The following is a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors Executive Committee: COG Board Chair Charles Allen, District of Columbia; COG Board Vice Chair Rodney Lusk, Fairfax County; and COG Board Vice Chair Reuben B. Collins II, Charles County.
“The COG Board of Directors applauds all election workers, clerks, registrars, and countless volunteers who serve selflessly to run free and fair elections.
“At our meeting in September, the COG Board was briefed by local election registrars and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on preparation and coordination for the November 2024 elections. From this briefing, the COG Board remains concerned with the level of disinformation and misinformation that is shared, particularly online.
“The COG Board calls on government officials, the media, and members of the public to remain vigilant by telling the truth, pushing back against dis/misinformation, and reporting dis/misinformation to your local board of elections office. Visit https://www.usa.gov/state-election-office to find your state and local election offices. In addition, we encourage all eligible voters to participate in our democratic elections. To learn more about how to register to vote and where to vote, visit: https://www.usa.gov/voting-and-elections”
Through the years, area officials have worked to make elections in metropolitan Washington accessible and secure, including ample early voting and codifying measures like no-excuse absentee voting. In 2023, the COG Board approved a resolution calling for continued regional participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), which provides local and state election officials with voter reports to prevent fraud and ensure accuracy. The board continues to encourage full participation by the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia in this resource. COG also convenes a regional Election Officials Technical Committee to coordinate and share information across jurisdictions.
COG, as the association of 24 area jurisdictions representing approximately 6 million residents, is committed to providing regional leadership as metropolitan Washington collaborates to protect the integrity of the United States’ non-partisan, democratic elections and ensure that the region plans and coordinates an inauguration that will make the nation proud.