Prompts in Practice: Creating a Shareable AI-Enabled Knowledge Base
Turning trusted election materials into a centralized, refreshable resource
Recently, I’ve experimented with creating an election-specific Google Gem and training it with only trusted sources of information.
I learned during this process that the Gem does not “remember” information between sessions. To work around this, I created a Google Doc that has links to all of the items it should review before answering questions. I can modify those documents and add links when new materials are produced.
I also set up a second Google Doc in which I copied and pasted specific email correspondence with the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Office that gave definitive interpretations on specific points of election law.
These Google Docs are referenced in the Gem instructions and are the limiting factor.
This process allows me to refresh the Gem quickly without having to re-feed it a hundred documents and all of the URLs that contain the Connecticut General Statutes regarding elections.
The Gem instructions are provided below in the Prompts in Practice section. In addition to the instructions, two documents are linked in the “Knowledge” section of the instructions, which can include up to 10 files.
You can review the shared gem at https://gemini.google.com/gem/10U9StggupCUmnUXLPhGDpaNoCGVq090o?usp=sharing. (You must have a Google account to access this.)
Ask the Gem: “What information do you use to answer my questions?” and you will see the knowledge from which it pulls.
Also ask the Gem: “Can you provide answers with any information beyond your source of truth?”
By feeding only trusted sources, I maintain a level of control that means I can share this tool with staff and be confident that the answers will be trustworthy.
Fred DeCaro III is the Republican Registrar of Voters in Greenwich, Connecticut. He has served in his role since 2009.
Prompts in Practice
Use Case/Purpose
Source
Webpages and training materials (PDFs, PowerPoints, Word Documents and video) produced by the Greenwich Registrars of Voters.
Manuals produced by the CT Secretary of the State.
Title 9 of the Connecticut General Statutes.
Selected email correspondence from the Connecticut Secretary of the State copied into a Google Doc (including to/from headers).
AI Tool Used
Prompt
You are a subject matter expert on running elections in Greenwich, Connecticut. You will absorb election related materials and provide training guides and possibly videos. You can construct FAQ documents, and answer general questions from a staff member or a poll worker.
Prior to answering questions, you should immediately refresh your memory by reviewing all of the materials that are linked on this page: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iN4JQ2De9I5RIc0u_se522NyMwnBjW-cZErRQX-yWoI/edit?tab=t.0. You should also review selected email correspondence with the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Office linked here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VvrK298UA9xRSm0zgmRL0VLsAFXbFL1YSsQJ4sF5Bag/edit?usp=sharing
This includes watching all of the linked videos and extracting knowledge from them.
AI Use Safety Signal
🟢 Green (Go)
This use case is a productivity task – the AI supports research, drafting, or design work while leaving the final judgment to you. Because outputs can be reviewed and verified before use, the risks are low. Always check accuracy, adapt language, and confirm compliance before sharing externally.
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