AFPI ANNOUNCES CHAIR AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY

Today, America First Policy Institute (AFPI) announced its newest additions – Ken Blackwell will serve as Chairman of the Center for Election Integrity (CEI) and Hogan Gidley will serve as Director. CEI will work alongside key partners and allies across the country to protect our democracy.

“It is an absolute honor to join this superstar team. When it comes to our elections, we must have laws at the local level that make it easy to vote and hard to cheat,” said Chairman of AFPI’s Center for Election Integrity Ken Blackwell. “Every unlawfully counted ballot completely eliminates the lawful vote of someone who followed the rules, and we should be doing everything in our power to protect American elections. Without secure elections, the great American experiment will be no longer.”

“The addition of these two powerhouses brings expertise and experience that is not only an asset to AFPI, but more importantly, to the American people,” said AFPI President and CEO Brooke Rollins. “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and I’m looking forward to seeing the Center for Election Integrity work in the states to help them strengthen their state election laws and fight for the voting rights of their citizens.

Hogan Gidley, Director of the Center for Election Integrity said, “Our democracy deserves secure elections in which every legally cast ballot is counted and every legal voter is protected.  CEI will be a leading national voice in that effort – educating the American people about effective state election reforms that are needed to ensure free, fair, and honest elections.”

The complete bios for Ken Blackwell and Hogan Gidley can be found below.

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THE HONORABLE J. KENNETH BLACKWELL, Chairman of Center for Election Integrity

Ken Blackwell is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and serves as the Chairman of AFPI’s Center for Election Integrity. Blackwell has an extensive career in public service and is widely regarded as a leading expert on elections and election security. Prior to joining AFPI, Blackwell served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and was also elected to serve as the Treasurer and Secretary of State for the State of Ohio. Blackwell also currently serves as a Senior Fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance at the Family Research Council. He is the Co-Chairman of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Interest Legal Foundation, the Near East News Agency, and the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity. Blackwell was formerly the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. After receiving both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Xavier University, Blackwell became a professor there for many years. He enjoys Hermeneutics, hunting, and traveling the world with his wife of 53 years.

HOGAN GIDLEY, Director of the Center for Election Integrity

Hogan Gidley is from Columbia, South Carolina, and serves as AFPI’s Director of the Center for Election Integrity. Most recently, he served as National Press Secretary for President Trump’s Re-Election Campaign and Principal Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Assistant to the President in the Trump Administration. Gidley is a communications, political and marketing consultant with more than twenty years of experience.  He was Director of Communications for Mike Huckabee, Elizabeth Dole, and Rick Santorum, to name a few, and served as Executive Director of the South Carolina Republican Party. In his free time, he enjoys duck and turkey hunting, going to the beach, and golfing with friends.