the local elected, yesWho runs the elections anyway?
It depends on who is elected. The County Clerk runs them locally, above her is the Secretary of State. In some municipalities it becomes a bit more muddied by municipal authorities, but that is the basic path to the top level of the State.
In some states they have leeway on what machines to select, etc. However, what they take as "identification" is set in laws. You wouldn't believe some of the things are considered "identification". And because it is written as law, there is absolutely nothing the election judge could do to change anything or even to set it aside as "evidence" of anything fishy.
They first set it into law that you cannot collect the evidence, then when there is "no evidence" they try to use it as a reason you shouldn't look at what the left hand is doing. It would be hilarious if it weren't so deadly serious.
The elected run elections?
county clerks, and other election officials
it varies by state, but for the most part thats how it is
and these people are elected in elections that have the LOWEST turnout