diff --git a/src/electionguard/chaum_pedersen.py b/src/electionguard/chaum_pedersen.py
index 569648df..48aa2e9a 100644
--- a/src/electionguard/chaum_pedersen.py
+++ b/src/electionguard/chaum_pedersen.py
@@ -389,9 +389,10 @@ def make_disjunctive_chaum_pedersen(
     :param plaintext: Zero or one
     """
 
-    assert (
-        0 <= plaintext <= 1
-    ), "make_disjunctive_chaum_pedersen only supports plaintexts of 0 or 1"
+    if not (0 <= plaintext <= 1):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "make_disjunctive_chaum_pedersen only supports plaintexts of 0 or 1"
+        )
     if plaintext == 0:
         return make_disjunctive_chaum_pedersen_zero(message, r, k, q, seed)
     return make_disjunctive_chaum_pedersen_one(message, r, k, q, seed)
diff --git a/src/electionguard/elgamal.py b/src/electionguard/elgamal.py
index ab6841b9..72fb71ea 100644
--- a/src/electionguard/elgamal.py
+++ b/src/electionguard/elgamal.py
@@ -282,7 +282,8 @@ def elgamal_add(*ciphertexts: ElGamalCiphertext) -> ElGamalCiphertext:
     Homomorphically accumulates one or more ElGamal ciphertexts by pairwise multiplication. The exponents
     of vote counters will add.
     """
-    assert len(ciphertexts) != 0, "Must have one or more ciphertexts for elgamal_add"
+    if len(ciphertexts) == 0:
+        raise ValueError("Must have one or more ciphertexts for elgamal_add")
 
     result = ciphertexts[0]
     for c in ciphertexts[1:]:
diff --git a/src/electionguard/group.py b/src/electionguard/group.py
index db213a8b..56718c34 100644
--- a/src/electionguard/group.py
+++ b/src/electionguard/group.py
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ def mult_inv_p(e: ElementModPOrQorInt) -> ElementModP:
     :param e:  An element in [1, P).
     """
     e = _get_mpz(e)
-    assert e != 0, "No multiplicative inverse for zero"
+    if e == 0:
+        raise ValueError("No multiplicative inverse for zero")
     return ElementModP(powmod(e, -1, get_large_prime()))
 
 
diff --git a/src/electionguard/utils.py b/src/electionguard/utils.py
index bb881d62..45d7af1e 100644
--- a/src/electionguard/utils.py
+++ b/src/electionguard/utils.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ def get_optional(optional: Optional[_T]) -> _T:
     Raises an exception if it's actually `None`, otherwise
     returns the internal type.
     """
-    assert optional is not None, "Unwrap called on None"
+    if optional is None:
+        raise ValueError("Unwrap called on None")
     return optional