tensions in election policy; and identify their impacts on election administration.
PA 3972 / PA 5972 – Elections and the Law (2 cr.)
Spring 2026, Spring 2027, Spring 2028
A thorough examination of election laws at the federal, state, and local level and how they guide the conduct of elections by officials and voters alike.
PA 3973 / PA 5973 – Strategic Management of Election Administration (2 cr.)
Fall 2026
Strategic management for election administrators in the political environment. This course covers the distinct phases and hurdles of the policy process and skills for election officials to enact new policy.
Elective Courses (5 or more credits required)
PA 3975 / PA 5975 – Election Design (2 cr.)
Spring 2027, Spring 2029
An innovative course on design principles and how they are used in election administration. Through small, weekly assignments, students learn and practice new skills in plain language, design, and usability with real election materials.
PA 3976 / PA 5976 – Voter Outreach and Participation (1 cr.)
Fall 2025, Fall 2026, Fall 2027
Why do some voters turnout while others don’t? This course investigates the patterns and history of voter participation and practical steps to increase voter turnout.
PA 3982 / PA 5982 – Election Data: How to Make the Numbers Work for You! (2 cr.)
Spring 2026, Spring 2027
Elections are all about the numbers, and election administration is all about the data. In this course you will work through common challenges in election administration, hear from some of the Nation's best and brightest on how they have solved problems with data, and utilize data visualization and more to tell the election story well. Topics covered include resource allocation, facility compliance, polling place siting, deployment of workers, and voter surveys.
PA 3983 / PA 5983 – Introduction to Election Security (1 cr.)
Summer 2026, Summer 2027
Elections are critical infrastructure and increasingly targeted. This course examines the evolving threats facing U.S. election systems, including cyber, physical, and operational risks. Students will explore how election systems function, assess vulnerabilities, and analyze the layered safeguards used to protect them, gaining practical tools to strengthen secure and reliable election administration.
PA 3984 / PA 5984 – Elections Security: How to Protect America's Elections (2 cr.)
Spring 2025, Spring 2026, Spring 2027
This course provides elections professionals with tools and best practices to help protect their election technology, guard against influence efforts, and assure public confidence in election outcomes.
PA 3985 / PA 5985 – Physical Election Security (2 cr.)
Fall 2024, Fall 2025, Fall 2026, Fall 2027
This course provides a deeper understanding of the current security context and best practices for physically safeguarding elections. Students learn the difference between physical and cyber threats to U.S. systems; tangible steps to protect election offices and their equipment; the use of audits to ensure the accuracy of elections; the integration of security into vendor relationships; and the connection between physical election security and citizen trust in elections.
PA 4997 / PA 5990 – Topics: Pub Affairs - Election Policy in the Second Trump Administration (1 cr.)
Fall 2025
This class analyzes election‑related reforms, judicial rulings, and executive actions during President Trump’s second term. The course will examine President Trump’s 2025 executive order on elections as well as the administration's decision to deemphasize election infrastructure security. Students will explore how these changes could reshape American electoral integrity and democratic norms and how the courts have thus far dealt with those policy pronouncements.
Admission criteria and materials
Post-baccalaureate certificate (bachelor’s degree required):
- Resume
- Personal Statement (in 500 words or fewer, double spaced, discuss your educational and professional experiences and goals related to election administration. )
- College transcripts
- TOEFL/IELTS scores (required for most non-native English speakers)
Apply now to the post-baccalaureate certificate
Undergraduate certificate (No bachelor’s degree required. 1 year of work experience in election administration or related field or 45 college credits):
- Resume
- Personal Statement (in 500 words or fewer, double spaced, discuss your educational and professional experiences and goals related to election administration. )
- College transcripts (if applicable)
- TOEFL/IELTS scores (required for most non-native English speakers)
Apply now to the undergraduate certificate
Questions about the application process can be directed to [email protected].
Tuition and Fees
The program cost is based on tuition rate per credit. The full program is 12 credits. All students pay the resident rate, regardless of residency status, because it is an online program.
Undergraduate tuition rate: $620.50 per credit
Graduate tuition rate: $1,179.00 per credit
Academic Records Fee: One time fee assessed to support the development and maintenance of the academic record including official document production.
$150.00 - one time (new degree-seeking and certificate students)
$75.00 - one time (non-degree students)
Humphrey School Collegiate fee (per semester)
$279.00 - All students, 6 or more credits
$139.50 - All students, fewer than 6 credits
If you are a University of Minnesota student currently enrolled in a different degree program and taking CEA courses, please check with your degree program for your tuition rate.
Financial Aid
The Certificate in Election Administration Program is committed to supporting opportunities for our students to achieve their educational goals. Please take a look at the financial aid options below. Please note, credit certificate students are not eligible for federal financial aid, however some aid types may require students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Group Discount
Students taking CEA courses from the same organization or workplace (e.g. municipal or county government, non-profit org.) may be eligible for a group tuition discount. Students do not need to be enrolled in the same courses or at the same level (undergraduate or graduate) in order to be eligible for the discount.
4 - 9 students: 20% tuition discount
10+ students: 30% tuition discount
For more information please contact: [email protected]
Scholarships
The CEA program has a scholarship available for current or newly admitted students.
- CEA Scholarship details
- The application period for Spring 2026 is October 15 - December1, 2025
Other Types of Aid
Grants and Waivers: Employment, service, demographic, or family related
Employer Tuition Benefits. Talk with your employer to see if they offer tuition benefits. The U of M offers the Regents Scholarship for its eligible employees.
Private Loans: Options may be limited for credit certificate students.
Senior Citizen Education Program (SCEP): For MN residents
Questions? Please email [email protected].
Program Resources for Current and Admitted Students
- Program Information Guide – A resource for everything you need to get set up as a student, including enrollment steps, accessing University systems and services, academic policies, course access, and key registration and payment details.
- CEA Careers – Browse current job, internship, and fellowship opportunities in election administration.