Across our nation over the past several weeks, culminating on Election Day, Americans from every background united at over 130,000 polling locations to cast their votes, engaging in a cornerstone ritual of our democratic republic. Nearly a million citizens went a step further, volunteering to work in election centers to ensure this process remains fair, secure and transparent. Thousands of these Americans were veterans and military family members — over 163,000 who, through Vet the Vote alone, answered the call to serve once again, contributing to the security and accuracy of this critical election process.

The role of veterans in elections is impactful beyond numbers, bringing with it a distinct set of values. A recent study conducted by the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) at the University of Maryland, in collaboration with We the Veterans and Military Families, confirms what many Americans already feel instinctively: the presence of veterans and military family members (VMF) at polling sites significantly boosts public trust in elections. People aware of VMF involvement were 7% more likely to express confidence in the accurate counting of votes. For those already concerned about election legitimacy, the effect was even stronger — confidence rose by 15% among individuals who learned of VMF recruitment efforts. The presence of veterans and military families at the polls assures the public that elections are fair, secure and trustworthy.

Along with trust, veterans bring to election roles attributes honed through service: duty, discipline and integrity. They understand the importance of following procedure, working under pressure, and maintaining calm and order even in the face of challenges. Their training and experience help them focus on the mission at hand — upholding the integrity of our elections, just as they upheld the integrity of our national defense. This dedication is mirrored in their roles across the nation’s election landscape, whether serving as poll workers, advisers, or leaders in election security.

This year’s election saw approximately 162 million ballots cast across 10,000 local jurisdictions, managed by state and local officials, many of whom are veterans who continue to serve in civil service roles. These election officials, supported as usual by National Guard members defending against cyber threats and by veterans serving in critical leadership roles at institutions like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, exemplify the readiness and resilience that military service fosters.

Executing an operation as large and logistically complex as a national election (which is run by local and state-level authorities) is truly awe-inspiring. It requires coordination, preparation and discipline — all skills that veterans embody. Like any mission of this scale, elections face logistical challenges from human factors, weather and supply chain disruptions. But with layered security, robust redundancies and millions of dedicated citizens, our elections remain the most secure, transparent and accessible in history.

This marked America’s 60th presidential election. Despite periods of trial and challenge, the election process again worked as it should to allow the voters to make their choices. In the days and weeks before Nov. 5, Americans had been hearing repeatedly -- fueled by the influence efforts of our foreign adversaries -- that our elections are fraudulent and untrustworthy. But again they were not -- and within hours of the close of polls on Election Day, those messages mostly dried up. Our adversaries did not succeed in holding Americans back from voting, nor did any of their known attempts to sabotage the system. Let this serve as a lesson that the next time, when we start seeing those social media posts about election fraud in our great country -- they will be wrong yet again. 

Veterans and military family members proudly served again in this mission of ensuring our freedom to vote, just like the other freedoms they swore to protect. Those who signed up to be a poll worker may have done so with questions about the system, but they universally (96%) reported back to us that they didn’t have issues at their voting location -- suggesting that the posts on our collective social media had it wrong. 

Our community of veterans and military families has served the nation in every corner of the world, and we are honored to have served again at home in safeguarding America’s elections and fortifying the foundations of our democracy.

Ellen Gustafson, a Navy spouse, is the co-founder and executive director of We the Veterans and Military Families. Jake Harriman is a Marine Corps veteran and the founder and president of +More Perfect Union. Garrett Cathcart is an Army veteran and the co-founder and executive director of +More Perfect Union.