Local election officials are important power brokers in our fight for a progressive multiracial democracy. They can expand voting access and increase equity in our democratic process or erect barriers that unequally increase the costs of participation for voters and the barriers for voters of color. For this reason the DPI community has been diving into understanding strategies to influence local election officials through organizing and advocacy and is examining current differences among jurisdictions and municipalities. This break-out session will share initial findings from case studies and discuss how we can build on the current research agenda.