Mechanics of Democracy on election readiness PBS special

As part of MODL’s Fall Conference, Arizona PBS allowed guests to participate in a live taping of a special episode of Arizona Horizon, featuring two panel discussions. The discussions brought timely conversations about election preparedness and emerging technology to audiences across the state and beyond.

Taped at the Arizona PBS studio in the Downtown Phoenix Campus, these back-to-back panels convened election leaders, county officials and technology experts to examine two pressing questions as both Arizona and the country prepare for the 2026 election cycle: How are elections being prepared in a complex political environment and are we ready to responsibly integrate artificial intelligence into election administration?

The first panel, “What’s Going on With Arizona’s Elections?”, focused on election readiness and trust. Moderated by AZ PBS’ host Ted Simons, the discussion featured Dana Lewis, Pinal County Recorder; Eslir Musta, Elections Director and Assistant County Manager for Coconino County; David Becker, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR); and Bill Gates, Executive Director of the ASU Mechanics of Democracy Lab. The panelists shared insights into how counties across Arizona are preparing for the 2026 midterm election, the steps being taken to strengthen voter confidence and the shared administrative challenges election officials face in a highly polarized environment. The conversation underscored the importance of transparency, communication and collaboration in maintaining safe and free elections.

The second panel, “Are We Prepared to Use AI in Elections?”, explored how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are already shaping election administration and what responsible adoption looks like moving forward. Joining the conversation were Allison JoAnn Lester, PhD, Assistant Teaching Professor and Action Research Scholar at ASU; Michael Moore, Chief Information Security Officer for the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office; and Bill Gates. The panelists examined both the promise and risks of AI, discussing the need for strong safeguards, cybersecurity protections and public trust. As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, the panel highlighted why election administrators must understand these tools and apply them thoughtfully.

Together, the panels formed a special that reflects MODL’s mission to bridge research, practice and policy in election administration. The conversations reinforced a central theme of the Fall Conference: innovation must be paired with accountability and technology should enhance, not replace, the human-centered work of running elections. 

Check out the special below.