Justin Levitt
Journal of Law and Politics
National
31 page(s)
4/23/2013
Abstract:
This short piece is not intended as a blueprint for a comprehensive health regime. Instead, it offers the ready elaboration of a policy menu for reducing wait time (and, along the way, potentially addressing other longstanding concerns), structured through the lens of the queueing theory deployed successfully in other contexts. The theory brings structure to the decision process: rather than a morass of undifferentiated policy suggestions, policymakers can identify the most appropriate means to address each of the significant levers contributing to lines in their areas. Some combination of some of the elements below should be deployed in jurisdictions that have suffered excessive lines in the past, and should likely be adopted prophylactically in those that have not but may be at risk. A modern republic should be able to ensure that its constituent citizens are able to express their preferences for political leadership without standing for eleven hours.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day holiday; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Paper ballots; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Wait times
Richard Hasen
Northwestern University Law Review
National
12 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Part I of this Essay briefly reviews complaints from the 2008 election season about the presidential nominating process. Part II considers the party autonomy argument against congressional legislation imposing a direct presidential primary. Part III considers the congressional power argument. This Essay concludes by noting that even if Congress may lack the power, the threat of congressional action could spur the parties to reform themselves.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Election types; Institutional arrangements; Open primaries
Joshua Douglas
Washington University Law Review
National
50 page(s)
3/6/2014
Abstract:
The Supreme Court has credited any state assertion of “election integrity,” even if that is not the actual impetus for the law under review. It also will reject a facial challenge to a state voting rule, thereby leaving the law in place until a plaintiff has gathered actual evidence of the law’s impact on particular voters. The Supreme Court has not treated Congress the same, demonstrating its willingness to invalidate a federal voting rule on its face even when Congress has asserted a more detailed rationale for the law. This Article uncovers this approach to constitutional challenges to voting regulations. It also explains why this current jurisprudence is both wrong and dangerous. It is wrong because the U.S. Constitution gives the federal government significant scope to promulgate election regulations, and states are subordinate to Congress under our constitutional structure.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Doug Chapin
Journal of Law and Politics
National
5 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
The 2012 election has brought renewed attention to the field of election administration, thanks in large part to President Barack Obama’s observation that “we need to fix” issues related to the long lines at the polls experienced in some jurisdictions on Election Day. The general sense is that these long lines—and the lengthy waits for voters they entail—are symptomatic of underlying election problems that need to be fixed. Accordingly, the President announced during his State of The Union Address, and established by executive order, a bipartisan Commission on Election Administration tasked with “identify[ing] best practices and otherwise make recommendations to promote the efficient administration of elections in order to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots without undue delay.” But what exactly should the Commission examine? And how specifically can we decide how to “fix” election administration? I believe the answer comes from another well-known American: Mark Twain. Twain once observed that “[s]upposing is good, but finding out is better.”
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Lisa Danetz; Youjin Kim
Demos
Illinois; Missouri; North Carolina; Ohio; Virginia
4 page(s)
11/1/2011
Abstract:
As public concern grows over deepening economic and political inequality, there’s good news to report in five states: 1 million additional members of the 99 percent have filled out voter registration forms at public assistance agencies since 2007.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Inimai Chettiar; Michael Waldman
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
41 page(s)
4/15/2014
Abstract:
At a time of fierce debate between President Obama and Congress over the use of executive action, this policy proposal outlines 15 steps the administration can take to overcome a paralyzed government, strengthen democracy, secure justice, and further the rule of law.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Melanie Goodrich
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
9 page(s)
6/12/2008
Abstract:
Ballot reform is an important part of the American political process. During the 1800’s, ballots changed drastically. At the beginning of the century, voters wrote the names of the candidates for whom they wished to vote on a piece of paper and put that piece of paper into the ballotbox. Legislation followed that allowed voters to cast professionally printed ballots, which opened the door to political parties providing their supporters with pre-printed ballots to cast. Towards the close of the century, the Australian ballot, also known as the secret ballot, was introduced to America and over a two decade transition period was implemented nationwide. Each of these reforms caused controversy and threatened the political system by introducing new methods for committing fraud. By studying the Political Ephemeral Collection at the Huntington Library, it is possible to see how the ballots actually changed over the years as new laws were passed. Studying how ballot reform laws impacted ballot design and voting patterns in the past can aid in determining how modern day ballot reform legislation may impact the political scene in America.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
4 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
States are in danger of losing federal HAVA funds unless action is taken in 2005. Despite a successful election in 2004, several issues face states to assure voter satisfaction and service. If states fail to act, Congress may do so.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Wait times
Donetta Davidson
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
101 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
This report is part of the Commission’s work in serving as a resource for information. The
2006 Election Administration and Voting Survey is the largest and most comprehensive survey on election administration conducted by a U.S. governmental organization. This is the second time in the Commission’s history that it has collected statistics from the States regarding election practices and voting. We expanded upon our first efforts in our study of the 2004 elections and this year sought greater participation at the local levels of government through the use of a Web-based survey. The information we collected will help the American public better understand what is happening throughout the country and identifying key issues that deserve further exploration and consideration.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Online voter registration; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Public opinion
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
3 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
Despite dire predictions that there would be major failures in 2006, state and local jurisdictions made the process come together exceedingly well.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Provisional ballots; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Michael Coffman; Stephanie Ceglieski
Elections Division, Colorado Department of State
Colorado
135 page(s)
2/26/2007
Abstract:
The investigation conducted by the Secretary of State revealed numerous and substantial problems related to the conduct of the 2006 General Election in Montrose County. The Secretary of State staff identified errors in the programming of voting machines; failure to conduct Logic and Accuracy Testing; failure to submit the required security plan; failure to secure voting equipment and election records as required by law; inconsistencies in the recording of voter information in the pollbooks; signature cards unaccounted for from Early Voting and Election Day; and a single point of knowledge in the elections supervisor.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat; Thad Hall
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
National
26 page(s)
5/8/2007
Abstract:
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) conducted a survey of local election officials (LEOs) after the 2006 election in order to determine how the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voting process works in their jurisdictions. This survey is the first of its kind for OVF and provides a baseline for understanding where many local election jurisdictions stand with the administration of UOCAVA voting as we enter the 2008 presidential election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
116 page(s)
11/1/2009
Abstract:
Detailed information on the 2008 Election Administration and Voting Survey is presented in this report. It contains summaries of the NVRA and UOCAVA reports, and a wealth of new information on the methods Americans used to vote and how State and local administrators ran their elections. Summary information at the State level is included in the tables which accompany the text.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Timothy Rusch
Demos
National
7 page(s)
10/29/2008
Abstract:
The 2008 Election Primer: Election Administration, Voting Rights & Legal Challenges, provides a comprehensive account of the latest research and litigation on key election issues — including voter registration challenges, voter access, fraud allegations, federal voting requirements, as well as voting rights for low-income citizens, veterans, and citizens with felony convictions.
Subject(s):
Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Claire Smith; Marina Mecl; Michael Keating; Sean Hogan; Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat; Toby Moore
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
National; California; Minnesota; New York
56 page(s)
2/1/2009
Abstract:
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) is proud to release the results of its 2008 Post Election UOCAVA Voter Survey and its Local Election Officials Survey. These surveys, now in their third year, provide a unique look into the voting experiences of overseas citizens, and are an unequalled resource in OVF’s ongoing mission to help overseas and military Americans register and vote in federal elections. In 2008 more than 24,000 voters in 186 countries and more than 1,000 local election officials in the US participated in the OVF surveys. The results of the 2008 surveys demonstrate that America is still not doing enough to eliminate the problems that interfere with UOCAVA voting. Although voter satisfaction was high, our report reveals that too many things that should have improved have not yet changed.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Universal registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Doug Chapin
Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
36 page(s)
7/1/2008
Abstract:
Using available post-election data from 40 states and the District of Columbia that conducted primaries (states that held caucuses were excluded because they generally do not follow federal election rules), this 2008 Primary Review focuses on the challenges and successes in what was one of the longest and most competitive intra-partisan battles on record.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Closed primaries; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Open primaries; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Turnout
Thomas Wilkey
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
48 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
In 2008, the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for the first time sponsored a Statutory Overview survey as part of the data collection for the EAC’s biennial Election Administration and Voting Survey. The Statutory Overview was an attempt to gather qualitative information on State definitions, laws, processes, and procedures relating to the administration of elections the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and four territories. The Statutory Overview was designed to help the EAC understand and analyze the quantitative data collected through the survey, and provide the basis for the current summary report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Adam Berinsky; Charles Stewart III; Gabriel Lenz; R. Michael Alvarez; Stephen Ansolabehere; Thad Hall
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
182 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
This study is based on the responses to an Internet survey of 200 registered voters in each of the 50 states, for a total of 10,000 observations overall. Individuals were asked about their experience voting—either in-person on Election Day, in-person early, or absentee voting. Non-voters were also surveyed.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter ID; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence; Wait times
Gineen Bresso Beach
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
92 page(s)
11/1/2009
Abstract:
This is the third report from the EAC to Congress regarding UOCAVA voting. It is based on information gathered from a survey of 55 States and territories, asking for data at the county (or equivalent) level regarding the November 4, 2008, election and the 2-year period leading up to it.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Matthew Thornburg; Michael McDonald
The Voter Registrars Association of Virginia
Virginia
51 page(s)
1/5/2009
Abstract:
American citizens most often express their wishes for the direction of their government by voting. As they cast their ballot, many people give little thought to the organization that ensures that their voting experience is as convenient, efficient and reliable as possible. To understand how Virginia’s elections are run the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia in consultation with researchers from George Mason University conducted a survey of the state’s local general registrars and electoral board members on issues such as workload, human resources, administrative resources, training and conducting elections. The responses reveal that one size does not fit all as the needs and challenges of election administration differ between the state’s populous urban areas and sparsely populated smaller jurisdictions. The survey offers a sobering assessment of pressing needs facing all election administrators in terms of basic support such as adequate staff and office space to an ad hoc framework for providing training, compensation and job definitions.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Security; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Wait times
Gineen Bresso Beach
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
121 page(s)
12/1/2011
Abstract:
The 2010 survey is the fourth sponsored by EAC and forms the basis for three reports: a federally mandated report on the impact of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. §1973gg, a mandated report on the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), 42 U.S.C. §1973ff, and this comprehensive report summarizing findings across all areas of the survey.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Institutional arrangements; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion
Project Vote
Arizona
10 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Arizona’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Arizona can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Privacy and Technologies of Identity: A Cross-Disciplinary Conversation; Project Vote
Colorado
8 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Colorado’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Colorado can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Florida
9 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Florida’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Florida can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Michigan
10 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Michigan’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Michigan can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Missouri
8 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Missouri’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Missouri can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Nevada
9 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Nevada’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Nevada can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
New Mexico
10 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed New Mexico’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, New Mexico can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Ohio
10 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Ohio’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Ohio can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Pennsylvania
9 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Pennsylvania’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Pennsylvania can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
National
11 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
With legislative sessions for 2010 about to get underway, Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program is releasing a series of election administration policy recommendation memos for 11 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. These state-specific memos assess current state election laws in six key areas: (1)Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration; and (6) Provisional Voting. By comparing current laws and practices in each of these states to recommended best practices, Project Vote identifies opportunities for states to improve the fairness and overall quality of their election processes.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
Virginia
10 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program has developed a series of policy recommendations in the areas of (1) Voter Registration; (2) List Maintenance; (3) Early Voting and Same-Day Registration; (4) Voter Intimidation and Suppression; (5) Public Agency Registration as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg, et seq.; and (6) Provisional Voting as created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), 42 U.S.C. § 15301, et seq. We have reviewed Virginia’s election statutes and compared them to our recommendations to identify opportunities for improvement. By implementing best practices, Virginia can improve the fairness and overall quality of its election process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), U.S. Department of Defense
National
16 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
Section 589 of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act4 authorizes the Department of Defense (DoD) to create one or more pilot programs to test new technologies that would help with the voting process. Based on this authority, FVAP created and implemented the EVSW pilot project for use in the November 2010 General Election. The EVSW systems allowed absent military and overseas citizen voters to access their full ballot online, download it, mark it, print it, and mail the ballot back to their jurisdiction. This effectively cut the transit time in half, alleviating the difficulties associated with long delivery times experienced via traditional postal mail. This report captures information learned during the project from interviews with FVAP staff, State officials participating in the pilot project and feedback from those involved with procurement and project management. This report draws on this information to describe—for all phases of the project—what was successful, what was unsuccessful, and what can be done in the future to ensure greater success in similar projects.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot marking tools; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Mead Treadwell
Alaska Department of Law; Alaska Division of Elections; Alaska Lieutenant Governor
Alaska
52 page(s)
4/1/2011
Abstract:
The following 2010 Election Review report by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the Division of Elections and the Department of Law, includes an analysis of election law and procedures as well as feedback from stakeholders, political parties, and most importantly, Alaska’s voters. The report responds to observations and concerns made by Alaskans, and offers a recommendation for change or retraction of current procedures, Alaska State Statute and or regulation for each issue.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Security; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Adam Rosenblatt; Robert Green
C-SPAN; Penn Schoen and Berland Associates LLC
National
9 page(s)
11/16/2010
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion
Thomas Wilkey
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
74 page(s)
5/1/2011
Abstract:
The United States Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) 2010 biennial Election Administration and Voting Survey included a Statutory Overview survey. This survey gathered qualitative information on State definitions, laws, processes, and procedures relating to the administration of elections in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and four territories. The Statutory Overview was designed to help the EAC and its stakeholders better understand and analyze the quantitative data collected through the Election Administration and Voting Survey.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Turnout
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
12 page(s)
8/8/2011
Abstract:
I am going to focus on giving you my perspective as to why I hope we can change the dysfunctional structure of relationships in the election world – and, to talk about how much this country needs your wisdom and your knowledge of science – especially NOW. As an example of this, I want to tell you where Travis County is on their purchase of a new voting system, and how I need your input. And finally, I would like to tell you briefly about a new project we are trying to put together that may be of interest to you.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Paper ballots; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Dana Chisnell
National
2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
29 page(s)
5/31/2013
Abstract:
The ongoing process of improving America’s election systems relies in part on having accurate data about the way Americans cast their ballots. In 2002, Congress chartered the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to collect information on the state of American elections and make it widely available to policy makers, advocates, scholars, journalists and the general public. Since 2004, the Commission has sponsored a biennial survey as its primary tool for fulfilling that mission. We are pleased to present the 2012 Election Administration and Voting Survey.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Paper ballots; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12200 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Paper ballots; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
121 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
Detailed information on the 2012 Election Administration and Voting Survey is presented in this report. It contains summaries of the NVRA and UOCAVA reports and new information on the methods Americans used to vote and how State and local administrators ran their elections in 2012. Summary information at the State level is included in the tables which accompany the report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
Tova Wang
Demos
National; Arizona; Colorado; Florida; Indiana; New Jersey; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Texas; Virginia; Wisconsin
19 page(s)
11/15/2012
Abstract:
The right to vote is just that – a fundamental right which is the cornerstone of American democracy. In the 2012 election, that sacred value was challenged in a way we have not seen in a couple of generations, perhaps since the civil and voting rights movements of the 1960s. Some powerful people tried to deny this right; legislatures in many states decided that the freedom to vote should be restricted, and they erected many unnecessary and discriminatory barriers to registration and voting.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Poll watchers; Portable registration; Proof of citizenship requirement; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
North Dakota
1 page(s)
2/20/2014
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Kansas
2 page(s)
12/5/2013
Abstract:
In Kansas, provisional ballots are issued when there is doubt about a voter's eligibility, including failure to update registration information, such as an address, or the inability to provide acceptable photo identification at the polls. During the last two presidential elections, Kansas has had one of the highest rates of provisional ballots use in the nation and those ballots have been issued and rejected at a fairly consistent rate.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Tennessee
1 page(s)
2/13/2014
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Utah
1 page(s)
5/7/2014
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Adrienne Kivelson; Aimee Allaud; Barbara Thomas; Francine Rodger; Kate Doran; Maggie Moehringer; Sally Robinson
League of Women Voters of New York State
New York
27 page(s)
2/6/2013
Abstract:
A Presidential election year always presents challenges to boards of elections; however, this year presented unique challenges: administering four separate elections within five months in a redistricting cycle year, fully implementing the MOVE Act and then responding to a hurricane occurring one week before Election Day. Boards of elections in the affected counties are particularly to be commended for their dedicated response to almost impossible tasks. Survey responses from NYC region voters cited problems unique to the region because of the impact of Hurricane Sandy on election boards and operations. Administrative problems such as poll worker competency, poll site layout, lack of information as the voter enters the polling place about finding her correct election district, and lengthy lines continue to be issues influencing voter satisfaction throughout much of the state. These may have been complicated because of the number of voters in a presidential election and extenuating circumstances, such as displacement of voters due to the hurricane.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Election Day emergencies; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Polling place management
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Michael McDonald
Huffington Post
National
2 page(s)
5/10/2013
Abstract:
Among the most dramatic findings reported in the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS) is a large decline in turnout rates among young people, particularly those who were first eligible to vote in the 2012 election. In contrast, older persons' turnout rates remained steady, or even increased. Given the large disparities in support for Obama among younger and older voters, Obama's smaller margin of victory in 2012 was thus partially a turnout story, as the electorate's composition was older, and more favorable to Republicans in 2012 compared to 2008.
Subject(s):
Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Nathaniel Robinson
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
2 page(s)
6/20/2012
Abstract:
Based on feedback received from the May 8 and June 5, 2012 Recall Elections especially, there is work to be done to ensure local election officials (LEOs) and their respective poll workers are prepared to conduct problem free elections in August and November 2012. The Strategic Planning Team needs to identify the election administration areas of greatest need and targeting for ensuring that our clerk partners and voter customers alike are duly informed of their respective roles, obligations, duties and responsibilities.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Scott Gessler; Suzanne Staiert
Colorado Secretary of State
Colorado
12 page(s)
2/7/2013
Abstract:
The 2012 election cycle was the most successful in Colorado history. Through proactive management and innovative solutions, Colorado modernized its election systems, achieved historic voter registration levels, exceeded national voter turnout numbers, and saw record-breaking participation by military and overseas voters.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Adam Rosenblatt; Robert Green
Penn Schoen and Berland Associates LLC; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
National
6 page(s)
11/12/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place hours; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arizona
1 page(s)
7/25/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California
1 page(s)
7/25/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Colorado
1 page(s)
7/25/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Connecticut
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
District of Columbia
1 page(s)
6/13/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Florida
1 page(s)
7/25/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Hawaii
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Indiana
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Iowa
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Kansas
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Louisiana
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Maryland
1 page(s)
6/13/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Massachusetts
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Michigan
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Minnesota
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Nevada
1 page(s)
7/25/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
New Jersey
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
New Mexico
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
New York
1 page(s)
10/17/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
North Carolina
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Ohio
1 page(s)
6/13/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Oregon
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Pennsylvania
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
South Carolina
1 page(s)
11/14/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Texas
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Utah
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Virginia
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Washington
1 page(s)
6/13/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
West Virginia
1 page(s)
10/3/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts’ election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state’s 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Wisconsin
1 page(s)
6/13/2013
Abstract:
Good policy depends on good data. To help states achieve an election system with the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security, The Pew Charitable Trusts' election initiatives team took a detailed look at each state's 2012 election data and uncovered the story behind the numbers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
League of Women Voters of Texas
Texas
5 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
As part of the Public Advocacy for Voter Protection (PAVP) grant received by LWV-TEF, local Leagues in Texas were asked to meet with local election officials after the November 6, 2012, general election to help identify additional areas where state and local Leagues can work together with officials to protect the interests of voters. The overall objective was to identify problems in the election process, initiate discussion of possible solutions, and help local Leagues develop a cooperative relationship with election officials. Nine local Leagues participated, surveying the following nine counties: Bexar, Collin, Harris, Hays, Kerr, Lubbock, Montgomery, Smith, Travis. This report summarizes the responses.
Subject(s):
Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
Huffington Post
National
6 page(s)
5/8/2013
Abstract:
An important election survey that reveals patterns in voting and registration is the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey November Voting and Registration Supplement, or CPS for short. The 2012 CPS reveals insights to major stories about the election divined from the exit polls: the changing face of the electorate and the role of young people in determining the outcome of the presidential election. As I suggested previously, the increasing diversity of the 2012 electorate was partially a turnout story, with non-Hispanic Whites modestly withdrawing from the electorate. The CPS further documents how it is also a story of the inevitable trend of increasing diversity of the country. Perhaps the most revealing new finding is a dramatic decrease in the youth vote, which has important ramifications for future elections.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
George Ehrhardt
North Carolina
9 page(s)
12/1/2003
Abstract:
From the standpoint of increasing political participation, the 2013 election rules proved superior to the former system. Voter turnout increased across the board, even in both precincts with new polling places. One-stop voting also increased under the new system. Correlation does not prove causation, of course, and this analysis simply shows correlation. Nevertheless, it is clear that there is no evidence of the new system suppressing voter turnout. While that may surprise some in Watauga County, this analysis matches prior research by political scientists elsewhere in the country. The increase in turnout appears to have had two distinct components. First, there was an overall increase in all precincts (except Brushy Fork, which has too small a total to be statistically meaningful). Second, there was a spike in pro-Democratic votes in the precincts most directly affected by the election procedure changes.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations
Combine With: Turnout
Donetta Davidson
Colorado County Clerks Association
Colorado
19 page(s)
4/25/2014
Abstract:
The following presentation summarizes Colorado's 2013 election reform legislation, House Bill 13-1303 or the Colorado Voter Access and Modernization Act (COVAME). It includes a discussion of the evolution of elections in Colorado, the elements of the 2013 reform legislation, and educating voters about the changes.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Christopher Mann; Lindsay Pryor
The Pew Charitable Trusts; Washington Secretary of State
Washington
34 page(s)
3/20/2014
Abstract:
The results of this study show that voter outreach communication describing the registration process as “fast and easy” was significantly more effective than attempting to persuade recipients to register using social pressure. Emphasizing convenience was especially effective among 18 year olds eligible to register to vote for the first time.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Online voter registration; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter information materials; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Donetta Davidson
Executive Director, Colorado City Clerks Association; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Colorado
7 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Joseph Welch
Election Commissioners' Association of New York State
New York
2 page(s)
1/16/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Election Day holiday; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Polling place locations
Curtis Gans
Center for the Study of the American Electorate, American University
National
7 page(s)
7/21/2014
Abstract:
If the first 25 statewide primaries (for U.S. Senate and/or state governor) are any guide, the nation is likely to witness the lowest midterm primary turnout in history. It is also likely to witness the greatest number of states setting records for low voter turnout. Even the states with convenience voting options such as election day registration, all-mail voting, early in-person voting and no excuse absentee voting experience low turnout percentages.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election types; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Same day/Election Day registration; Top two primaries; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Daniel Castro
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
55 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) received a grant from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to improve the accessibility of elections for voters with disabilities. As part of this effort we partnered with OpenIDEO to hold a public design challenge around the question, “How might we design an accessible election experience for everyone?” We also held two design workshops where we brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including voting technology vendors, security experts, election officials, people with disabilities, accessibility advocates, designers, and researchers from various fields, to work together to generate concepts that could help make the voting process more accessible. This report highlights fifty ideas, both big and small, that were generated during this process.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Polling places
Rasmussen Reports
Texas
1 page(s)
3/15/2012
Abstract:
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 72% of Likely U.S. Voters believe voters should be required to show photo identification such as a driver’s license before being allowed to vote. That’s in line with findings from December but remains down slightly from the 75% to 82% of voters who have supported a photo ID voting requirement in surveys since June 2006. Only 22% are opposed to the photo ID requirement.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
10/19/2004
Abstract:
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of American voters are worried that another Florida-style mess could mar Election 2004. That includes 29% who are very worried about such a possibility.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
12/20/2011
Abstract:
Seventy percent (70%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe voters should be required to show photo identification such as a driver’s license before being allowed to cast their ballot. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% oppose this kind of requirement.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
4/16/2012
Abstract:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of Likely U.S. Voters rate voter fraud at least a somewhat serious problem in the United States today, and just 24% disagree. This includes 35% who consider it a Very Serious problem and seven percent (7%) who view it as Not At All Serious. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
6/9/2011
Abstract:
Support remains high for requiring voters to show photo identification before being allowed to cast their ballots. An increasing number of states across the country are putting that requirement into law.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
10/8/2008
Abstract:
Three out of four U.S. voters (76%) believe a person should be required to show photo identification at the polls before being allowed to vote, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 18% do not agree.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
1/9/2008
Abstract:
A recent Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found 80% of voters believe everyone should be required to show photo identification to vote.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Rasmussen Reports
National
1 page(s)
8/19/2010
Abstract:
An overwhelming majority of Likely Voters in the United States think all voters in the country should be required to present photo identification in order to vote in U.S. elections.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion
Alec Ewald
Right to Vote Campaign; The Sentencing Project
Connecticut; Delaware; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Louisiana; Maryland; Nebraska; Tennessee; Wyoming
40 page(s)
11/1/2005
Abstract:
“A Crazy-Quilt of Tiny Pieces” presents results from the first nationwide study to document the implementation of American felony disenfranchisement law. Data came from two main sources: a 33-state survey of state elections officials and telephone interviews with almost one hundred city, county, town, and parish officials drawn from ten selected states.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors
Edward Foley
University of Virginia Journal of Law & Politics
National
47 page(s)
11/12/2013
Abstract:
This paper calculates the change in the vote count from initial returns to final certification in presidential elections from 1960 through 2012, for all fifty states. An analysis of these numbers shows a significant development since 2000: Democratic candidates are more likely to make major gains during the canvass (than either Republicans now or either party’s candidates earlier). One striking statistic: since 2004 the Republican candidate has gained during the canvass only twice in a state that the candidate lost, whereas in the same three years the Democratic candidate gained during the canvass 23 times in a state the candidate lost. In previous years, by contrast, Republicans and Democrats were more evenly matched in their ability to reduce their opponent's lead during the canvass. Focusing on swing states, the data also show that since 2004 it is increasingly likely that a Democratic candidate could come from behind during the canvass to overtake a Republican lead at the end of Election Night. More analysis is necessary to identify a cause of this "Big Blue Shift": the rise in provisional voting since HAVA? an increase in absentee voting? a combination of these and/or other factors?
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation
David King
Boston Mayor
Massachusetts
12 page(s)
4/7/2007
Abstract:
The City of Boston ran out of ballots in 38 of 254 voting precincts on Election Day, November 7, 2006. Mayor Thomas Menino requested a thorough review of the Election Department, and this report is part of that review.
Subject(s):
Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
J. Mijin Cha
Demos
California; North Carolina
2/3/2014
Abstract:
In response to a declining voter turnout rate, California recently implemented big reforms to help boost the turnout rate: online registration, same day registration (SDR), and relaxing the vote by mail deadline. A recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California analyzed the impact of the changes and claims that while online registration and the relaxed vote by mail deadline were worthwhile reforms, SDR might not be. The SDR analysis in the PPIC report, however, is flawed in fundamental ways that negate its conclusions about SDR.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Tova Wang
Demos
National
32 page(s)
6/29/2010
Abstract:
It is time, systematically and uniformly, to give every new citizen the most basic, simple tool to becoming part of our democracy: new citizens should be uniformly provided voter registration services and assistance at their naturalization ceremonies.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
John Wack
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce
National
19 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voter registration; Voting technology
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
Florida
24 page(s)
1/26/2004
Abstract:
This article evaluates the emerging legal and political science scholarship created in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore, the case that ended the 2000 Florida election controversy between supporters of George W. Bush and Al Gore. It surveys answers that scholars have given to four central questions: (1) Were the Supreme Court’s majority or concurring opinions legally sound? (2) Was the Supreme Court’s result justified, even if the legal reasoning contained in the opinions was unsound? (3) What effects, if any, will the case and the social science research it has spurred have on the development of voting rights law? (4) What does the Court’s resolution of Bush v. Gore tell us about the Supreme Court as an institution?
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Canvassing & election certification; Election administrators; Punch cards; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Charles Stewart III
Technology, Diversity, and Democracy Symposium
National; California
9 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
My expertise is in trying to use data to identify where election problems lie in America, especially at a broad level --- such as comparing states with each other or comparing counties with each other. I know that the purpose of today’s conference is to think about LA County, but there are lessons to be learned from looking across the country. So, what I thought I would do today is look at the election of 2008 to ask what do the data tell us about the experience of voters nationwide on Election Day? At the end, I’ll also say some words about where California fits into national trends --- not to put anyone on the spot, but rather, to get us thinking about where the special challenges are in improving elections here.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Ryan King
The Sentencing Project
National
25 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
In 48 states and the District of Columbia, persons in prison for a felony conviction are denied the right to vote. Additionally, in 36 of these states, persons under parole supervision and/or sentenced to felony probation are stripped of their voting rights. And in 11 states, a felony conviction can result in a lifetime ban from voting. The consequence of this policy has been to deny the right to vote to 1 in 41 Americans of voting age. Nationally, 1 in 8 African American males is prohibited from voting, reaching as high as 1 in 4 in some states. These policies serve not only as a reminder of this country’s legacy of electoral exclusionism, most evident in the post-Reconstruction era South, but continue to exacerbate racial inequalities in political participation that undermine democratic principles of equality in representation.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Suzanne Irene Mello
University of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
153 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
This dissertation represents the first technical initiative to address Rhode Island's need for further technical understanding of the voting equipment in which we entrust our elections. We seek to increase the awareness of forensic techniques within our election technology community and to show how their inclusion in the election process can improve voter confidence as well as security and reliability. This work reviews and critiques the emerging election technology in the forefront today and analyzes its ability to work here in Rhode Island. We provide an analysis of our current system and other technical advice on the future technologies we may consider. We introduce a new election algorithm, the WAVERI algorithm (Watch, Audit, Verify Elections for Rhode Island). Using set theory and forensic techniques, we prove it is possible to add an audit trail to our current system with little impact to the way our citizens vote. Working closely with the Rhode Island Board of Elections, we borrowed two election machines to hold a mock election. We then compared that election to an election on the WAVERI prototype to show how an audit trail can be realized. Finally, a new metric, the Election Forensic Metric, is introduced to measure how well an election process protects itself and allows for comprehensive audits pre- and post-election.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Scott Novakowski
National
24 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
While comprehensive data on the casting and counting of provisional ballots in 2006 is not yet available, A Fallible ‘Fail-Safe’ documents problems with provisional ballots experienced by voters as they attempted to vote in the November 2006 election. Based on extensive examination of data captured in the Election Incident Reporting System by volunteers with the Election Protection Coalition, we found administrative failures, instances of inadequate poll worker training, and problems with the accuracy of voter rolls in states across the nation. A Fallible ‘Fail-safe’ provides a snapshot of provisional balloting problems experienced by voters across the nation in November 2006.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
David Walker
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
76 page(s)
10/1/2001
Abstract:
This capping report draws on a considerable body of work recently done by GAO on election systems. We address three main issues that Congress may wish to keep in mind as it approaches election reform. First, we examine the division of federal and state authority to conduct elections and the resulting variation among election jurisdictions. Second, we describe the challenges that election officials face as they work with the people, processes, and technology involved in our administering our nation’s election systems. And third, we suggest four criteria that Congress could use as it weighs the merits of various reform proposals.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot marking tools; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election administrators; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Anna Pandolfo; Elizabeth Rosenzweig; Ted Selker
Journal of Usability Studies
National
14 page(s)
11/1/2006
Abstract:
This paper compares the relative merit in realistic versus lab style experiments for testing voting technology. By analyzing three voting experiments, we describe the value of realistic settings in showing the enormous challenges for voting process control and consistent voting experiences. The methodology developed for this type of experiment will help other researchers to test polling place protocols and administration. Comparing the results from laboratory experiments with voter verification and realistic voting experiments further validates the procedure of testing equipment in laboratory settings. The methodology and protocol for testing voting systems can be applied to any voting technology. This protocol matches the real-world conditions of voting by replicating them for the experiment.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Post-election audits; Usability testing; Voting technology
Michael McDonald
Huffington Post
National
2 page(s)
6/12/2013
Abstract:
The percentage of voters who cast their ballot before Election Day modestly increased from 29.7 percent to 31.6 percent from 2008 to 2012, according to a Census Bureau survey.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting
Combine With: Turnout
David Jefferson; Ronald Rivest; Shuki Bruck
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
12 page(s)
8/1/2001
Abstract:
We present a “modular voting architecture” in which “vote generation” is performed separately from “vote casting.”
Subject(s):
Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
National
74 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
The survey addressed the following topics: experience with the administration of provisional voting system, state guidance for implementing provisional voting, general perceptions, and recommendations for the future. This Executive Summary provides an overview of key findings from the study.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Canvassing & election certification; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion
Kathleen Stoughton
The George Washington Law Review
National
37 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
By late 2012, nine states had passed strict voter ID laws requiring those voting in person to present a valid, government-issued photo ID. These laws disproportionately disenfranchise minority voters, who are much more likely than their white counterparts to lack a valid ID. There are no constitutional remedies available, as the Supreme Court has upheld voter ID laws against facial constitutional challenges, and as-applied constitutional challenges are not a feasible method of challenging laws with such a widespread effect. Although section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 can keep discriminatory voter ID laws from being enacted in a limited number of jurisdictions, the Supreme Court has expressed skepticism about the provision’s continued constitutionality. This Note argues that a remedy can be found in section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: plaintiffs can challenge strict voter ID laws by showing that they so disproportionately affect minority voters that they dilute the vote of the minority group as a whole, effectively abridging the right to vote on account of race or color in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Kyle Saunders; Lisa Bryant; Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Electoral Studies
New Mexico
8 page(s)
8/14/2009
Abstract:
In democratic societies there is a tension between maximizing ballot access and minimizing voter fraud. Since the 2000 presidential election, this tension has been central to discussions about election reform at the national, state, and local level. We examine this tension by focusing on the implementation of voter identification laws in one state that has experienced significant issues in recent elections, and that is currently implementing election reform: New Mexico. We hypothesize that Hispanic voters are more likely to show some form of identification than other types of voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion
Alan Dechert; Arthur Keller; David Mertz; Karl Auerbach
Open Voting Consortium
National
10 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 was passed into law to modernize voting equipment as a result of the 2000 US Presidential election and the problems observed in Florida. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has issued a set of Voting System Standards (VSS) that serve as a model of functional requirements that elections systems must meet before they can be certified for use in an election. The next section discusses the existing voting machines that meet those standards. Section 3 considers the rationale for an accessible voter-verifiable paper ballot. Section 4 is a description of the Open Voting Consortium architecture for the polling place. Section 5 mentions the current state and next steps.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Post-election audits; Security; Software-based systems; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs
Lisa Danetz; Youjin Kim
National
8 page(s)
7/13/2011
Abstract:
A preliminary analysis of the data within the biennial NVRA report just issued by the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) shows the dramatic impact that stepped-up oversight and enforcement of voter registration mandates at state agencies can have in reversing the long decline in registration among low-income and working class Americans. Demos, Project Vote and The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law long have been concerned about the decline in voter registration applications at public assistance offices following initial implementation of the National Voter Registration Act (“NVRA”) in 1995. In mid-2006, the non-profit partners commenced strong outreach efforts combining negotiated improvements with litigation, where necessary, in states where compliance had lagged. The impact of this work is evident in the increase in voter registration applications at public assistance agencies documented in the EAC’s June 2011 report, “The Impact of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 on the Administration of Elections for Federal Office 2009-2010.”
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
J. Mijin Cha; Victoria Berman
Demos
National; Colorado; Georgia; Mississippi; Missouri; North Carolina; Ohio; Virginia; Washington
10 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
As the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the latest numbers from the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on the impact of the NVRA show public assistance offices received 1.8 million voter registration forms nationwide. These numbers are an increase from the 1.14 million registration forms reported in the previous reporting period and 2.4 times as many registration applications as the 527,752 received in 2005-2006. These increases show the impact of improved implementation of Section 7 of the NVRA in many states over the past several years.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Boris Shor; Eric McGhee; Nolan McCarty; Seth Masket; Steven Rogers
American Journal of Political Science
National
10/31/2013
Abstract:
We marry a unique new data set of state legislator ideal points to a detailed accounting of primary systems in the United States to gauge the effect of primary systems on polarization. We find that the openness of a primary election has little, if any, effect on the extremism of the politicians it produces.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election types; Open primaries
Janine Sulzner
Iowa State Association of County Auditors
Florida; Indiana; Iowa
14 page(s)
2/2/2011
Abstract:
The committee members take pride in serving as election administrators in a state with good laws and a strong history of fair and impartial elections. We respect and appreciate the difficult jobs of the legislators and governor, and we ask those people to weigh this information and changes to those laws with care. If the Iowa Legislature and Governor determine that requiring a photo ID to vote is in the public interest, then we make the following recommendations, based upon our research into the photo ID requirements in the states of Florida and Indiana.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Alfie Charles ; David Jefferson; Linda Valenty
California Internet Voting Task Force, California Secretary of State
California
34 page(s)
1/1/2000
Abstract:
The California Internet Voting Task Force was convened by Secretary of State Bill Jones to study the feasibility of using the Internet to conduct elections in California. More than two dozen experts in the field of data security, elections and voter participation were asked to volunteer their time and expertise in the development of this report. The recommendations, analysis and suggested technical requirements that follow represent the collective opinion of the task force.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Internet voting; Security; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Douglas Hess; Jody Herman; Margaret Groarke
Project Vote
National
15 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
Academic literature examining the effectiveness of the NVRA, not an extensive body, generally takes two approaches: analysis of NVRA impact on aggregate registration and/or turnout rates, and analysis of the NVRA’s impact on equality in participation. While the positive effects of the NVRA on aggregate registration rates and on the registration of members of certain demographic groups is a consistent finding, the existing literature has several limitations, particularly concerning the public agency provisions of the NVRA.6 Without more exact research, the importance of both the development of future polices and the enforcement of current polices to reduce inequalities in voter registration rates in the United States will be underestimated.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Henry Brady; Paul Herrnson; R. Michael Alvarez; Robert Stein; Ted Selker
Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Task Force, AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
31 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
The current draft is an extensive document. It contains several hundred pages of detailed requirements meant to ensure voting system usability, accessibility, and security. Many of its provisions are the product of substantial research and experience. This being said, we find the VVSG to be in need of extensive revision. In many cases it is excessively prescriptive, a characteristic we fear will stifle innovation. In other places, its provisions are based on faulty methodology, and require further testing and consideration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Security; Software-based systems; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
Nathaniel Persily
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
17 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Election Day emergencies; Military voters; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Andrea Derrick Truitt
Legislative Audit Council, South Carolina General Assembly
South Carolina
62 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
We reviewed the voting machines used in South Carolina, the training provided to officials on using the machines, other types of voting machines, and other states’ experiences with the type of machines used in S.C. The period of review included FY 10-11 through FY 12-13 with consideration of earlier periods when relevant.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud
Jamin Raskin
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
Although the United States is running a healthy trade surplus in official rhetoric about democracy in the new century, we face a growing domestic deficit in the political rights actually essential to democratic government. This democracy deficit follows from several causes, but none so fundamental as this: In the United States today, we do not have a federal constitutional right to vote. In this article, I examine four critical ways in which our missing constitutional right to vote operates to thwart effective public participation and popular sovereignty over government. I want to argue that a constitutional voting rights amendment is essential to keep the historical dynamics of democratic enlargment in motion and to prevent us from lapsing into plutocratic, aristocratic and corporatist forms of government.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Wait times
Steven Schwinn
Clearinghouse Review Journal of Poverty Law & Policy
National; Indiana
10 page(s)
8/16/2011
Abstract:
The Supreme Court in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board rejected a facial challenge under the Equal Protection Clause to Indiana’s voter-ID law. But despite upholding the law, the Crawford opinions together set out a clear roadmap for challenging any “evenhanded restrictions” on the right to vote. This short piece examines that roadmap. I start by giving a bit of background on the Indiana law and describing the law’s operation. Next I mine two key opinions in Crawford for clues to a successful challenge of voter-ID laws. Finally, I argue that Crawford gives us three imperatives for successful challenges, and I offer some thoughts on each.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation
Philip Stark
Annals of Applied Statistics
Minnesota
4 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Post-election audits use the discrepancy between machine counts and a hand tally of votes in a random sample of precincts to infer whether error affected the electoral outcome. The maximum relative overstatement of pairwise margins (MRO) quantifies that discrepancy. The electoral outcome a full hand tally shows must agree with the apparent outcome if the MRO is less than 1. This condition is sharper than previous ones when there are more than two candidates or when voters may vote for more than one candidate. For the 2006 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota, a test using MRO gives a P-value of 4.05% for the hypothesis that a full hand tally would find a different winner, less than half the value Stark [Ann. Appl. Statist. 2 (2008) 550–581] finds.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Steven Strahs
Election Reform Network
Pennsylvania
4 page(s)
3/1/2007
Abstract:
This report is organized into two sections: the first is a description of findings related to the Election Reform Network's (ERN) comparison of the number of voter signatures in poll books for 25 election districts with the machine count of voters provided in the 2006 General Election Precinct Turnout Report, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The second section is an overview of problems and incidents in about 15 precincts in Montgomery County, where ERN poll watchers and other observers were placed. Together, we believe the two sections provide a useful "snapshot" of how elections operate in Montgomery County and point to some obvious directions for improvement. This report, however, does not address directly what the ERN believes is the most fundamental question surrounding Montgomery County elections, the security and reliability of its current direct recording electronic (DRE) paperless vote machines, which are neither independently auditable nor recountable.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Security
Combine With: Errors
Traci Burch
The Sentencing Project
North Carolina
46 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
This paper argues that the exponential growth in the reach and severity of criminal punishments, particularly felony sentences and convictions, has important implications for the contours of the American polity and for the civic capacity of individuals. To support this claim, the growth of the criminal justice system is first situated in a theoretical discussion of the feedback effects it could have on the polity. Next, data on individuals and communities in one state, North Carolina, are analyzed to test the effects of convictions on voter participation. The empirical component of this paper employs data from several sources, including voter registration and offender records, economic data, and census records to track past and present registration and turnout for individual felons and misdemeanants. Moreover, these analyses attempt to account for the effects of factors such as education, recidivism, race, gender, and age on the participation of offenders.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Civic education; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Adrienne Jones; Brad Fain; Carrie Bell; Chandler Price; Hannah Jahant; Keith Kline; Linda Harley; Sarah Farmer; Shaun Mosley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF); Georgia Tech Research Institute
National
51 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
This research study was a replication and extension of the NIST study conducted in 2008 (Redish & Chisnell). In the previous study, two ballots were compared in what is referred to as “plain language” and “traditional language”. Plain language is intended to be simpler and easier to understand than traditional language. Performance and voter satisfaction were measured by the number of errors produced, reading times, ability of users to spontaneously notice differences between ballots, and preference for one ballot over the other. In the current study, we have replicated the NIST study to include Spanish and Chinese languages (with English as a baseline), using the same two ballot styles used in the original NIST study. Ballots will were translated by Language Works and imported into GTRI’s web-based Voting App Test Bed.
Subject(s):
Ballot wording; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Usability testing; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors
Todd Rokita
Indiana Secretary of State
Colorado; Indiana
16 page(s)
12/13/2005
Abstract:
The purpose of this report is to provide an objective analysis, foster discussion among legislators and election administrators, answer questions, and create new questions to help structure the details that need to be resolved for the Vote Centers concept to work in Indiana.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Security; Vote centers
Combine With: Costs
Matt Barreto
California Citizens Redistricting Committee
California
7 page(s)
7/13/2011
Abstract:
As the Latino population has grown throughout Southern California, more and more Latino candidates have run for a variety of local, state, and federal office and clear voting patterns have emerged throughout L.A. County, and specifically in the central and southwest portions of the county. With almost no exceptions, when Latino candidates run for office, they have received strong and unified support from Latino voters in Los Angeles County. Previous analyses of voting patterns in Los Angeles have demonstrated statistically significant differences in candidate choice, between Latinos and non-Latinos. Based on the social science research I have reviewed and am familiar with, the evidence leads me to believe that Latinos vote as a cohesive political group, and non-Latinos regularly bloc vote against Latino candidates.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Turnout
California Association of Clerks and Election Officials; California Secretary of State; Election Administration Research Center, University of California-Berkeley
California
30 page(s)
5/1/2007
Abstract:
In the following pages we provide a summary of a survey conducted by the Election Administration Research Center (EARC) at UC Berkeley, and an analysis of data collected from election poll workers (or precinct board members), who worked at polling places throughout California during the General Election on November 7, 2007.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling place management
Combine With: Public opinion
Charles Bullock III; Gary Smith; M.V. Hood III
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Georgia
47 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
Although recent in coming to Georgia, non-precinct voting has proven extremely popular, accounting for just over a majority of votes cast in the 2008 election (53%).The percentage of voters choosing to vote early in-person compared to those voting at precincts was essentially equivalent. The results of our survey indicated that voters overwhelmingly prefer their chosen method of voting and have indicated that they are very likely to continue voting in the same manner in future elections
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Senior voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Voting System Testing and Certification Division, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
149 page(s)
9/14/2011
Abstract:
This report presents a broad review of the Internet voting systems used in elections from January 2000 through November 2011. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) conducted this study to collect information to use as guidance in the development of electronic absentee voting guidelines. The knowledge gained from examining the system architectures, the standards for designing and/or testing these systems and how system risk was evaluated and managed provides valuable insight based on actual experience.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; International election administration; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel ; Nikolaj Volgushev
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
Connecticut
20 page(s)
4/1/2014
Abstract:
This paper presents a systematic approach to automating the analysis of event logs recorded by the electronic voting tabulators in the course of an election. An attribute context-free grammar is used to specify the language of the event logs, and to distinguish compliant event logs (those that adhere to the defined proper conduct of an election) and non-compliant logs (those that deviate from the expected sequence of events). The attributes provide additional means for semantic analysis of the event logs by enforcing constraints in the timing of events and repetitions of events. The system is implemented with the help of commodity tools for lexical analysis and parsing of the logs. The system was rigorously tested against several thousand event logs collected in real elections in the State of Connecticut. The approach based on an attribute grammar proved to be superior to a previous approach that used state machine specifications. The new system is substantially easier to refine and maintain due to the very intuitive top-down specification. An unexpected benefit is the discovery of revealing and previously unknown deficiencies and defects in the event log recording systems of a widely used optical scan tabulator.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Ann Crigler ; Edward McCaffery; Marion Just
University of Southern California Law School
Florida
33 page(s)
Spring 2003
Abstract:
The generally heated scholarly and political debates over Bush versus Gore, the election, and Bush v. Gore, the case, can be seen to relate to two competing visions of democratic theory and the role of the vote therein. Minimalists such as Richard Posner have low expectations for the role of individual voter participation; such theorists view the 2000 presidential election as a statistical tie that had to be broken, one way or another, and the U.S Supreme Court’s role in breaking it as a perfectly acceptable, pragmatic act. Participatory democrats such as Cass Sunstein and Lani Guinier, in contrast, see individual voting as the constitutive act of democracy, and consider Bush v. Gore to be a violation of that process. In this Introduction to an edited volume, the authors trace out these competing theories and their implications for the politics of and prospects for voting reform in the United States.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Andrew Regenscheid; Nelson Hastings
Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
78 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC), with the assistance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is researching electronic technologies that may help to assist overseas voting as defined by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This report contains the results of NIST’s research.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Security
FairVote
National
1 page(s)
1/7/2010
Abstract:
FairVote proposes that states establish a uniform initial voter registration age of no older than 16. These advance-registered voters would be automatically added to the voting rolls when they reach voting age. Ideally, they would also be sent information about the mechanics of voting and the timing of the first election for which they are eligible. Evidence collected from different states suggests this change will usually have no fiscal impact.
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Charles Stewart III
Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Political Science Association; Political Science Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
48 page(s)
3/26/2013
Abstract:
Primarily using responses to the 2012 Survey of the Performance of American Elections (SPAE), this paper paints a portrait of election administration from the perspective of the experience of voters in the most recent presidential election. It examines both the experience on Election Day itself and attitudes about the election. Because of the design of the SPAE, it is possible to provide descriptions about the national electorate and the electorates of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Because this is the second administration of essentially the identical instrument across two succeeding presidential elections, it is also possible to gain some insight into how the politics of election administration may have affected the experience of voters and the attitudes of citizens about elections.
The high-level findings are these. First, the experience for the vast majority of voters in 2012 was positive, as it was in 2008. Second, requiring voters to show photo ID in order to vote remains popular, though less so than in 2008. Third, states varied by an order-of-magnitude (from top to bottom) in the amount of time citizens waited in line to vote — Vermont was the lowest (1.5 minutes, on average), Florida the highest (39 minutes). Minority voters and city-dwellers (especially city-dwellers who voted early) wait in lines the longest. Fourth, attitudes about possible election reforms have become more polarized around partisan lines than they were in 2008.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day holiday; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Internet voting; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Adrienne Jones; Andrew Baranak; Brad Fain; Keith Kline; Linda Harley; Shaun Mosley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
26 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) web based voting application, henceforth referred to as “Voting App,” is a test bed developed to conduct accessible voting research studies. One critical design decision was to ensure that the Voting App would be platform independent since the testing would be done on a regular computer or a tablet of any type. The Voting App software needed to be easy to maintain and modify. In this working paper, the overall system architecture for the Voting App is described, as well as the user interface considerations. One key element that makes this Voting App a test bed is that the software contains an event logging system that captures user selections and system performance along with time stamps. This provides the ability to quantify user performance. Therefore, event logging is also discussed in this paper.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Adrienne Jones; Brad Fain; Chandler Price; Keith Kline; Linda Harley; Sarah Farmer; Shaun Mosley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
31 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
The goal of this research effort was to enable private and independent voting by older adult voters with arthritis. This research study investigated the usability of three different display layouts: multi-page, multi-column, and scrolling layouts. The display layouts may require more or less tactile button presses, which to an individual with arthritis is a consideration as it affects the comfort level in using the voting system. The multi-page layout refers to presenting all candidates’ names for a single contest across multiple pages of the ballot. The multi-column layout displays all candidates simultaneously on a single page listing the names in multiple columns. The scrolling layout involves one column where the text is replaced with new text as the participant scrolls up and down the page.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Adrienne Jones; Brad Fain; Chandler Price; Keith Kline; Linda Harley; Sarah Farmer; Shaun Mosley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
30 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
The goal of this research effort was to enable private and independent voting by voters with dyslexia. This research study investigated three different font types: Helvetica, Lexia Readable, and Open Dyslexic. Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface. Lexia Readable is an adaption of Comic Sans, where letter symmetry is avoided and spacing between letters, words, and lines are increased. In Open Dyslexic font the letter strokes are thicker and vary within each letter, with heavier weight towards the bottom and left or right sides, to make pairs of commonly confused letters more distinguishable.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Adrienne Jones; Brad Fain; Chandler Price; Keith Kline; Linda Harley; Sarah Farmer; Shaun Mosley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
32 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
The goal of this research effort was to enable private and independent voting by voters with arthritis. This research study investigated the usability and accessibility of three different tactile user input devices: 2-button (advance forward and select), 3-button (advance forward, backward, and select) and 5-button user input devices (advance forward, backward, select, proceed to next contest, and previous contest).
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Civil Grand Jury, City and County of San Francisco
California
23 page(s)
7/3/2008
Abstract:
The 2007-2008 San Francisco Civil Grand Jury (the "Jury") decided to conduct this inquiry because of the total number of elections during its term. The Jury was also aware of concerns about the integrity of local elections generally and controversy surrounding voting machines specifically. In conducting this inquiry and through issuing this report the Jury seeks to inform the citizens of the City and County of San Francisco of the conduct of the four elections in November 2007 and February, April, and June 2008 and to determine whether the elections met the standard of competence, thoroughness and integrity demanded and expected by the citizens of San Francisco and by applicable laws.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Election Day polling place voting; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Aaron Burstein; Adam Berinsky; Adam Cox
2012 Elections Task Force, Broward Legislative Delegation
Alabama; Alaska; Arizona
1 page(s)
8/27/2014
Abstract:
Testing
Subject(s):
Absentee voting
Combine With: Costs
Elora Mukherjee
Alabama; Pennsylvania
70 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
A “time tax” is a government policy or practice that forces one citizen to pay more in time to vote compared with her fellow citizens. While few have noticed the scope of the problem, data indicate that, due primarily to long lines, hundreds of thousands if not millions of voters are routinely unable to vote in national elections as a result of the time tax, and that the problem disproportionately affects minority voters and voters in the South. This Article documents the problem and offers a roadmap for legal and political strategies for solving it.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout; Wait times
John Fortier
AEI Press
National
116 page(s)
10/9/2006
Abstract:
In Absentee and Early Voting: Trends, Promises, and Perils, John Fortier documents the dramatic increase in absentee voting and, more recently, the meteoric rise in early voting. He examines the legal and historical reasons for changes in the voting system and the many differences across states. Fortier offers his thoughts about what the changes have meant for the country and where we should go from here.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voting methods; Weekend voting
Combine With: Turnout
Jan Leighley; Jonathan Nagler
Bush v. Gore, 10 Years Later: Election Administration in the United States
National
14 page(s)
4/7/2011
Abstract:
In this paper we discuss the changes in electoral laws since 1972, and the effect some of those laws have had on turnout. We pay particular attention to the variation in absentee voting laws, and in particular the method of requesting the absentee ballot, across the states. We document the large increase in the availability of no-fault absentee voting since 1990. And we note that it often comes with a large price: the need to request a ballot each year. However, we find, surprisingly, that states that allow for permanent absentee ballot status do not neccesarily achieve larger turnout than states which adopt no-fault absentee balloting but do not offer permanent absentee status.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Permanent absentee voting
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Tokaji; Ruth Colker
McGeorge Law Review
National
46 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
The purpose of this article is to discuss how to promote accessible absentee voting while guarding against threats to electoral integrity. In referring to “access” in this context, we mean a system that allows voters with disabilities to obtain and cast absentee ballots privately, independently, and accurately. In speaking of “integrity,” we mean a system that allows people with disabilities themselves to choose what and for whom they vote and, conversely, that guards against third parties casting absentee ballots in their stead—whether through beneficent or dishonorable motives.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Polling place accessibility; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Matt Qvortrup
Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, Australian Federal Parliament
National
14 page(s)
8/1/2005
Abstract:
Problems with postal voting have attracted attention in recent elections in Australia and in the United Kingdom. This paper reviews the international experiences with absentee (postal) voting in developed capitalist democracies. It concludes that: Postal Voting can reduce costs of running elections; Absentee voting can have a negative impact on the civic aspects of voting (cueing at the polling station has a politically edifying effect, which is minimised by absentee voting); More generally (but of less relevance in Australia) turnout has tended to be higher in contests that allow for postal voting. Contrary to some fears, this higher level of turnout does not generally decline once the novelty of postal voting wears off; Further, postal voting leads to higher turnout among those with fewest resources.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; International election administration; Low-income voters
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout; Wait times
Division of Public Interest Advocacy, New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate
New Jersey
44 page(s)
3/8/2007
Abstract:
As part of its statutory duties to promote the public interest and advocate on behalf of New Jersey residents, the Department of the Public Advocate (the “Department”) is conducting a Voting Rights Campaign, an initiative covering a wide range of voting rights issues in New Jersey. This initiative has included an investigation into whether senior citizens and voters with disabilities have access to the electoral process, and particularly physical access to polling places.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Senior voters; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
12 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
Relatively little is known about the application of voter identification requirements in the United States. A handful of surveys have found support for the use of voter identification, but nothing is known about the incidence of use or who is excluded through this mechanism. The reason is cost. A very large scale survey is required to measure factors that affect a small percent of the population. The natural survey to ask about identification would be the Current Population Survey’s voter supplement, as that survey covers approximately 75,000 people. Alas, they have not asked about these new rules. This paper presents the findings of a new survey designed to achieve a sufficient scale so as to gauge this and other electoral phenomena. In 2006, a collaborative survey project among 37 universities conducted a 36,500 person national sample survey, the Cooperative Congressional Election Survey. That survey included a battery of questions to gauge election day practices; a handful of questions probed the use of voter identifications. In addition a smaller subset of the larger project asked whether respondents approved of laws requiring voter identification.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Turnout
Electronic Frontier Foundation
National
6 page(s)
5/17/2004
Abstract:
Recent exposure of problems in electronic voting systems has led to widespread calls for a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). However, some claim that accessible, auditable voting systems do not exist and that the public must choose between the rights of disabled voters and verifiable elections. We reject this false choice. Accessible, auditable voting systems have been nationally qualified and can be purchased today. Even more will be available in the coming months. We instead call for cooperation in the ongoing effort to improve accessibility and auditability in election technology.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Voters with disabilities
Whitney Quesenbery
Center for Civic Design; ITIF Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC); Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
5 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
For elections, the pace of technology change has brought with it rising expectations about how available, convenient, and accessible information and interactions with government will be. What we need is new ways to think. Not isolated silos of work with security, design, and accessibility working in separate rooms, but collaborative innovation, with everyone at the same table so the resulting ideas are: universal, with a single voting system for everyone. Flexible, allowing for differences in voters, election procedure, state laws. And robust, able to keep up with the pace of change while still supporting elections we can have confidence in. I have three suggestions for how we can do this.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Gillian Piner; Michael Byrne
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
National
15 page(s)
8/8/2011
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act mandated that all polling places have an accessible method of voting that provides privacy and independence. Direct Recording Electronic voting machines (DREs) have been assumed to be the solution to providing accessible voting, but there is reason to believe extant systems do not adequately serve this goal (Runyan, 2007). This survey builds upon previous work with the visually disabled population and provides the opinions and recommendations of 202 legally blind voters. Topics addressed include obstacles at the polling place, multiple modality systems, voting confidence, and input devices. Data-based recommendations for auditory modes of voting systems include adjustable speed and volume, using male text-to-speech synthesized voices, and allowing for flexible navigation and the ability to skip through sections of text.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Florida
3 page(s)
3/20/2012
Abstract:
The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires that all voting systems be accessible to people with disabilities, including the ability to vote privately and independently. Additionally the law mandates, “the use of at least one direct recording electronic voting [DRE] system or other voting system equipped for individuals with disabilities at each polling place.” And while jurisdictions across the nation have made these systems available over the past decade, they are not always put to extensive use by voters. Across two of Florida’s largest election jurisdictions, Miami-Dade and Orange counties, more than 190,000 people cast ballots during the January 2012 Republican primary. Of these, however, a total of only 49 ballots, or .03 percent, were cast on voting systems that are accessible to disabled voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Claudia Rébola; Jon Sanford; Karen Milchus
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
24 page(s)
6/8/2012
Abstract:
This report describes the process and outcomes of two design workshops on accessible voting held in early 2012 by the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA), a multidisciplinary research center at Georgia Tech devoted to enhancing the lives of people with all levels of ability and functional limitations through the development and application of assistive and universally designed technologies.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Evaluation & assessment; Polling places; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Deb Cook ; Mark Harniss
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
53 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
This manuscript is a high level analysis of the usability and accessibility of accessible, electronic voting systems currently in use in the United States, along with guidance about developing increasingly accessible and usable systems. The discussion is based on review of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG Draft 1.1) developed in 2007, review of relevant standards and guidelines (e.g., Section 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973 as amended), and observation of past, present and prospective future voting systems. The primary purpose of this review is to inform guideline developers, voting system manufacturers, election officials and citizens with disabilities about successful strategies along with issues and concerns related to accessibility of voting systems in general.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Software-based systems; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Samuel Eisenberg
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
23 page(s)
4/30/2013
Abstract:
This memo reviews the literature discussing the accuracy of state voter registration lists and the challenges of maintaining accurate lists. After reviewing the statutory framework, the memo discusses various measures of the accuracy of voter registration lists, estimates of the magnitude of the problem, the sources of errors in voter registration lists, and potential solutions.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Derek Stewart
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
55 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
In 2004, Congress required DOD to develop an Internet-based absentee voting demonstration project and required the Election Assistance Commission—which reviews election procedures—to develop guidelines for DOD’s project. In 2006, Congress required DOD to report, by May 15, 2007, on plans for expanding its use of electronic voting technologies and required GAO to assess efforts by (1) DOD to facilitate electronic absentee voting and (2) the Commission to develop Internet voting guidelines and DOD to develop an Internet-based demonstration project. GAO also assessed DOD’s efforts to develop plans to expand its use of electronic voting technologies.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Bob Hall
Democracy North Carolina
North Carolina
6 page(s)
3/9/2011
Abstract:
Democracy North Carolina has compared the demographic profile of the 460,500 Active voters who lack a state-issued ID with the 5.6 million statewide. The chart below provides the results of that analysis.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Terry Vaughan
Bradford County Supervisor of Elections; Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
National; Florida
46 page(s)
1/9/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Charles Stewart III
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
16 page(s)
12/5/2004
Abstract:
This paper reexamines and fills out analysis in “Voting Machines and the Underestimate of the Bush Vote,” in light of the release of “uncorrected” exit poll numbers from the 2004 presidential election.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Evaluation & assessment; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Voting methods
Combine With: Public opinion
Charles Stewart III
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
5 page(s)
10/3/2011
Abstract:
The purpose of this essay is to highlight some policy costs associated with moving to all-mail elections. This is not a comprehensive review, because the topic has rarely been treated systematically in the scholarly literature. My hopes are that policymakers will be cautious in extending voting by mail, by whatever means, and that the research community will account more comprehensively for the benefits and costs associated with mail-in ballots.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion
William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National; Arizona; California; Michigan; New York; Texas; Virginia; Wisconsin
71 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
For this report, GAO selected seven states (AZ, CA, MI, NY, TX, VA, and WI) to represent a range of characteristics relevant to voter registrations, such as whether a statewide voter list existed prior to HAVA. This report discusses how these states verify voter registration eligibility; the challenges they face in maintaining accurate voter lists; the progress toward implementing HAVA registration requirements; and identifies federal data sources that might be used to help verify voter registration eligibility.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Adam Morfeld
Nebraska Law Review
Nebraska
49 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
This Comment will explore the statutory structure of Nebraska's election system and point out areas of concern. First, it will examine the decentralized nature of the Nebraska election system and how this leads to a lack of uniformity and unequal treatment of voters. Second, this Comment will discuss the effect of arbitrary registration deadlines on voter turnout, particularly among traditionally disenfranchised populations. Third, it will explore the partisan nature of the Nebraska election system and the subsequent negative effects of partisan election adminstration. Finally, this Comment will discuss the various solutions and ways in which reform may take place.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Nonpartisan election administration; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Paige Epstein
University of Chicago Law School
California; Florida; Illinois; Washington
33 page(s)
2/1/2014
Abstract:
In an effort to narrow some of the gaps left by the federal VRA, four states have enacted or proposed individual state-VRAs or functional equivalents (herein referred to as individual state-VRAs). In this paper, I seek to explore how these states have attempted to use individual VRAs — and how successful they have been — in closing the gaps in coverage existing under the federal VRA. For each of the four enacted or proposed VRAs, I explore the background of the legislation, followed by an analysis of how the legislation operates. For California, Illinois, and Florida — the three states with enacted individual state-VRAs — I then examine how successful the legislation has been in increasing minority representation, and how it can be strengthened to further the state’s goals. Since Washington’s VRA has yet to become law, I explore the background, followed by an analysis of the proposed legislation. I conclude by assessing which individual state-VRAs — or aspects thereof — are best suited to serve as models for the forty-six other states without such legislation.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
Bruce Cain; Karin Mac Donald; Michael Murakami
Public Administration Review
National
5 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
While there is a growing academic literature about mail-in ballots, there has been no serious academic research to date on overseas voters, even though the counting of overseas military ballots figured into the 2000 presidential election controversy. The participation of nearly 4 million overseas voters, both civilian and military, is governed by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The authors examine the reported perceptions of military and nonmilitary voters covered by this legislation using two surveys funded by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, focusing on their perceptions of electronic means of transmitting voting materials. The authors find that civilian overseas citizens have a harder time registering and voting than military overseas citizens; that the key factor is the timely transmission of voting materials; and that, despite privacy concerns, electronic transmission of voting materials is viewed favorably.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Barry Burden; Brian Gaines
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
15 page(s)
7/15/2013
Abstract:
Because the U.S. Constitution grants states substantial latitude in how to conduct elections, a wide variety of practices have developed. This diversity is especially clear in regard to absentee voting. The rules governing absentee balloting have generally liberalized over time, contributing to rising usage in recent years, though not all states have followed this pattern. The purpose of this report is to review what is known about absentee voting, identify some key policy choices available to the states, and offer a few tentative recommendations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Permanent absentee voting; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Turnout
Bilal Dabir Sekou
New England Journal of Political Science
Connecticut
39 page(s)
12/4/2012
Abstract:
On June 4, 2012, Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed into law legislation that made Connecticut the ninth state to adopt Election Day registration (EDR). This article tells the story behind passage of House Bill 5024, An Act Concerning Voting Rights.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Advancement Project; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
16 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
Our comments below relate to the following topics of the Executive Order: (i) the number, location, management, operation, and design of polling places; (ii) the training, recruitment, and number of poll workers; (iv) the efficient management of voter rolls and poll books; (vii) voting accessibility for individuals with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and other special needs; (viii) management of issuing and processing provisional ballots in the polling place on Election Day; and (ix) the issues presented by the administration of absentee ballot programs. Each of these areas is discussed in our Comments, and we are providing data about the long lines in Florida and other election administration problems that have had a discriminatory impact on voters of color in Section II below. Finally, our recommendations related to Executive Order 13639 addressing each of the areas mentioned above, are detailed in Section III below.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Ben Adida
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
255 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
This dissertation explores cryptographic techniques for implementing verifiable, secret-ballot elections. We present the power of cryptographic voting, in particular its ability to successfully achieve both verifiability and ballot secrecy, a combination that cannot be achieved by other means. We review a large portion of the literature on cryptographic voting.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Voting methods; Voting technology
Kimball Brace
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Indiana
27 page(s)
10/31/2005
Abstract:
Based on our analysis to date, it is clear that there will be a significant number of individuals impacted by the implementation of SEA 483. Our research shows that at least 51,000 registered voters, and more likely 141,000 registered voters, in Marion County along would have to obtain a drivers license or ID in order to vote. If these patterns were to hold true for the rest of the state, as many as 989,000 registered voters in the state could be challenged when they try to go vote in November, 2006.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Christopher Elmendorf; Douglas Spencer
School of Law, University of California-Davis
National
63 page(s)
3/23/2014
Abstract:
This paper argues that the courts, in partnership with the Department of Justice, could reform Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act so that it fills much of the gap left by the Supreme Court’s evisceration of Section 5. The key is to establish rebuttable presumptions that cover the recurring, difficult-to-resolve factual questions in Section 2 cases, and to craft the presumptions so that their application in any given case can be determined using national survey data and off-the-shelf statistical models, rather than vote tallies from local elections and other case-specific data. We propose a set of evidentiary presumptions that meet these criteria; we address the courts’ and DOJ’s legal and practical authority to establish the presumptions; and we show how our presumptions can be implemented using multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) and extant datasets.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
Florida
1/16/2003
Abstract:
This chapter, in a volume edited by McCaffery, Crigler, and Just, explores the legal and normative implications of social scientific voting reform research. It begins by discussing the state of election law leading up to the United States Supreme Court's December 12, 2000 opinion in Bush v. Gore, which ended the recount in Florida, and then comments on what that case did for the law. Even though Bush v. Gore ultimately may have no precedential value, it is also possible that it has created a window of opportunity for a host of legal challenges aimed at voting reforms. Social science research may well be decisive in resolving such challenges. The next section considers the possible future and normative implications of the social science research that Bush v. Gore may have let into the election law mainstream. The final section concludes with a call for the Supreme Court to move slowly in formulating rules in response to election reform litigation.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Recounts; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Philip Mendelson
Special Committee, District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
10 page(s)
4/21/2009
Abstract:
On September 16, 2008, the Council of the District of Columbia established the Council Board of Elections and Ethics Investigation Special Committee (“Special Committee”) to investigate irregularities in the District’s Primary Election and make recommendations for reform of the administration of elections in the District. Since its creation, the Special Committee has held hearings related to the District’s elections processes and procedures, issued a preliminary report and recommendations, and taken steps to conduct a forensic investigation of the irregularities that appeared during the District’s Primary Election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Penelope Townsley
Elections Advisory Group, Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners; Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections
Florida
54 page(s)
12/19/2012
Abstract:
This After Action Report addresses the challenges experienced within the three methods of voting – Early Voting, Absentee Voting, and Election Day. Analyses of the General Election activities were conducted to identify opportunities for process improvements and technology enhancements. The executive summary highlights our priority findings and recommendations both administrative and legislative in nature. Detailed information regarding these, as well as other recommendations are included in the body of this report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Rokey Suleman
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
15 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
In response to the Board’s request of September 15, 2010, I hereby submit this report on the September 14, 2010 primary election and the steps that staff is taking to incorporate the lessons learned in that election into preparations for the general election on November 2, 2010. While all votes were required to be cast by Tuesday, September 14, staff did not finish processing more than 15,000 absentee and special ballots and conducting its post-election audit until one week ago. Just two weeks remain until the start of early voting for the November general election. As a result, the window of opportunity for study and reflection is narrow and this interim report is not as detailed as the formal after-action report that Board staff will prepare, as required by the Omnibus Election Reform Act of 2009, within 90 days of the November general election. I trust that this snapshot of what went well, what did not go as smoothly as we would have liked, and the areas where the Board is focusing its efforts in preparation for the November general election provides the information necessary for the Board to exercise its oversight responsibility.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Preregistration for teens; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voting technology; Youth voters
Clifford Tatum
District of Columbia Board of Elections
District of Columbia
108 page(s)
2/4/2013
Abstract:
This executive summary highlights the following challenges BOE encountered during early voting, absentee voting, Election Day, and vote tabulation: (1) the volume of special ballots case; (2) inequitable voter distribution across precincts and high numbers of ballot styles; and (3) insufficient resources to meet high demands.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Wait times
Doug Chapin
Election Academy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Arizona
3 page(s)
2/13/2013
Abstract:
Every now and then, I come across a local article that goes above and beyond the norm in the level of detail it provides on election administration. The latest example is a piece by Hillary Davis of the Yuma Sun, who wrote yesterday about a hearing featuring Yuma County's after-action report on the 2012 election. The major topic was vote centers, and includes a fascinatingly thorough look at the challenges associated with the County's commitment to vote centers.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll watchers; Poll worker recruitment; Provisional ballots; Vote centers
Charles Stewart III
Election Updates
National
2 page(s)
7/9/2013
Abstract:
Younger voters are more likely to prefer DREs than older voters, particularly in counties that use paper. This suggests an interesting future in the battles over the appropriate use of electronic technologies at the polls.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Paper ballots; Senior voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion
John Ahlquist; Kenneth Mayer; Simon Jackman
University of Wisconsin
National
35 page(s)
10/30/2013
Abstract:
We report the results of a survey list experiment fielded immediately after the 2012 US general election designed to measure the prevalence of one specific type of voter fraud most relevant to voter ID laws: voter impersonation. We find no evidence of voter impersonation, even in the states most contested in the Presidential campaign. We also find that states with strict voter ID laws and states with same-day voter registration are no different from others in the (non) existence of voter impersonation. To address possible "lower bound" problems with our conclusions we run both parallel and subsequent experiments to calibrate our findings. These ancillary list experiments indicate that the lower bound on the population reporting voter impersonation is nearly identical with the proportion of the population reporting abduction by extraterrestrials. Based on this evidence, strict voter ID requirements address a problem that did not exist in the 2012 US election. Effort designed to improve American election infrastructure and security would be better directed toward other initiatives.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Women voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
David Orr
Cook County Clerk
National; Illinois
22 page(s)
Spring 2014
Abstract:
A modernized voter registration model has three prongs: use most government transactions to register voters and update voter information; share data between states to more quickly clear the rolls of voters who have moved or passed; and fill in any gaps with Election Day Registration, National Change of Address (NCOA) data and pre-register teens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Randolph Hite
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
55 page(s)
4/18/2007
Abstract:
Using its published work on electronic voting systems, GAO was asked to testify on (1) the contextual role and characteristics of electronic voting systems, (2) the range of security and reliability concerns that have been reported about these systems, (3) the experiences and management practices of states and local jurisdictions regarding these systems, and (4) the longstanding and emerging challenges facing all levels of government in using these systems.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs
Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg; Peter Levine
Commission on Youth Voting and Civic Knowledge; Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University; The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
National
60 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Research conducted for this report does not by any means rule out the benefits of some existing policies, such as mandatory courses and tests or convenient means of voter registration. However, the data collected for the Commission and previous studies suggest that none of the existing state policies has an impressive positive effect. Certainly, the current policies in states and major school districts do not come close to achieving the goals of civic education, which are to provide all young people with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to be active and responsible citizens. Either the policies are misconceived, the quality of implementation is inadequate, or both. For example, we find that testing civics has no positive impact, but that could be because the tests are not well designed, teachers are not well prepared and supported to teach the material, or the curriculum is misaligned with the tests. The quality of implementation requires more attention, and there is an urgent need to experiment with wholly new strategies and policies, some of which are suggested in this report.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Online voter registration; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Stephen Graves
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
17 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
Long lines occur when resources are inadequate. Yet resources are inevitably constrained. Managers must decide how best to allocate resources to get best overall performance. Tools exist to help managers understand the trade-offs and make these decisions.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling place management; Polling places
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Kimball Brace
Election Data Services
National
14 page(s)
10/2/2006
Abstract:
Nearly one-third of the nation’s registered voters will face new voting equipment this November, compared to the November 2004 election two years ago. Since the turbulent presidential election of 2000 and the resulting enactment of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), jurisdictions with 63% of the nation’s registered voters have changed their voting systems, marking the largest shift in voting equipment in this nation’s history.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
David Yepsen
Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University
Illinois
2 page(s)
10/3/2012
Abstract:
In the wake of Pennsylvania’s tough, controversial new voter ID law being halted by a state judge, responses to a recent Paul Simon Public Policy Institute statewide poll show that almost one out of ten – 9.4 percent – of registered voters in Illinois say they do not have “a current, unexpired Illinois-issued ID with your picture on it.”
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Rosemary Rodriguez
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National; Puerto Rico
62 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
In 2006, the EAC commissioned two studies about alternative voting methods currently used in the United States. One study involved a national survey of voters regarding their opinions on matters such as changing the date of the Federal Election Day, instituting a uniform poll closing time, and increasing confidence in the voting system, among many others. The other study resulted in this publication, Alternative Voting Methods, which examines the experiences of selected States and/or local jurisdictions with voting outside the traditional precinct-based polling place through early voting, vote-by-mail, and vote centers. Sections in this publication address the feasibility and advisability of conducting Election Day on a different day through weekend voting and declaring Election Day holidays. The final section reviews voting in Puerto Rico.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day holiday; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods; Voting technology; Weekend voting
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Turnout
George Pillsbury; Julian Johannesen
NonProfit VOTE
National
25 page(s)
3/11/2013
Abstract:
America Goes to the Polls 2012 profiles voter turnout in the 2012 presidential election using official voter turnout data reported by the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report ranks voter turnout by state and notes the relative change in turnout for each state compared to the last presidential election. Beyond the rankings, America Goes to the Polls documents the impact of factors like Election Day registration and “swing” or “battleground” status on voter turnout. It uses the most cited and reliable post-election analysis to report on key voting trends. Finally, the report concludes with a discussion of reforms that lead to greater voter participation and improve the voting experience for all voters, both new and old. These reforms include modernizing our voter registration system, expanding early voting, and others.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
George Pillsbury
NonProfit VOTE; Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network
National
33 page(s)
2/14/2007
Abstract:
This report looks at official election results from across the country to answer some basic questions about voter turnout in the 2006 elections, questions like: Which states had the highest turnout? Which states had the greatest growth or decline in turnout compared to the last midterm election? What is the impact on voter participation of increased political competition or Election Day registration? The report also charts long-standing participation gaps documented over the recent decades by the U.S. Census. Finally, the report turns to a discussion of voter turnout factors. What are the factors that contribute most to increased voter turnout? What more can be done to further increase voter turnout? The report considers several possible answers to those questions, including improved election practices and opportunities for civil society to play a greater non-partisan role in encouraging voting.
Subject(s):
Homeless voters; Low-income voters; Voter education campaigns; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Turnout
George Pillsbury; Julian Johannesen; Rachel Adams
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits; NonProfit VOTE; Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network
National
28 page(s)
5/1/2009
Abstract:
America Goes to The Polls draws on voter participation data from the United States Election Project, U.S. Census, Electionline.org and Secretaries of States, among others. The report concludes with a section urging national standards for federal elections in areas like voter registration, early voting and the definition of an eligible voter. America Goes to the Polls also suggests ways to bring non-partisanship to election administration and competition and fairness to elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Post-election audits; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
NonProfit VOTE
National
8 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
American democracy is challenged by large gaps in voter turnout by income, educational attainment, length of residency, age, ethnicity and other factors. Closing these gaps will require a sustained effort to understand and address the numerous and complex reasons some citizens participate at lower rates than others. Recent attacks on the right to vote lend new urgency to this effort. Attempts to roll back early voting, same-day voter registration, Election Day Registration and other voting reforms threaten to further exacerbate voting gaps and drive down turnout among minorities, lower income citizens, and young voters. This report illustrates some of these voter turnout gaps with simple line and bar graphs, highlighting some of the most pertinent facts and occasionally offering brief explanations.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Benjamin Griffith
American Bar Association
National
450 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
Updated and expanded to include the most current issues in this area, America Votes! Second Edition provides key information and important perspectives on election law questions which the courts are currently addressing or about to address. The chapters run the gamut from nuts-and-bolts questions about running elections (what safeguards should jurisdictions put in place to make sure that the vote totals generated by vote-counting machines are accurate?) to larger questions about the best methods for democratic governance (should states be allowed to band together and appoint presidential electors in line with the winner of the national popular vote?). Even questions such as how a third party or independent candidate should be able to gain access to the ballot raise important technical and philosophical questions.
Subject(s):
Election types; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology
Hans von Spakovsky; M. Eric Eversole
The Heritage Foundation
National
10 page(s)
3/9/2010
Abstract:
For many Americans, the 2008 presidential election was historic, both in its outcome and the number of citizens who voted, many for the first time. The overall turnout of the voting-eligible population was 61.7 percent, the highest turnout since the 1964 presidential election.1 Local election officials in many states reported high levels of voting by many individuals who have not traditionally participated in the election process. The same, however, cannot be said for America’s military members and their voting-age dependents (“military voters”). For these voters, especially those serving in dangerous combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan, the 2008 presidential election was an embarrassing reminder of the difficulties faced by America’s men and women in uniform when they attempt to vote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Daniel Tokaji
University of California-Irvine School of Law
Wisconsin
34 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
Is there any hope for nonpartisan election administration in an era of intense political polarization? This Article considers this question by examining and assessing the performance of Wisconsin’s GAB during its first five years of existence. I conclude that the GAB has been successful in administering elections evenhandedly and that it serves as a worthy model for other states considering alternatives to partisan election administration at the state level.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Nonpartisan election administration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
10 page(s)
11/3/2006
Abstract:
This study examines the confidence that voters have that their ballot was counted accurately in 2004 and the attitudes of the American public toward electronic voting. As many states and localities move to new—and often electronic—voting systems, understanding public confidence and public attitudes is critical for policy makers.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Vote counting & recounting; Voters with disabilities; Women voters
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Lawrence Jacobs
Task Force on Inequality and American Democracy, American Political Science Association
National
24 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
As one of several task forces formed to enhance the public relevance of political science, our Task Force was charged to review and assess the best current scholarship about the health and functioning of U.S. democracy in a time of rising inequality. We have carefully surveyed the evidence about three important, interlinked areas of concern: citizen participation, government responsiveness, and patterns of public policy-making and their consequences.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
11 page(s)
12/1/2004
Abstract:
The 2004 election provided important lessons regarding the performance of voting technology, about continuing problems with voter registration and provisional balloting, issues with procedures and poll site voting practices, and raised questions about the liberalization of early and absentee voting. There are a series of important issues that should be the focus of the election research and reform agenda in coming years: Developing and implementing statewide voter registration databases; Improving poll site practices; Should ballot casting be tied to geography? Electronic voting security, integrity and reliability; Internet registration and voting; Achieving a more open and auditable election administration process; Understanding the preferences and perceptions of the consumers of election administration products --- citizens and voters.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Post-election audits; Voter registration; Voting technology
Peter Domenici
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. House of Representatives
American Samoa
5 page(s)
9/28/2004
Abstract:
The purpose of H.R. 2010, as ordered reported, is to protect the voting rights of members of the Armed Services in elections for the Delegate representing American Samoa in the United States House of Representatives, and for other purposes.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Runoff elections
Combine With: Costs
Daniel Hart; Robert Atkins
The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
National
22 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
American 16- and 17-year-olds ought to be allowed to vote in state and national elections. This claim rests upon a line of argument that begins with an exegesis of legal and philosophical notions of citizenship that identify core qualities of citizenship: membership, concern for rights, and participation in society. Each of these qualities is present in rudimentary form in childhood and adolescence. Analyses of national survey data demonstrate that by 16 years of age—but not before— American adolescents manifest levels of development in each quality of citizenship that are approximately the same as those apparent in young American adults who are allowed to vote.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Howard Steven Friedman
Huffington Post
National
6 page(s)
7/10/2012
Abstract:
The most obvious measure of citizen participation in the democratic process is voter turnout -- how many people vote and who they are. The numbers can be measured in various ways: by the percentage of registered voters who actually voted, by the percentage of those citizens old enough to vote who voted or by the percentage of eligible voters who voted. Regardless of which metric of eligibility you use, the United States has one of the lowest voter turnouts of any of the comparator countries, while Australia and Belgium have the highest.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; International election administration; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
M. Glenn Newkirk
InfoSENTRY Services, Inc.; Opinion Research Corporation
National
3 page(s)
4/2/2012
Abstract:
Americans’ confidence in the accuracy of election vote counts remains generally positive in the lead-up to the 2012 Presidential Election, but there are signs of some erosion in that overall confidence. This finding came from a nationwide opinion survey completed in March for InfoSENTRY Services, Inc., a national information technology consulting firm located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
57 page(s)
7/12/2012
Abstract:
Amici Curiae, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (“AALDEF”) and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (“APABA-PA”), file this brief in support of Petitioners to highlight the significant, distinct and unnecessary burdens that Pennsylvania’s photo identification law (Act 18 of 2012, March 14 or the “Photo ID Law” or the “Act”) will have on Pennsylvania’ s Asian American community.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Justin Levitt; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Georgia
61 page(s)
1/14/2006
Abstract:
This amicus brief addresses the weight to be given the State of Georgia’s asserted interest in requiring a photo identification (“photo ID”) as a condition to in-person voting. We agree with the district court and Appellees that the photo ID requirement imposes a severe burden on Georgia voters, especially its most vulnerable citizens – low income voters, who are disproportionately African Americans, and the disabled and elderly. The State’s interest in imposing the photo ID requirement is so insubstantial that it could not survive the Supreme Court’s balancing test for evaluating restrictions on voting rights, even if the burden it imposed on voters were considered less than severe.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Indiana
33 page(s)
6/24/2006
Abstract:
The district court purported to apply the balancing test of Burdick v. Takushi, 504 U.S. 428 (1992), which requires that the magniture and character of a burden on voting be weighed against "the precise interests put forward by the state to justify those burdens, taking into consideration the extent to which those interests make it necessary to burden the plaintiffs' rights." Id. at 434 (emphasis added), Amicus submits that in granting summary judgment upholding Indiana's photo ID requirement as a condition to in-person voting, the district court failed to properly apply this balancing test.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Brenda Wright; Stuart Naifeh
Fair Share; NonProfit VOTE; Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition; Rock the Vote; Voto Latino
National; Arizona; Kansas
42 page(s)
3/19/2014
Abstract:
This brief is submitted on behalf of organizations engaged in community-based voter registration activities as amici curiae in support of appellants. Collectively, these organizations educate about, and assist with, voter registration for eligible persons and for underrepresented portions of the electorate in particular. In that capacity, amici organizations have a special interest and an expertise concerning voter registration efforts and the detrimental effect of laws imposing burdensome documentation requirements on the ability of qualified citizens to register to vote.
The exclusion of eligible citizens from the political process is one of the most serious and stubborn problems in our democracy. Census data indicate that fewer than two-thirds of adult citizens nationwide are registered to vote. More troubling, registration rates are significantly lower for particular groups, including low-income persons, racial and ethnic minorities, the young, and naturalized citizens. Arizona and Kansas are not exceptions to the national picture: Their registration rates, both overall and for racial and ethnic minorities and younger citizens, mirror that of the United States as a whole.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Litigation
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Indiana
32 page(s)
12/7/2007
Abstract:
The Indiana Democratic Party, the Marion County Democratic Central Committee, the United Senior Action of Indiana, Indianapolis Resource Center for Independent Living, Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues, and the Indianapolis Branch of the NAACP all lack both direct standing, and standing to sue on behalf of their members. Likewise, State Representative William Crawford and Township Trustee Joseph Simpson lack standing to sue both on behalf of themselves, and on behalf of their electorate. Specifically, the alleged injury proffered by each of the Petitioners is, at best, conjectural and hypothetical; moreover, it is purely speculative to believe that a favorable decision could redress any of the Petitioners’ alleged injuries. Nonetheless, even if standing were found for any of the Petitioners, the Indiana law would withstand constitutional scrutiny because the purported burden on the Petitioners is more than offset by Indiana’s compelling interest in preserving the public’s confidence in the electoral process. As a result, this Court should uphold the constitutionality of the Indiana law.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
24 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
No one has been denied the right to vote by the Indiana Voter ID Law. The record clearly establishes without challenge that 99% of the Voting Age Population in Indiana already has the required ID, in the form of driver’s licenses, passports, or other identification. Of the remaining 1%, senior citizens and the disabled are automatically eligible to vote by absentee ballot, and such absentee voting is exempt from the Voter ID Law. Members of these groups are the most likely not to have driver’s licenses or passports, and they most likely account for the great majority of that remaining 1%.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Alec Ewald
Columbia Human Rights Law Review
National
35 page(s)
3/7/2005
Abstract:
The subversive-voting hypothesis has served disenfranchisement’s defenders well. It evokes the alleged need to protect the very foundations of political society itself, while also trying to name a more practical evil which the state can legitimately act to prevent. In the court of public opinion, however, the most important attribute of the subversive-voting argument may be simply that it directs the listener to imagine the deeds felons have done and the nefarious desires they must have. Given the harshly punitive nature of American discussions of criminal justice today, framing the debate in those terms effectively wins it. But the voting booth is not a darkened alley, and implying that offenders must be kept from the polls lest their ballots imperil the public has very damaging consequences. It reinforces misleading myths about how voters choose, advances the dangerous idea that we may legitimately disenfranchise citizens because of the policies we think they might prefer, and explicitly attacks the foundations of modern universal suffrage.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Public opinion
Sharon Cohen; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
6 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
As our voting systems have come to rely more deeply on computer technology there have been great opportunities to improve the voting process, however, recently computer scientists and the general public have become wary of the amount of trust we place in the computers running our elections. Many proposals for audit systems to monitor our elections have been created. One popular audit system is the voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). Another more recent proposal is the voter verified audio audit transcript trail (VVAATT). In order to compare these two systems we conducted a user study where we purposely added errors to the audit trail in order to see if voters would be able to find these errors. Our results showed that voters found many more errors using the VVAATT system than they did with the VVPAT system.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Jonah Goldman; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National
24 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
Our Constitution promises every eligible American a full and equal opportunity to participate in the political process. Unfortunately, defects in election administration and procedures undermine that promise by disenfranchising countless eligible Americans every election cycle. These defects can be remedied, and the promise of democracy restored, by implementing real reforms to ensure that all eligible Americans have a fair and equal opportunity to vote and to have their votes counted. This memorandum sets out a comprehensive reform agenda for the 110th Congress to achieve that goal and explains the reasons for each policy reform.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Online voter registration; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Duncan Buell
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
South Carolina
13 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
In his State of the Union address, President Obama referred to long lines faced at the polls on November 6, 2012, and said, “we have to fix that.” Although it seems to have received relatively little national attention, Richland County, South Carolina, with more than 12% of its votes cast after polls were officially closed, was probably among the very worst counties in the nation for lines and wait times. In this paper, we analyze the data from the DREs used for voting in South Carolina, and we compare the voting process in Richland County with that in Greenville County, where there were more total votes and more votes per DRE voting terminal, but where there were fewer than one-half of one percent of the votes cast after closing time.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place management; Polling places
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Lorraine Minnite
National; California; Florida; Missouri
24 page(s)
12/19/2007
Abstract:
While heated debates over election fraud have arisen episodically for more than a century, the circumstances that surround voting and elections have changed dramatically over that time and continue to evolve rapidly today. Elections can be as contested as ever, but the conditions conducive to election fraud have steadily declined, and the trend is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. Three factors account for it: the declining strength of local political parties and machines; strengthened election administration; and improved voting technology. While some voter fraud may occur with any electoral system, current trends suggest that it is more possible than ever to further open up the electoral process and facilitate voting without bringing about greater fraud. Exaggerated fears of fraud should not stand as an obstacle to reforms aimed at expanding participation.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter ID; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Jody Herman; Lorraine Minnite
Project Vote
National; Arizona; California; Florida; Missouri; Nevada; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas
26 page(s)
11/1/2010
Abstract:
The 2010 midterm elections tell many different stories. The revival of fortunes for the Republican Party is a story of comeback from a near-death experience. The story of the Tea Party movement has yet to be fully told, but what’s clear at this early moment is the power of movement politics to shape electoral outcomes. Our memo tells another story about the changing contour of a shifting electorate and the ways the type of election shapes who votes and therefore who wins. The 2010 midterm election was indeed a “wave” election, but as Harold Meyerson so aptly put it, it was a wave of the past and not the future. On important issues of concern to all Americans, and especially on the role of government in tempering an increasingly predatory economy, the demographic group at the heart of the wave – older, wealthier conservative Americans who look backward for inspiration – faces a rising and more diverse electorate that does not share their views or politics.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Alan Tsai; Arel Cordero; David Wagner; Eric Kim; Raji Srikantan; Theron Ji
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
Florida
15 page(s)
8/8/2011
Abstract:
Optical scan ballot systems are widely used in elections today. However, deployed optical scan systems may not always interpret write-in votes correctly. For instance, if a voter writes in a name but forgets to shade in the corresponding voting target, an optical scanner may not detect the write-in, which could lead to a lost vote. In this paper, we study methods for automatic recognition of write-in marks. We then apply these methods to ballots from an election in Leon County, Florida and study the kinds of write-in marks that are seen in practice. Our results from this election show that voters frequently (about 49% of the time) do not fill in the write-in bubble when entering a write-in vote. Consequently, votes may be lost in current voting systems.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security
Combine With: Errors
Barbara Zia; Chip Moore; Duncan Buell; Eleanor Hare; Frank Heindel; Margaret Brown
Vote Audit Committee, League of Women Voters of South Carolina
South Carolina
9 page(s)
9/30/2011
Abstract:
Subsequent to our demonstration that vote counting errors had occurred, the South Carolina State Election Commission (SCSEC) undertook its own collection of data and reconciliation of the totals. This is to report on our analysis of the election based on the data we have gathered, our analysis of the election based on the data the SCSEC has gathered, and our analysis of the data gathering and auditing process itself.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
John Keel
Texas Secretary of State; Texas State Auditor
Texas
44 page(s)
11/1/2007
Abstract:
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office should improve its processes and controls to ensure that records in the Texas Election Administration Management (TEAM) system are accurate in accordance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). Voter registration is an important element of the electoral process that presents many challenges. Ensuring that only eligible persons are registered to vote is an ongoing challenge that involves the Secretary of State’s Office, 254 county voter registration offices, the Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Although the Secretary of State’s Office has processes to identify many ineligible voters and remove them from the State’s voter registration list, improvements can be made.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Election types; Evaluation & assessment; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Fraud
Kai Quek; Michael Sances
Political Science Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
48 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
The electoral system is central to all democracies, affecting who wins elections and how voter preferences are represented. We fielded a voting experiment across the United States just before the 2012 presidential election to study the effects of different electoral systems. We randomly assigned subjects across three systems: the conventional system wherein a voter casts one vote for one candidate; a for-or-against system wherein a voter votes either for or against one candidate; and a ranked-choice system wherein voters rank all candidates from most- to least-preferred. All three electoral systems generate exactly the same winner and the same rank order of candidates. At the same time, important information about negative and relative preferences is suppressed under the conventional ballot. A sizeable proportion of the electorate are negative voters; the conventional ballot overstates voter support for all candidates; and the ranked-choice ballot reveals an electorate highly polarized along the Democratic-Republican divide.
Subject(s):
Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting
Combine With: Public opinion
Delia Grigg; Jonathan Katz; R. Michael Alvarez
Political Analysis
National
12 page(s)
12/31/2010
Abstract:
The estimator we discuss in this paper allows the model to contain both individual group–level indicators and a continuous predictor. In contrast to traditionally used shrinkage models that pull the data toward a common mean, we use a linear model as the basis. Thus, each individual effect can be arbitrary, but the model ‘‘shrinks’’ the estimates toward a linear ordinal framework according to the data. We demonstrate the estimator on two political science examples: the impact of voter identification requirements on turnout and the impact of the frequency of religious service attendance on the liberality of abortion attitudes.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Brad Fain; Carrie Bell; Keith Kline
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
California
134 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
GTRI has been working in coordination with Los Angeles County to understand the wide range of voter needs in the county and to ensure that those needs are addressed in the modernization of voting systems. GTRI was tasked with evaluating the accessibility of three new voting system concepts that were developed by IDEO, a human-centered design firm, for the LA County Voting Systems Assessment Project (VSAP) Initiative. The purposes of this document are to (1) describe the accessibility issues associated with each concept, which may partially determine which concept should be pursued for further development, and (2) describe accessibility issues that should be considered during future, detailed design activities.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Charles Bullock III; M.V. Hood III
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Georgia
11 page(s)
6/17/2011
Abstract:
In this article we examine the effect of efforts on the part of election administrators in Georgia to compel registrants to cast ballots early in-person during the 2008 presidential election. We incorporate data collected from a survey of Georgia election administrators into a multivariate model designed to explain early in-person turnout at the county level. Our results indicate that county election officials who attempted to increase early in-person voting through advertising and outreach were successful. In addition, early in-person turnout was positively linked to voter convenience.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Adrienne Jones; Andrew Baranak; Brad Fain; Carrie Bell; Linda Harley
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
29 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
Voting technologies have improved over the last decade due to a number of issues at the polling place. However, evaluation procedures for certification of these newer voting technologies have not kept up with these modernizations. The goal of this work was to evaluate the current voting system certification procedures and identify gaps that affect usability and accessibility across the current voting standards. In other words, GTRI wanted to provide greater usability and accessibility to a wider range of people and provide test methods that are easier to understand and execute than those currently in circulation. A gap analysis of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) and Voting System Standards (VSS) certification procedures was conducted in an effort to recommend changes to the test procedures that reflect the modernization of the voting process.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Soyini Liburd
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
128 page(s)
7/1/2004
Abstract:
The ballot battles of the 2000 US Presidential Election clearly indicate that existing voting technologies and processes are not sufficient to guarantee that every eligible voter is granted their right to vote and implicitly to have that vote counted, as per the fifteenth, nineteenth, twenty fourth and twenty sixth amendments to the US constitution. Developing a voting system that is secure, correct, reliable and trustworthy is a significant challenge to current technology. The Secure Architecture for Voting Electronically (SAVE) demonstrates that N-version programming increases the reliability and security of its systems, and can be used to increase the trustworthiness of systems. Further, SAVE demonstrates how a viable practical approach to voting can be created using N-version programming. SAVE represents a significant contribution to voting technology research because of its design, and also because it demonstrates the benefits of N-version programming and introduces these benefits to the field of voting technology
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voting technology
Christine Wania; S. Joon Park; Scott Robertson
Proceedings of the 40th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences - 2007
National
11 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
Use of the internet for politics is increasing dramatically, yet we know little about the details of what people are doing with it. We describe an observational think-aloud study of people using the internet in a mock-voting situation. Our voters were primarily opportunistic browsers following a non-compensatory search strategy who engaged in simultaneous searching, reading, evaluating, and deciding. Based on our results, we offer ideas for the design of a voter portal.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Michael Li
Texas Redistricting & Election Law
Texas
3 page(s)
11/15/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Norman Robbins
Greater Cleveland Voter Registration Coalition
Ohio
16 page(s)
11/1/2004
Abstract:
In a time when elections are decided by small margins and when the integrity of the electoral process is often questioned, avoidable voter disqualification is not acceptable. Quantitative studies in Cuyahoga County of the 2004 general election, summarized here, help to define some of the sources of disqualification. Taken in conjunction with other reported data, these studies lead to conservative estimates of votes that were avoidably lost or put at risk. Statewide extrapolation indicates that about 42,500 votes may have been lost and 30,000 put at risk – that is, over 1% of votes in a Presidential election that was decided by about a 2% margin. We believe that almost all these errors (on the part of voters, Board of Elections, or voter registration groups) were unintentional. Several reforms could greatly reduce these flaws in the future. Results similar to those reported here would be expected in many urbanized counties in the United States.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Voter confidence
Division of Elections, Florida Department of State
Florida
9 page(s)
1/31/2005
Abstract:
Although the election reforms enacted in 2001 resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of overvotes and undervotes cast in the 2002 election, this is the first time the results of a Presidential Election have been available for study since those reforms were put in place. In addition, it is important to note this was the first election cycle in which early voting was mandated statewide and the first presidential election in which provisional ballots were utilized. This report can thus serve as a new baseline with which to evaluate future election results.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Halle Lewis; Nora Kancelbaum; Norman Robbins
Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates
Ohio
15 page(s)
1/19/2013
Abstract:
Some say that uniform rules should apply for hours of early in-person voting and for vote-by-mail for all 88 counties. However, the results show large variations among counties in the usage of early-in-person and mail-in voting in 2012, and also large variations between Presidential and non-Presidential elections. The most significant failure of a uniform rule appeared during the last 3 days of in-person early voting, when voters in larger counties were burdened with waiting times of 1-4 hours and voters from smaller counties had relatively short waiting times. Therefore, rules for future Presidential elections need to take into account the varying experiences in 2012 in these very different counties, and use formulae that reflect past usage and local variations rather than lock-step rules.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Wait times
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Missouri
2 page(s)
1/28/2013
Abstract:
Section 115.427 of Missouri state law currently requires that every voter show some form of approved identification at the polls. SB 1015 and 730 would constrict § 115.427, by effectively eliminating from the list of acceptable IDs every document, no matter how official, that is not a current photo ID issued by Missouri or the federal government. This unnecessary restriction will likely squeeze many eligible voters out of the electoral process, in violation of the Constitution.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud
Michael McDonald
George Mason University
Florida
3 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
The ABA Standing Committee on Election Law presents this Report to provide an overview of research and proposals to address Election Day delays. The information and insights contained in this Report are intended as a starting point for further research into the problems delaying voters at the polls.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Security; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Errors
Michael McDonald
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
New Jersey
12 page(s)
12/1/2005
Abstract:
The following analysis documents several of the methodological flaws in the lists of voters included as exhibits to the voter fraud report submitted to the New Jersey Attorney General on September 15, 2005. The analysis is based on methodology only: we have not gained access to original documents related to registration or original pollbook records; we have only recently acquired and compiled copies of the counties’ original registration datafiles, which contain some notable gaps; and the lists submitted to the Attorney General contain significant errors and little documentation, which complicates the analysis. Nonetheless, the information we have collected so far is sufficient for the purposes of generally assessing the quality of the evidence presented to support the September 15 report. Our review of the suspect lists reveals that the evidence submitted does not show what it purports to show: cause for concern that there is serious risk of widespread fraud given the state of the New Jersey voter registration rolls.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
193 page(s)
7/1/2010
Abstract:
The 2009 Travis County Clerk Study Group has concluded the initial phase of its mission and in this report presents information about its meetings and recommendations. Its most significant recommendation is that Travis County move away from an all-electronic voting system to one that offers electronically-counted paper ballots. The Group suggests that this migration should occur as soon as an alternative that meets Travis County’s requirements is available. At this time, none of the systems currently on the market meet these requirements, but it is expected that products meeting these standards will be on the market in the near future.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Steven Carbó
Demos
Iowa
12 page(s)
Winter 2008
Abstract:
With the governor Chet Culver's pen stroke, Iowa became the eighth state in the nation to extend the franchise to otherwise eligible citizens who had not yet registered to vote at the close of voter registration deadlines. This report recounts the successful implementation of Election Day Registration in Iowa.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration
Don Palmer; Justin Riemer; Matthew Davis
Committee on Privileges and Elections, Virginia House of Representatives; Committee on Privileges and Elections, Virginia Senate; Virginia State Board of Elections
Virginia
18 page(s)
1/6/2014
Abstract:
The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) is pleased to report to the members of the
Privileges and Elections Committees of the Virginia General Assembly on its annual Voter
Registration List Maintenance activities. This report focuses specifically on SBE’s efforts to
share voter registration and voter history data with neighboring states and the District of
Columbia (DC) and also presents you with a brief summary of all of Virginia’s voter
registration list maintenance activities.
Virginia is a nationwide leader and pioneer in working with other states to improve and
keep its voter registration records accurate and current. Virginia is one of only two states
(Colorado being the other) that has participated in both of the two major interstate voter
registration data sharing programs: The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and
the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program (Crosscheck). The State Board of Elections was a founding member of ERIC and the first state on the Eastern Seaboard to join Crosscheck. Virginia enacted legislation enabling these important activities well in advance of most other states and continues to be a leader in modernizing and upgrading its voter registration system, particularly its list maintenance activities, to protect the integrity of its voter rolls.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Dana Chisnell; Drew Davies; Kathryn Summers
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
116 page(s)
7/24/2013
Abstract:
Our goal for this project was to create an open-source online ballot template using current web standards that voters could use to mark a ballot on their own web-connected device, using their own, familiar, assistive technology. By optimizing our design for voters who have low literacy skills or mild, age-related cognitive impairment, we improved ballot usability across many audience groups. Our goal was to use the principles of “plain language” and “plain interaction” to create a ballot that would be universally usable.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot wording; Senior voters; Usability testing; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Dana Chisnell; Drew Davies; Kathryn Summers; Megan Mullin; Noel Alton
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
25 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
This annotated bibliography supported our ballot interface design work, and primarily includes sources about ballot design and about designing for audiences with low literacy skills and mild cognitive impairment. It also includes some sources about barriers to voting, voting trends, and voting technologies, including voting on mobile devices.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Tomer Posner
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
86 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
Lean was first adopted as a management technique for improving results in manufacturing environments. It is based on the 5 principles of identifying the Value to be created, mapping the Value-Stream (incremental addition of value), ensuring process Flow, orienting the process towards the Pull of the customer and finally eliminating all Waste through a process of continuous improvement. This framework is highly adaptable, and has been applied in recent years to non-manufacturing efforts, such as product development and the retail and service industries. We explore the application of Lean to voting.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; International election administration; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion
Scott Hilkert
Illinois Election Data Collection Project; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Illinois
9 page(s)
10/23/2009
Abstract:
The first section of this paper attempts to identify the full range of distinct systems commonly used to execute elections and the data paths in between each system so that the focus of the Illinois EDC project can be put into a broader context. This section can also serve as a primer for those attempting to understand the processes affected by election data formats and standards. The second section describes specific challenges faced during the Illinois EDC project and techniques devised for overcoming those challenges. These same challenges would be faced by anyone attempting to produce statewide or nationwide election data repositories by merging and converting data from locally managed election systems. The most prominent lesson learned was that the lack of consistency in data and system use between election jurisdictions prevented true automatic data collection without manual intervention. This section also outlines some potential remedies for the challenges identified.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Paul Craft
Freeman, Craft, McGregor Group
National
6 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Voting technology
Brady Baybeck; David Kimball
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
16 page(s)
6/19/2013
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was intended to create more consistency in election administration, but the United States still has a highly decentralized system. Almost 8,000 local jurisdictions have primary responsibility for administering elections, with significant discretion in how they conduct them, and there is a dramatic skew in the size of these jurisdictions. A very small number of heavily populated local jurisdictions serve the vast majority of voters while a large number of lightly populated jurisdictions serve the rest of the electorate. The interaction of local discretion and size disparities leads to very different experiences for election officials and voters in large versus small jurisdictions. Election administrators in large jurisdictions encounter the most difficult problems in conducting elections and in large jurisdictions the need for innovation is acute. At the same time, there is little push for election modernization due to the size disparity, which we discuss in detail. HAVA has not changed this fundamental dynamic, and policy makers and researchers should take size into account when examining the performance of elections and when considering ways to make elections operate more effectively.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Institutional arrangements; Overseas voters; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Mara Cohen-Marks; Matt Barreto; Nathan Woods
Political Research Quarterly
California
14 page(s)
9/22/2008
Abstract:
More than forty years after passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a fundamental question remains unanswered: although all citizens have an equal right to the ballot, do all citizens enjoy equal access to the ballot box? That is, are voting precincts in predominantly low-income and non-white neighborhoods less visible, less stable, harder to find, and harder to navigate than voting precincts in high-income and predominantly white neighborhoods? If so, does the lower quality result in lower levels of voting, all other things equal? The authors’ analysis indicates that the quality of polling places varies across the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles and that the quality of polling places influences voter turnout. Low-income and minority communities tended to have “lower quality” precincts, which tended to depress voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Turnout
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
39 page(s)
7/17/2006
Abstract:
In this paper, we present results from three national surveys in which we asked voters the confidence they have that their vote for president in the 2000 or 2004 election was recorded as intended. We examine voter responses using both descriptive and multivariate analyses to determine the overall level of voter confidence and then analyze the characteristics which influence the likelihood a voter is confident in their ballot being recorded accurately. Our findings show that a significant portion of the U.S. voting population does not possess confidence that their vote will be counted as intended and similar to the literature on trust in government we find political identification significantly impacts a voter’s level of confidence. Contrary to the bulk of findings concerning citizen trust, we find demographic variables such as race and education significantly impact the likelihood an individual is confident their vote will be recorded as intended.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Women voters
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
10 page(s)
3/29/2006
Abstract:
In many jurisdictions, provisional ballots created significant confusion and problems at the polls and afterward, and may have led to the disenfranchisement of many voters in 2004. The problems states experienced with provisional ballots can be divided into problems of administration and problems of rules or conception.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Tammy Patrick
Maricopa County Elections Department; National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Annual Summit
Arizona
61 page(s)
8/6/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Poll worker recruitment; Security; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Dick Thornburgh; Herbert Lin; Richard Celeste
Committee on a Framework for Understanding Electronic Voting, National Research Council; The National Academies Press
National
162 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
Asking the Right Questions About Electronic Voting describes the important questions and issues that election officials, policy makers, and informed citizens should ask about the use of computers and information technology in the electoral process--focusing the debate on technical and policy issues that need resolving. The report finds that while electronic voting systems have improved, federal and state governments have not made the commitment necessary for e-voting to be widely used in future elections. More funding, research, and public education are required if e-voting is to become viable.
Subject(s):
Security; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Joseph Losco; Raymond Scheele; Sally Jo Vasicko
Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Ball State University; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Indiana
97 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
This project was undertaken to answer two specific research questions: 1) Do Vote Centers increase voter turnout? and 2) Do Vote Centers save money? Both of these research questions derive from the seeming advantage that Vote Centers have over traditional precincts; that is, by making the act of voting more convenient by allowing citizens to show up at any county Vote Center rather than having to go only to their precinct polling place, more voters will show up to cast their ballot. Moreover, by consolidating precincts into a relatively few Vote Centers, tax dollars can be saved because fewer locations have to be rented, staffed and provisioned.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Vote centers
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts; University of New Mexico
New Mexico
205 page(s)
4/28/2010
Abstract:
The 2008 New Mexico Election Administration Report Election represents a systematic examination of New Mexico’s November 2008 General election. We combine qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the New Mexico election ecosystem. We think the key to improving elections is to collect and analyze the experiences of voters, poll workers, and administrators systematically. Together these data provide a portrait of the election experience from which problems and successes can be identified and confirmed from multiple players. We call this an ecosystem approach because it is a multi-pronged evaluation strategy. Combining these data provides multiple perspectives from key players to assess how well the election was run and how the management of the election can be improved in future elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot marking tools; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll watchers; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Wait times
Alex Adams; Lisa Bryant; Lonna Rae Atkeson
Bernalillo County Clerk; University of New Mexico
New Mexico
179 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
In this report, we combine qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the New Mexico election landscape. The key to improving elections is to use a data driven approach that systematically examines a variety of measures to determine election performance deficiencies and strengths. For the 2012 study we collected and analyzed data on the experiences of Bernalillo County voters and poll workers and independently observed Bernalillo County Election Day and early voting. Together these data, along with a comparison of data from previous elections, provide a portrait of the election experience from which problems and successes can be identified and confirmed from multiple players. Our research design is a multi-pronged evaluation strategy. Combining data from different electoral actors provides multiple perspectives from key players and groups to assess how well the election was run and how the management of the election can be improved in future elections.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot on demand; Evaluation & assessment; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
Alex Adams; Lisa Bryant; Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez
Bernalillo County Clerk; University of New Mexico
New Mexico
173 page(s)
2/1/2011
Abstract:
In this report, we combine qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the New Mexico election landscape. We think the key to improving elections is to collect and analyze the experiences of voters, poll workers, and administrators systematically. Together these data provide a portrait of the election experience from which problems and successes can be identified and confirmed from multiple players. Our research design is a multi-pronged evaluation strategy. Combining data from different electoral actors provides multiple perspectives from key players and groups to assess how well the election was run and how the management of the election can be improved in future elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot marking tools; Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll watchers; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Wait times
Ernesto Calvo; Garbriel Katz; Julia Pomares; Marcelo Escolar; R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
61 page(s)
4/1/2008
Abstract:
This paper presents the first study on the impact of different voting technologies on election outcomes in multi-party elections, analyzing data from a large-scale voting experiment conducted in the 2005 congressional election in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; International election administration; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion
Greg McGrew
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National; Colorado
23 page(s)
9/29/2013
Abstract:
On August 1, 2012, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) awarded Assistive Technology Partners (ATP) a small grant to investigate use of digital tablet technology as a tool for enhancing a part of the voting process for people who may not be able to get to a polling place. ATP submitted a proposal to carry out a project focused on assessing the use of Apple’s iPad tablet as a tool for people in minimum care residence facilities to mark their voting ballots in an election. The project was designed to identify both strengths and weaknesses of the iPad from a usability standpoint for these types of voters using it at their place of residence for marking their election ballot. The investigation was carried out in two parts, the first involving usability of the iPad during ballot marking by facilities residents at their residence. The second part involved surveying volunteer poll workers in Denver who had been assigned to set up the iPad for ballot marking by residents regarding their experience during the 2012 election.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Senior voters; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Garbriel Katz; Hugo Martinez; R. Michael Alvarez; Ricardo Llamosa
E-Voting and Identity; Lecture Notes in Computer Science
National
17 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
This paper examines attitudes towards e-voting among participants in a large scale pilot project conducted in Colombia in 2007, focusing on the perceived reliability and usability of different automated voting technologies. Using a multivariate probit model, we determine the effect of socio-demographic, geographic and technical factors on users’ evaluations of electronic voting vis a vis the traditional paper ballot system. Our results show that users find e-voting not only easier than the current voting system, but also substantially more reliable. While voters’ opinions on usability are driven by technical issues, their trust in the new technologies is strongly affected by individual characteristics. We conclude that e-voting entails a promising opportunity to empower voters and increase confidence in elections in Colombia.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; International election administration; Internet voting; Paper ballots; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Kenneth Moorefield
Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense
National
50 page(s)
8/31/2012
Abstract:
The objectives of our assessment were to determine whether voting assistance programs carried out under the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), as amended, and subsequently modified by the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act: complied with the law and DoD implementing instructions and were effective in meeting the law’s intent.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Curtis Crider; Mia Leswing
Clifton Gunderson LLP; Inspector General, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
43 page(s)
2/25/2008
Abstract:
Clifton Gunderson (CG) was engaged by the Office of Inspector General to perform and document an assessment of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's (EAC) program and financial operations focusing on management processes and controls. This report details the results of our assessment.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Costs
Greg McGrew
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
37 page(s)
5/17/2012
Abstract:
While much progress has been made in voting accessibility over the past 30 years with the help of federal legislation (e.g., Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act –1984, Americans with Disabilities Act –1990, Help America Vote Act – 2002) as well as many state initiatives, many barriers exist that can hinder or prevent people with disabilities from independently participating in the voting process. This report discusses the nature of that process, what functional abilities one needs to carry out tasks associated with the process, and what assistive technology (AT) products are used by people with disabilities that provide them the functional ability to perform these tasks independently. Additionally, this report tries to provide the reader a sense of the context of life with a disability through which the voter must navigate to successfully carry out voting. For some, effective AT products may not be enough to smooth the path to voting success.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
28 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
The centerpiece of federal election reform efforts, the implementation of statewide voter registration data- bases, faces a nationwide deadline of Jan. 1, 2006. At that time – per the mandates of the Help America Vote Act – every state and U.S. territory (except North Dakota which has no voter registration) must have a data- base that is “a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration list defined, maintained, and administered at the state level that contains the name and registration information of every legally registered voter in the state and assigns a unique identifier to each legally registered voter in the state.” The guidance sounds specific. However, a survey of election directors in all 50 states and the District of Columbia revealed specificity in description did not lead to uniformity in the administration of the databases.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Mark Baldassare
Public Policy Institute of California
California
17 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
This report examines several important voting trends in California. We first look at voter registration and participation, finding that millions of Californians are not registering to vote, that many who do register are not joining the major political parties, and that many registered voters are not participating in elections. We then analyze key voting groups and their defining issues, finding that many Californians are disgruntled, distrustful, and divided over the role of their state government today. However, we also find some key areas of agreement—particularly regarding trust in local government and the initiative process.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Online voter registration; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Daniel Krimm; Eric McGhee
Public Policy Institute of California
California
18 page(s)
2/1/2010
Abstract:
As a part of the February 2009 budget deal, the state legislature placed a “top-two-vote-getter” (TTVG) primary reform initiative on the June 2010 ballot. If passed, TTVG would allow voters in all state, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate primaries to cast ballots for any candidate, regardless of their own or the candidate’s party identification. The two candidates receiving the most votes—again, regardless of party—would proceed to a fall runoff election. The most commonly cited goal of this reform is to make it easier for relatively moderate candidates to be nominated for and elected to public office. This At Issue describes the proposed reform and places it in the context of recent primary law in California; presents some of the arguments for and against the reform; describes the legal basis for some of its provisions; and evaluates the effect the law is likely to have on voter behavior and candidate moderation.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election administrators; Election types; Open primaries; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
Dawn Isabel; Eric Wustrow; J. Alex Halderman; Scott Wolchok
Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security
District of Columbia
18 page(s)
2/1/2012
Abstract:
In 2010, Washington, D.C. developed an Internet voting pilot project that was intended to allow overseas absentee voters to cast their ballots using a website. Prior to deploying the system in the general election, the District held a unique public trial: a mock election during which anyone was invited to test the system or attempt to compromise its security. This paper describes our experience participating in this trial. Within 48 hours of the system going live, we had gained near complete control of the election server. We successfully changed every vote and revealed almost every secret ballot. Election officials did not detect our intrusion for nearly two business days—and might have remained unaware for far longer had we not deliberately left a prominent clue. This case study—the first (to our knowledge) to analyze the security of a government Internet voting system from the perspective of an attacker in a realistic pre-election deployment—attempts to illuminate the practical challenges of securing online voting as practiced today by a growing number of jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Security; Voting technology
David Eckhardt
Venango County Board of Elections
Pennsylvania
25 page(s)
11/15/2011
Abstract:
On May 17, 2011, each Pennsylvania county held a municipal primary election (which, despite the name, contained a mixture of municipal, school board, county-wide, and state-wide races). In Venango County, Pennsylvania, the election was held on iVotronic® DRE (direct-recording electronic) voting machines manufactured by Election Systems & Software, Inc., of Omaha, Nebraska (“ES&S”) and certified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Results were tabulated using ES&S’s UnityTM Election Reporting Manager software running on top of the Microsoft Windows XP® Professional operating system (Version 2002). After the election was held, and before the results were certified, questions arose about the operation of the iVotronic DRE’s and about the results in some races. After hearing public testimony from voters and others, including this author, the Board decided to retain outside expertise to advise them on various questions they had.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Dorothy Pascale
Rhode Island Board of Elections; Rhode Island Bureau of Audits
Rhode Island
18 page(s)
8/1/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors
Mark Swann
Metropolitan Nashville Council; Office of Internal Audit, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Tennessee
34 page(s)
4/17/2013
Abstract:
The Metropolitan Nashville Office of Internal Audit performed an audit of the processes and controls in place at the Davidson County Election Commission. Subsequent to the start of this audit project, the Coordinator of Elections for the Tennessee Secretary of State initiated a review of Davidson County Election Commission practices. A separate special report addressing specific concerns not included in the scope of this audit will be forthcoming from the Coordinator of Elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Security; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Barbara Zia; Chip Moore; Duncan Buell; Eleanor Hare; Frank Heindel
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
South Carolina
15 page(s)
8/9/2011
Abstract:
Following a highly publicized and anomalous outcome in the South Carolina statewide Democratic primary in South Carolina in June 2010, the authors undertook to audit the election results based on data obtainable through the Freedom of Information Act. The state votes entirely on paperless ES&S iVotronic Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machines. There is thus no auditable primary data (such as paper ballots), but there are several audit trail files that are produced by the software of the ES&S system. We have analyzed these files and have been able to show that votes were not counted, that procedures that should have been checked automatically were not checked, and that vote data to support the certified counts has not been collected or stored.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Sharon Cohen
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
97 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
This work describes a user study done to compare paper trails to audio audits, a new proposal for DRE auditing. Participants in the study completed four elections on a voting machine with a paper trail and four elections on a machine with an audio trail. There were purposeful mistakes inserted into the audits on some of the machines. Results from the study indicated that participants were able to find almost 10 times as many errors in the audio audit then they were able to find in the paper trail. Voters’ attitudes towards the paper audit were extremely apathetic, and voters did not spend much time reviewing their paper record. When asked which type of audit voters would prefer for their own county elections, almost all voters preferred the VVPAT. These results indicate that newer alternative audit technology holds great promise in delivering a safe and accurate audit and further that paper trails have some significant design obstacles that need to be overcome before they will be effective audits.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Jonathan Goler; Lorin Wilde; Ted Selker
CHI Workshop
National
4 page(s)
4/22/2006
Abstract:
Reading disabled (RD) voters represent approximately 1 in 7 voters. Current electronic voting technologies exhibit substantially different error rates between RD voters and non-RD voters. These error rates are not consistent. For example, full-faced voting systems are better suited for RD individuals, while page-by-page systems are better for non-RD voters. We seek to analyze the differences in the voter’s performance in order to build interfaces that reduce mistakes and errors for both RD and non-RD voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Political Research Center, Suffolk University; USA Today
National
9 page(s)
8/15/2012
Abstract:
Political opinion polls usually confine themselves to seeking out registered, likely voters. But what about the millions of adult U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote and choose not to? The Suffolk University Political Research Center and USA TODAY have partnered to find out what these 80 million Americans think – who they support for president, what their opinions are on national issues and why they aren’t participating in their country’s civic process.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Laura Seago
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
28 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
This report explains how technology helps the Selective Service and partner agencies register and maintain current records on the majority of the agency’s target population—with little or no effort on the part of registrants themselves.
Subject(s):
Security; Universal registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
4 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
In response to issues and incidents reported during recent elections, the G.A.B. determined that Wisconsin would benefit from a renewed emphasis on the fundamentals of election administration. Shortly after the June 5 Recall Election, the Director and General Counsel convened a Fall Election Strategic Planning Team which has developed a Back-to-Basics initiative for ensuring a problem-free General Election in November 2012.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities
Sean Greene
Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California; Colorado; Florida; New Mexico; Ohio
24 page(s)
2/1/2008
Abstract:
In this, the 21st Electionline Briefing, the decisions by five states to adopt DREs only to reverse course are explored. Five states that have adopted DREs only to reverse course are explored. The case study focuses on California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Ohio, states that have or are in the process of moving away from touchscreen voting and back to paper again, all in a relatively short period of time.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Voter confidence
Brian Hancock
State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
13 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Vicki Davis
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections; Martin County Supervisor of Elections
National; Florida
17 page(s)
2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Electronic pollbooks; Online voter registration; Voter registration; Voting technology
John Bremer
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland; Human Factors Research on Voting Machines and Ballot Designs: An Exploratory Study
National
13 page(s)
7/31/2002
Abstract:
The design of electronic ballots is a new field in which there is little to no research. For example the central question, as to the most effective way to present material to a population in this medium, has not been answered. This paper is a first attempt to answer that question. Sub-questions exist as to the way people will use the medium, how they will view the choices given to them on the computer screen, how the positioning of choices on the screen will affect the final vote outcome, and how comfortable individuals will be with this new technology. All of these questions must be answered before the medium will be a viable alternative to current methods of voting.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Software-based systems; Usability testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion
R. Michael Alvarez
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland; Human Factors Research on Voting Machines and Ballot Designs: An Exploratory Study
National
12 page(s)
2/1/2002
Abstract:
At a time in which many election jurisdictions are investing considerable sums of money in the purchase of new voting systems, clearly more insight into how ballots are designed is necessary. In the remainder of this essay, I take up a series of what I consider to the important general topics regarding ballot design. I conclude the essay by outlining some general principles for scientific study of these ballot design topics.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot wording
Dana Chisnell
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC); Usability Professionals' Association Usability and Civic Life Project
National
7 page(s)
4/16/2008
Abstract:
As Whitney Quesenbery, founder of the Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) Usability in Civic Life/Voting and Usability project, pointed out at a recent EAC roundtable, “it takes access plus usability to provide accessible usability to all.” Improving the accessibility of ballots can improve their usability for everyone. For example, simplifying language for people who have limited reading skills or cognitive disabilities also makes a ballot easier and quicker to navigate and use for voters without these disabilities.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
James Honaker; Jeffrey Lewis; Laurin Frisina; Michael Herron
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Florida
45 page(s)
11/23/2006
Abstract:
The 2006 midterm elections in Florida have focused attention on undervotes, ballots on which no vote is recorded on a particular contest. This interest was sparked by the high undervote rate— more than 18,000 total undervotes out of 240,000 ballots cast—in Florida’s 13th Congressional District race, a race that, as of this paper’s writing, was decided by 369 votes. Using precinct-level voting returns, we show that the high undervote rate in the 13th Congressional District race was almost certainly caused by the way that one county’s (Sarasota’s) electronic touchscreen voting machines placed the 13th Congressional District race above the Florida Governor election on a single screen. We buttress this claim by showing that extraordinarily high undervote rates were also observed in the Florida Attorney General race in Charlotte and Lee Counties, places where that race appeared below the Governor race on the same screen. Using a statistical imputation model to identify and allocate excess undervotes, we find that there is a roughly 90 percent chance that the much-discussed Sarasota undervotes were pivotal in the very close 13th Congressional District race.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors
Paul Gronke
Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission); Early Voting Information Center, Reed College
Florida; Oregon
17 page(s)
6/15/2005
Abstract:
The following is a short analysis of Oregon’s unique experience with an all vote by mail system. The review is intended to provides the Commission a “road map” for a by-mail ballot, from issuance by the elections office, to the voter’s hands, back to the county office, and finally to the tally. This map will help the Commission identify best practices for vote by mail systems, highlight potential pitfalls, and guide the Commission’s deliberations as they evaluate the rapid expansion of by-mail voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Graeme Orr
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
5 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
This commentary surveys the Australian experience. Long ago, a colorful label was coined to describe apathetic voters who attended the polls dutifully, but blindly numbered their ballots from top to bottom, down the traditional, alphabetically ordered card. They were "donkey voters." (Anyone labeling the card from bottom to top could be called a "reverse" donkey.) The term has semi-official status in the political lexicon. This breed was never captured in the wild. Rather, its existence was inferred, both from statistical inference and from reports by scrutineers, who saw ballots numbered from the top in races where, on ideological grounds, such ordering made little sense.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; International election administration
Barry Burden
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
6 page(s)
10/1/2003
Abstract:
In this paper I examine the effects of state ballot access restrictions on minor-party and independent candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial and senatorial elections. I show that raising the proportion of the state’s electorate that must sign petitions for ballot access sharply reduces the number of candidates on the ballot but not their vote shares. The closeness of the vote for major-party candidates is the main determinant of the percentage of votes cast for minor-party and independent candidates. Other regulations such as the deadline for submitting nominating petitions and the availability of fusion have no effect on the minor-party vote share. So while Duverger’s logic governs how well a minor party does on Election Day, signature requirements have the clearest influence on the number of parties that run in the first place. In the conclusion I argue that ballot access restrictions do little harm to the two-party system and provide some considerations for state lawmakers.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; International election administration
Combine With: Voter confidence
Alan Gerber; Daniel Biggers; David Hendry; Gregory Huber
American Politics Research
Connecticut; Wisconsin
4/8/2014
Abstract:
Recent research finds that doubts about the integrity of the secret ballot as an institution persist among the American public. We build on this finding by providing novel field experimental evidence about how information about ballot secrecy protections can increase turnout among registered voters who had not previously voted. First, we show that a private group’s mailing designed to address secrecy concerns modestly increased turnout in the highly contested 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election. Second, we exploit this and an earlier field experiment conducted in Connecticut during the 2010 congressional midterm election season to identify the persistent effects of such messages from both governmental and non-governmental sources. Together, these results provide new evidence about how message source and campaign context affect efforts to mobilize previous non-voters by addressing secrecy concerns, as well as show that attempting to address these beliefs increases long-term participation.
Subject(s):
Security; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Dana Chisnell
Center for Civic Design
Florida; Georgia; New York; Washington
16 page(s)
1/31/2014
Abstract:
The “butterfly ballot” used in Palm Beach County, Florida in the 2000 was just the most famous example of what turned out to be a common ballot design problem. Another 18 counties in Florida listed candidates on multiple pages or in multiple columns in the presidential election in 2000. But it was the Palm Beach ballot and the ensuing recounts that inspired the widespread replacement of voting systems when the Help America Vote Act of 2002 passed. The problem was not the voting system. The original problem, causing thousands of voters to vote in ways they had not intended, was a ballot design problem.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Voter education campaigns; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Voter confidence
E. Scott Adler; Thad Hall
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
16 page(s)
6/19/2013
Abstract:
Over the past decade, the issue of election auditing has become prominent in election administration. One component of such auditing is whether voted ballots should be available for public review by any interested individuals. In this article, we discuss the potential problems that might arise from public accessibility to executed election ballots. Specifically, we note that the public disclosure of voted ballots may compromise the secrecy of individuals and alter their election choices. Such violations of privacy—or even the appearance of such violations—could open a wide array of opportunities for election fraud, dissuade marginal voters from election participation, and potentially distort democratic outcomes.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Post-election audits
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence
Marc Mauer; Tushar Kansal
The Sentencing Project
National; Alabama; Arizona; Delaware; Florida; Iowa; Kentucky; Maryland; Mississippi; Nebraska; Nevada; Tennessee; Virginia; Washington; Wyoming
26 page(s)
2/1/2005
Abstract:
This report represents the first national survey of the restoration process in each of the 14 states. We present data on the number of people seeking to have their rights restored in these states, along with estimates of the total number of disenfranchised persons who have completed a felony sentence. Due to great variation among the states in recordkeeping and reporting, the data presented here cover varying time frames with varying levels of specificity.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Advancement Project
Florida; Missouri; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Virginia
69 page(s)
12/2/2009
Abstract:
This report looks behind the 2008 results to assess the performance of the election process in five key battleground states where Advancement Project had a strong advocacy presence: Florida, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The report focuses on several illustrative election administration issues in these states and identifies trends that resulted in the disenfranchisement of thousands of potential voters as well as trends that made voting easier and more reliable. The report primarily assesses these issues and the states’ performance through the lens of Advancement Project’s voter protection efforts, discussing the months of early research, advocacy, assessment, and litigation that preceded Election Day and resulted in the protection of tens of thousands of voters across the country.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Matt Boehmer
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), U.S. Department of Defense
National
76 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
During the 2012 general election cycle, FVAP made important strides to improve its processes, programs and tools. As a direct result of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act amendments to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), the Department of Defense (DoD) now offers a wide array of voting assistance tools. This is most notable with the finding of a statistically significant relationship between the use of DoD voting assistance resources and a voter’s propensity for actually voting and returning an absentee ballot.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information materials
Asian American Justice Center; Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote; National Asian American Survey
National
16 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
As the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States, the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities demonstrated their strength and commitment to civic participation by turning out in record numbers this past election. Our findings emphasize that the Asian American and Pacific Islander voting blocs are truly up for grabs. Although overall political engagement increased, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders do not strongly identify with any party. They vote for candidates who support and promote progress on issues that matter to their families and communities.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Poll worker training; Polling places; Voter information & outreach; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Michael Caudell-Feagan; Susan Urahn
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
36 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
In this report, Make Voting Work (MVW) examined the state elections Web sites in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine whether citizens can find the official election information they need to register to vote, check their registration status and locate their polling places. More importantly, MVW measured if potential voters can use the information on state elections Web sites and if it helps them. We found that every state has room for improvement. However, states can still take steps to help voters; as the election approaches, many states have updated their Web sites and developed tools to help voters this November.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Stephanie Bosh
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
9 page(s)
12/6/2011
Abstract:
This 2011 report, Being Online Is Still Not Enough, provided state-by-state reviews and analysis based on detailed criteria of election websites for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It also included recommendations for improving each site to better inform voters, and provides a list of best practices adopted by many states to maximize their election office’s online presence.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Usability testing; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs
Lauren Forbes
Project Vote
National
7 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
To assess the degree to which high school voter registration programs have been implemented, encouraged or otherwise instituted at state or municipal levels, Project Vote contacted state officials and education administrators, inviting them to participate in a survey. Data from this survey comes from all 50 states and has allowed Project Vote to identify best practices, solutions to problems encountered in various jurisdictions, and the effectiveness of high school voter registration programs across the United States. The following is a compilation of best practices and effective tips that our survey respondents recommended for implementing successful high school voter registration programs.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Preregistration for teens; Voter registration; Youth voters
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
6 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
Provisional balloting prevents the possible disenfranchisement of voters. However, the policies and procedures for administering provisional voting vary from State to State. In some States, a person can cast a provisional ballot in any precinct in the State regardless of where the person is registered. In other States, a person must cast a provisional ballot in the precinct in which the person is eligible to vote. A consistent approach within each State is key to ensuring that all voters are treated equally. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) issued Advisory 2005-006 in September 2005, to provide clarification on provisional voting and identification requirements. The EAC offers the following information as a complement to Advisory 2005-006 and as best practices to guide States as they administer the provisional balloting process. By recommending these practices, the EAC offers informed advice while respecting diversity among the States.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
5 page(s)
9/13/2004
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) (Public Law 107-252, Section 242, dated October 29, 2002), directs the Election Assistance Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, to conduct a study on the best practices for facilitating voting by absent Uniformed Services voters (as defined in section 107(1) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)) and overseas voters (as defined in section 107(5) of such Act). HAVA provided a number of issues to consider in conducting the study.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
David Kimball ; Lawrence Norden; Margaret Chen; Whitney Quesenbery
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
87 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Election officials evince a growing interest in better ballot design. Design for Democracy has worked on election materials in Illinois, Nebraska and Oregon, and election officials report that their conferences increasingly focus on ballot design and usability. We encourage election officials, policy makers, and concerned members of the public to review these documents and continue to work with experts to help ensure better ballot design in their communities. This report is intended to complement those documents and efforts by providing an easy-to-use guide that will allow state and local election officials to avoid the kinds of design mistakes we have seen in every election year in the last decade, while maximizing the likelihood that voters’ intended choices are accurately recorded.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
David Kimball ; Lawrence Norden; Whitney Quesenbery
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
56 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Design problems continue to have a major impact on elections. In 2008, the Brennan Center for Justice publication Better Ballots documented how design errors continued to plague elections, leading to the loss of hundreds of thousands of votes. The report made several policy recommendations to alleviate this chronic problem. This report continues the work of Better Ballots, detailing a few of the biggest design flaws in the elections of 2008 and 2010. Unlike Better Ballots, which only discussed Election Day ballots, this report also includes voting machine error messages, provisional and absentee ballot envelopes, and voter education materials. The quality of design of all of these materials can be the difference between counting and losing voters’ intended choices.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Usability testing; Voter information materials
Combine With: Errors
Chaitanya Mahasamudram; Jay Bagga; Joe Losco; Joe Losco
State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference; Voting Systems Technical Oversight Program, Ball State University
National
14 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Usability testing; Voting technology
Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi
Perspectives on Politics
Florida
10 page(s)
4/4/2003
Abstract:
Curiosities and inconsistencies in the format of U.S. election ballots go far beyond the infamous "butterfly" ballot. Ballot instructions, candidate and party listings, party symbols, and, in general, variations that result from a complex and highly decentralized election system provide ample opportunity for all but the most sophisticated voters to misunderstand, mismark, or spoil their ballots and for all voters to feel confused and frustrated. We call attention to the enormous disparity in ballot designs across the states and to individual state designs that are inconsistent and needlessly complex. We recommend changes that would promote clarity and uniformity and yet allow room for state variations in the most politically potent aspects of ballot design. We also suggest steps by which reforms might be accomplished.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors
Samuel Issacharoff
Harvard Law Review
National
32 page(s)
11/1/2013
Abstract:
The argument presented is that current voting controversies, unlike the concerns of racial exclusion under Jim Crow, are likely motivated by partisan zeal and emerge in contested partisan environments. The conclusion is a proposed administrative process based on the Elections Clause that can potentially be more effective than the VRA approach struck down in Shelby County.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Hasen
Washington & Lee Law Review
National
63 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
Conflict in election administration may be inevitable during periods of intense partisan conflict. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to absolutely prevent such conflict from resulting in a presidential election meltdown. But the three serious steps outlined in Part II could greatly reduce the chances of such meltdown.
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Alaska; California; Hawaii; Illinois; Massachusetts; Michigan; Nevada; New Jersey; New York; Texas; Washington
1 page(s)
12/21/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Election administrators; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Litigation
Federal Judicial Center
Puerto Rico
1 page(s)
7/9/2013
Abstract:
Two voters filed a federal complaint against members of Puerto Rico's election commission on August 19, 2008, objecting to Puerto Rico's ballots and their instructions being provided only in Spanish.
Subject(s):
Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Voter information materials
Combine With: Litigation
Louis DeSipio
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
3 page(s)
6/17/2011
Abstract:
In The Battle Over Bilingual Ballots: Language Minorities and Political Access Under the Voting Rights Act, John Thomas Tucker analyzes the use of literacy tests in the pre-VRA period as a tool to limit or deny participation to linguistic minorities.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Nathan Cemenska
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
2 page(s)
7/29/2008
Abstract:
A fundamental assumption underlying the setup of many of our elections institutions is that we cannot necessarily trust administrators to do a good job in one-party environments. Rather, it is better to require that at least one important player in each entity be from each of the largest political parties. This reduces the risk of hanky-panky, and also reduces the risk of mistakes made by people who try to do their best, but who might fail because they do not appreciate the viewpoint of the other side. I do not think we should automatically conclude that every level of election administration must be permeated with bipartisanship, and even think that requiring this could in many cases lead to deadlock, partisan grandstanding, and endless, fruitless debate. Nevertheless, requiring bipartisanship in our elections institutions is a good rule of thumb, and one that we should not deviate from without having specific reasons. Moritz has completed some research on 16 states that suggests that America is following this rule of thumb in some areas, but not in others.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Nonpartisan election administration; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
David Bositis
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
National
4 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
What follows is a brief review of some available evidence regarding the November 4, 2008 election. In particular, this review focuses on the election of President-elect Barack Obama, the behavior and significance of African American voters in the 2008 elections and the profiles of black candidates for federal office.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Turnout
Michael Herron
American Politics Research
Illinois
40 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
This study inquires as to the nature of racial regularities in residual voting that exist under post–Help America Vote Act conditions. Even with modern, optical scan voting machines, there were significant differences among black, Hispanic, and white residual vote rates in the city of Chicago during the Municipal Election of 2011 and the Illinois General Election of 2010. Moreover, these residual vote rates varied with the availability of, respectively, black, Hispanic, and white candidates for office. Hispanics often had the highest residual vote rates among the three major race groups in Chicago, and there were instances in the aforementioned 2011 and 2010 Chicago elections in which a group of voters chose not to vote for anyone rather than vote for a dominant candidate of a different race than the voters themselves. Thus, even holding constant electoral administration and voting technology, the role of race in residual voting remains prominent.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Optical scan voting machines
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Erik Antonsson; R. Michael Alvarez
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
National; Florida
68 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
For better or worse, the more our research team studied what happened in the 2000 presidential election, the more we became convinced that the problems could not be easily resolved because, in addition to technology, they involved people, procedures, and politics. The work of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP) in the immediate aftermath of the 2000 presidential election was controversial, but it served as a platform for research and reform in the years that followed. In this article, we discuss how we undertook this research project, how it has evolved over the past seven years, and the issues we believe are critical to advancing the science of elections.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Evaluation & assessment; Optical scan voting machines; Recounts; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Mathew Masterson; Ryan Frazee
Ohio Secretary of State; Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
Ohio
42 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
The State of Ohio is home to approximately 61,000 active duty military and overseas civilians. Approximately 35,000 of these are active UOCAVA voters in the Ohio election system. In 2008 approximately 32,000 ballots were sent out and slightly over 26,000 returned, resulting in an 80.8% return rate. These statistics suggest two issues: a large number of Ohio UOCAVA citizens are not participating in the electoral process; and those who are attempting to participate are experiencing an unacceptably high non-return rate. This project will test the hypothesis that providing easy to use online access to voter information resources, combined with tools to reduce voter errors and a flexible and predictable ballot delivery process, will result in a higher success rate (defined as % of ballots counted) in the near term for those already participating and over time will increase the participation rate.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
25 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
In a line of opinions including Washington v. Davis, 426 U.S. 229, 242 (1976), this Court has held that showings of disparate impact alone are insufficient to prove violations of the Equal Protection Clause. Rather, a showing of discriminatory intent is necessary to sustain such a challenge to a state action. Id. In City of Mobile, Ala. v. Bolden, 446 U.S. 55, 66-68 (1980), this Court applied this rule to the voting context, holding that facially neutral voting statutes will be struck down only when evidencing a discriminatory purpose; a disparate impact alone is not enough. Furthermore, public policy considerations counsel against any expansion of stand-alone disparate impact analysis, without proof of discriminatory intent or purpose, into the Equal Protection realm. As this Court has recognized, relying solely on disparate impact in Equal Protection cases would cause havoc in legislatures, courts, and communities throughout the nation. Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 376-77 (1996). For these reasons, this Court should affirm the decision of the Seventh Circuit upholding the Indiana voter identification law.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
41 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
The opponents of photo identification laws in this case find themselves facing the same stunning omission that every lawsuit challenging photo identification requirements up to this point has faced—no individual or group has standing to challenge the law in question. Opponents again fail to identify a single voter that is actually harmed by the provisions of any photo identification for voting requirement.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
42 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
The court of appeals correctly held that petitioners have not carried the heavy burden of showing that the Voter ID Law is invalid on its face.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
46 page(s)
3/1/2007
Abstract:
In order to preserve every citizen’s constitutional right to vote, this Court must ensure that a predictable, constitutionally sound standard regulates when, and to what degree, the government can require that a citizen furnish identification before being allowed to exercise the fundamental right to vote. The most appropriate standard for this Court to adopt is one akin to the reasonable suspicion standard that applies when analyzing warrantless searches or seizures under the Fourth Amendment. Under such a standard, only those actually suspected of attempting to commit fraud could be required to furnish identification any more intrusive than simply stating one’s name and address or signing a poll book. Only upon probable cause of voter fraud could a citizen be required to furnish photo identification.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
21 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
Petitioners have made two broad assertions regarding the alleged impact of the Indiana voter identification requirement, neither of which comports with existing empirical data. First, Petitioners suggest that the Indiana law has an appreciable, negative effect on voter participation in elections. And, second, Petitioners claim that the law’s requirements fall disproportionately on certain segments of the population—namely, minorities, the poor, and the elderly. Neither assertion, however, is consistent with the available empirical data measuring the effects of the Indiana law.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
57 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
The State of Indiana has imposed a reasonable, nondiscriminatory restriction on the voting process in order to advance two important interests: the integrity of the election process and the electorate’s confidence in election security. This brief examines both interests and the extent to which they justify a photo identification law.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Georgia; Indiana
36 page(s)
12/6/2007
Abstract:
Like the legislature in Indiana, Georgia’s General Assembly chose to address the potential for voter fraud at the polls through passage of a photo ID law, a decision representing the judgment of elected representatives. This Court should not overturn the Indiana legislature’s judgment because of any alternative proposal propounded by a partisan group of Petitioners and other amici when the state-elected representatives’ choices are supported by the constitutional standard of review.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
19 page(s)
12/24/2007
Abstract:
The Indiana Voter ID law imposes a slight burden only on a relatively small number of potential voters. It is not like other election regulations that the Court has subjected to strict scrutiny, such as poll taxes, requirements of lengthy residence, or property ownership because it does not deny the franchise to an entire class of residents that could not easily, could not at all, achieve eligibility to vote.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
27 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
In sum, Indiana’s Voter ID Law has provided a measure of integrity to elections that did not exist previously. In a time when voter confidence in the election process is demonstrably low, and vote margins increasingly slight, the security provided by Indiana’s Voter ID Law far outweighs the theoretical inconveniences argued by the Petitioners. It should be upheld.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
60 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
This Court has repeatedly recognized that States have a compelling interest in assuring the integrity of elections, and must be granted the flexibility to combat potential fraud and corruption in the electoral process. While States are fully justified in responding to the potential for electoral fraud, American history – and recent events – confirm that fraud in the voter registration process, and in the conduct of balloting, does indeed occur. Protecting against the threat of real and potential vote fraud must be balanced against the desire to provide every eligible citizen's access to the ballot box.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
52 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
The foundation of Petitioners’ challenge is the notion that voter fraud, and in particular in-person voter fraud is not a very serious problem. They urge that “the record is…bereft of evidence suggesting any fraud problem,” and that Indiana in particular lacks “any reasonable basis to suspect that such fraud is a risk in Indiana.” Petitioners are incorrect.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
45 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
All parties seem to agree that voting fraud can be addressed by appropriate legislation, but the parties differ on whether in-person voter fraud actually occurs. Amicus wishes to address this area, and present to the Court information which suggests that this problem is significant and growing.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
29 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
The statutory language and the legislative history make clear that Congress intended HAVA’s anti-fraud provisions to supplement, not supplant, state laws designed to protect the integrity of elections. Thus, States are free to pass new laws or retain existing ones with stronger anti-fraud provisions, including broader voter identification requirements, than those included in HAVA.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
39 page(s)
12/10/2007
Abstract:
Boiled down to its essence, this case is not about disenfranchising anyone. Rather, this case is about the reasonable steps that States may take pursuant to their constitutional obligations to protect the constitutional rights of eligible voters to have their votes properly counter. The Voter ID Law is an evenhanded regulation of elections that does not burden any particular group more than any other. It should be upheld as constitutional.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
David Becker
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
4 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
America’s current voter registration system is outdated, costly and inaccurate. Citizens and election officials alike experience the burdens of a paper-based, voter-initiated process that fails to leverage new technology that could result in more legitimate votes being counted and ensure the integrity of our elections.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Paper ballots; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Barbara Simons; Douglas Jones
University of Chicago Press
National
445 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
Broken Ballots is a thorough and incisive analysis of the current voting climate that approaches American elections from technological, legal, and historical perspectives. The authors examine the ways in which Americans vote today, gauging how inaccurate, unreliable, and insecure our voting systems are. An important book for election administrators, political scientists, and students of government and technology policy, Broken Ballots is also a vital tool for any voting American.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Lisa Danetz
Demos
National
2 page(s)
11/4/2013
Abstract:
Successfully integrating the NVRA voter registration requirements into the ACA enrollment process will mean millions of additional Americans people will get the opportunity to register to vote and thus to participate in our political process. This Policy Brief provides guidance on why and how Health Benefit Exchanges should incorporate the NVRA’s requirements for providing voter registration opportunities.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Christa Daryl Slaton; Kathleen Hale
Public Administration Review
National
5 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
Public administration research has identified networks, professionalization, and collaboration with community interests as potential principles by which public organizations can enhance their capacity and effectiveness. This article explores the implementation of these principles by election administrators at the local level, where their ability to conduct elections is the subject of current scrutiny. Findings indicate that election administrators established networks, professional organizations, professionalization requirements and community collaborations prior to the passage of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Findings also suggest that local election efforts may become more effective as a result of certain provisions of the act that promote centralization and information dissemination. Local election administrators may also continue to build capacity by applying these public administration principles.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Institutional arrangements
James Baker III; Jimmy Carter; Robert Pastor
Center for Democracy and Election Management, American University; Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission); Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
113 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
To build confidence, the Commission recommends a modern electoral system built on five pillars: (1) a universal and up-to-date registration list, accessible to the public; (2) a uniform voter identification system that is implemented in a way that increases, not impedes, participation; (3) measures to enhance ballot integrity and voter access; (4) a voter-verifiable paper trail and improved security of voting system; and (5) electoral institutions that are impartial, professional, and independent.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Internet voting; Military voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Public Administration Review
National
5 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
In this article, the authors use legal theories of evidence and public administration theories related to standard operating procedures to consider how election fraud—and claims of fraud—can be prevented by having effective and rigorous chain of custody procedures. Using case studies, they show how such chains of custody can be implemented and examine which states have processes and procedures that promote the transparency that is critical for public examination of the electoral process. They conclude with a consideration of best practices in this area.
Subject(s):
Polling places; Security; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Fraud; Voter confidence
Anthony Kammer; Jennifer Flanagan; Liz Kennedy; Stephen Spaulding; Tova Wang
Common Cause; Demos
National; Colorado; Florida; Missouri; Nevada; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas; Virginia
64 page(s)
9/10/2012
Abstract:
This report first provides background on the current threat of overly aggressive voter challenge tactics and the history of such efforts in previous elections. The report then details what is permissible and legal when it comes to challenging a voter’s eligibility, both before and on Election Day and inside and outside the polling place. We analyze laws in ten states governing: The process for challenging a registered voter’s right to vote before Election Day and the use of voter caging lists; The process for challenging a registered voter’s right to vote on Election Day; The behavior of poll watchers or observers at the polls on Election Day; and Protections for voters against intimidation, outside and inside the polls. The report measures the extent to which each state’s laws protects voters’ rights in these areas, and assesses them in a set of comparative charts as satisfactory, mixed, or unsatisfactory. Each section includes recommendations for best practices in each of the areas we examine.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
Florida; Minnesota
12 page(s)
6/3/2009
Abstract:
In this brief response to Professor Amar’s lecture, I aim to do three things. First, I show why, even though there is consensus about the lawlessness principle in the abstract, consensus can never be reached about who was right in Bush v. Gore despite Professor Amar’s impressive arguments. Second, I show how the lawlessness debate is replaying itself in the contest over the winner of the 2008 U.S. Senate election in Minnesota. Finally, I argue that an understanding of the lawlessness principle can be used to help avoid similar debacles in the future. In particular, disputes over election outcomes may be curtailed through statutory interpretation instructions directed to state courts passed ex ante by state legislatures and increased centralization of election processes.
Subject(s):
Recounts
Combine With: Litigation
Brian Schaffner; Raymond La Raja
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
31 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
This paper explores whether voters will respond to tangible rewards in exchange for voting. First, we use an experimental design with data from the 2011 Cooperative Congressional Election Study to demonstrate that lotteries have the potential to boost turnout significantly for under-represented groups. Second, we analyze observational data from the 2008 election to demonstrate that the small tangible reward of free coffee had a small but statistically significant impact on turnout.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
R. Doug Lewis
Book of the States; Council of State Governments (CSG)
National
5 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
States and local governments were faced with long lines and long wait times for some voters in Election 2012. What causes election problems? How does government get to the point where elections get off the front pages and return to stable events? The solutions are not simply limited to election administration. Smooth elections are a combination of policy, usually mandated at the state level by legislation or by regulation, resources allocated to the elections process, political considerations, and then administration of the process at the local level. What can states do to assure the best possible service to voters? What is the proper mix of policy, politics, practices and procedures?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voting technology; Weekend voting
Combine With: Costs; Wait times
Teresa James
Project Vote
National
36 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
The following report reviews Republican voter caging operations during the last 50 years, culminating with the unprecedented number of large voter caging operations conducted across the nation in the 2004 presidential election. The report briefly covers the origins and history of voter caging and follows with a survey of individual caging operations during this 50-year period.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Poll watchers; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
4 page(s)
8/1/2012
Abstract:
Consequently, a critical question is whether the voter registration of Latinos and Asians has managed to keep pace with the significant population increases of these groups over the past decade? To address this query, the California Civic Engagement Project recently examined the state’s voter registration rates for the 2002 through 2010 general elections. Utilizing actual voter registration records (surname counts) we track the growth of the state’s Latino and Asian electorate, finding a mixed picture of registration for these groups.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Field Research Corporation
California
8 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Hispanic voters; Permanent absentee voting; Senior voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Committee on Redistricting and Elections, California State Assembly
National; California
9 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
First, I will explain the Supreme Court’s decision: what led to it, what did the Court hold, and why? Second, I will explain what parts of the federal Voting Rights Act remain enforceable at the present time in California and elsewhere, and how these parts are being used in those areas formerly subject to preclearance. Third, I will describe the effect of Shelby County on the constitutionality of other parts of the Voting Rights Act as well as on the constitutionality of the California Voting Rights Act. Finally, I will discuss Congress’s reaction to the ruling and the possibility of a legislative fix for the Shelby County ruling.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Litigation
Matt Bishop
California Secretary of State; University of California-Davis
California
14 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
The California Secretary of State entered into a contract with the University of California to test the security of three electronic voting systems as part of her top to bottom review. Each “red team” was to try to compromise the accuracy, security, and integrity of the voting systems without making assumptions about compensating controls or procedural mitigation measures that vendors, the Secretary of State, or individual counties may have adopted. The red teams demonstrated that, under these conditions, the technology and security of all three systems could be compromised.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Software-based systems
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
R. Michael Alvarez; Stephen Ansolabehere
California; Minnesota; Wisconsin
28 page(s)
1/1/2002
Abstract:
The conclusions of this report are that election day registration could successfully be implemented in California with few problems or excessive costs; could help reduce the problems that voters often face in polling places; and could increase voter turnout in California by as much as 9 percentage points - bringing nearly two million new voters to the polls. Young people and those who move frequently would be most likely to benefit from EDR.
Subject(s):
Poll worker recruitment; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
6 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
Boosted by online registration, the youth electorate (ages 18 - 24) in California grew significantly for the November 2012 election, dramatically outpacing growth in the state’s general registration. While youth are now 11.1% of the state’s registered electorate, research is needed to answer whether this increase translated into a strong turnout at the ballot box for youth, particularly in light of low turnout for the state’s general population.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Online voter registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Krimm; Eric McGhee
Public Policy Institute of California
California
1 page(s)
6/1/2014
Abstract:
This article contains an analysis of California's top-two primary system and its effect on candidate competition.
Subject(s):
Top two primaries
Bill Jones
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
California
3 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
In California, we are in the midst of what has been a nearly decade-long program to reform one of the world's most complex and diverse election systems. Many of the reforms we have pioneered here have been incorporated as prerequisites for other states and counties that plan to seek federal funding for their own reform efforts. Our constant goal in every reform is to achieve 100% participation by eligible voters, with zero tolerance for voter fraud. Although these goals can occationally conflict, we pursue each with equal vigor every step of the way.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Patrick Withers; Rob Richie
FairVote
California
24 page(s)
8/1/2010
Abstract:
FairVote respects the decision of California voters and applauds the goal of giving voters more choices, more competitive elections and fairer representation than that provided by the system replaced by the Act, but we have concerns about several ramifications of the hastily-drafted language of statutes implementing the Act. Several of the Act’s problems are wholly or in part caused by these statutes rather than the language of the Act itself. We recommend that the legislature enact several statutory changes that will not require any further changes to the state constitution. We believe these changes will make the Act more likely to succeed in its intent of providing voters with more choice and better representation. We do not believe they should be controversial. Indeed, several of our recommendations are already part of Washington State’s version of the Top Two law.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Election types; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Fox; Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
4 page(s)
Winter 2012
Abstract:
A review of California’s most recent voter registration rates sends mixed messages. The Good News: Current State Registration Rates Are Higher than in 2008. The Bad News: Registration Rates Are Very Uneven Across the State’s Counties.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
4 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
Considering the diversity of the youth population across California, a key question is to what extent has youth registration actually grown in California in recent years and how have these trends varied by region? To address these questions, the California Civic Engagement Project recently examined the state’s voter registration rates for the 2002 through 2010 general elections.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Mindy Romero
The California Civic Engagement Project
California
4 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
Boosted by online registration, the youth electorate in California grew significantly for the November 2012 election, dramatically outpacing growth in the state’s general registration and driving the decline in major party registration. Youth comprised 30% of all online registrants and variation in party affiliation was greater online than in other registration types. The prevalence of youth in online registration may provide another pathway to increasing their influence on the political make-up of the electorate.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
6 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
Boosted by online registration, the youth electorate (ages 18-24) in California grew significantly for the November 2012 election, dramatically outpacing growth in the state’s general registration. While youth are now 11.1% of the state’s registered electorate, research is needed to answer whether this increase translated into a strong turnout at the ballot box for youth, particularly in light of low turnout for the state’s general population. At 55.5%, California’s general eligible turnout rate was in the lowest 20% of U.S. states for the November 2012 Election.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
8 page(s)
9/1/2014
Abstract:
In order to gain a better understanding of California’s use of vote-by-mail ballots (including all return methods), the California Civic Engagement Project (CCEP) conducted a statewide survey of California’s 58 county election offices. Through analysis of these survey data, this brief identifies: (1) reasons for VBM ballot rejection and (2) the methods taken at the county level to help voters correct VBM ballot issues.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Permanent absentee voting; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Isela Gutierrez; Sophie Lehman
NonProfit VOTE
National; Arizona; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; North Carolina; Ohio
44 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
The Track the Vote program sought to answer questions about the effectiveness of nonprofit service providers in promoting voter participation within their regular services and programs, and their potential for increasing voter turnout among nonprofit clients and constituents. To do so, the program tracked 33,741 individuals who registered to vote or signed a pledge to vote at 94 nonprofits. The nonprofits included a diverse set of community health centers, family service agencies, multi-service organizations, and community development groups across seven states. Using demographic and voting history data, we were able to determine whom the nonprofits reached and at what rate contacted voters turned out to vote in the 2012 general election, as compared to all registered voters in the seven states involved.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Isela Gutierrez; Sophie Lehman
NonProfit VOTE
National; Arizona; California; Colorado; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; New Jersey; North Carolina; Ohio
73 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
Twenty-five of the 94 Track the Vote program participants were selected for interviews, as well as two additional agencies that participated in similar voter engagement programs managed by Nonprofi t VOTE partners. Fifteen of those interviews became the basis for the following case studies, designed to illustrate how a diverse group of nonprofi t organizations conducted voter engagement in 2012. Each case study includes descriptions of voter outreach activities, challenges that arose, and concrete takeaways from their experiences.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Isela Gutierrez; Sophie Lehman
NonProfit VOTE
National; Arizona; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; North Carolina; Ohio
5 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
The Track the Vote program sought to answer questions about the effectiveness of nonprofit service providers in promoting voter participation within their regular services and programs, as well as their potential for increasing voter turnout among nonprofit clients and constituents. To do so, the program tracked 33,741 individuals who registered to vote or signed a pledge to vote at 94 nonprofits. The nonprofits included a diverse set of community health centers, family service agencies, multi-service organizations, and community development groups across seven states. Using demographic and voting history data, we were able to determine who the nonprofits reached and at what rate contacted voters turned out to vote in the 2012 general election, as compared to all registered voters in the seven states involved.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Andrew Pate; Jesse Richman
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
17 page(s)
3/20/2010
Abstract:
College students in the U.S. have long faced barriers to college town registration and voting. Arguably, these barriers raise the costs associated with electoral participation for students living away from home. Despite ongoing debate about where students should vote, the extent to which college town restrictions limit participation by students has never been estimated. This article is the first to demonstrate that college town registration barriers implemented by the U.S. states reduce participation in national elections.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Israel Weismel-Manor; Jayme Neiman; Jeffrey French; John Hibbing; Kevin Smith
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
33 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
One out of three voters in the 2012 U.S. elections voted at home rather than at traditional polling places yet little is known about the physiological and psychological consequences of distinct voting modalities. One potential difference is the amount of stress involved and, in order to determine the level of stress associated with different voting procedures, we conducted a novel field experiment within the context of the 2012 election. Participants were randomly assigned either to vote at the polls, to vote at home, or (as a control) to go to a convenience store. Stress levels were then measured via survey self-report and also via levels of cortisol, a glucocorticoid known to be relevant to stress. The results indicate a significant elevation in cortisol when voting took place at traditional polling places and therefore have implications for reformers pondering the value of expanding opportunities for at-home voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
D. James Greiner; Kevin Quinn; Rachael Cobb
Quarterly Journal of Political Science
National
32 page(s)
6/14/2010
Abstract:
Is it feasible in the current United States to administer voter identification laws in a race-neutral manner? In this paper, we studied a jurisdiction and an election in which such laws would be unlikely to pose issues of racial difference. We also used state-of-the-art field methods and statistical techniques to account for sources of uncertainty that previous studies had suppressed, including survey non-response. Our results are discouraging. We find strong evidence that Hispanic voters, and reasonably strong evidence that black voters, were asked for identification at higher rates than white voters. The magnitudes of the differences are troubling. We suggest that it may not be feasible to administer voter ID laws in a race-neutral manner in the current United States, and we explore the theoretical and legal consequences of such a conclusion.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Eric Lazarus
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
National
1 page(s)
10/8/2004
Abstract:
The speaker at this seminar was Eric Lazarus, the lead technical person for the report “Recommendations for Improving Reliability of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems” issued by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Lazarus is the founder of DecisionSmith, a consulting firm that assesses and constructs technology systems.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
Jonah Berger; Marc Meredith; S. Christian Wheeler
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Arizona
32 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
Can the type of polling place in which people vote (e.g. church, school, or firehouse) influence how they cast their ballot? Results of two studies suggest it can. A field study using Arizona’s 2000 general election found that voters were more likely to support raising the state sales tax to support education if they voted in schools, as opposed to other types of polling locations. This effect persisted even when controlling for voters’ political views, demographics, and unobservable characteristics of those individuals living near schools. A voting experiment extended these findings to other initiatives (i.e. stem cells) and a case in which people were randomly assigned to different environmental primes (i.e. church-related, school-related or generic building images). The present studies reveal that even in noisy, real-world environments, subtle environmental cues can influence decisions on issues of real consequence.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Voter demographics
Laura Egerdal; Ryan Hobart
Missouri Secretary of State
Missouri
3 page(s)
4/28/2009
Abstract:
Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced her office has identified almost 230,000 registered voters who may not have the government-issued photo identification needed to vote as required by a proposed constitutional amendment.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Indiana; Massachusetts; Montana; New Jersey; North Carolina; Pennsylvania
50 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
This report presents the results of six case studies completed during the spring of 2007. The case studies were designed to analyze the effect of HAVA’s requirements on first-time voters and the States. Also during the spring of 2007, focus groups were conducted to give researchers perspective of the perceptions of first-time voters about identification requirements.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arizona; California; Connecticut; Minnesota; Nevada
20 page(s)
3/1/2007
Abstract:
This case study examines audit rules and procedures in a number of states, focusing specifically on California, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Connecticut. The five selected have contrasting state requirements and handle audits differently. In Minnesota, a “100 percent paper ballot” system allows for hand counting. Organizations including League of Women Voters and Citizens for Election Integrity were invited to observe the process. In Arizona, current law requires audits, but only if representatives from each party are present to participate. Last year’s general election saw only five of the state’s 15 counties perform audits because of no-shows by potential auditors. Sample sizes vary greatly as well. While California’s 42-year-old law requires audits of 1 percent of all precincts after an election, Connecticut’s pilot program of optical-scan voting systems included an audit of 20 percent of all precincts, a sample size established by academics along with state officials.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Voter confidence
Sean Greene
Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
20 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
In this, the 22nd Electionline Briefing, different forms of election-day observation are explored, from the academic to the partisan to the journalistic. The early returns suggest that even small-scale projects can shed light on the process. A single reporter serving as a poll worker on election day can cut through rumors and provide perspective and balance on events during the voting process. Partisan efforts to watch the polls can help diffuse conflicts and make sure poll workers follow the rules. Just as elections have been changed by new machines, rules and scrutiny, so too has the process of observing.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll watchers; Polling place management; Post-election audits
Combine With: Wait times
Sean Greene
Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Connecticut; Georgia; Idaho; Maryland; New Jersey; Ohio; Texas
16 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
Electionline.org examined partnerships between states and universities. Specifically, the 18th electionline Briefing details the nuts and bolts, implications and criticism of existing partnerships. The prospects for future partnerships between state and local election offices, universities and, citizens’ groups are also explored.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Poll worker training; Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
Pennsylvania
4 page(s)
7/26/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Darren Burton; Mark Uslan
AFB Access World Magazine: Technology News for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
National
5 page(s)
11/1/2002
Abstract:
The chaos surrounding the 2000 presidential election clearly illustrated the need to modernize our nation's election systems, and several manufacturers have developed electronic voting machines to eliminate the inaccuracies involved with paper and "chad-style" ballots. These machines use electronic ballots displayed on computer screens, and the ballots are counted automatically. Since it is estimated that 500,000 of these machines, costing between $2,000 and $5,000, would need to be purchased across the United States, it could be a multi-billion-dollar process to bring our nation up to date. To help ensure that people who are blind or visually impaired are not forgotten as this modernization occurs, we gathered four machines that are on the market and evaluated their usability and accessibility.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
4 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
HAVA mandated the use of provisional ballots in Federal elections beginning in 2004. Prior to that, the rules regarding the use of provisional ballots varied among the States. Although HAVA provides a minimum standard for provisional balloting, the application of how and when individuals may cast a provisional ballot—and how and when the ballot will be counted—still varies across the country. In 2006, provisional ballots could be counted in 15 States if they were cast outside the individual’s home precinct, while in 30 other States they could not be counted.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Stephen Ansolabehere
Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES)
National
2006
Abstract:
The CCES is a 50,000+ person national stratified sample survey administered by YouGov Polimetrix. Half of the questionnaire consists of Common Content asked of all 30,000+ people, and half of the questionnaire consists of Team Content designed by each individual participating team and asked of a subset of 1,000 people. In addition, several teams may pool their resources to create Group Content.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Stephen Ansolabehere
Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES)
National
2007
Abstract:
The CCES is a 50,000+ person national stratified sample survey administered by YouGov Polimetrix. Half of the questionnaire consists of Common Content asked of all 30,000+ people, and half of the questionnaire consists of Team Content designed by each individual participating team and asked of a subset of 1,000 people. In addition, several teams may pool their resources to create Group Content.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Stephen Ansolabehere
Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES)
National
2008
Abstract:
The CCES is a 50,000+ person national stratified sample survey administered by YouGov Polimetrix. Half of the questionnaire consists of Common Content asked of all 30,000+ people, and half of the questionnaire consists of Team Content designed by each individual participating team and asked of a subset of 1,000 people. In addition, several teams may pool their resources to create Group Content.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Max Hailperin
Bluestem Prairie
Minnesota
2 page(s)
9/14/2012
Abstract:
The Center of the American Experiment recently released a report, "The Costs and Benefits of Minnesota's Proposed Photo ID Constitutional Amendment," authored by Peter J. Nelson, John R. LaPlante, and Kent Kaiser. This report downplays the financial costs of the proposed amendment, but its most provocative claim is that "substantial cost savings accrue when photo ID is coupled with electronic poll book technology." Specifically, in return for an estimated initial investment of $5 million, a cost savings of approximately $1 million per general election could be realized. Both of these estimates have substantial problems, but even if we accept the numbers, the idea that the proposed amendment could be a net win from a financial standpoint falters on two fundamental problems. First, the projected savings would be possible even without a photo ID requirement. Second, the initial investment is in fact a recurring cost that would be necessary each time the laptop computers reached the end of their useful lives.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Toby James
Pre-American Political Science Association Workshop on Electoral Integrity
National
19 page(s)
8/28/2013
Abstract:
Concerns about the quality of electoral management have been raised in many established democracies such as the USA and UK. Decentralised forms of electoral management have been heavily criticised with centralisation often proposed as the solution. However, there is no research, which the author is aware of, on the effects that such centralisation might have. This paper identifies the effects of measures introduced by the UK Electoral Commission to centralise the management of elections in two UK referenda in 2011. Semi-structured interviews were used with those who devised the policy instrument and those who were subject to it. The introduction of ‘command and control’ directions from the centre had some predicted positive outcomes (e.g. more consistent service provision and the early identification and remedy of errors by administrators) and some negative outcomes (increased costs, absorption of staff time and neglect of local knowledge and experience). However, an unpredicted finding was the decline of staff morale and souring of relations amongst stakeholder organisations.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; International election administration; Poll worker satisfaction
Combine With: Costs
Gwen Mathews
Anchorage Municipal Election Commission
Alaska
12 page(s)
5/3/2012
Abstract:
The Election Commission consists of eight registered voters with past election experience who currently reside in the Municipality. It is an independent body whose members are appointed by the Assembly to three-year terms, renewable. It is responsible for verifying the eligibility of voters and counting of mailed-in, absentee-in-person, questions, and faxed-in ballots. It is also required to advise the Assembly about elections and to "oversee" elections. This year's Commission has carefully investigated the anomalies of the April 3, 2012 election and herewith details its findings and recommendations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots
Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Committee on Building Certifiably Dependable Systems, Workshop on Certifiably Dependendable Software
National
1 page(s)
4/19/2004
Abstract:
To be useful for voting, software must simplify and improve the ability to record and report intentions. Best practices must be used in creating important software to guard against bugs and malware. In spite of the fact that malware can be hidden in any program, there are ways to assure that it is not impacting the operation of the software. First, test vectors must allow testing of the software in every conceivable situation. Second, demonstrations can be arranged to show that it is running correctly when it is actually used. Third, computers can produce multiple records to assure that it has performed correctly.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Voting technology
Matthew Masterson
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; Ohio Secretary of State
National
10 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Poll worker training; Voting technology
Alexander Keyssar
The National Research Commission on Elections and Voting, Social Science Research Council
National
20 page(s)
3/1/2005
Abstract:
This report summarizes the activities and findings of the National Research Commission on Elections and Voting, organized in October, 2004 by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) to serve as a scholarly resource for nonpartisan insight into challenges facing the American electoral process.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voting methods
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Erik Reichstein
Arizona Secretary of State; State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
Arizona
6 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot on demand; Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks; Vote centers; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Demos
National; Alabama; California; Massachusetts; New York; Texas
3 page(s)
10/19/2006
Abstract:
A properly functioning democracy encourages all eligible citizens to participate in elections. Our nation's commitment to this goal has resulted in landmark laws to assure that access to voting is available to all, including persons with disabilities and U.S. citizens who may have limited proficiency in English. Vast numbers of eligible voters depend on enforcement of these laws to protect their right to vote, yet even as we approach the third major election cycle of the 21st Century, it is clear that we still have a long way to go in assuring that all citizens enjoy access to the ballot.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Asian-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Litigation
Demos
Idaho; Maine; Minnesota; Mississippi; Montana; New Hampshire; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Wisconsin; Wyoming
4 page(s)
11/6/2006
Abstract:
Thanks to Election Day Registration (EDR), also known as "same-day registration," eligible citizens can register to vote on Election Day in Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming, each of which offered EDR in the 2004 presidential election. These states boasted, on average, voter turnout that was 12 percentage points higher than in non-EDR states, and reported few problems with fraud, costs, or administrative complexity. Inspired by their example, Montana is implementing a form of EDR this year. In fact, in 2006, 2008 and beyond, one could easily predict where turnout will be consistently higher than the national average--in states that offer Election Day Registration.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Demos
National; California; Maryland; Ohio
3 page(s)
10/25/2006
Abstract:
If elections are the foundation of our democracy, then poll workers are the gears and wheels that make the mechanics of democracy function on Election Day. Regrettably, this human factor is often overlooked and under-supported. States squeak by each year with a bare minimum of poll workers who receive inadequate training for an increasingly complex task. Recent surveys, press accounts, and troubled primary elections attest to the problem.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Scott Novakowski
Idaho; Maine; Minnesota; Montana; New Hampshire; North Dakota; Wisconsin; Wyoming
3 page(s)
10/17/2006
Abstract:
While Congress may have scored points with the rhetoric of “fail-safe” voting, many states have taken advantage of HAVA’s vague language to manipulate provisional balloting rules and again deny otherwise eligible Americans their right to participate in the democratic process. Much like patients sent home with a placebo, many provisional voters think they are being given the vote, when in fact they are receiving a false promise.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID
Combine With: Errors
Demos
National; Alabama; Arizona; Delaware; Florida; Kentucky; Maine; Maryland; Mississippi; Nebraska; Nevada; Tennessee; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; Wyoming
5 page(s)
10/24/2006
Abstract:
Currently, most states impose some voting restrictions on people with felony convictions, ranging from a prohibition from voting while incarcerated to a virtual lifetime ban. In 2004, these laws were responsible for directly denying 5.3 million Americans their right to vote, with millions more disfranchised due to a variety of procedures that leave even eligible voters misinformed about their voting rights.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Demos
National; Arkansas; Iowa; Maryland; Missouri; New Jersey; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania
3 page(s)
10/30/2006
Abstract:
The NVRA is often called the "Motor Voter" law because of its well-known provision requiring state motor vehicle departments to offer customers the opportunity to register to vote. Recognizing that low-income citizens are among the least likely to own cars and therefore not as likely to frequent motor vehicle offices, Congress deliberately included a provision requiring public assistance agencies to offer voter registration services to applicants and clients. Yet implementation of the NVRA in public assistance agencies has been inconsistent at best. Full implementation and rigorous enforcement of the NVRA would reduce a significant barrier to democratic participation in America.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Demos
National; Arizona; Georgia; Indiana; Missouri; Wisconsin
4 page(s)
10/16/2006
Abstract:
With salacious and often unfounded allegations of efforts to vote by non-citizens, the deceased, felons and even pets, partisans, fringe organizations, and opinion makers of all kinds have pressed for strict new voter identification requirements. But the facts do not warrant these extreme proposals. All available evidence suggests that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. The few substantiated instances of actual voter fraud in recent elections involved absentee voting, fraudulent voter registration applications, and erroneous voting by those ineligible to cast a ballot--none of which would have been prevented by requiring photo ID in order to vote.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Demos
National; Alabama; Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Missouri; New York; Ohio; Pennsylvania; South Dakota; Texas; Wisconsin
4 page(s)
11/1/2006
Abstract:
Political candidates win elections by generating more votes than their opponents. A vigorous and superior get-out-the-vote campaign is commonly understood to be the key to success. A less recognized but all-too-familiar alternative tactic is to intimidate their opponents' supporters and suppress their votes. Voter intimidation and vote suppression campaigns are often mounted in communities of color, where voter participation is more tenuous. Few states have enacted clear and effective prohibitions against these abuses.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Eleanor Cameron-Anderson
California State University-Chico
California
122 page(s)
Spring 2013
Abstract:
There is a perception that university students have an undue influence upon local elections. This thesis studies the history and attitudes of a community with a university in its boundaries while attempting to answer the question: Do communities with a university in their boundaries encourage attempts to suppress student age voter participation? This thesis breaks the question down into four subhypotheses and finds an affirmative relationship between the hypotheses and student age voter suppression efforts.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Pamela Smith
Verified Voting Foundation
National; California
27 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
This informal report provides a look inside that framework for voting system testing and certification in the state and the nation, and explores how California’s current process fits into that framework. What do states do to approve a voting system? How do they do it? Who does it? What works well? It also examines potential changes to the framework: what processes or steps are not done but perhaps should be, to better ensure the security and usability of voting systems?
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Election administrators; Security; Usability testing; Voting technology
Elizabeth Bergman; Philip Yates
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
California
13 page(s)
6/17/2011
Abstract:
Enhanced voting options appear to be popular among voters; in the 2008 presidential election more than one-third of the electorate voted early, and in California's May 2009 statewide election a record 62.19% of voters cast their ballots by mail. These participation rates are notable, but in all but two states casting a ballot by mail is optional. As such, voters chose to cast their ballot by mail, thus the participation data are based on self-selected behavior. What would happen to registrants when they have no choice and are required to cast their ballot by mail? We answer that question in this article. In this study we exploit a natural quasi-experiment in California to test how the utilization of mail-only balloting affects the turnout of registrants. We analyzed the behavior of 97,381 individual voters across four elections from 2006 to 2008 and found that when all-mail balloting was implemented, the estimated odds of an individual registrant voting decreased by 13.2%.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
8 page(s)
5/1/2013
Abstract:
Post-analysis of the 2012 November election has drawn considerable discussion around the current strength and future impact of the Latino vote, both nationally and in California. Much of this attention has focused on what demographic changes might mean to the growth of the Latino vote and for the Latino proportion of the electorate.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Allan Wallis; Peggy Cuciti
Best Practices and Vision Commission, Colorado Secretary of State; Buechner Institute of Governance, University of Colorado-Denver School of Public Affairs
Colorado
60 page(s)
2/1/2011
Abstract:
The Commission requested a study by the Buechner Institute focusing on two questions: Changing the registration deadline: what effects might moving voter registration closer to or even on Election Day have on elections in Colorado? and Changing the mode of voting: what effects might changing the mode of voting in even years to all-mail balloting have on elections in Colorado? In order to answer these questions, two surveys were conducted. The first was an opinion survey sampling county clerks, county party chairs, and voting/civic activist organizations in the state. This survey included questions about changing the registration deadline and about adopting all-mail balloting for even-year general elections. An additional survey focusing on election costs was conducted with 12 selected counties representing 80 percent of the state’s population.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi; Scott Richman
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland
Maryland
11 page(s)
7/30/2002
Abstract:
Based on these experiences and reports, it seems clear that research on the human factor in voting should focus on optical scanning and electronic (DRE) systems. Having made that decision, our purpose in this paper is to identify the features of the systems that should be considered in a testing program. By the time of the meeting, it is possible that we will also have identified specific machines to use for initial testing purposes.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors
Kathy Dopp
Annual Southern Political Science Association Conference
National
55 page(s)
1/6/2010
Abstract:
Methods for determining post-election audit sampling have been the subject of extensive recent research. This article provides an overview of post-election audit sampling methods, focusing on risk- limiting audits, advances and improves three methods for calculating risk-limiting election audit samples, showing how to apply precise margin error bounds to improve the accuracy of existing methods by using new margin error bounds, sampling weights and sampling probabilities that improve the effectiveness of three existing approaches for any size audit unit and for single or multi-winner election contests, and provides a new method for estimating post-election audit sample sizes whenever detailed data, expertise, or tools are not available. Post-election auditing is vital to restoring public oversight over the integrity of an electoral process that has been largely privatized without independent checks and balances.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Danielle Sellars; Joshua Franklin; Matthew Masterson
State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
Ohio
22 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Software-based systems; Usability testing; Voting technology
Keesha Gaskins; Sundeep Iyer; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
8 page(s)
9/8/2011
Abstract:
On August 24, 2011, Hans von Spakovsky and Alex Ingram, through the Heritage Foundation, published a memorandum seeking to discredit the study, criticizing the study’s methodology and the Brennan Center’s reporting of its results. This document responds to their baseless criticisms.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
3 page(s)
11/1/2006
Abstract:
A recent national survey sponsored by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law reveals that millions of American citizens do not have readily available documentary proof of citizenship. Many more – primarily women – do not have proof of citizenship with their current name. The survey also showed that millions of American citizens do not have government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Finally, the survey demonstrated that certain groups – primarily poor, elderly, and minority citizens – are less likely to possess these forms of documentation than the general population.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Women voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Alan Gerber; Conor Dowling; David Doherty; Gregory Huber
The Journal of Politics
National
39 page(s)
7/7/2010
Abstract:
We argue that one important source of the gap between citizen preferences and elected officials’ behavior is that individual citizens understand they are sometimes not well qualified to evaluate policy. Our analysis of a series of experiments shows that citizens’ stated confidence in their own ability to evaluate a policy proposal substantially affects their willingness to punish a representative for their votes on that policy. Our results hold both across individuals (within policy areas) and within individuals (across policy areas) and suggest that, rather than a failure of representation, gaps between citizen preferences and elected officials’ behavior may reflect citizen deference to “expert” decision makers.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion
Fred Hessler ; Matthew Smith
City and County of Denver ; Fujitsu Consulting
Colorado
32 page(s)
12/8/2006
Abstract:
The general election of November 7, 2006 in Denver was marred by significant technical and operational errors, as well as a seeming lack of needed oversight in some key areas. These errors and omissions led to unacceptably long waiting times for voters and an abandonment rate estimated at 18,000-20,000 voters (approximately 20% of the anticipated physical turnout on Election Day). In addition, seemingly preventable problems with the tabulation of absentee ballots led to significant operational stresses within the DEC and delayed reporting on key races and measures for several days.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote centers; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Turnout; Wait times
Sharon Robinson
Election Task Force, City of Milwaukee
Wisconsin
52 page(s)
6/27/2005
Abstract:
In November 2004, the City of Milwaukee’s election process was tested by the sheer size of the election and challenges resulting from the political dynamics surrounding the presidential race. Like many other cities located in key battleground states, Milwaukee experienced an unusually high voter turnout, a record number of absentee voters, and questions surrounding how the election was conducted.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Vote centers; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Michael Yard
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
National
180 page(s)
9/1/2011
Abstract:
Although successful elections are possible without registering voters, a registration process and the production of a voter register has many significant advantages. Two major advantages are an increase in transparency of the electoral process and facilitating an appeals process for a voter who is denied inclusion.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; International election administration; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Michael Levine
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
5 page(s)
4/30/2012
Abstract:
Turnout has been steadily dropping over the last two decades — from more than 82 percent in 1992 to less than 56 percent two years ago. Why is that? Civil Beat surveyed Hawaii residents earlier this month to find out. We expanded our call list from the "likely voter" base we've spoken to for previous incarnations of The Civil Beat Poll to include registered voters who have not voted historically and those folks who turned out only in 2008, when Hawaii-born Barack Obama won the presidency.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Candice Hoke
Center for Election Integrity, Cleveland State University; Collaborative Audit Committee, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections; Northern Ohio Data Information Service
Ohio
71 page(s)
4/18/2007
Abstract:
An independent audit of the unofficial count of the November 2006 election in Cuyahoga County was undertaken collaboratively through representatives by both major political parties and a number of election reform organizations. Cleveland State University’s Center for Election Integrity and the Northern Ohio Data Information Service coordinated the audit process and technical services, and also supplied methodological guidance and statistical analysis. The representatives of the organizations, and the volunteers assisting, conducted two collaborative audits. They are described here along with some terminology that will be useful in understanding the audit results.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Josh Winters; Matthew Fredericks
Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG)
Minnesota
2 page(s)
6/26/2012
Abstract:
The poll also asked students how they would vote on the proposed constitutional amendment requiring photo identification to vote. 53.7% of the students surveyed were likely to vote yes with 34% likely to vote no, and 12.3% unsure how they will vote on that question.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
2 page(s)
2/26/2013
Abstract:
As you may have heard me say over the last few years, the structure of how voting systems are designed, certified, and sold is a failed and backward system. I object to having in 2013 pretty much the same choices I had in the 90’s. I object to the certification process being used rightly AND wrongly as an excuse as to why we cannot evolve our process and secure more innovative products. And, I object to the high costs of purchasing, storing, and maintaining bulky specialized, proprietary hardware.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Security; Vote centers; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Jose George
Virgin Islands Legislature; Virgin Islands Supervisor & Board of Elections
Virgin Islands
11 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Costs
Kirill Kalinin; Walter Mebane, Jr.
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
26 page(s)
8/7/2009
Abstract:
Elections in Russia are widely believed to be fraudulent in various ways, a claim some support especially by looking at voter turnout, others by looking at vote counts’ digits. We use polling station level data from the Russian Duma elections of 2003 and 2007 and presidential elections of 2004 and 2008 to examine how several methods for diagnosing election fraud complement one another. The methods include estimating the distribution of turnout, measuring the relationship between turnout and party support and testing for vote counts’ second digits following the distribution implied by Benford’s Law. Anomalies the methods detect are worse by the end of the period under study than at the beginning. The digit test detects anomalies beyond those suggested by a simple idea that turnout in many places was fraudulently initiated.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Jonathan Goler; Lorin Wilde; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
5 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Although legislation now protects the rights of voters with special needs, no one has previously evaluated how different electronic voting systems affect the performance of the reading disabled community. Results of this initial study, evaluating three current systems, proved surprising and inform how future voting interfaces may potentially be improved for the population at large. Subjects with undiagnosed reading disabilities exhibited the highest error rate, however, those with previously diagnosed reading disabilities significantly outperformed the control group when using full-faced systems. By contrast, the previously diagnosed group performed worst when using standard-sized Direct Record Electronic (DRE) systems. We attribute this observable difference to the coping techniques that those with known disabilities have learned to get through everyday life. These allowed them to interact effectively with the full-faced system, which orients users but does not guide them through the process. Such strategies proved useless on DREs, which guide users through the process but provide no means for them to orient themselves. We conjecture that a hybrid design, incorporating the advantages of both systems, will benefit all users.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Tova Wang
Seattle University Law Review
National; Washington
53 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
This Article examines the problems revealed in Washington State's election system as a result of its staggeringly close gubernatorial election, and compares such problems to those encountered by other states in the 2004 election. It examines the challenge of fixing these problems through the prism of the ongoing debate over what values and goals are most important when making election administration decisions. The various values and goals of expanding voter access, increasing voter participation and election efficiency, preventing voter fraud, ensuring the count of every vote, and creating finality in the voting system are included in this examination. Throughout this article, it is argued that those who claim choices must be made among these values are often trying to force a false choice, and that where a genuine choice must be made, the right to vote and to have that vote counted ought to be paramount to the extent that the administrative process can bear.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Janice Mueller
Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Wisconsin Legislature; Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau
Wisconsin
103 page(s)
11/1/2007
Abstract:
We have followed up on the recommendations in our 2005 evaluation of voter registration and provide a number of new recommendations for improving the administration of elections and enhancing the statewide voter registration system. We also note that additional efforts are needed to ensure that municipal clerks and other local election officials receive statutorily required training in administering elections effectively and appropriately.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Voter confidence
Jackie Harris
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems
National
10 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Vote counting & recounting; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Crobin Carson; Natasha Khan
Carnegie-Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism Education; News21
National
6 page(s)
8/12/2012
Abstract:
A News21 analysis of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000 shows that while fraud has occurred, the rate is infinitesimal, and in-person voter impersonation on Election Day, which prompted 37 state legislatures to enact or consider tough voter ID laws, is virtually non-existent.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Fraud
Annabelle Lever
British Journal of Political Science
18 page(s)
10/1/2010
Abstract:
Compulsory voting is sometimes thought to be justified in democracies because it promotes high levels of voting and mitigates inequalities of turnout amongst social groups. Proponents of compulsory voting also argue that it helps to prevent the free-riding of non-voters on voters. This article casts a sceptical eye on both arguments. Democratic citizens do not have a duty to promote their self-interest, and their duties to others do not generally require them to vote, or to attend the polls. So, while people are sometimes morally obliged to vote, and to vote one way rather than another, legal compulsion to vote or to turn out is generally unjustified and inconsistent with democratic government.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
Alexander Russell; Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel ; Suzanne Stark; Theodore Bromley; Tigran Antonyan
Center for Voting Technology Research, University of Connecticut
Connecticut
18 page(s)
6/21/2013
Abstract:
The introduction of electronic voting technology in Connecticut necessitated the development of new policies and procedures by the Secretary of the State (SOTS) Office to safeguard the integrity and security of the new electoral process. Forming a partnership with the University of Connecticut, SOTS Office developed a comprehensive approach that extended the existing electoral procedures to incorporate the use of the new optical scan electronic voting equipment. The new procedures include pre- and post- election audits of the voting equipment programming, and hand-counted post-election audits in 10% of randomly selected districts.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Debra Bowen; Lowell Finley
Office of Voting Systems Technology Assessment, California Secretary of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
16 page(s)
3/2/2009
Abstract:
This report describes how a serious software programming error in GEMS version 1.18.19 caused the loss of 197 tallied ballots in the November 4, 2008, General Election. The report also describes several deficiencies in the audit trail logs in GEMS version 1.18.19.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Daniel Smith; Michael Herron
Advancement Project
Florida
61 page(s)
6/24/2013
Abstract:
This study uses precinct-level socio-demographics across Florida’s counties to assess whether some precincts had greater congestion than others in the 2012 General Election. Our within-county analyses of precinct socio-demographics and closing times, covering more than 92% of the 3.7 million Floridians who voted on Election Day, reveal that precincts with greater proportions of Hispanics—and in several counties, with high proportions of Blacks as well as younger voters—had later closing times on Election Day relative to precincts with higher concentrations of White and elderly voters. We also find that in Miami-Dade County, early voting polling stations with the greatest concentrations of Hispanic and Black voters had disproportionately long wait times at both the start and close of polls each day, especially on the final Saturday of early voting.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Polling place hours; Polling places; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Kenneth Thomas
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
12 page(s)
3/29/2001
Abstract:
Recent events surrounding the Presidential election have led to increased scrutiny of voting procedures in the United States. For instance, suggestions have been made that it may be desirable to establish national standards for issues such as the administration of voter registration, balloting, tabulating and reporting election results. This report focuses on the constitutional authority and limitations that might be relevant to attempts by Congress to standardize these and other election procedures.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Richard Hasen
Ohio State Law Journal
National
31 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
This Article considers a single question: Does Congress have the power to renew the Voting Rights Act's preclearance provisions, set to expire in 2007?
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
David Robinson; Harlan Yu
Rock the Vote
National
28 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
Ten years after Online Voter Registration began, a comprehensive review found that the results so far are “uniformly positive in a wide range of different states—large and small, red and blue—with different infrastructures.” However, OVR’s promise will only be realized to the extent that voters actually use the new online systems. For this reason, states must find ways to provide registrants with online experiences that are simple and intuitive. Voters should be able to register in online contexts that are comfortable and familiar to them.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; Online voter registration; Security; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Miles Rapoport
Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections, Connecticut General Assembly
National; Connecticut; Minnesota; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Wisconsin
5 page(s)
2/1/2009
Abstract:
Demos President Miles Rapoport delivers testimony before the Connecticut Joint Legislative Committee on Government Administration and Elections urging support for a bill introduced by Representative Andy Fleischmann to enact Election Day Voter Registration (EDR) in Connecticut.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Philip Stark
Annals of Applied Statistics
California; Minnesota
31 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
There are many sources of error in counting votes: the apparent winner might not be the rightful winner. Hand tallies of the votes in a random sample of precincts can be used to test the hypothesis that a full manual recount would find a different outcome. This paper develops a conservative sequential test based on the vote-counting errors found in a hand tally of a simple or stratified random sample of precincts. The procedure includes a natural escalation: If the hypothesis that the apparent outcome is incorrect is not rejected at stage s, more precincts are audited. Eventually, either the hypothesis is rejected-and the apparent outcome is confirmed-or all precincts have been audited and the true outcome is known.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Harvard Law Review
National; Arizona
10 page(s)
11/1/2013
Abstract:
At first glance, Inter Tribal Council’s language seems to support broad congressional powers in federal elections. However, despite the Court’s affirmation of expansive congressional power to supersede state law and regulate federal elections, Inter Tribal Council may not stand for as robust an Elections Clause as its plain language suggests. The Court’s unclear analysis of the distinction between congressional authority to mandate the times, places, and manner of federal elections and the states’ authority to prescribe voter qualifications portends an uncertain future for the reach of any future congressional legislation enacted pursuant to the Elections Clause.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Native American voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
National
8 page(s)
12/7/2004
Abstract:
Demos’ preliminary analysis of one thousand provisional balloting incidents reported in the recent election suggests very serious problems. Poll workers in precincts around the nation were confused about the new HAVA-mandated procedure. Voters were either never apprised of the new “fail-safe” voting option, or offered provisional ballots when they were eligible to cast regular votes. At the time, poll workers offered them as an easy way to keep the lines moving at polling places rather than resolving issues that arose with individual voters
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Policy Studies Journal
National
19 page(s)
1/4/2007
Abstract:
Election reform has become a major issue since the 2000 election, but little consideration has been given to the issues associated with managing them. In this article, we use principal-agent theory to examine the problems associated with Election Day polling place voting. We note that Election Day voting manifests problems that agency theory shows are difficult to overcome, including adverse selection of and shirking by poll workers. We then examine alternate methods of voting, such as early, absentee, and Internet voting, and show how these reforms can mitigate many of the more severe principal agent problems in election management.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places
Mara Marks; Matt Barreto; Nathan Woods; Stephen Nuño
PS: Political Science & Politics
California
7 page(s)
7/1/2006
Abstract:
Specifically, we pose two important methodological questions pertaining to the science behind exit polls: what is the most accurate sampling technique for polling racial and ethnic voters in a diverse setting, and how should exit polls account for early and absentee votes not cast on Election Day? To answer these questions, we implemented an alternative sampling exit poll in the City of Los Angeles during the 2005 mayoral election and compared our results to the exit poll implemented by the Los Angeles Times. We then compared both polls to the actual election results. In short, the different methodologies accounted for different results, suggesting that new approaches to exit polling are welcome.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion
Erin Ferns Lee
Project Vote
National
5 page(s)
8/4/2008
Abstract:
In this memorandum, we provide information on the status of convenience voting legislation in states for 2008, the current parameters of convenience voting laws in the states, and note some of the limitations of convenience voting measures.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Toffey; Eva Galanes-Rosenbaum; Paul Gronke; Peter Miller
Annual Review of Political Science
National
19 page(s)
1/28/2008
Abstract:
Forms of convenience voting—early in-person voting, voting by mail, absentee voting, electronic voting, and voting by fax—have become the mode of choice for >30% of Americans in recent elections. Despite this, and although nearly every state in the United States has adopted at least one form of convenience voting, the academic research on these practices is unequally distributed across important questions. A great deal of literature on turnout is counterbalanced by a dearth of research on campaign effects, election costs, ballot quality, and the risk of fraud. This article introduces the theory of convenience voting, reviews the current literature, and suggests areas for future research.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Marc Meredith; Neil Malhorta
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
California
26 page(s)
10/3/2011
Abstract:
Forms of convenience voting, including voting-by-mail (VBM), provide citizens the opportunity to cast ballots without being exposed to the information revealed in the final weeks leading up to Election Day. This creates the possibility that informational differences will cause VBM and polling place voters to vote differently. We test this hypothesis by looking at whether the increased use of VBM at the precinct-level relates to candidates' vote shares in the 2008 California presidential primary. An election administration policy in California, in which all voters are assigned to VBM based on an arbitrary threshold of the number of registered voters, is exploited to overcome the identification problem caused by the self-selection of voters into VBM. We show that the use of VBM affects the relative performance of candidates remaining in the race and increases the probability of selecting withdrawn candidates. Our findings have implications both for election administration policy and for the study of campaign effects in American elections. Election officials should consider waiting until closer to Election Day to send out mail ballots, or instruct voters to wait until they are ready to make a decision before voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day polling place voting
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Pamela Karlan
Stanford Law School
National
29 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
The legitimacy of criminal punishment, at least within our system, depends on the legitimacy of the process that produces and enforces the criminal law. The legitimacy of that process in turn depends on the ability of citizens to participate equally in choosing the officials who represent them. Lifetime disenfranchisement of ex-offenders short circuits this process in a pernicious and self-reinforcing way. It is a relic of an era in which exclusion from self-government was the norm for most citizens. Today, it operates primarily to punish. And it punishes not only individual citizens, most of whom have otherwise paid their debt to society and reentered the free world, but the communities which bear the brunt of the criminal laws the political system enacts. Far from safeguarding “ the purity of the ballot box,” the continuing disenfranchisement of ex-offenders taints our politics.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Erin O’Brien; Keith Gunnar Bentele
Scholars Strategy Network
National
2 page(s)
12/2/2013
Abstract:
In practice, it is not feasible to study the personal motives of state legislators who propose or vote for hundreds of pieces of legislation across many states. Motives are nearly impossible to prove, anyway. But researchers can systematically explore the patterns and timing of legislative activity in states with different social characteristics and political histories. In other words, we can assess what types of states have been more or less active in proposing and passing voter restrictions and estimate when proposals and enactments are more likely to happen. We did precisely this kind of analysis for state-level voting laws proposed and legislation actually passed from 2006 to 2011. Our findings are striking.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Gabriel Katz; Jonathan Katz
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
28 page(s)
5/1/2009
Abstract:
Misreporting is a problem that plagues researchers that use survey data. In this paper, we give conditions under which misreporting will lead to incorrect inferences. We then develop a model that corrects for misreporting using some auxiliary information, usually from an earlier or pilot validation study. This correction is implemented via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods, which allows us to correct for other problems in surveys, such as non-response. This correction will allow researchers to continue to use the non-validated data to make inferences. The model, while fully general, is developed in the context of estimating models of turnout from the American National Elections Studies (ANES) data.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
1 page(s)
2/14/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Polling places; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
National; Texas
1 page(s)
2/14/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Polling places; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Tammy Patrick
Maricopa County Elections Department
Arizona
38 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Costs
Wendy Underhill
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
National
3 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The table below is a summary of the fiscal impacts of voter id legislation in 2011-2012 legislative sessions. The fiscal impact of legislation is usually demonstrated by a fiscal note. Fiscal notes are used by legislators to decide whether or not a proposed bill has merit, to revise a bill or make it less costly or raise more revenues, or to make decisions about the state’s budget or revenues. In some states fiscal notes are prepared by executive branch agencies affected by bills while in other states fiscal notes are prepared by the legislative fiscal staff.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Doug Chapin; Todd Haggerty; Wendy Underhill
Election Academy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota; Electionline; National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
National
3 page(s)
4/12/2012
Abstract:
This year, cost concerns seem to be buried beneath the partisan debate. And yet money always matters, so the question remains: how much does it cost to implement a photo voter ID requirement? No one knows for sure. There are before-the-fact estimates, and after-the-fact "actuals," but none are cut and dried. The truth is that the cost of voter ID -- like the cost of virtually everything election-related -- is hard to estimate, or to measure. For now, we can offer a look at legislative estimates and "boots on the ground" details from states that are in the process of implementing last year's new photo ID laws, and perhaps explain why these numbers are so difficult to pin down.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Michelle Mulder; Pamela Smith; Susannah Goodman
Common Cause Education Fund; Constitutional Litigation Clinic, Rutgers School of Law; Verified Voting Foundation
National
331 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This report tries to answer one essential question: in the event of voting systems failures, how prepared is each state to ensure that every voter can vote and that every vote cast is counted? In doing so, the report discusses in great detail what officials are and are not obligated to do by law, and whether those obligations comport with best practices for running elections. Although it takes effort and resources to do so, our best practices have already been implemented in a number of states, with overwhelmingly positive results. The report also offers solutions to inevitable voting machine problems that can disenfranchise voters.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day emergencies; Internet voting; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Elaine Howle
California State Auditor, Bureau of State Audits
California
113 page(s)
9/18/2008
Abstract:
As requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, the Bureau of State Audits presents its audit report concerning the county elections officials’ training of poll workers. Specifically, the report addresses the role of the Office of the Secretary of State (office) in providing guidelines to county elections officials for training poll workers and certain aspects of county poll worker training programs.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training
Anita Chadha; Robert Bernstein; Robert Montjoy
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
19 page(s)
12/21/2003
Abstract:
There is tremendous nonrandom variation from state to state in the rates at which people overreport voting in the Current Population Surveys (CPS). What accounts for this state-level bias in overreporting? We find that the determinants of statewide rates of overreporting parallel those in our earlier findings on individual-level over-reporting: overreporting is a function of higher concentrations of racial and ethnic minorities, higher rates of religious membership, and being in the Deep South. These relationships are remarkably stable over time (1980–2000), and they are unaltered by improvements in how we measure overreporting. We suggest a method for deflating reported statewide registration figures to account for this bias, assuming that these registration figures are inflated in the same way as are statewide voting figures. We replicate and extend a part of Brown, Jackson, and Wright's (1999) analysis using these deflated figures, showing that our approach can improve explanation.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Evaluation & assessment; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Ronald Adrine; S. Candice Hoke; Thomas Hayes
Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
Ohio
398 page(s)
7/20/2006
Abstract:
The Board issued this Panel a three-part charge which has defined the scope of our work: 1. Identify the deficiencies in the Cuyahoga County elections performance occurring in the May 2, 2006 election, including problems with (a) preparation for the election, (b) the conduct of the election on May 2nd, and (c) those following the closing of the polls, including tabulating the vote. 2. Ascertain the causes and contributing factors to each aspect of deficient performance, including the technological failures, and training and administrative issues. 3. Provide a set of recommendations for remedying the deficiencies and achieving the highest standards in election administrative performance.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voting methods; Voting technology
Paul Stenbjorn
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
42 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
The District of Columbia’s Board of Elections and Ethics is launching a new service for the District’s some 2000+ overseas and military votes in the November 2010 General Election. “D. C. Overseas Digital Vote-by-Mail" is an online service for these voters to obtain their absentee ballot, without waiting for their paper vote-by-mail material.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot marking tools; Election administrators; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voting technology
Michael Caudell-Feagan; Paul Gronke
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
68 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
This compendium — and the Data for Democracy conference from which it derives — rests on a single bedrock assumption: better data is a foundation for any meaningful effort to understand and improve the functioning of the American election system. Indeed, data is vitally important to any undertaking and matters tremendously in choosing the direction and assessing the success of an endeavor. This is a fundamental tenet of the move toward evidence-based management across sectors and professions.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Evaluation & assessment; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National; Colorado; Delaware; Maryland; Nevada; Utah; Virginia; Washington
3 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
A recent report by RTI International evaluates the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, a partnership between seven pioneering states—Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, and Washington—facilitated by The Pew Charitable Trusts. ERIC promotes more accurate and complete voter lists through improved data sharing among states, and the RTI research found that the system had a positive impact on the 2012 elections in participating states.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Erika Wood; Rachel Bloom
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
24 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Between 2003 and 2008, the ACLU and the Brennan Center for Justice, together with our state partners, conducted interviews with election officials in 23 states to determine the level of knowledge of their state’s felony disenfranchisement law. This report summarizes the results of telephone interviews conducted in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Sean Greene
Electionline; Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
National
3 page(s)
3/17/2011
Abstract:
Controversy over requiring voters to provide photo identification at the polls is nothing new. Electionline began its coverage of the issue nearly a decade ago, prior to the passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. Since HAVA became law, pitched legislative battles have been fought in numerous statehouses over ID rules. Democrats have generally fought such measures, voicing concerns about the potential disenfranchisement of voters. Republicans have generally supported them, saying they will help prevent voter fraud. This year, though, a new wrinkle has been added to the debate – how much it will cost to implement these requirements. Most states are facing serious fiscal challenges and large budget shortfalls. Opponents of photo ID legislation have seized on this point to buttress their arguments against these new requirements.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Mouhebeddine Berrima; Véronique Cortier
Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique
National
29 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
In the last decade, formal methods have proved their interest when analyzing security protocols. Security protocols require in particular to reason about the attacker knowledge. Two standard notions are often considered in formal approaches: deducibility and indistinguishability relations. The first notion states whether an attacker can learn the value of a secret, while the latter states whether an attacker can notice some difference between protocol runs with different values of the secret. Several decision procedures have been developed so far for both notions but none of them can be applied in the context of e-voting protocols, which require dedicated cryptographic primitives. In this work, we show that both deduction and indistinguishability are decidable in polynomial time for two theories modeling the primitives of e-voting protocols.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Security
Charles Stewart III
Florida
55 page(s)
11/20/2006
Abstract:
Based on the analysis in this report, I conclude that it was very likely that the excessively high undervote rates in the 13th congressional district among votes cast in Sarasota County were caused by the use of iVotronic electronic voting machines.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
National
8 page(s)
10/6/2009
Abstract:
In this paper, we examine the argument that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) is an important cause of the decline in the number of individuals who have registered to vote in public assistance agencies since 1995. This argument was made most recently in an empirical analysis by Muhlhausen and Tyrrell in a report from the Heritage Center for Data Analysis (2008) titled “Welfare Reform a Factor in Lower Voter Registration at Public Assistance Offices.” We conclude that the Muhlhausen and Tyrrell research suffers from methodological flaws that undermine the validity of their claims.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Paul Appelbaum; Sally Balch Hume
McGeorge Law Review
National
88 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
This article examines state constitutional provisions and electoral laws that pertain to excluding persons with cognitive impairments, superimposes recent reforms in guardianship law that elucidate a more contemporary understanding of the nature of mental impairments, calls for specific judicial assessment of an individual's ability to participate in the electoral process, and provides the courts with an approach to the nondiscriminatory assessment of the ability of a person with diminished capacity in other areas to retain the fundamental right to vote.
Subject(s):
Voters with disabilities
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
126 page(s)
5/14/2012
Abstract:
This report examines the barriers to political participation that can exist for individuals with disabilities. Such studies can be difficult because there are few studies that examine both disability status and political variables such as party identification and ideology. No studies directly ask about whether a person’s disability status directly interferes with the various aspects of political participation, such as getting news about candidates or navigating the polling place in order to vote. The analyses that follow utilize data from several surveys, including the Current Population Survey, the 2008 Study of the Performance of American Elections, and the 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Polling place accessibility; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Ben Wilcox; Brad Ashwell
Common Cause Florida
Florida
17 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
While new touch screen voting systems have solved problems such as the high number of overvotes resulting from the use of paper ballots, they have also raised a host of new and pressing questions. Any machine has potential for failure and many feel this uncertainty calls for protective measures to ensure that every vote is counted and that the integrity of the system is preserved. Without attention to the new challenges presented by the uncertainties inherent in the widespread use of new voting technologies, voter confidence in election officials and the democratic process will erode. However, this erosion will not be silent. One positive reverberation from the 2000 election has been the renewal of a vital and critical populous. After the election was decided and the law suits subsided, there was widespread agreement that changes were needed. Congress and the states were compelled to take action.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Voter confidence
Anna Bassi ; Jessica Trounstine; Rebecca Morton
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
49 page(s)
4/29/2006
Abstract:
Most empirical analyses of felon disenfranchisement and other voting rights laws focus on the implications of the laws on potential voters and political outcomes as if they are fully implemented. However, the administrative structure used by states to implement these laws varies as well as the extent that the implementation is monitored and the competitiveness of the electoral environment. We formally model the process by which states choose voting rights measures such as felon disenfranchisement laws. We find that different administrative and monitoring structures as well as competitiveness of the electoral environment are likely to affect both the adoption and implementation of the laws. Even states with identical laws but different administrative and/or monitoring systems and different levels of electoral competition are predicted to have different degrees of implementation. We argue that empirical research that ignores these interactive effects may inaccurately estimate the effects of the laws on potential voters and political outcomes.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Dennis Thompson
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
13 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
Election law should focus less on deliberation in elections and more on deliberation about elections. Promoting deliberative elections is problematic because it runs against the competitive nature of campaigns, frustrates the goal of giving voters a clear choice, and discredits deliberation by realizing only a pale version of deliberative ideals. Promoting deliberation about elections is more promising because it aims at a shared goal, and better promotes deliberative ideals (such as the requirements that participants be willing to change their minds in response to reasons, and that they represent a wide range of perspectives). This approach would permit greater regulation of campaigns but with the aim of removing distortions rather than realizing deliberation. It would encourage more reliance on institutions, such as the citizens' assembly, for bringing about electoral reform, and more attention to the challenges these institutions pose.
Subject(s):
Election types
Jacob Rowbottom
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
18 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
Theories of deliberative democracy are demanding and set high standards for participants. While these standards are difficult enough to fulfill in a small scale setting, such as a citizen jury, this article will consider what role (if any) the media might play in making elections more deliberative.
Subject(s):
Election types
James Fishkin
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
17 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
Deliberative democracy by the people themselves is a distinctive form of democratic practice. It can be distinguished from deliberative democracy practiced by elites or representatives as well as from other forms of democracy that do not emphasize deliberation. In this article I explore ways this kind of democracy can be realized and then inserted into our current democratic institutions. The idea is to explore possible entry points in our political system for deliberative democratic designs involving ordinary citizens. In doing so I draw on recent experiments with Deliberative Polls and other mini-publics. I focus on four entry points: a) the evaluation and/or selection of candidates in the nomination phase; b) the evaluation and/or formulation of ballot propositions; c) public input into policy and legislation; and d) public input into processes of constitutional change.
Subject(s):
Election types; International election administration
Lisa Hill
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
13 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
Deliberative democrats tend to be skeptical about elections as mechanisms for deliberation, and with good reason. But the reality is that elections will likely persist as the primary means by which we make decisions–indirectly–about how we are governed. By contrast, deliberative democracy will likely continue in a supplementary role because of its feasibility problem, something that many pragmatic deliberative democrats now accept. It therefore pays to reflect on what kinds of elections best serve deliberative ideals and sensibilities. Although some deliberative democrats have rejected the idea of compulsory voting, I argue that they should be more open to the idea due to the fact that compulsory voting elections are more inclusive and less subject to distortions of unequal political power than are voluntary ones. They are also better able to reflect the objective interests of voters and to protect the conditions necessary for deliberation to occur.
Subject(s):
Election types; International election administration
Joo-Cheong Tham
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
14 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
This article examines how the principles of deliberative democracy should apply to electoral management bodies through the case study of Australian electoral commissions. It focuses on three functions of the commissions (administering electoral rules; making electoral rules; and fostering democratic deliberation regarding electoral rules); it also grounds its analysis in the principles of independence, impartiality and fairness, and accountability.
Subject(s):
Election types; International election administration
Thad Hall
International Journal of Public Administration
National
4 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
With the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its amendments, language minority voters have been granted greater access to the polls than ever before. However, the 2000 election illustrated how these rights can easily be violated. In this article, I examine how election administrators and nonprofits can work together to improve services to language minority voters.
Subject(s):
Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Stephen Heintz
Demos
National; Arkansas; Connecticut
44 page(s)
7/15/2000
Abstract:
On June 22 and 23, 2000, Demos convened a national workshop in New York City on “Democracy and the New Federalism”. The workshop was comprised of a diverse group of elected officials, community organizers, researchers, and policy analysts. In this report, we summarize and reflect on the insights that emerged during the workshop.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Jocelyn Benson
Saint Louis University Public Law Review
National
40 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
This Article contends that it is the Secretary of State who plays the pivotal role in properly administering and overseeing elections to ensure that these dual values of accuracy and access are promoted, enforced, and attained. Part I seeks to emphasize the role that the Secretary plays through describing the general roles that Congress, federal courts, state legislatures, and state courts each play in developing and enforcing election laws. This discussion of the different responsibilities of these areas of government illustrates the significant position that the Secretary of State occupies vis-à-vis each entity. Parts II and III detail several different areas of election law and administration where the Secretary of State plays a crucial, if not pivotal, role in ensuring that the goals of accuracy and access are met.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Polling places; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Litigation
Annabelle Lever
British Journal of Political Science
National
4 page(s)
10/1/2010
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
Ellen Braune; Ludovic Blain; Steven Carbó; Tate Hausman
Demos
National
12 page(s)
2/26/2004
Abstract:
This brief examines the relationship between criminal justice practices that disproportionately target people of color, and disenfranchisement laws that deprive citizens convicted of felonies of their right to vote.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
David Becker
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas
11 page(s)
1/1/2012
Abstract:
Significant changes in state laws since the passage of the federal 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act have greatly improved the ability of Americans abroad to vote and have their votes counted. These reforms finally begin to address the many challenges these voters have faced for decades.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter education campaigns
Youjin Kim
Demos
National
7 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
Our antiquated voter registration system and patchwork of voter registration rules do not meet the needs of today’s mobile society. In 2008, about 79 million eligible voters sat out the presidential election. Among them, 4 to 5 million were not registered due to administrative procedures and approximately 4 million registered voters were prevented from voting due to administrative problems. Today, approximately 51 million eligible Americans are still not registered to vote. However, straightforward policies like same day registration and voter registration modernization, in addition to the enforcement of existing laws like the National Voter Registration Act can easily bring all eligible Americans into the political process.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Bruce Cain; Caroline Tolbert; Todd Donovan
Brookings Institution Press
National
238 page(s)
6/25/2008
Abstract:
Democracy in the States offers a 21st century agenda for election reform in America based on lessons learned in the fifty states. Combining accessibility and rigor, leading scholars of U.S. politics and elections examine the impact of reforms intended to increase the integrity, fairness, and responsiveness of the electoral system. While some of these reforms focus on election administration, which has been the subject of much controversy since the 2000 presidential election, others seek more broadly to increase political participation and improve representation. For example, Paul Gronke (Reed College) and his colleagues study the relationship between early voting and turnout. Barry Burden (University of Wisconsin–Madison) examines the hurdles that third-party candidates must clear to get on the ballot in different states. Michael McDonald (George Mason University) analyzes the leading strategies for redistricting reform. And Todd Donovan (Western Washington University) focuses on how the spread of "safe" legislative seats affects both representation and participation.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Vote centers
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Justin Levitt
University of California-Davis
California
70 page(s)
8/13/2012
Abstract:
This article, building on prior theoretical work regarding citizen control of public institutions, assesses the new Citizens Commission’s approach to complying with the Voting Rights Act. It offers the first comprehensive review of an actual citizen commission’s engagement with a legal structure that is poorly understood by most citizens. The article opens a rare window not only on the procedures involved in implementing the Voting Rights Act — including new amendments applied to redistricting for the first time in 2011 — but on the process by which a citizens commission may undertake public responsibilities more generally. And in so doing, it highlights decision paths likely to inform not only future citizen bodies, but a range of officials confronting the Voting Rights Act across the country.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Litigation
Christopher Uggen; Jeff Manza
American Sociological Review
National
28 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
The authors ask whether felon disenfranchisement constitutes a meaningful reversal of the extension of voting rights by considering its political impact. Data from legal sources, election studies, and inmate surveys are examined to consider two counterfactual conditions: (1) whether removing disenfranchisement restrictions alters the outcomes of past U.S. Senate and presidential elections, and (2) whether applying contemporary rates of disenfranchisement to prior elections affects their outcomes.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Matt Golder
Electoral Studies
National
18 page(s)
3/1/2005
Abstract:
This article describes a new data set that covers the electoral institutions used in all of the democratic legislative and presidential elections in 199 countries between 1946 (or independence) and 2000. A clear and consistent classification of the electoral institutions used in these elections is followed by a concise geographical and temporal analysis. The worldwide focus of the data set reveals several striking patterns. For example, there have been almost as many elections under dictatorship as there have been under democracy. Other patterns include the fact that presidential regimes nearly always employ proportional electoral formulas, absolute majority rule has become the worldwide norm for electing presidents, and non-majoritarian systems have become more complex due to the increasing use of multiple tiers and mixed electoral formulas.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Graham Smith
Cambridge University Press
National
220 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Can we design institutions that increase and deepen citizen participation in the political decision making process? At a time when there is growing disillusionment with the institutions of advanced industrial democracies, there is also increasing interest in new ways of involving citizens in the political decisions that affect their lives. This 2009 book draws together evidence from a variety of democratic innovations from around the world, including participatory budgeting in Brazil, Citizens' Assemblies on Electoral Reform in Canada, direct legislation in California and Switzerland and emerging experiments in e-democracy. The book offers a rare systematic analysis of this diverse range of democratic innovations, drawing lessons for the future development of both democratic theory and practice.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter information & outreach
William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
106 page(s)
9/14/2004
Abstract:
This report (1) identifies and describes changes DOJ has made since November 2000 to help ensure voter access to the polls; (2) identifies and describes actions that the Voting Section in DOJ's Civil Rights Division has taken to track, address, and assess allegations of election-related voting irregularities received between November 2000 and December 2003; and (3) assesses the Voting Section's internal control activities to help ensure relevant, accurate, and reliable recording and documentation of allegations of voting irregularities to accurately track actions taken in response to allegations and provide accurate and complete information to the public and congressional committees.
Subject(s):
Polling place management; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Camille Crittenden; Dan Gillette; Faraz Farzin; Greg Niemeyer
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
23 page(s)
12/31/2013
Abstract:
Vote Your Mind (VYM) aims to make the voter-education process more accessible and effective for individuals with cognitive difficulties, including impairments to attention and memory, and possible visual and/or hearing loss. The project tests the hypothesis that innovations in voter-guide design could improve voting accuracy and persistence to help affected populations overcome certain limitations and vote with greater confidence.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Usability testing; Voter education campaigns; Voter information materials; Voters with disabilities
Lawrence Norden; Sundeep Iyer
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
New York
50 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
In 2010, New Yorkers voted on electronic, optical-scan voting machines for the first time. Citizens went to their polling places on Election Day, filled out paper ballots and fed them into the brand-new optical scan machines. But tens of thousands of their votes did not count. Specifically, about 20,000 voters in New York State did not have their votes for governor counted because the machines read their choices as “overvotes” – the invalid selection of more than one candidate. Even more votes were lost in other contests – 30,000 to 40,000 more. In a presidential year, with nearly twice the turnout, we expect that the number of votes lost because of overvoting would more than double, possibly resulting in more than 100,000 lost votes.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Caroline Galbraith; Shaun Kane
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
19 page(s)
8/4/2013
Abstract:
Our research is exploring ways to help adults with aphasia learn about voting issues in their area, practice voting, and to apply their knowledge to voting contexts. This paper describes our research to date exploring this issue with SCALE, a local aphasia support center in Baltimore, MD. We have worked for over a year with the members and speech-language pathologists at SCALE. In this report, we briefly describe our interactions with a group of SCALE members who take part in a regular class on news and political issues, and present suggestions for designing accessible information resources for adults with aphasia.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Usability testing; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Cynthia Sturton
University of California-Berkeley
National
11 page(s)
5/18/2009
Abstract:
We expect that once voters can more easily update their party affiliation, they will do so more often as a means of signalling to candidates their displeasure. While the online voter registration system (OVR) is meant to increase voter participation on election day, this new avenue of communication with the candidates could enhance voters’ participation prior to election day. In this paper we consider the design of the OVR with this use model in mind. We look at ways the OVR might be designed to handle and even promote this new form of voter participation.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Security
Combine With: Turnout
Andrew Baranak
Georgia Tech Research Institute
National
44 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
The iPad has already been adopted as a key tool for many individuals with sensory, mobility, and cognitive impairments. The built in accessibility options, such as VoiceOver and screen magnification, are well-proven. In 2011, iPads were even used in Oregon for a special primary election for elderly and disabled voters. However, the iPad isn’t a perfect device. If it will be used repeatedly for individuals with a wide range of abilities, it needs to be augmented to quickly and efficiently work for all users. Therefore, an idea was proposed in an OpenIDEO challenge to design a specialized case that would enhance and expand the iPad’s existing accessible feature set.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot marking tools; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Edward Foley
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
3 page(s)
1/16/2007
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Walter Mebane, Jr.
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
51 page(s)
4/19/2006
Abstract:
This paper introduces statistical methods intended to help detect election fraud. Other methods, using regression-based techniques for outlier detection, have previously been proposed to help detect election anomalies (e.g. Wand, Shotts, Sekhon, Mebane, Herron, and Brady 2001; Mebane, Sekhon, and Wand 2001). The methods described here are distinctive in that they do not require that we have covariates to which we may reasonably assume the votes are related across political jurisdictions. For one set of methods I describe - methods based on tests of the distribution of the digits in reported vote counts - all that is needed are the vote counts themselves. I study the application of those methods to both precinct-level and voting machine-level vote tabulations.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Gabe Cohn; Inés Levin; Peter Ordeshook; R. Michael Alvarez
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
23 page(s)
6/23/2009
Abstract:
Between December 2007 and February 2009, Venezuelans participated twice in constitutional referenda where the elimination of presidential term limits was one of the most salient proposals. Assuming voter preferences did not change significantly during that period, the ‘repeated’ character of these elections provide us with an excellent opportunity to apply forensic tools designed to detect anomalies and outliers in election returns in elections where electronic voting technologies were used.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; International election administration; Security
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Michigan Department of State
Michigan
3 page(s)
5/27/2004
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors
Sherri Ann Charleston
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
29 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board has embarked upon a project to evaluate whether certain modem technology can be approved for use with voting equipment in Wisconsin. From the G.A.B.’s perspective, this is all about ensuring that election night results, while unofficial, are accurately and securely transmitted from the polling place to a central location. In the process, this has provided us with an opportunity to assess our vision for the use of telecommunications and emerging technologies within our state. Today, I will present the preliminary research we have conducted on telecommunications infrastructure within our state and hope to raise questions for discussion.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Linda Lamone
Maryland State Board of Elections; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Maryland
51 page(s)
5/16/2011
Abstract:
The objective of this project was to research and develop a comprehensive election audit based on professional auditing principles, detailed statistical analysis, and election administration expertise. The election audit that we have developed is a practical and usable audit process that will demonstrate to the public and other stakeholders that an election was conducted accurately, that voting equipment counted votes properly, that only qualified voters cast ballots in the election, that paper ballots were accounted for, and that the election was conducted pursuant to applicable laws and regulations. The audit will also help election officials identify where improvements need to be made.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Lisa García Bedolla; Verónica Vélez
Center for Latino Policy Research, University of California-Berkeley
California
9 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
22.6% percent of online registrants were Latina/o (N=189,502); 11.1% were of Asian origin (N=92,923); and 59.8% were white (N=501,614).2 These numbers are similar to the ethnoracial distribution of November 2012 registrants overall, of whom 22% were Latina/o, 9.1% were Asian American, and 61.4% were white. Our analysis of these voters shows that young Latinas/os were most likely to register online, Latina/o and Asian American online registrants were strongly Democratic in their party identification, and Latina and Asian American women registered online and turned out at higher rates than Latino and Asian American men. We also find that majorities of Latina/o and white online registrants were low or middle income, rather than affluent. Our analysis makes clear that studies of the California voting population need to look comparatively across ethnoracial3 groups and to consider gender, class, and age differences within those groups.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Online voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Frederic Solop
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
Arizona
22 page(s)
8/31/2000
Abstract:
The 2000 Arizona Democratic primary election was the first binding Internet election to ever occur. Utilizing data from telephone surveys conducted in Arizona, this research examines patterns of participation and interest in the election. After reviewing the history and significance of digital democracy and Internet voting, including how Internet voting came to be integrated into the Arizona Democratic primary, patterns of participation in Internet voting are examined. Attitudinal and demographic differences between Internet voters and other voters are also analyzed. This research concludes that availability of Internet voting is associated with high levels of participation in the election. Education and age were the most significant predictors of one’s choice to cast a vote using the Internet or another procedure, with higher education voters and younger voters more likely to cast their vote using Internet voting technology. Internet voters have higher efficacy levels than non-Internet voters and were more likely to support Al Gore rather than Bill Bradley in the primary race.
Subject(s):
Election types; Internet voting; Security; Voter demographics; Voting methods; Voting technology; Youth voters
John Grummel
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
34 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
After a decade of increased use of the initiative by numerous states, scholars during the mid to late 1990s began to revisit the impact of direct democracy in the American states (Bowler & Donovan, 1998; Bowler, Donovan, & Tolbert, 1998; Butler & Ranney, 1994; Gerber, 1999). At the turn of the twentieth century research found a relationship between direct democracy and voter turnout (Smith, 2001, 2002; Tolbert, Smith, & Grummel, 2001) that previous research from the 1980s had not found (Cronin, 1989; Everson, 1981; Magleby, 1984). Since that time there has been research further examining how to best measure the initiative process and direct democracy, more generally, given variation in its use from state to state (Bowler & Donovan, 2004), ballot measure salience (Grummel, 2008; Biggers, 2011), and other critiques (Seabrook & Dyck, 2010; Childers & Binder, 2012). These studies (and others) raised both methodological and theoretical questions. Methodologically, questions were raised concerning measurement of direct democracy and the initiative. Theoretically, there were concerns that not all initiatives, all ballot measures for that matter, were alike, and as such, would not all have the same impact on voter turnout. As such this research revisits and updates Tolbert, Smith, and Grummel’s (2001) initial research in order to reflect methodological and theoretical changes and finds that the impact of direct democracy on voter turnout is directly related to its measurement.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Douglas Jones; Gavin Campbell; Magnus Ohman; Michael Yard; Robert Jordan; Ronan McDermott
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
National
162 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
This study presents a number of case studies in an introduction of election technology. The cases were selected to represent environments with varying levels of infrastructure and technological literacy, and different stages of democratic development. Through analysis of these case studies we seek to determine whether the introduction of the particular technology led to a net positive or negative impact on the election process, and whether any positive impact provided improvements significant enough to justify the immediate and long-term costs.
We then look for any common factors that may help to provide “best case” guidelines for maximizing the chance of successful implementation of new technologies into election processes. Our goal is to provide Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and other critical stakeholders with information and data they can utilize to guide their decision-making on technology implementation. While this publication is not necessarily an exhaustive survey of technology implementation in the election process, it is a vital first step in providing guidelines based on commonly accepted principles used by electoral experts around the world.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; International election administration; Internet voting; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence
Douglas Kruse; Lisa Schur
Board of Advisors, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
20 page(s)
6/7/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Douglas Kruse; Lisa Schur; Meera Adya
Research Alliance for Accessible Voting; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
42 page(s)
7/18/2013
Abstract:
We report results on disability and voting from analysis of two surveys: the Census Bureau’s voting supplement for November 2012, and a separate nationally representative survey of 3,022 citizens following the 2012 elections that includes new measures of voting difficulties and experiences. The second survey was conducted by a professional survey firm, and was stratified to oversample citizens with disabilities to obtain a clearer portrait of their experiences and challenges.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Michael Hanmer
Cambridge University Press
National
266 page(s)
10/1/2009
Abstract:
In the U.S., there is wide variation from state to state in the institutional arrangements – for example, registration laws – that structure the environment in which citizens decide whether to vote and parties decide whom to mobilize. This has important consequences for who gets elected and the policies they enact. Hanmer argues that to understand how these institutional arrangements affect outcomes, it is necessary to consider the interactions between social and political context and these laws. He tests this theory by examining how the factors that influence the adoption of a set of registration laws affect turnout, the composition of the electorate, and party strategies. His multi-method research design demonstrates that the effect of registration laws is not as profound as either reformers would hope or previous studies suggest, especially when reform is a response to federal legislation. He concludes by arguing for a shift in the approach to increasing turnout.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Kelly Brewer
Valparaiso University Law Review
Georgia; Indiana; Missouri
54 page(s)
Fall 2007
Abstract:
Using the extra-stringent voter ID statutes of Indiana, Georgia, and Missouri as case studies, Part II of this Note will provide a factual background, discussing the legislative history, concerns of disenfranchisement, and subsequent judicial treatment of each law. Focusing specifically on Equal Protection and poll tax challenges, Part III of this Note will undertake a more detailed analysis of the case law by distinguishing factors that contribute to successful claims. Finally, Part IV of this Note will offer a blueprint for successful challenges against state voter ID laws, synthesizing trends gleaned from the cases decided thus far.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Michael Sances
Political Behavior
National
15 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
Does growing up without both parents decrease voter turnout? I extend and improve upon earlier answers to this question. First, I estimate the long-term effects on voter turnout via analysis of a nationally representative sample of adults. Second, I exploit the quasi-natural experiment of parental death to correct for non-random selection into parental absence. Contrary to previous research, I find no evidence that growing up in an absent-parent household affects white voter turnout. I also present evidence suggesting the negative effects are limited to black voters.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Marc Mauer
Civil Rights Journal
National
4 page(s)
Winter 2002
Abstract:
The irony of the combined impact of American disenfranchisement policies along with the massive expansion of the prison system is that a half century after the beginnings of the civil rights movement increasing numbers of African Americans and others are losing their voting rights each day. As the Western democracy with the lowest rate of voter participation, it is long past time for the United States to consider means of bringing more Americans into the electoral process and end the practice of excluding large groups of citizens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Marc Mauer
Focus Magazine; Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
National
2 page(s)
5/1/2004
Abstract:
The ripple effects of large-scale incarceration now extend well beyond the time individuals are locked up. We can see this most directly in the way low-income communities have lost political influence as a result of felony disenfranchisement laws.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
6 page(s)
3/1/2014
Abstract:
Understanding disparities in (vote-by-mail) use is critical to assessing its impact on California’s electorate to date, and in the future. Through the California Civic Engagement Project’s analysis of Statewide Database Data, this brief identifies disparities in vote-by-mail use rates by sub-group and the overall make-up of the state’s vote-by-mail and poll voter populations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Spencer Overton
Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission)
National
2 page(s)
9/28/2005
Abstract:
The Commission's zeal for an identification requirement at any cost reflects a general misconception of election integrity. An election with integrity is one that allows every eligible voter-and only eligible voters-the opportunity to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted accurately. The Commission's ID recommendation fails this standard.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; Election Day emergencies; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Fernando Guerra; Mara Marks; Matt Barreto; Matthew Streb
Public Opinion Quarterly
California
11 page(s)
Summer 2006
Abstract:
Given the number of absentee ballots and the increasing propensity for voters in California and elsewhere to choose this voting method, we ask some basic questions: Who are absentee voters, and are they different from polling place voters? To answer these questions, we fielded a statewide survey of absentee voters in the days before the October 7 recall election, asking respondents why they voted absentee, their partisan and ideological preferences, demographic characteristics, and other relevant questions. We find that absentee voters do not differ significantly from the overall state electorate in terms of their vote preferences, despite being older and better educated.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Women voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Michael Miller
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Illinois
16 page(s)
6/19/2013
Abstract:
In November of 2007, Illinois became the only state to require that voters casting optical scan ballots be alerted to undervotes via the emission of an audible beep and ballot “kickback” when they insert their ballot into the optical scanning machine. The 2010 Illinois General Primary was the first election for which the undervote alert was to be implemented. Yet, of 99 counties employing optical scanning technology, 12 did not upgrade their machines in time for the election, citing a shortage of time to do so. The uneven implementation of the Illinois undervote alert presents a unique opportunity to examine whether such an external stimulus is an effective deterrent of aggregate undervoting, within the context of a precinct-level panel study. I find little evidence that the audible alert affected undervote patterns in the 2010 General Primary election.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Elizabeth Rigby
Scholars Strategy Network
National
2 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
Do recent changes in voter registration and voting practices actually make voting more equal in the United States? To answer this question, my colleague Melanie Springer and I looked at patterns of voting before and after each change in state rules about registration and voting. We used statistical techniques to control for many factors that might have influenced who votes, but we also honed in on inequalities between the rich and poor. To measure that inequality, we used data gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau in the November following each presidential or midterm election since 197 8 to develop an indicator of income vote bias. This indicator tells how much more likely the rich are to vote than people with lower incomes. On average, wealthier Americans are 65 percent more likely to vote than those with low incomes. However, the extent of this income skew has varied across the fifty states and over the course of the sixteen national elections held between 1978 and 2008.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Alan Gerber; Conor Dowling; David Doherty; Gregory Huber; Seth Hill
American Journal of Political Science
National
47 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
We present survey evidence that those who have not previously voted are particularly likely to voice doubts about the secrecy of the voting process. We then report results from a field experiment where we mailed information about protections of ballot secrecy to registered voters prior to the 2010 general election. Consistent with our survey data, we find that these letters increased turnout for registered citizens without records of previous turnout, but did not appear to influence the behavior of citizens who had previously voted. The increase in turnout of more than three percentage points for those without previous records of voting is notably larger than the effect of a standard get-out-the-vote mailing for this group. Overall, these results suggest that although the secret ballot is a long-standing institution in the United States, beliefs about this institution may not match the legal reality and that providing basic information about ballot secrecy can affect the decision to participate to an important degree.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Richard Hasen
University of Pennsylvania Law Review
California
27 page(s)
1/1/2001
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election types; Open primaries
Combine With: Litigation
Matthew Nuemann; Michael Pitts
Journal of Law and Politics
Indiana
47 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
This article presents and examines previously unavailable data regarding the extent to which Indiana’s photo identification requirement prevented prospective voters from casting a countable ballot at the 2008 general election. The article presents research that shows more than a thousand persons went to the polls and cast a provisional ballot due to a lack of valid identification and that the vast majority of those provisional ballots went uncounted. Thus, this research helps fill a gap in the plaintiffs’ case in Crawford v. Marion County Election Bd, 128 S. Ct. 1610 (2008) where the plaintiffs challenging photo identification were criticized for their failure to generate firm evidence of disfranchisement.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Jack Edwards
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
44 page(s)
6/1/2010
Abstract:
In response to a congressional request, this report evaluates how FVAP (1) addresses its mission and evaluates efforts to conduct it, (2) aligns budget priorities with strategic goals, and (3) implemented DOD Office of Inspector General and GAO recommendations made from 2001 through 2009.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach
Derek Stewart
Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
26 page(s)
9/28/2006
Abstract:
This testimony, which draws on prior GAO work, addresses three questions: (1) How did FVAP’s assistance efforts differ between the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections? (2) What actions did DOD take in response to prior GAO recommendations on absentee voting? and (3) What challenges remain in providing voting assistance to military personnel?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Security; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Bruce Hicks; Henry Milner; Peter John Loewen
Canadian Journal of Political Science
National
17 page(s)
1/14/2008
Abstract:
Does compulsory voting lead to more knowledgeable and engaged citizens? We report the results from a recent experiment measuring such “second-order effects” in a compulsory voting environment. We conducted the experiment during the 2007 Quebec provincial election among 121 students at a Montreal CEGEP. To receive payment, all the students were required to complete two surveys; half were also required to vote. By comparing knowledge and engagement measures between the two groups, we can measure the second-order effects of compulsory voting. We find little or no such effects.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Daniel Johnson; Kristina Lybecker
Department of Economics and Business, Colorado College
National
29 page(s)
10/27/2008
Abstract:
This paper takes advantage of a unique historical opportunity to test whether electoral equipment follows the pattern predicted by well-established models of innovation diffusion, merging electoral data with census data on socioeconomic characteristics. We infer that fiscal constraints to acquisition are strong but are not the only limitations to technology adoption, particularly within certain types of easily identifiable populations.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Tamara Manik-Perlman
Azavea Atlas
Pennsylvania
21 page(s)
8/2/2012
Abstract:
If you’ve been following election news, you’re likely aware of the controversy surrounding Pennsylvania’s strict Voter ID law. The new law requires that citizens show valid photo ID (restricted to a few types) when they cast a ballot. Committee of Seventy has assembled some good resources explaining the context for this law and exactly what it requires of voters. There has been a lot of debate about the impact of the law, largely around the sheer number of people who could be turned away on election day. Last week Tom Boyer, a former journalist and volunteer for the non-partisan PA Voter ID Coalition who is blogging about his own research on this issue over at Examine Voter ID, approached us to see if we could lend a hand analyzing whether the impact of the law varied based on race or ethnicity. Being both concerned citizens and inquisitive data nerds, we were happy to oblige. We’ve conducted a preliminary analysis of the impact of the law in Philadelphia using several public datasets.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Caroline Tolbert; Ramona McNeal
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
40 page(s)
8/30/2001
Abstract:
Using NES survey data and multivariate analysis we find respondents with access to the Internet and online political information were significantly more likely to report turning out to vote in the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, after controlling for socioeconomic conditions, partisanship, race/ethnicity, gender, age and state environmental factors, but not in the 1998 midterm election. Across racial and ethnic groups probability simulations indicate access to the Internet and online campaign information significantly increased the probability of voting by an average of 20% in 2000, after holding other factors constant. The data suggests the mobilizing potential of the Internet during elections, regardless of race/ethnicity.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Megan Mullin; Thad Kousser
Political Analysis
Oregon
31 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
In this paper, we isolate the effects of voting in mail ballot elections by taking advantage of a natural experiment in which voters are assigned in a nearly random process to vote by mail. We use matching methods to ensure that, in our analysis, the demographic characteristics of these voters mirror those of polling place voters who take part in the same elections. Drawing on data from a large sample of California counties in two general elections, we find that voting by mail does not deliver on the promise of greater participation in general elections. In fact, voters who are assigned to vote by mail turn out at lower rates than those who are sent to a polling place. Our analysis of a sample of local special elections, by contrast, indicates that voting by mail can increase turnout in these otherwise low-participation contests.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Turnout
David Card; Enrico Moretti
Review of Economics and Statistics
National
40 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
Supporters of touch-screen voting claim it is a highly reliable voting technology, while a growing number of critics argue that paperless electronic voting systems are vulnerable to fraud. In this paper we use county-level data on voting technologies in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections to test whether voting technology affects electoral outcomes.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Rose Gill Hearn
The City of New York Department of Investigation
New York
22 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
ROSE GILL HEARN, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued a report today finding the New York City Board of Elections (“BOE”) could have saved the City at least $2.4 million during the November 2011 general election by consolidating approximately 50% of the election districts and reducing the staffing number of election inspectors by about half.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Election consolidation; Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
7 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
A second chance to get something right is a rare luxury in the world of elections, yet, less than ten years after the 2000 presidential election recount in Florida and the subsequent Help America Vote Act (HAVA), we are on the cusp of a new generation of voting systems and requirements. Slowly but steadily, we are moving away from an all-electronic voting environment toward paper ballots with an electronic count. As we define how this new hybrid world will look and operate, it is important that we learn from recent rocky years and find different and more constructive strategies of working together.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Maintenance; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Security; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
David Kimball ; Martha Kropf
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
5 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
There are several common errors that tend to cause more residual votes, overvotes and undervotes at the top and bottom of the ballot. Below we describe twelve ballot features that can simplify the voting process. Some of these design features apply to paper ballots, some apply to electronic voting machines, but many apply to both methods.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots
Combine With: Errors
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
Mississippi
3 page(s)
11/7/2011
Abstract:
A photo id requirement vote looks like it will pass easily, currently leading 64-29.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
1 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
The idea here is that the system be broken into modules representing key stages of the voting process. Most of the modules would be proprietary in design and have only general requirements. The key being that the finalized data set transported from one module to another must meet certified format requirements and allow for open source review. This design will give vendors maximum freedom and innovation in the design of their modules, encourage regular upgrades, allow them to maintain proprietary products, and reduce certification costs. This will give administrators a broader selection to choose from, allow them to have updated software, and select modules that best fit their jurisdiction’s specific needs. Activists, regulators, and administrators will be able to have an open and transparent method of verifying that the most sensitive modules and that the output from all modules is accurate.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Steven Hertzberg
Election Science Institute
Ohio
41 page(s)
8/1/2006
Abstract:
Our focus was to understand: (i) how well the new Diebold DRE voting system met voters’ needs on Election Day; (ii) how the new Diebold DREs and Optical Scan voting machines functioned as specified on Election Day; (iii) what types of difficulties occurred in the field on Election Day; (iv) how booth workers coped with Election Day issues; (iv) what capacity the booth workers possessed to mitigate election-day issues in a timely manner; (v) and how their training prepared them to address election-day challenges.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Voter ID
Conor Dowling; John McNulty; Margaret Ariotti
Political Analysis
New York
20 page(s)
8/18/2009
Abstract:
The consolidation of polling places in the Vestal Central School District in New York State during the district's 2006 budget referendum provides a naturalistic setting to study the effects of polling consolidation on voter turnout on an electorate quite distinct from previous work by Brady and McNulty (2004, The costs of voting: Evidence from a natural experiment. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology, Palo Alto, CA). In particular, voters in local elections are highly motivated and therefore might be thought to be less affected by poll consolidation. Nevertheless, through a matching analysis we find that polling consolidation decreases voter turnout substantially, by about seven percentage points, even among this electorate, suggesting that even habitual voters can be dissuaded from going to the polls. This finding has implications for how election administrators ought to handle cost-cutting measures like consolidation.
Subject(s):
Election consolidation; Polling place locations
Combine With: Turnout
Karen Mossberger; Kathleen Hale
Election Reform Agenda Conference
Iowa
18 page(s)
4/29/2009
Abstract:
E-government is an administrative reform that can help to modernize electoral systems and to increase the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of electoral processes.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Online voter registration; Voter information & outreach
Jay Bagga; Joseph Losco; Raymond Scheele
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; Voting Systems Technical Oversight Program, Ball State University
Indiana; Iowa; Michigan; Virginia
28 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Gracia Hillman
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
National
5 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Security; Voting technology
Alexander Trechsel
Dynamics of Referendum Campaigns - An International Perspective; Palgrave
National
25 page(s)
9/8/2007
Abstract:
Numerous studies show that, together with the United States, Switzerland presents the lowest average levels of turnout among established democracies. At the same time, Swiss voters are among those most frequently called to the polls, owing to the widespread possibilities for direct democracy on all three levels of the federal state. Not surprisingly, it is also in Switzerland that new means of political participation - and in particular remote voting techniques via postal mail or over the Internet - have been promoted, tested and implemented most prominently. In this paper we will try to empirically assess a number of hypotheses on the role and impact of new means of participation in referendums. In doing so, we will focus on data stemming from a recent referendum vote where a multi-channel approach for participation was chosen.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Election types; International election administration; Internet voting; Polling places; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Pippa Norris
National
21 page(s)
2/16/2004
Abstract:
The argument developed in this study makes three claims: first, the evidence from the distribution of Internet access worldwide and within Western Europe suggests that, at least in the short-term, the impact of introducing e-voting into elections could probably deepen and worsen the existing socioeconomic ‘voting gap’. Second, even if we assume that use of the Internet gradually ‘normalizes’ across the population in many affluent countries, there are still good reasons to be skeptical about any potential revolutionary benefits from e-voting on electoral participation. E-voting at home or work can be understood as analogous to the use of voting facilities exemplified by postal ballots, and the evidence suggests that the use of such facilities has had little impact on turnout. Instead, it is argued, the most important role of information technology in democracy lies, in its potential capacity to strengthen the public sphere. As such the debate about e-voting may well prove largely irrelevant to the primary impact of the Internet on democracy.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Civic education; Election Day polling place voting; International election administration; Internet voting; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Pollworkers for Democracy; Vote Trust USA; Voter Action; VotersUnited.org
National
24 page(s)
1/1/2007
Abstract:
This account of the November 7, 2006 election draws on surveys from participants in Pollworkers for Democracy, reports from voters who called the Election Incident Reporting System and Voter Action, and reports collected by VotersUnite.Org from the national and local media. In all, we looked at 1022 reports of problems associated with electronic voting equipment from 314 counties in 36 states.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence; Wait times
New York State Board of Elections; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
New York
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The New York State Board of Elections is refining the Logic and Accuracy and Post-Election audit procedures that are used in its 62 county board of elections. For the L&A portion of its proposal, NYSBOE will develop training materials and identify changes to current practices for cost savings. NYSBOE also plans to develop a post election audit procedure that will statistically verify the results obtained from the voting systems. Anticipated outcomes include the use of ballot images, the identification (through the use of statistical modeling) of an appropriate sample size, development of proper chain of custody procedures, and development of a threshold that adjusts the audit percentage based on the closeness of the election. Based on the results of the project, the current L&A and Post-election Audit procedures will be revised and disseminated for statewide implementation.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs
Santa Cruz County Clerk; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The Santa Cruz County Clerk proposes to improve current pre-election logic and accuracy testing and post-election auditing for blended voting systems. The county will create procedures, checklists, physical measures, etc. that create a more efficient process by removing overlapping procedures, reducing staff required, and increasing uniformity both between counties and internally from one election to the next. The work will focus on more comprehensive testing prior to the election and a more detailed series of post-election audits focusing on easy audits and clear and comprehensive chain of custody procedures to promote greater transparency and more uniform results. By focusing on blended systems, the new procedures will be written for the most complex and time intensive items to help the counties meet certification deadlines while still performing top quality audits. The county plans to seek data from twenty two counties for voting system specific audits and testing and from all fifty eight counties for audits required under state law.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Post-election audits
California Secretary of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The California Secretary of State (SOS) plans to conduct a two year pilot program to test new, risk-limiting audit models, as developed by Dr. Stark of the University of California, Berkeley. Up to twenty California counties will be participating in the pilot with the audits taking place during the post canvass period following live elections held during 2011-2012. The team will document the pilot audits, analyze and present findings and recommendations on the effectiveness, efficiency, usability, challenges, mitigations, costs and benefits of risk-limiting audits. The team will also develop and document a set of tools, processes and best practices for conducting risk-limiting post-election audits, including easy-to-follow statistical formulas and rules to set the initial sample size and escalation triggers. Results of the pilot program will be published in scholarly journals and disseminated throughout the election community through organizations such as National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Elections Directors (NASED), the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO), and the Election Verification Network (EVN).
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs
Colorado Department of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Colorado
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The Colorado Department of State plans to pilot risk-limiting audits in five counties in a mix of areas – urban, suburban, and rural. Colorado will develop, test, and implement a risk-limiting audit system that helps meet legislation requiring the state’s jurisdictions to implement a risk-limiting audit system by the 2014 elections. The research team will review current election processes in target counties and solicit input from other stakeholders, including county election officials, voters and concerned citizen groups. The team will also review existing best practices in the state and the nation, selecting the most promising practices for testing the appropriate target counties. Due to the wide array of election methods, vendors, and types of voting equipment used in the state’s 64 counties, the recommendations developed by the research team will be applicable in many of the jurisdictions across the nation.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Cuyahoga County Board of Elections; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Ohio
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
CCBOE plans to create a virtual how-to-guide and web reporting program based on best practices for all optical scan election jurisdictions to utilize during L&A testing and Post-Election audits. The funds provided will allow the CCBOE to further document, in writing and on film, each process including L&A testing, poll book justification, ballot reconciliation, chain of custody verification, and post election audit. The CCBOE plans to share these procedures with election jurisdictions throughout the country by providing the resources in an online format. The CCBOE intends to create a virtual “post-election audit how-to guide” that will illustrate how to conduct different types of audits from start to finish and will include a web-based program to organize and report audit outcomes.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Humboldt County Election Transparency Project; Humboldt County Elections Department; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The Humboldt County Elections Department (HCED) has been working with the Humboldt County Election Transparency Project (EPT) for more than two years, supplementing the Department’s official vote counting equipment by scanning all cast ballots on a commercial off the shelf scanner. The resulting ballot images are made available to interested parties, so that any interested party may conduct their own vote counts off of their ballot images. The open source software developed by Mitch Trachtenberg is freely available, and the current version builds its own “ballot definition files” by scanning ballots via optical character recognition, thus eliminating the need to reprogram for each ballot. Funds from this award will be used to develop better reporting capabilities for the software and for a training manual to assist those conducting audits in Humboldt and other counties interested in this method.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Voting technology
Orange County Registrar of Voters; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
Orange County Registrar of Voters proposes a two phase approach to examining and improving its current audit processes and procedures: The first phase will analyze paper ballot accounting and the potential conflicts associated with the process of paper voting, chain of custody, canvass instructions, rosters, board member qualifications, supplies, and seals. The second phase will examine the voting performance of the county’s Hart InterCivic electronic voting systems including the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). A detailed review of policies and procedures in these areas ensures post-election audits are conducted with integrity and transparency which enhances public confidence in the voting process.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
City of Takoma Park; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Maryland
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The City of Takoma Park, MD proposes to document the procedures, practices, and policies when using post-election End-to-End (E2E) verifiable voting technologies, and to measure the impact of E2E voting on voters and election officials. All documentation produced by this project will be reviewed by the City of Takoma Park election officials, along with experts in the fields of computer security, election systems, and accessibility through its research partner, the Voting Systems Institute (VSI). The results of this research will increase knowledge and understanding on how other jurisdictions can successfully implement E2E verifiable post-election audit technology.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Connecticut Secretary of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC); University of Connecticut
Connecticut
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The CT Secretary of State’s office will be partnering with the University of Connecticut to test the accuracy of the memory cards used in optical scan voting machines and to demonstrate a prototype of an Audit Station, as developed by the research team. The Audit Station is a combination of hardware, specialized software, methodology and auditing procedures for automating hand count activities. During the two year project period, the research teams anticipate collecting data from approximately six live elections, which will provide enough data to determine the failure rate of the memory cards, and analyze the cost, time, and accuracy of current audit procedures as compared to the new Audit Station.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Indiana Secretary of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Indiana
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The State of Indiana, which uses both DRE and optical scan voting systems, will develop general protocols for L&A checklist as well as specific protocols for different voting systems, based on the surveys with election officials. In addition, current procedures governing chain of custody of voting records will be collected from the counties and analyzed in order to develop improved procedures to govern post-election audits. Post-election audit forms will be developed to manage the procedures to be followed after the election.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs
Boone County; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Missouri
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
County of Boone, Missouri plans to develop computer programs that will enable local jurisdictions to generate logic and accuracy (L&A) test scripts that meet State of Missouri regulations. Having ready-made test scripts will improve accuracy, eliminate tester bias, reduce cost for local jurisdictions and remove reliance on voting equipment vendor-generated test decks. While the project will first focus on developing test scripts for Boone County, additional programming will be developed that will allow other jurisdictions in the state to generate test scripts from voter registration data regardless of the ballot counting system.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing
Combine With: Costs
Cook County Clerk ; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Illinois
3 page(s)
5/23/2011
Abstract:
Cook County Clerk, David Orr, plans to document current Pre-Election Logic and Accuracy testing and Post election audit processes and develop an improved data-driven Election Verification and Audit Tool Kit that integrates and analyzes all election data streams. Funds from this award will be used for enhanced database design, real time connectivity, customized code development, and the development of a public guide to these testing procedures. The Tool Kit in combination with the public guide will achieve a level of automation and database utilization that will provide both a diagnostic tool to identify areas of focus for judge training and streamlined election administration, as well as a replicable prototype for other election jurisdictions that wish to enhance their ability to produce data that can augment vote count accuracy.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Post-election audits
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
New Jersey
2 page(s)
9/1/2002
Abstract:
The Eagleton Institute of Politics makes the following recommendations to help citizens decide whether and how to vote. These particular recommendations, focused on debates and media coverage in the current 2002 campaigns for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, are based on Eagleton's research and discussions with leaders in New Jersey media, campaigns and politics and civic affairs.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
David Kimball ; Martha Kropf
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Iowa; Kansas; Tennessee
26 page(s)
4/15/2004
Abstract:
The results presented here confirm what we know about voting technology and demographic factors and their effect on unrecorded votes. However, this paper takes a step further and examines the differences among early, absentee and precinct unrecorded votes. We find that there is very little average difference between precinct unrecorded votes and early/absentee unrecorded votes. Moreover, this paper confirms that many of the same factors that affect unrecorded votes at the precinct also affect early and absentee unrecorded votes. For example, “good” ballot features reduce the incidence of unrecorded votes for all three types of voting. Our results suggest that states should not adopt early voting as an answer to the problems of unrecorded votes that we have experienced. It appears that the shift to early and absentee voting will not reduce unrecorded votes, and thus will not lessen the chances of another vote counting controversy. On the other hand, our results seem to suggest that election officials (and campaign staffs) should not worry that an increase in early voting will make the problem of unrecorded votes any worse than it has been in the past.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Benjamin Bederson; Bongshin Lee; Fred Conrad; Michael Traugott; Owen Abbe; Paul Herrnson; Peter Francia; Richard Niemi; Robert Sherman
Social Science Computer Review
National
23 page(s)
Fall 2005
Abstract:
This study examines issues related to the usability of electronic voting systems and reports on a series of usability studies that involved expert review, close observation, a field test, and an exit poll to learn voters’ responses to a new voting system. Our analysis shows these systems work well, but they have some shortcomings including some that have raised concerns among a minority of voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Maintenance; Senior voters; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Teresa James
Project Vote
National
16 page(s)
8/1/2010
Abstract:
This report focuses on the impact of “no-excuse” Early In-Person Voting (EIP), particularly on the impact of EIP on the voting behavior of urban, low income, and minority voters. (We define EIP as voting in which any voter may appear at the office of the election authority or other designated center during designated times before Election Day, request an early ballot or absentee ballot, and immediately cast the ballot in the presence of election officials.)
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Estelle Rogers
Project Vote
National
8 page(s)
11/1/2013
Abstract:
Voting in the United States has traditionally taken place on one day designated as “Election Day,” at least for federal elections. But, in recent years, many states have expanded opportunities to vote before Election Day, in order to accommodate voters’ schedules and in the hope of increasing turnout by making voting more convenient. Both early voting and “no-excuse” absentee voting other alternatives that broaden the availability of the ballot to eligible voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Kenneth Mayer
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Wisconsin
13 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
When states consider adopting new election laws, policy makers often take into account public opinion and the financial costs of reforms but not the receptivity of those most responsible for implementation. Implementation theory suggests that the potential success of a new law depends on the motivation and ability of local election officials to administer it. To examine these attitudes, we conducted face-to-face interviews with an extensive survey of municipal election officials in Wisconsin. The responses show a significant bias in favor of the status quo, with election clerks generally supporting existing practices (Election Day registration) but opposing new proposals (early voting). Election officials are more likely to believe that Election Day registration is a right and increases turnout compared to early voting, and that early voting would increase their workload compared to Election Day registration. Multivariate analysis demonstrates that resistance to early voting is not merely a reflection of insufficient resources but is also a philosophical stance that reflects clerks' beliefs about the importance of voting on Election Day as a civic responsibility. We conclude by discussing the broader implications of this research for future innovations and reforms in election administration.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Eva Galanes-Rosenbaum; Paul Gronke; Peter Miller
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
8 page(s)
10/1/2003
Abstract:
In this paper, we review terminology (“what is early voting?”) and illustrate the breadth and popularity of these reforms; briefly review prior research on early voting, focusing on the political arguments being made in favor of reform and the social scientific findings of the impact of reform on turnout; and finally, add convenience voting reforms to an established model of turnout (Tolbert and Smith 2005; Tolbert, Grummel, and Smith 2001) in order to estimate their impact across the widest possible set of jurisdictions and over a 24-year period. In brief, our research indicates that only one early voting reform—voting by mail—has a positive impact on turnout. Most other reforms have a negligible, and at times negative, impact on turnout. These findings correspond with much of the literature, which shows that campaigns (primarily mobilization efforts) and individual political predispositions are the primary determinants of turnout. Institutional reforms have, at best, a small effect, and are unlikely to solve the challenge of low voter participation in the United States.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Charles Stewart III; Paul Gronke
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
Florida
45 page(s)
4/8/2013
Abstract:
In 2011, the State of Florida proposed a series of changes in how it conducts elections, most notably for this paper, reducing the days and hours allowed for early in-person voting. We analyze the impact of these changes on the Florida early electorate using statewide voter registration, voter history, and county early voting files, tracking the voting behavior of Floridians from 2006 to 2012, with a particular focus on African-Americans. We demonstrate that while shortening the time of early voting does not appear to have hindered the earliest of early voters, it does appear to have dissuaded turnout among the latest early voters, especially those who previously voted on the final Sunday before Election Day. We further show that African-American voters showed a substantially higher preference for voting on that final Sunday, but this preference is far less evident in 2012 after the changes to the law.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Turnout
Benjamin Bishin; Daniel Stevens; Eva Galanes-Rosenbaum; Paul Gronke
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
Florida
25 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
In this paper, we begin by discussing the most commonly cited reasons for adopting early voting. Next, we describe the practical impact of early voting on voters and on political parties in Florida. Finally, we will use 2004 exit poll data from Florida to examine who votes early and in what ways early voters differ from or resemble “precinct” voters–that is, voters who cast a traditional ballot at their local precinct polling place on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting
Combine With: Turnout
Paul Gronke
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
National; Oregon
30 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
For an increasing number of Americans, then, "election day" is a historical relic. Instead, ballots are cast at the individual's convenience, up to three weeks before the scheduled date of the election. Why has this change taken place? What consequences might this change have for the behavior of candidates, non-partisan political groups, and the voters themselves? Does early voting augur well for the quality of democratic decision making in the United States?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Turnout
Diane Kasden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
44 page(s)
10/31/2013
Abstract:
Despite the widespread use of, and growing interest in, early voting, there has been little comprehensive research to assess its benefits and offer policy recommendations. This report fills that gap. It is based on a review of the laws in all states with early voting, a review of the relevant academic research, and, perhaps most important, in-depth interviews with 21 state and local election officials who have overseen early voting.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Polling place hours; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Voter confidence; Wait times
Charles Stewart III
The Pew Charitable Trusts
California; Florida; Ohio
4 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
For some state officials who were required to advocate the passage of provisional ballot laws due to HAVA, this new procedure was not an entirely welcome intrusion into the autonomous administration of elections by the states. While the federal government might be able to mandate the passage of provisional ballot laws, nothing was said about the vigorous implementation of this new practice. The mere passage of a federal law mandating that states enact a law was unlikely to make these states enthusiastic about implementing provisional ballots. Therefore, the first question to ask is not whether the usage of provisional ballots represents an expansion or contraction of the franchise, but whether the late-adopters of provisional ballots will ever implement these laws with the same vigor as the early-adopters have continued to muster.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Mary Fitzgerald
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
National
25 page(s)
1/1/2003
Abstract:
Overall, this analysis shows that some alternative voting methods have the potential to alter the political landscape by changing the way that young people participate in elections, the way that political parties mobilize voters, as well as who participates in elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
3 page(s)
7/11/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting
Combine With: Turnout
Amrita Dhillon; Susana Peralta
The Economic Journal
National
35 page(s)
11/14/2001
Abstract:
In this paper we survey some of the most important contributions to the theoretical literature explaining (or not) voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
Greg Vonnahme; Robert Stein
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Colorado; Texas
10 page(s)
9/6/2012
Abstract:
In this article we study the effects of Election Day vote centers on voter turnout. Specifically we examine Texas and Colorado's experience with alternative arrangements for the number and location of Election Day voting places and its impact on voter turnout in the 2006 and 2008 elections. We test our hypotheses at both the aggregate (i.e., county) and individual levels. We find evidence that vote centers increase voter turnout in presidential and midterm elections, and particularly among infrequent voters in midterms.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Vote centers; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Andrew Appel
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
New Hampshire; New Jersey
22 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
Scientists and politicians are reaching consensus that elections must be countable independently of the need to trust the computer software in a DRE voting machine or in an optical scanner. Public trust in elections requires a Voter-Verified Paper Ballot (VVPB), printed by a DRE or scanned by a scanner. But producing the VVPBs is not enough; to do any good they must also be audited. A recount of 1% of randomly selected precincts (as performed in some states) is not sufficient to detect fraud with high confidence, except in statewide races. A recount of 5% would be barely adequate, but would be quite expensive. I propose a new statutory framework that will be as affordable as a 1% recount but more effective than a 5% recount. It requires a mandatory audit of 1% of precincts, and permits any candidate to demand (and pay actual costs for) an audit of up to 7 precincts. The rule of 1%+7 will give high confidence for both large and small elections.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Recounts
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
AIGA Design for Democracy ; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
244 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
Election officials, The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Design for Democracy team (as contractor to the EAC) share the same objective in terms of developing a means for achieving a voting experience that attracts citizens to vote; makes the choice of candidates and issues relatively easy; and ensures that voters cast their votes with confidence that they have made the right choice and that it has been registered properly. The benefit of these guidelines for the election official is that they draw on professional information design experience, research, testing, and evaluation to provide examples of approaches that are likely to be most successful. To this extent they complement and support the challenges election officials face.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Optical scan voting machines; Provisional ballots; Usability testing; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs
Stephen Ansolabehere
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
4 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
The experience of individuals at the polls on Election Day suggests that there is much less to the voter-identification controversy than appears in the pages of the court decisions or the debates in public forums. Approximately half of all people are asked for ID when they vote, but almost no one reports subsequently being denied the vote or reports that lack of ID was a reason for not attempting to vote. A majority of Americans say that voter fraud is common, but voter-identification laws and practices have little effect on those beliefs, and those beliefs have no effect on rates of electoral participation.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Jason Kander
Early Voting Commission, Missouri Secretary of State
Missouri
8 page(s)
2/28/2013
Abstract:
On my first day in office, I announced the formation of a commission to study the most efficient, fair and secure way to allow eligible Missourians to cast a ballot before election day. This Early Voting Commission, comprised of local election authorities, elected officials, and dedicated citizens, met throughout February to discuss and recommend instituting early voting in Missouri. The commission represented all corners of Missouri, drawing members from both political parties and from rural, urban, and suburban areas, to furnish recommendations well-suited to Missouri's diversity. I am pleased to now present this set of recommendations and call on our state legislature to seriously consider and implement an affordable plan for early voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Ted Selker
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
5 page(s)
3/1/2008
Abstract:
In 2004, the Chairman of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) requested that the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP) produce a list of steps that could improve the presidential election process. Its success motivated this exercise again for 2008. Below are eight easy-to-implement steps to avoid lost votes and inaccurate ballots that can be acted on in time for 2008.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Clifford Stanley
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), U.S. Department of Defense
National
48 page(s)
3/1/2011
Abstract:
The Report provides information obtained from our quadrennial Post-Election Survey. In the 2008 general election, when adjusted for age and gender because the military is heavily weighted toward younger males, 73% of active duty military personnel voted as compared to 61.7% of the national voting population. Also when adjusted for age and gender, 87% of the active duty military was registered to vote as compared to 71% of the national voting population.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter education campaigns
Dawn Williams; Kevin Kennedy
Election Center; National Task Force on Election Reform
National
66 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
It is the purpose of this National Task Force to analyze the issues that have been identified by observers and participants in the 2004 general election. These issues are driving reform efforts at the local, state and federal levels. Along with a description of these issues, this report discusses the facts and assumptions that are relevant to the issues. We offer a recommendation or range of recommendations for each issue, drawing on our experience as state and local election administrators.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
5 page(s)
10/11/2012
Abstract:
In the past two years, states across the country passed a wave of laws that could make it harder to vote. The Brennan Center chronicled these laws in our report, Voting Law Changes in 2012. Overall, 25 laws and 2 executive actions passed in 19 states since the beginning of 2011. But then voting rights advocates fought back. Citizens rejected these laws at the polls, nearly a dozen courts overturned or weakened restrictive measures, and the Department of Justice blocked others. Below you will find a regularly-updated, comprehensive roundup of where laws were introduced, where they passed, where they were blocked or blunted, and where they are in effect for the 2012 election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Jennifer Clark
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
New York
2 page(s)
11/8/2013
Abstract:
On Tuesday, millions of Americans voted in local and state elections across the country. This being an off-year election, turnout in many areas was relatively poor. New York City may have set a new record low for voter turnout, with early tallies reflecting that only 24 percent of the city’s 4.3 million registered voters went to the polls. Even in this small-turnout year, however, voters confronted many of the same problems and frustrations they face in busier elections. On Election Day, I answered calls from New York voters at a hotline call center operated by Election Protection, the nation’s largest non-partisan voter protection coalition. Election Protection’s 1-866-OUR-VOTE hotline fields calls from voters nationwide seeking voting assistance or reporting voting problems. Based on the types of calls I received, it is clear that local and state officials must prioritize increasing voter education and information, implementing voter registration modernization, and training poll workers.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Barry Burden; Jacob Neiheisel
Political Research Quarterly
Wisconsin
13 page(s)
2/12/2013
Abstract:
Voter registration is thought to have a substantial negative effect on American voter turnout. The authors clarify this understanding in two ways. First, using a natural experiment in Wisconsin, they estimate the pure effect of registration, stripped of aspects such as the closing date. Registration lowers turnout by about 2 percentage points. Second, the authors argue that administrative capacities of local election officials are important moderators of how much registration affects turnout. Municipalities with less capacity are associated with bigger decreases in turnout.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
2004
Abstract:
EAC administers the biennial Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), an instrument used to collect state-by-state data on the administration of federal elections. The EAVS reports include datasets on the ability of civilian, military and overseas citizens to successfully cast a ballot. They contain the most comprehensive, nationwide data about election administration in the United States. The EAVS data is used for two federally mandated reports – the NVRA Report (motor voter) and the UOCAVA Report (military & overseas citizens).
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
Andreas Westgaard; Sean Greene; Zachary Markovits
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
80 page(s)
2/9/2012
Abstract:
This first-ever comprehensive survey and analysis of the current data that measure how elections are administered in the United States reviews several ways in which existing information can be used to improve the system and maintain voter confidence. This report looks at sources such as state election divisions, the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and its Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), public opinion surveys, and expert assessments—then analyzes the data for completeness, strengths, weaknesses, and usefulness.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Robert Stein
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
18 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
The report is organized as follows. In the next section I review the different ways emergencies might impact the conduct of elections, identifying specific conditions and measures of performance with which to assess the impact of emergencies on the conduct of balloting on and before Election Day. In section three I identify several actions local election officials might take to mitigate the most pernicious effects of emergencies on the conduct of elections. In section four I report on the balloting experience in 3,000 U.S. counties during the 2012 Presidential election. This empirical analysis isolates the experiences and performance of counties that were under disaster declarations from those counties less affected by Hurricane Sandy. Section 5 concludes with a discussion of lessons and best practices learned from Hurricane Sandy and whether these practices are generalized to other jurisdictions not affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Vote centers
Combine With: Turnout
Robert Stein
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
19 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
What steps can and do local election officials take to prepare for and respond to natural disasters and emergencies that impede and disrupt the operation of scheduled elections? How efficacious are these actions and practices, and to what extent, if any, can these practices be generalized to the 3,000+ jurisdictions charged with conducting elections?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Vote centers
Combine With: Turnout
Sarah Hill
The American Review of Public Administration
California
22 page(s)
7/4/2011
Abstract:
Over the past decade, the federal and state governments have made large financial investments to improve election administration, but there is little to no understanding of the real workings and implications of election administration finance. This article takes a first look at election administration finance by examining election expenditures in California counties for fiscal years 1992 through 2008 using a public sector cost model. Regression analysis shows that economies of scale and voting technology are significant determinants of election expenditures, as are other factors affecting the cost of the production of election administration. Factors that are expected to affect the demand for election administration are generally shown not to be significant. These results will hopefully be beneficial for policy makers as they face important decisions about changes in voting technology and election administration.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Charles Stewart III
Electionline
New Jersey; Virginia
4 page(s)
1/14/2010
Abstract:
Conducting the fourth in a series of surveys to gauge the experience of voters at the polls, a team of researchers associated with the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project studied the experience of 2,500 registered voters each in New Jersey and Virginia immediately following the November 3, 2009 gubernatorial elections. The November 2009 study was a part of the Survey of the Performance of American Elections series that has been funded by the Pew Center on the States’ Election Initiative. Previous surveys were conducted immediately following the November 2007 gubernatorial elections in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi; the February 2008 “Super Tuesday” presidential primary; and the November 2008 presidential election. As with past surveys, voters in New Jersey and Virginia reported overall high levels of satisfaction with their experience in the most recent election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day holiday; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Bernard Grofman; R. Michael Alvarez
Cambridge University Press
National
280 page(s)
9/1/2014
Abstract:
This book tells the story of how the way in which we conduct elections has changed after the Florida recount litigation of 2000. Some of the nation's leading experts look at various aspects of election administration, including issues of ballot format, changes in registration procedures, the growth in the availability of absentee ballot rules and other forms of “convenience voting,” and changes in the technology used to record our votes. They also look at how the Bush v. Gore decision has been used by courts that monitor the election process and at the consequences of changes in practice for levels of invalid ballots, magnitude of racial disparities in voting, voter turnout, and access to the ballot by those living outside the United States. The editors, in their introduction, also consider the normative question of exactly what we want a voting system to do. An epilogue by two leading election law specialists looks at how election administration and election contest issues played out in the 2012 presidential election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Richard Hasen
California Law Review
National
28 page(s)
4/20/2009
Abstract:
Part I of this review sets forth Gerken’s proposal for a Democracy Index. Part II situates the book within the New Institutionalist approach to election administration reform. It argues that Gerken’s work is significant not only for its specific proposal but also because it advances the New Institutionalism. It catalogs the various ways in which the addition of information may spark both rational and emotional reactions by election administrators, legislators, judges, the public, and political parties. Part III turns from the theory of causal mechanisms of the New Institutionalism to a look at the available evidence. Based upon what we know, it appears that the Democracy Index could well increase the professionalism of election administration in the United States, and thereby decrease the risk of electoral meltdown. But the Index likely will not be enough to overcome the twin pathologies of partisanship and localism that have thus far blocked comprehensive election administration reform. This Review concludes by noting that Old Institutionalism - hardball politics backed by one party or the use in states of an initiative bypass - rather than the soft politics of the New Institutionalism, may present the best hope to fully revamp our system of election administration.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Evaluation & assessment; Nonpartisan election administration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Nathaniel Persily
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
34 page(s)
6/21/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Ballot design; Election Day emergencies; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Wait times
Daron Shaw; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
17 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Electronic pollbooks; Vote centers; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Ted Selker
Science
Nevada
3 page(s)
6/24/2005
Abstract:
Simple changes like banning the use of pencils that can be easily erased for polling- place recordkeeping may do as much to improve election auditing as advanced voting technology. To secure an election properly, we must look for all of the possible points of failure, check for problems at each of them, and document what has been done at every step. Throughout the process, a team of publicly accountable bipartisan and nonpartisan observers should be required to check over and sign off on every phase—from the development and testing of machines to the counting of votes and storage of records.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Michael Scarpello
Denver Elections Division; Election Center
Colorado
8 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
Because no existing product offered the perfect solution to Denver’s challenges, the Denver Elections Division entered into a partnership with a local Denver software company to develop Ballot TRACE: a ballot tracking, reporting, and communication engine.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter information & outreach
Vicki Davis
Election Center; Martin County Supervisor of Elections
Florida
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
During the 2006 election cycle, the Martin County Supervisor of Elections office found that more than half of the registered voters were unaware of their voter registration status during the primary election. In 2006, the elections office received a significant number of telephone calls from voters after the voter registration deadline, asking the questions: Am I a registered voter; Where do I vote on Election Day; and What is my political party? Understanding the importance of voters knowing their voter status, Martin County’s Supervisor of Elections conducted a campaign to raise voter awareness among all registered voters in Martin County. Primary and secondary research performed by the Supervisor of Elections, staff, poll workers, and her community advisory committee in January of 2010 identified a need to encourage a voter to “Check Your Voter Status” prior to Election Day. This awareness led to great excitement and more knowledgeable voters during the 2010 elections.
Subject(s):
Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Susan Gill
Citrus County Supervisor of Elections; Election Center
Florida
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
A warning system was developed that would be the eyes of the ballot supply and usage at the Early Vote Sites. During the day, the Poll Worker enters ballot information into the live database at the Early Vote Site. The data can be monitored live at the elections office by remote access.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Brian McKenzie
Davis County Elections; Election Center
Utah
7 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
A critical part of every election plan is to determine what supplies and personnel will be needed in order to provide an adequate, efficient and positive voting experience for each voter during the election. Prior to the implementation of electronic voting machines, this was a rather simple process for Davis County. However, with new technology came new challenges. Over the past several years, it became apparent we needed to find a more efficient and accurate way to determine the needed resources for each polling location. We realized that these resources are inter-related, and thus many factors must be considered when determining what is needed. Our solution is titled Equipment Officials and Resources (EOR).
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling places
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Christine Goding
Election Center; Polk County Deputy Supervisor of Elections
Florida
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
An important goal in the election business is to provide convenient, easy ways for voters to participate in the democratic process. In Polk County, Florida, offering on-line voter registration through our website is one of the ways we make our office more accessible to our constituents
Subject(s):
Online voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics; Election Center
District of Columbia
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics decided to experiment with providing performance bonuses to the Precinct Captains responsible for each polling site on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation
Scott Konopasek
Election Center; Salt Lake County Elections Division
Utah
6 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
There is a frenzy of necessary tasks that compose the crescendo of Election Day. It takes only one missed or misaimed task to lose the efficiency required for success. In 2009, the Salt Lake County Elections began looking at upcoming Elections as a project. By using Project Planning practices and tools, we were able to involve every functional area in the office to create a collection of task related start and end dates that eliminated all crisis management. Our objective was to balance the work load by optimally using our resources. While doing this we broke down silos, thus encouraging communication, collaboration and ultimately saving time, money and resources.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Polling place management
Combine With: Costs
Neal Kelley
Election Center; Orange County Registrar of Voters
California
6 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
In 2009 the Orange County Registrar of Voters embarked upon a project to streamline the process of communicating to poll workers critical election information. Prior to the development of the Poll Worker PASS, poll workers would receive more than a dozen mailings leading up to Election Day that listed changes to their precinct board or polling place, the details of their assigned training class, their supply pick-up location, and other important election information. Every time a new poll worker was added to a precinct board, the Inspector would receive a letter informing them of this change. This resulted in Inspectors receiving 12 - 13 mailings prior to the election, which cost the department approximately $20,000 per election in postage and printing costs.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs
Brian McKenzie
Davis County Elections; Election Center
Utah
5 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
In 2009, we converted the provisional ballot process from a paper ballot to an electronic ballot. Although there are great benefits associated with electronic ballots, it has also created some unforeseen problems. When voting a provisional ballot on a touch screen machine, the ballot must be flagged as provisional. This prevents the provisional ballot from being automatically counted and tabulated as a regular ballot.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place management; Provisional ballots
Ken Kline
Cerro Gordo County Auditor; Election Center
Iowa
6 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
After seeing demonstrations for three electronic pollbook programs, Kline and Tepner decided to pursue development of an in-house software program. The deficiency of the vendors’ programs was that they did not have the Iowa-specific functionality that a customized, in-house program could provide, while at the same time being expensive and/or requiring proprietary software or hardware. Kline said what was needed was a program that would navigate the precinct official through the dense network of Iowa laws, and offer the user the correct options or instructions, based on the voter’s specific circumstances.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics; Election Center
District of Columbia
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics launched a Twitter feed as an experiment. Unlike other jurisdictions that have experimented with a broad range of new media, however, the Board focused almost exclusively on Twitter. The idea was to concentrate a small amount of time and maintenance on a single investment - the same effort that it would take to send a text message to a single attentive and tech-saavy reporter whenever there was news to share - to broadcast the latest news in a public forum to any news reporter, political operative or engaged citizen who was interested. Over three elections within less than a year, the Board has gained nearly 950 subscribers to its Twitter feed - far more than ever subscribed to its e-mail news release list.
Subject(s):
Polling place management; Voter information & outreach
Candace Grubbs; Laurie Cassady
Butte County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters; Election Center
California
8 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
California law allows any voter to request a ballot by mail. The increased number of voters who choose to vote by mail creates unique issues due to the sheer volume. Butte County Elections Office, like other elections offices, strives to lessen the number of returned mail ballots which have to be challenged and cannot be counted. The three most common reasons for a challenged vote by mail ballot are: 1) the voter did not sign the return envelope; 2) the signature on the return envelope does not match the signature on the voter’s registration card; 3) the returned ballot is received after election day. In an effort to make sure that every possible ballot received is counted, extra measures are taken to contact the voter regarding missing or mismatched signatures. Additionally, contact and coordination is made with the local post offices to alleviate the number of vote by mail ballots returned too late to be counted.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Vote counting & recounting
Kathleen Hale
Election Center
National; Arizona; Colorado; Florida; Kansas; Louisiana; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas
20 page(s)
5/7/2014
Abstract:
Contains overviews of the main arguments in various election-related court cases in 2014 including: Arcia v. Detzner on voter list maintenance; Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of AZ on proof of citizenship requirements for registration; Kobach v. U.S. EAC on proof of citizenship requirements; Scott v. Scheduler/U.S. v. Louisiana on process at voter registration agencies; Shelby County v. Holder on the Voting Rights Act; U.S. v. Texas on voter ID; U.S. v. North Carolina on in-person voting, early voting and same day registration; Applewhite v. Pennsylvania on voter ID; several cases on minority language provisions; several cases on the UOCAVA requirement for transmitting absentee ballots to voters 45 days prior to an election; SEIU v. Husted on provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct; Citizen Center v. Gessler on voted ballots as public record; and Voting for America v. Andrade and League of Women Voters v. Detzner on regulation of 3rd party voter registration drives.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Preregistration for teens; Provisional ballots; Runoff elections; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Special elections; Voter ID; Voter information materials; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Wait times
Christopher Elmendorf
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
21 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
This article calls scholarly attention to the role of independent commissions n a high-discretion and often high-controvery domain: the forging and revising of the ground rules of political competition. Election commissions can and sometimes do serve as agents of election law reform, and questions about how and why that is so--and whether it should be so--merit academic inquiry.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Nonpartisan election administration
Scott Konopasek
Election Administration Theories and Praxis
National
5 page(s)
12/17/2013
Abstract:
Everyone has heard of the “Kelly Blue Book”, the authoritative guide to pricing a car, but few know that there are different versions with different values depending on who you are and your reason for asking the question. The consumer has one version for private sales which contains high and low values depending on the condition of the car. Most consumers think this is the only book and everyone is working with the same information. Not so. Different versions of the Blue Book are closely held and contain different values based upon whether you are a dealer and reselling a car, a dealer taking a car in trade or an insurance agent calculating salvage or replacement value. The cost of the exact same car, like an election, is calculated based upon the assumptions you make, your reason for asking and the capacity in which you ask the question. The answer is never the same.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
23 page(s)
12/1/2006
Abstract:
Voting fraud and voter intimidation are phrases familiar to many voting-aged Americans. However, they mean different things to different people. Voting fraud and voter intimidation are phrases used to refer to crimes, civil rights violations, and, at times, even the lawful application of state or federal laws to the voting process. Past study of these topics has been as varied as its perceived meaning. In an effort to help understand the realities of voting fraud and voter intimidation in our elections, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has begun this, phase one, of a comprehensive study on election crimes. In this phase of its examination, EAC has developed a working definition of election crimes and adopted research methodology on how to assess the existence and enforcement of election crimes in the United States.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation
Combine With: Fraud
Hope Caldwell; Jordan Schwartz; Kevin Johnson; Nicole Harrington; Richard Negrin; Terry Gillen
Election Day Fact-Finding Team, Philadelphia Mayor
Pennsylvania
41 page(s)
6/18/2013
Abstract:
In sum, the citizens of Philadelphia encountered a complex combination of problems on Election Day. Many of these issues are not new and could be addressed through: 1.) better managing of time, resources and personnel by the City Commissioners, 2.) addressing the Election Day problems directly by incorporating the recommendations submitted in this report, and 3.) implementing many of the best practices outlined in the “Vote Philadelphia Transition Committee Report,” produced by a committee assembled by newly-elected Commissioners Singer and Schmidt and presented to all three City Commissioners in February 2012.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Amanda Melillo; Christopher Famighetti; Myrna Pérez
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Florida; Maryland; South Carolina
40 page(s)
9/1/2014
Abstract:
What causes long lines at the polls? Unexpected surges in turnout could be an easy, and in some ways, an accurate answer, but the story is more complex. This study finds that the resources distributed to polling places are a key contributor to long lines. Which precincts have the most voting machines? Do they have enough poll workers? Do they comply with minimum state requirements for how those resources must be allocated? Importantly, this study suggests that the answers to those questions could affect how long voters have to wait in line, and which voters have to wait longer. Many of the lines that manifested on Election Day in 2012 could have been mitigated with planning that looked at factors known before the day of the election, like the number of registered voters and the level of resources allocated to each polling place for Election Day.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Lorraine Minnite
Idaho; Maine; Minnesota; New Hampshire; Wisconsin; Wyoming
12 page(s)
11/18/2007
Abstract:
The specter of fraud in American elections has pervaded our political and media landscape for a long time. In recent years it has been raised again as a key lever in arguments for or against certain state or federal election reforms—in legislative and judicial bodies, and in the media. Allegations of voter fraud in elections have been widely publicized, but the question of whether voter fraud threatens the integrity of elections in the United States has long been neglected by serious researchers. This report draws on my research into the scale and scope of the problem of voter fraud and the politics of election reform. Here I look at the question of voter fraud in states with Election Day Registration (EDR), a vital reform which, like other procedures that lower barriers to the vote, has been resisted based on unfounded allegations of fraud.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Fraud
Cristina Vasile; Regina Eaton
Idaho; Maine; Minnesota; New Hampshire; Wisconsin; Wyoming
36 page(s)
7/1/2010
Abstract:
This “how-to guide” on EDR implementation and administration distills election officials’ first-hand insights into the effective implementation of EDR. We focused here on key issues such as poll worker recruiting and training, avoiding confusion and congestion at the polls, serving special populations, and preserving the integrity of elections.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Charlie Hendrix
Nebraskans for Civic Reform
Nebraska
5 page(s)
1/10/2011
Abstract:
Although the law has not yet dictated that jurisdictions provide Election Day Registration, one questions how long local jurisdictions will be able to defend the position that additional time is required between a voter’s registration and an election to properly administer an election. At least three bills in the 111th Congress sought to mandate registration on election days in federal elections. With the aid of technology, states like Iowa have successfully transferred to an EDR system with little increase in cost, while ensuring more accuracy and security in the voting process. States like Nebraska can benefit from these advancements, while at the same time provide a more accessible and convenient voting experience for eligible voters.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Brenda Wright
Demos
Arizona; California; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Missouri; Nebraska; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Oregon; Pennsylvania; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin
6 page(s)
2/26/2009
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Bernard Grofman; Craig Leon
Social Science Quarterly
National
14 page(s)
3/1/2001
Abstract:
This article examines the turnout effects of adopting Election Day registration (EDR) and other smaller reductions in closing dates. Primarily using the Current Population Study (1972–1996), we estimate the turnout advantage of EDR for citizens having low, middle, and high socioeconomic status. The elimination of closing dates, through EDR, is predicted to produce about a 7-percentage-point turnout boost in the average state. Those having a high school education and middle incomes are expected to see the largest turnout gains, with the less educated and poorer citizens doing almost as well. No evidence is found to link the implementation of EDR to subsequent changes in the electorate’s partisan balance. Even the most dramatic easing of voter registration costs has a modest effect on the total number of voters and little impact on the long-standing skew toward greater representation of those having higher status in the voting electorate of the United States.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Regina Eaton
Demos
Idaho; Maine; Minnesota; New Hampshire; Wisconsin; Wyoming
8 page(s)
11/20/2007
Abstract:
Most of the officials surveyed were town, city or county clerks for whom election administration was often just one of multiple responsibilities. In a few comparatively large jurisdictions, the respondents were full-time election administrators. In all, 49 officials took part. They were asked a variety of questions concerning the administration of EDR, its cost, and the integrity of election results. Here is a summary of what they said.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion
Lorraine Minnite
Demos
National
12 page(s)
11/18/2007
Abstract:
Allegations of voter fraud in elections have been widely publicized, but the question of whether voter fraud threatens the integrity of elections in the United States has long been neglected by serious researchers. This report draws on my research into the scale and scope of the problem of voter fraud and the politics of election reform. Here I look at the question of voter fraud in states with Election Day Registration (EDR), a vital reform which, like other procedures that lower barriers to the vote, has been resisted based on unfounded allegations of fraud.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Fraud
Greg Vonnahme; Robert Stein
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
Colorado
24 page(s)
4/20/2006
Abstract:
To test our hypothesis that Election Day Vote Centers positively influence turnout among non-habitual voters, we have collected individual vote histories on all voters in Larimer and a control county (i.e., Weld, Colorado) that uses precinct voting on Election Day for the years 1992-2003. A random sample of voters (N=10,000) is selected from each county and matched on three variables including age, gender and, vote history. We test our main hypothesis with this matched sample of voters.
Subject(s):
Vote centers; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
California
8 page(s)
Spring 2011
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should California adopt Election Day Registration (EDR). The availability of EDR procedures should give voters who have not previously registered or need to update their information the opportunity to vote. Consistent with existing research on the impact of Election Day Registration in the other states that use this process, we find that EDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
Hawaii
7 page(s)
2/16/2011
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Hawaii adopt Election Day Registration.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Iowa
8 page(s)
11/30/2008
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact of adoption of election day registration (EDR) by the state of Iowa. Consistent with existing research on the impact of EDR in other circumstances, we find that EDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Massachusetts
8 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact of adoption of Election Day Registration (EDR) by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Consistent with existing research on the impact of EDR in other circumstances, we find that EDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Nebraska
10 page(s)
4/6/2011
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Nebraska adopt Election Day Registration (EDR). Under the system proposed in Nebraska, eligible voters who miss the current 17 day deadline for registering by mail may be able to register to vote on Election Day. The availability of Election Day Registration procedures should give voters who have not previously registered the opportunity to vote. Consistent with existing research on the impact of EDR in the other states that use this process, we find that EDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
New Mexico
8 page(s)
12/1/2010
Abstract:
Report authors R. Michael Alvarez and Jonathan Nagler have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should New Mexico adopt Same Day Registration (SDR).
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Catherine Wilson; R. Michael Alvarez; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
36 page(s)
6/1/2002
Abstract:
In this paper we review the literature on the linkage between voter registration and turnout, with a particular emphasis on how election day registration works and how it impacts voter turnout. We then present our analysis of the 2000 CPS-VS, in which we estimate the potential national impact of election day registration in the United States. Using a novel counterfactual analysis, we examine not only the question about how much voter registration and turnout would increase if every state used election day registration, we also estimate the impact of this change on the composition of the American electorate. We find that the very groups who would be expected to find election day registration an easier process, those who are younger, more residentially mobile, lower on the socioeconomic ladder, nonwhite, and newly naturalized citizens of the US, would benefit in important ways from election day registration. We conclude with additional discussion of some of the criticisms of election day registration, and a discussion of the current political climate for its possible implementation.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Vermont
10 page(s)
Winter 2008
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Vermont adopt Election Day Registration (EDR). Under the system proposed in Vermont, eligible voters who miss the current six-day deadline for registering by mail may be able to register to vote on Election Day. Consistent with existing research on the impact of EDR in the other states that use this process, we find that EDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Justin Levitt
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
20 page(s)
3/5/2012
Abstract:
Though the demographic characteristics of American voters still differ from the characteristics of the electorate as a whole, participation in the 2008 election represented real progress in closing the gap. Unfortunately, a wave of new regulations in 2011 threatens to reverse course. Worse, the burdens imposed by these new laws are not only real and inequitable, but also unnecessary—and in some cases, directly counterproductive. Through a hard look at the available data, this article reviews the demonstrated costs and benefits of three types of new election regulation: restrictions on voter registration, restrictions on early voting, and restrictions on how voters prove their identity at the polls. It concludes that while regulation of these aspects of the election process is undeniably necessary, the approaches of 2011's new laws appear unwarranted.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Andrew McCoy; Emily Lippolis; Rebecca Green; Shanna Reulbach
College of William & Mary School of Law; Standing Committee on Election Law, American Bar Association
National
57 page(s)
5/1/2013
Abstract:
The ABA Standing Committee on Election Law presents this Report to provide an overview of research and proposals to address Election Day delays. The information and insights contained in this Report are intended as a starting point for further research into the problems delaying voters at the polls. The Report surveys proposed solutions, but makes none of its own. While it represents the collective work of the Standing Committee, not every member of the Standing Committee may agree with or endorse all of the information provided on potential causes or solutions. It is, however, the Standing Committee’s goal to initiate a discussion that brings to the table all relevant viewpoints in the hope of assisting in developing a consensus as to best practices to run elections that are fair, accurate, and efficient.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day holiday; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Weekend voting
Combine With: Wait times
Walter Mebane, Jr.
Summer Meeting of the Political Methodology Society
National
52 page(s)
7/3/2013
Abstract:
Very recently there has been controversy about a method suggested for detecting election fraud: Pericchi and Torres argue that Benford’s Law applied to the second digits of vote counts can be a standard for detecting fraud, while Deckert, Myagkov and Ordeshook argue that Benford’s Law is useless for this purpose. Using data from elections from several countries and election systems I show that with precinct- or polling station-level vote counts, the so-called second-digit Benford’s Law distribution (2BL) describes very few of the empirical distributions. Contra Pericchi and Torres, however, it is not that fraud is rife in all these elections. Instead the digits in vote counts can help diagnose both the strategies voters use in elections and nonstrategic special mobilizations affecting votes for some candidates.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; International election administration; Optical scan voting machines
Combine With: Fraud
Corbin Carson
Carnegie-Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism Education; News21
National
8/12/2012
Abstract:
This database contains all cases reported to News21 of alleged election fraud across America since 2000.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting
Combine With: Fraud
Criminal Division, Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice
Alabama; Colorado; Florida; Illinois; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Missouri; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; West Virginia; Wisconsin
10 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
R. Michael Alvarez; Susan Hyde; Thad Hall
Brookings Institution Press
National
255 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
Allegations of fraud have marred recent elections around the world, from Russia and Italy to Mexico and the United States. Such charges raise fundamental questions about the quality of democracy in each country. Yet election fraud and, more broadly, electoral manipulation remain remarkably understudied concepts. There is no consensus on what constitutes election fraud, let alone how to detect and deter it. Election Fraud: Detecting and Deterring Electoral Manipulation brings together experts on election law, election administration, and U.S. and comparative politics to address these critical issues.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Fraud
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
3 page(s)
7/3/2012
Abstract:
Even though the nation has more than 200 years experience in conducting elections, changes mandated by federal and state laws, combined with technological changes and major shifts within society, mean that states need immediate policy and budget responses. The cost to states and local governments for election administration is likely to be high for the next three years, but some of that can be mitigated with legislative action to grant reprieve from outdated laws and practices.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Election administrators; Security; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Elizabeth Bircher
College of William & Mary School of Law; Election Law Program; National Center for State Courts
National
Spring 2008
Abstract:
This Manual is designed to provide a basic overview of election law in the United States. Its primary focus is state election law, although reference is made to important federal statutes that are relevant to election law, such as the Help America Vote Act and the Voting Rights Act, as well as to relevant federal constitutional provisions such as the first and fourteenth amendments.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Polling place management; Recounts
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Kenneth Mayer
American Journal of Political Science; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
51 page(s)
9/9/2013
Abstract:
State governments have experimented with a variety of election laws to make voting
more convenient and increase turnout. The impacts of these reforms vary in surprising ways,
providing insight into the mechanisms by which states can encourage or reduce turnout. Our
theory focuses on mobilization and distinguishes between the direct and indirect effects of
election laws. We conduct both aggregate and individual level statistical analyses of voter
turnout in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections. The results show that election day
registration has a consistently positive effect on turnout while the most popular reform – early
voting – is actually associated with lower turnout when it is implemented by itself. We propose
that early voting has created negative unanticipated consequences by reducing the civic
significance of elections for individuals and altering the incentives for political campaigns to
invest in mobilization.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Erin Ferns Lee
Project Vote
National
30 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
Project Vote has monitored election legislation in all 50 state legislatures in session in 2013, as well as in the U.S. Congress. This memo reviews both the threats and opportunities represented by election bills that have been introduced in 2013, based on our bill monitoring project, discussions with state-based advocates, recent media coverage, and the partisan makeup of the legislatures and state election directors.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Wait times
United States Postal Service
National
34 page(s)
2/1/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election administrators; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Oliver Walton
AusAID; Governance and Social Development Resource Centre
National
12 page(s)
9/10/2012
Abstract:
This report addresses the links between election monitoring, voter education and election-related violence. It finds little generalisable evidence to show that election monitoring or voter education consistently lead to a reduction in levels of election-related violence. On the contrary, some cross-country quantitative studies suggest that in certain contexts, election monitoring may actually promote violence. The report outlines a number of methodological difficulties with establishing a general argument about these links. It also finds contradictory evidence on the question of which election monitoring strategies are most effective, and little analysis of comparative assessments about the relative value voter education versus election monitoring. Finally, the report highlights limited analysis of the degree to which different voter education strategies are more or less appropriate in particular environments.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; International election administration; Poll watchers; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Fraud
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network
Wisconsin
4 page(s)
7/25/2012
Abstract:
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin (LWVWI) Education Network organized volunteers throughout the state to observe the June 5 recall election. The purpose of this project was to: 1. Provide an independent, non-partisan report on how consistently and accurately election laws are carried out throughout the state. 2. Determine if there should be concern about citizens being disenfranchised through poor administration, fraud or by aspects of the law itself. 3. Identify best practices as well as poorer administration to assist in future training of clerks and poll workers.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling places; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Denise Merrill
Election Performance Task Force, Connecticut Secretary of State
Connecticut
40 page(s)
3/2/2012
Abstract:
Contained in this report are the findings of the Election Performance Task Force, organized by subcommittee subject matter, with the additional category of voting technology. The Secretary utilized these findings along with feedback from members of the task force, other interested parties, and the public to shape the recommendations that are detailed at the end of this report.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Civic education; Election Day holiday; Evaluation & assessment; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Overseas voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Voter confidence
Kevin Cronin
Hawaii Election Commission; Hawaii Office of Elections
Hawaii
17 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
At this time the resources provided to the Office of Elections (election office or OE) by the administration and the legislature are insufficient to plan and organize for the state's voters the elections at a minimum level of adequacy in terms of the additional staff and funds necessary for reasonable elections. This inadequacy is explained further in this report. The authority to hire staff and secure additional funds is needed by December 15, 2009, to give the 2010 elections a chance.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Doug Chapin
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
72 page(s)
1/1/2004
Abstract:
Electionline.org’s third annual report seeks to give readers a national overview of the scope and progress of changes to elections around the country. With a presidential election looming in the fall, 2004 provides the best opportunity since the Supreme Court stopped the protracted Florida recount more than three years ago to look at how elections have changed, how they haven’t and why – and what that could mean this year.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Security; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Voter confidence
Doug Chapin
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
75 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
The election process changed more in 2006 than in any year since the disputed 2000 Presidential election. Consequently, on the eve of a national election in which control of Congress is in play - and two years from an open seat election for the White House - it is vitally important to understand What's Changed, What Hasn't and Why.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Doug Chapin
Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
84 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
November 4 marks the end of a voting process that, for some, started more than a month before with early in-person or by-mail absentee voting. Ballots cast early, however, will not provide any relief at polling places in many states on Election Day. While some experts estimate as many as a third of voters will cast ballots before Election Day, the myriad election systems and rules in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories will be put to the test on November 4, almost as much as the poll workers, voters, election officials and candidates. This report offers detailed information on each state, including the latest registration numbers, voting system information, voter ID and provisional balloting rules, post-election auditing rules and other data beginning on p. 22. Additionally, it provides an overview of the state-of-play around the country as Election Day approaches, describing a voting system that, while still in flux with a host of changes since 2001, will, ready or not, face its greatest challenge in a high-stakes contest with massive turnout.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election types; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Paper ballots; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Mark Andersen
Bay County Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
8 page(s)
6/25/2013
Abstract:
I will briefly discuss three areas, Election Quality Management, Security, and the Public Perception.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Military voters; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Mitch McConnell
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
2 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
The subject of election reform continues to be discussed and debated in the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures. While Congress haggles over whether Washington should prescribe specific machines and voting systems, many states have been pro-active in enacting reform legislation. In fact, of the more than 1,700 election reform bills introduced in the states, 241 have been signed into law. We here in Congress should move quickly in a bipartisan, responsible manner to make grants available to assist the states in implementing reforms.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Voting technology
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
65 page(s)
2/7/2008
Abstract:
Local election officials (LEOs) are critical to the administration of federal elections and the implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA, P.L. 107-252). Two surveys of LEOs were performed, in 2004 and 2006, by Texas A&M University; the surveys were sponsored and coordinated by CRS. Although care needs to be taken in interpreting the results, they may have implications for several policy issues, such as how election officials are chosen and trained, the best ways to ensure that voting systems and election procedures are sufficiently effective, secure, and voter-friendly, and whether adjustments should be made to HAVA requirements.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Nonpartisan election administration; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
C. Michael Weaver
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Pennsylvania
5 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
As the year 2001 began, election reform in Pennsylvania took three tracks. First, Governor Ridge requested $8.5 million in his 2001-2002 budget for the development of a statewide integrated voter registration system. The system envisioned would combine 67 diverse county voter registration systems into one single statewide system, while electronically linking state agency voter registration data to the system. Second, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened a Joint Select Committee to Examine Election Issues. This Committee was charged with examining a broad array of election issues. Over the course of 2001, the Joint Select Committee held hearings across the state on, among other issues, voting systems, voter registration, and Election Day procedures. The third track of Pennsylvania's election reform effort focused on county voting methods. In March 2001, Governor Ridge signed Executive Order 2001-3 establishing the Voting Modernization Task Force to examine the method by which Pennsylvania's voters cast their ballots and make recommendations for modernizing these systems.
Subject(s):
Polling place management; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Jeb Bush
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Florida
4 page(s)
9/1/2002
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Punch cards; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Public opinion
David Kimball
Election Reform: Politics and Policy; Lexington Books
Illinois
28 page(s)
12/1/2003
Abstract:
Given the condition of the election system in Illinois, several election reforms have been proposed in recent years, but no significant changes occurred until the 2003 legislative session. Partisan gridlock, the state’s deteriorating fiscal condition, the state’s political culture, other political reform priorities, and the absence of conditions promoting strong leadership thwarted previous election reform efforts. However, the passage of HAVA and a shift to Democratic Party control of the legislative and executive branches of state government dramatically improved the prospects for reform. These two forces combined in 2003 to help pass the most significant election reform legislation in Illinois in many years.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Betty Sullivan; Marilyn Knight
League of Women Voters of Washington
Washington
14 page(s)
Fall 2006
Abstract:
This study reviews for members and the public the issues raised by that historically close election (2004) and the resulting changes in state law. Committee members examined the new state Voter Registration Database system and the various approaches to auditing election results. Included is a synopsis of Building Confidence in U.S. Elections, (The Carter-Baker Report) and a summary of recommendations of the Brennan Center for Justice and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights for Improving Reliability of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Voting Systems.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election types; Military voters; Overseas voters; Polling place locations; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Voter confidence
Stephen Freese; Steve Kelley
Council of State Governments (CSG); Elections Task Force, Midwestern Legislative Conference
National
15 page(s)
8/1/2002
Abstract:
The task force was directed to consider a broad range of election administration concerns, including voting and registration practices, contested election procedures and more. But it was also charged with examining the potential impact of federal election reform efforts on the states, the presidential candidate selection process (including possible changes in the primary election system), and the Electoral College. In addition to fulfilling this broad charge by developing a set of recommendations to improve the electoral process in the Midwest, the task force informally agreed to pursue several other objectives during the course of its work. Specifically, the task force sought to bring renewed attention to those issues that have not yet been sufficiently addressed by the states, to identify best practices and incorporate them into its recommendations whenever possible, and to focus on those areas where the task force believed it could best add value to the larger election reform debate.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Hollister Bundy
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
24 page(s)
6/1/2003
Abstract:
This article examines the issue of polling place accessibility for voters with disabilities under prior and current law. The first part evaluates the current status of accessibility and barriers to access, and it reviews the concerns of both disability advocates and election officials in dealing with problems of polling place accessibility. The second part surveys the relevant laws and litigation surrounding the issue preceding the passage of the Help America Vote Act. The third part then turns to the relevant provisions and expected effect of the Help American Vote Act, sets forth an interpretation of the law to require measured accessibility, and analyzes prospects for access solutions consistent with this reading of the Act.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Eileen Rudert; Manuel Alba; Margaret Butler; Mireille Zieseniss; Wanda Johnson
Office for Civil Rights Evaluation, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
National
67 page(s)
11/1/2001
Abstract:
The Office for Civil Rights Evaluation reviewed national election reform initiatives, as well as studies and proposals of both public and private entities, to facilitate the Commission’s ongoing monitoring of voting rights enforcement and election reform.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Internet voting; Low-income voters; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
9 page(s)
6/1/2002
Abstract:
If Americans do not have faith in the election process, then it will be impossible for them to believe in the government that results from that process. This fundamental truth is why it is critical for state legislators and policy- makers to examine current circumstances and make necessary changes to ensure the health and well being of the electoral process. This article examines the roles of state and local governments in election reform and recommends 12 minimum state-level reforms. The author examines challenges states will face in the future.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Maintenance; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Daniel Palazzolo; James Ceaser
Lexington Books
National; Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Illinois; Maryland; Missouri; New York; Pennsylvania; Virginia
336 page(s)
12/1/2004
Abstract:
Election Reform: Politics and Policy is the definitive work on the manner in which policymakers responded to the crisis that emerged from the 2000 presidential election. Editors Daniel Palazzolo and James Ceaser address two fundamental questions: How did the states and Congress respond to the problems in election law and administration that became apparent in the 2000 election? What factors explain the variety of ways in which different states responded? The book includes a theoretical framework for explaining election reform, an account of the Help America Vote Act, and in-depth studies of election law reform in eleven selected states.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Kevin Kennedy
Wisconsin State Elections Board
Wisconsin
44 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
There are many scenarios both natural and man-made that warrant taking precautions and making preparations to prevent, mitigate, and recover from an emergency situation that may disrupt an election. Wisconsin Statutes give emergency management powers to the governor, §166.03(1)(a), (b), Wis. Stats. However it is up to state agencies, such as the State Elections Board, and local units of government to respond accordingly in the event of an emergency situation, §166.03(5a), Wis. Stats. The State Legislature recognized the need for a proactive approach to election preparedness planning and required, in 2005 Wisconsin Act 451, that the State Elections Board prepare this report and recommendations with regard to state, regional and local election-related contingency planning efforts and preparedness regarding both large-scale and limited-scope natural disasters or technological threats that may occur at or near election time.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Poll worker training; Security
David Wickert; Johnny Edwards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia
2 page(s)
1/17/2013
Abstract:
Lackluster leadership and internal disarray caused Fulton County to mismanage last year’s presidential election, according to a report obtained exclusively by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Scott Gessler
Elections Division, Colorado Department of State
Colorado
6 page(s)
10/11/2011
Abstract:
Saguache County held its general election on November 2, 2010. Voters cast approximately 2,400 ballots in the District 3 County Commissioner and County Clerk and Recorder races. The Saguache County Clerk released inaccurate election night results. The release of the incorrect results ultimately put the election’s integrity in question. Although representatives from the Secretary of State’s office reviewed the election results, many Saguache County citizens remained uncertain about the final vote tabulation. A District Court Judge authorized the Secretary of State to conduct a public review of the final tabulation to remove doubt about the election results. That review was conducted August 29-31, 2011.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors
Richard Lyons II
Elections Review Committee, Boulder County
Colorado
45 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
The Committee unanimously concludes that no single factor was the proximate cause of the delay in obtaining the election results in the 2004 general election. Instead of a single cause, the Committee has identified numerous independent factors that combined to create the delay. Some of those factors were within the control of the Election Division, some were beyond its control, and others were the result of acts and omissions of the County’s outside vendors and service providers. In addition, some of these factors were so inter-related that it is difficult to separately identify them as causes whereas others set into motion a chain of events that, although traceable, were distanced enough from Election Day that it is difficult to identify them as causes.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker training; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Connie Lawson
Election Security Task Force, Indiana Secretary of State
Indiana
2 page(s)
8/28/2012
Abstract:
Secretary of State Connie Lawson hosted an Election Security Task Force meeting to prepare for the upcoming General Election. Joining Secretary Lawson were leaders of the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the Attorney General’s office, the County Clerk’s Association, the County Commissioners Association and the County Sheriffs Association to discuss preparations for Election Day emergencies and responses to disruptions.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Mark Robbins
Voting System Testing and Certification Division, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
141 page(s)
12/20/2011
Abstract:
This Formal Investigation Report summarizes the Scope, Analysis, Findings and Recommendations of the EAC investigation into the Election Systems & Software (ES&S) DS200 Precinct Count Optical Scanner in the Unity 3.2.0.0 EAC certified voting system.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Security; Voting technology
Gary Cohen
Elections Task Force, Golden Valley City Council
Minnesota
6 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
The City Council formed the Election Task Force in March 2006 to study City election processes. Task Force members further defined their mission to consider various facets of the election process in terms of how those processes encourage participation and involvement in civic affairs and voting in Golden Valley. The recommendations contained in this report are inclusive versus exclusive and seek to foster citizen participation in the electoral process.The Task Force considered even versus odd year elections, two-year versus four-year mayoral terms, Council salaries, a possible City primary election, the process for filling vacancies on the Council, a code of ethics for candidates, and other topics.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Special elections
Charles Stewart III
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
59 page(s)
3/25/2009
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to add to the growing literature about how well voting technologies perform in elections, using survey research to gather direct voter feedback. In particular, I use the 2008 Survey on the Performance of American Elections, combined with data about the voting machines used by voters, to assess whether different machines led voters to experience more problems voting or to have less confidence in how elections were run in 2008.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence; Wait times
Nathan Cemenska
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
2 page(s)
6/17/2008
Abstract:
Since 2000, the election administration community has worked hard to reduce the probability of technical problems and maladministration in conducting the vote. However, in jurisdictions where those efforts have been most successful, the low-hanging fruit has largely been picked and further effort in these areas will reap only diminishing returns. For that reason, it may be time to take a step back and look at whether there are some other areas that have not received much attention, but where great gains can be made with relatively little effort.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling
Combine With: Litigation; Public opinion
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Connecticut; Minnesota; Montana; North Dakota
16 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
This, the first in a series of electionline.org case studies, examines the implementation, legislative history, practice and outlook for EDR in the states where it is currently permitted and in other parts of the country where it has been or will be considered by lawmakers.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout; Wait times
Associated Press
Louisiana
2 page(s)
10/19/2005
Abstract:
How do you hold a city election when half your polling places are destroyed? How do you inform voters when they are scattered across the country? And how, in the middle of so much confusion, do you guard against fraud? New Orleans needs to answer those questions before Feb. 4, when it is scheduled to hold a mayoral primary and City Council races. On Thursday, members of a state elections task force said Louisiana will need to bring in temporary voting buildings, individually inspect hundreds of voting machines and hire dozens of new elections workers before the city elections. The task force, which met for the first time Thursday, was set up to figure out how to hold elections in areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
4 page(s)
7/1/2011
Abstract:
States need to be aware that the budget crisis for state and local governments is likely to put the 2012 presidential election—and beyond—more at risk than at any time since the 2000 election. Despite the successes of each election cycle in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, severe budget constraints have the potential to cause voting concerns in 2012. Actions, if taken soon, can lessen the strain on state and local governments. Changes in state election laws and practices can result in temporary and/or permanent savings for both state and local election offices. Some federal mandates will trigger greater expenses for both near-term and long-term future decisions.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election consolidation; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Online voter registration; Poll worker training; Vote centers; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
3 page(s)
6/1/2010
Abstract:
Governors and state legislators need to re-evaluate the federal changes to voter registration and election administration and determine if the model for management of those functions is current to state needs and practices. Where the election process for more than two centuries has been principally at the local level through county and city governments, with states responsible for policy development and enforcement, Congress continues to make the states the chief administrative body. State administrative and legislative response to the dramatic changes in level of responsibility has not kept pace with the federal mandates.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election administrators; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio General Assembly; Ohio Governor; Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio
39 page(s)
4/22/2009
Abstract:
The following recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly are a result of the active participation of hundreds of elections officials, voting rights advocates, academic and election law professors, non-profits, poll workers and concerned Ohio voters. Based on the Ohio Elections Summit, the Ohio Elections Conference and the final record of recommendations compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice, the Secretary of State crafted specific enhancements that can be implemented by the General Assembly and/ or the Secretary of State. In some cases, the Secretary of State specifically recommends further studies, all of which would be incorporated into a single Secretary of State study group to enhance cost-savings and ensure best possible further recommendations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Special elections; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio
20 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
As the following legislative summary illustrates, Secretary Brunner has kept her promise to implement the cost-effective, bipartisan blueprint for elections enhancements developed over the last nine months.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Internet voting; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote centers; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Donetta Davidson
Colorado County Clerks Association
Colorado
2 page(s)
11/29/2012
Abstract:
We have a window of opportunity this session to address real concerns and make needed updates. We hope that with the pressures and partisanship of a presidential election behind us, we can come together to make improvements in the interests of voters and the people of Colorado, regardless of their party. In that spirit, we have compiled a list of issues and needs to help advance the conversation in whole instead of parts and pieces. Some of the issues detailed below are matters clerks have sought in the past, and some are issues we have historically resisted. We hope this letter sets a tone of collaboration. We believe that in 2013 we can make reforms that ultimately benefit voters and improve our election system through statesmanship and compromise.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter registration
Donald Shuster
Pacific Studies
Guam
46 page(s)
3/1/2004
Abstract:
This article describes electoral politics and parties on Guam: candidates, campaigns, results, and analyses. The first seven gubernatorial elections are surveyed, and the contests of 1998,2000, and 2002 are described in detail. The 1998 race, an especially contentious one, was finally settled by a U.S. Supreme Court decision. The 2002 governorship contest pitted media power and careful strategy against activism and an effort to empower voters. As with many Pacific island societies, Guam's politics are colorful, faction ridden, and provide an interesting example of democratic process at work in a small-scale society.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Election administrators; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
4/7/2014
Abstract:
The Elections Performance Index is a project that, for the first time ever, examines election administration performance across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Users can click through the new online interactive to see where their state stands based on the indicators of their choice.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
6 page(s)
9/4/2007
Abstract:
Since the November 2000 Presidential election, previously obscure details of voting and vote counting have become the focus of ongoing public attention and legislative action at the state and federal levels. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L. 107-252) was enacted in October 2002, and states have made many changes to election laws and procedures before and since. HAVA created a new federal agency; set requirements for voting, voter-registration systems, and other aspects of election administration; and provided federal funding. However, it did not supplant state and local control over election administration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Elizabeth Maland
Rules Committee, San Diego City Council; San Diego Elections Task Force
California
6 page(s)
7/26/2006
Abstract:
On February 6, 2006, the City Council formed the Elections Task Force, with the objective of researching elections-related issues, and reporting results and recommendations to the Rules Committee for possible consideration by the full City Council. Members of the Task Force include appointees from the Mayor and each Council Office, with the City Clerk serving as the chair. The Task Force is staffed by representatives from the City Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, the Mayor’s Office, and the Office of the City Clerk. On April 5, 2006, the Task Force agenda and a potential action timeline were approved by the Rules Committee. The first meeting of the Task Force occurred on April 21, 2006, with mail-only balloting as the first topic under consideration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Women voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout; Wait times
Alexander Shvartsman; Peggy Reeves; Theodore Bromley
Center for Voting Technology Research, University of Connecticut; Connecticut Secretary of State; State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
Connecticut
14 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
Transition from lever voting machines to electronic voting technology in Connecticut necessitated the
development of new policies and procedures by the Secretary of the State (SOTS) Office to safeguard
the integrity and security of the new electoral process. Forming a partnership with the University of
Connecticut, SOTS Office developed a comprehensive approach that extended the existing electoral
procedures to incorporate the use of the new optical scan electronic voting equipment. This paper
reports on the overall electoral process in Connecticut that includes new procedures that ensure strict
chain-of-custody control of the electronic voting machines, safe-use of the memory cards used to
program the machines for each specific district and election, and the audits performed in conjunction with each state-wide election. The comprehensive audits in Connecticut consist of hand-counted audits in 10% of randomly selected districts, and technology audits that focus on pre-election and postelection audits of memory cards. The detailed audit reports are published upon their completion. In addition, technical inspections are performed of any voting machines that possibly may not have operated correctly.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Steven Carbó
Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, Maryland Senate
Maryland
6 page(s)
2/16/2012
Abstract:
Thank you Chairman Carter-Conway, and all of the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of S.B. 339, which would submit an amendment to the voters of the State to provide a process to allow a qualified voter to register and vote on certain days before election day at certain polling places. Demos is a non-partisan public policy center, founded in 2000, that works with policy makers, elections officials, and advocates in pursuit of a vibrant democracy with high levels of voting and civic engagement. Achieving this level of inclusivity requires reducing barriers – such as arbitrary registration cut-off deadlines – that prevent all eligible citizens from exercising their right to vote. To this end, Demos’ Democracy Program is engaged in a long-term campaign to support enactment of Same Day Registration (SDR) – a proven reform to substantially increase voter turnout among eligible voters without compromising the integrity of elections or substantially increasing costs.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Allegra Chapman
Committee on Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs, Maryland Senate
National; Iowa; Maryland; Minnesota; Wisconsin
6 page(s)
2/26/2009
Abstract:
Allegra Chapman, Counsel in the Democracy Program, delivers testimony on the benefits of Election Day Registration before the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee of the Maryland General Assembly.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Anthony Fowler
Quarterly Journal of Political Science
National
34 page(s)
4/26/2013
Abstract:
Would election results and public policy be different if everyone voted? The adoption of compulsory voting in Australia provides a rare opportunity to address this question. First, I collect two novel data sources to assess the extent of turnout inequality in Australia before compulsory voting. Overwhelmingly, wealthy citizens voted more than their working class counterparts. Next, exploiting the differential adoption of compulsory voting across states, I find that the policy increased voter turnout by 24 percentage points which in turn increased the vote shares and seat shares of the Labor Party by 7 to 10 percentage points. Finally, comparing across OECD countries, I find that Australia’s adoption of compulsory voting significantly increased turnout and pension spending at the national level. Results suggest that democracies with voluntary voting do not represent the preferences of all citizens. Instead, increased voter turnout can dramatically alter election outcomes and resulting public policies.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Low-income voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Karen Long Jusko
Annual Toronto Political Behaviour Workshop
National
28 page(s)
1/2/2014
Abstract:
This discussion presents evidence that rates of turnout among low-income citizens reflect legislators' and parties' electoral incentives to be responsive to the poor, and that these electoral incentives are determined by electoral geography - the joint geographic distribution of legislative seats and low-income voters across electoral districts. Further, this discussion demonstrates that under SMD electoral rules, low-income voters are more likely to vote in those electoral districts in which they are likely to be pivotal. By presenting a strategic mobilization account of voter turnout, this discussion breaks with current accounts of voter turnout that emphasize facilitative and motivational individual- and system-level factors. Instead, this discussion argues that low-income voters' turnout decisions, in fact, reflect parties' electoral incentives to cultivate and mobilize a low-income constituency.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Low-income voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Betsy Sinclair; R. Michael Alvarez
Political Research Quarterly
California
13 page(s)
1/6/2012
Abstract:
In this article, the authors apply social network theory to study patterns of legislative choices under different primary election systems, and this approach leads the authors to study how electoral institutions affect legislative behavior differently than most previous research—that is, they focus on how electoral institutions affect the interactions between legislators. The authors use data on legislative voting behavior from the California State Assembly and exploit the changes that have been implemented in California’s primary elections process over the past two decades. Specifically, they hypothesize that legislators who were elected during the years in which a nonpartisan blanket primary was used in California (1998 and 2000) will be more centrally networked and more likely to compromise with other legislators. They find evidence to support their hypothesis: legislators elected under the nonpartisan blanket primary are more likely to agree with other legislators. Electoral institutions, especially primary elections, have important effects on legislative behavior. The authors’ results have implications for highly polarized state legislatures.
Subject(s):
Open primaries; Top two primaries
Jan Leighley; Jonathan Nagler
CELS Annual Conference on Empirical Legal Studies
National
31 page(s)
11/20/2009
Abstract:
In this paper we examine the impact of electoral laws on overall turnout, and class bias in the electorate. Using turnout in each state in each year we use cross sectional time series analysis to estimate the impact of electoral reforms on turnout, with particular attention to the discriminatory impact of legal changes on persons at different segments of the income distribution. This gives us much more powerful estimates of these effects than were previously available. We do not suffer from the problems of cross-sectional analyses which rely on the assumption that the choice of electoral regime is independent of the likelihood of voting. And by using all presidential elections from 1972 thru 2008 we have much more statistical power than has been provided by previous analyses simply looking at difference of means tests across two elections. We consider the impact of: the number of days prior to election day that registration closes; the availability of election day registration; the availability of no-excuse early voting, and the availability of no-fault absentee voting. We show the net effects of these reforms on the probability of individuals voting, and we calculate the effect on at-risk votes and show that more poorly educated voters are not necessarily those more likely to take advantage of electoral reforms.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Stephanie McLean
Department of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh
National
206 page(s)
8/3/2006
Abstract:
This dissertation has two main goals. The first is to discover the determinants of attitudes about election fairness in the United States. In broad terms, this is an exploration of the variables that influence attitudes about controversial moments in American politics. More specifically, the emphasis is on the comparative importance of procedural concerns, partisan interest, and ideological differences in determining attitudes about the fairness of American elections. Second, I investigate the effect of different kinds of procedural problems in elections on political attitudes and behaviors. Variables of interest include trust in government, political efficacy, interest and participation in campaign activity
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place accessibility; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
David Farrell
Palgrave Macmillan
National
288 page(s)
2/15/2011
Abstract:
Electoral Systems examines the six principle types of electoral system currently in use in more than seventy of the world's democracies. A common format is adopted throughout, dealing with explanations of how the system operates and its effects on the political system.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
27 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
Since the 2000 presidential elections, the evolution of electronic technologies in American elections—from voting machines to computerized voter registries—has occurred within the context of a highly partisan, polarized, and politicized environment. The decision about the type of voting systems to use within a given state has become especially political and these debates have affected the confidence and attitudes of voters toward various voting technologies. In this paper, we consider the evolution of voter confidence over this period and the evolution of the political debate that relates to electronic voting. We note that confidence in voting systems is affected by several factors, including race, partisanship, voting for a winning candidate, and the mode of voting (i.e., voting in person of voting via absentee ballot). During this time, certain factors, such as partisanship, have changed in importance based on previous election outcomes.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Princeton University Press
National
256 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
Electronic Elections cuts through the media spin to assess the advantages and risks associated with different ways of casting ballots--and shows how e-voting can be the future of American democracy. Elections by nature are fraught with risk. Michael Alvarez and Thad Hall fully examine the range of past methods and the new technologies that have been created to try to minimize risk and accurately reflect the will of voters. Drawing upon a wealth of new data on how different kinds of electronic voting machines have performed in recent elections nationwide, they evaluate the security issues that have been the subject of so much media attention, and examine the impacts the new computer-based solutions is having on voter participation. Alvarez and Hall explain why the benefits of e-voting can outweigh the challenges, and they argue that media coverage of the new technologies has emphasized their problems while virtually ignoring their enormous potential for empowering more citizens to vote. The authors also offer ways to improve voting technologies and to develop more effective means of implementing and evaluating these systems.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Barry Burden; Gary Bland
RTI International ; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National; Colorado; Delaware; Maryland; Nevada; Utah; Virginia; Washington
35 page(s)
12/10/2013
Abstract:
This report evaluates outcomes related to the first year of operation–Stage 1–of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). ERIC is a nonprofit organization established by seven member states that joined to form the Center in 2012. The states received technical and financial support to design and incorporate ERIC from The Pew Charitable Trusts. The goal of ERIC is to improve voter registration rolls by enhancing access to registration for unregistered voters and by improving the accuracy of the rolls through regular maintenance of registration lists. ERIC uses IBM technology to connect information in state voter files with data from state motor vehicle offices, death records, and change of address information to identify eligible but unregistered individuals and identify outdated entries and duplicate entries within and across states to help clean up voter rolls.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Allan Friedman; Jean Camp; Warigia Bowman
Voting, Vote Capture & Vote Counting Symposium
National
23 page(s)
6/1/2004
Abstract:
One goal of the symposium was to set out for contemplation and discussion the major issues involving vote collection and tabulation. In this vein there were six major themes that emerged in the discussion in the symposium. First, there is a need for immediate steps, and long term systematic organization. Second, a hybrid system that includes paper for audit and electronics for speed and flexibility is an effective option. Third, there is a critical need for investment in the human element. Vote tallies can be speedy or accurate, but not both, and the public should understand this very human distinction. Fourth, design standards are needed for all technologies – including paper ballot with respect to usability. Fifth, transparency in processes, including electronic processes, is critical. Sixth, electronic systems require an audit trail consisting of independent non-aggregated artifacts of which paper ballots are the only currently feasible option.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot design; Ballot marking tools; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
Carter Bays; Duncan Buell
Open Voting Consortium
South Carolina
14 page(s)
11/19/2004
Abstract:
From what we know of the electronic systems available, we believe the current risk is much too high to be acceptable. The systems are inherently insecure; it will be a complicated process to make them secure; and we expect that few election officials, especially at the local levels, will be able to maintain the security and reliability that voters have the right to expect.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
Randolph Hite
Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census, Committee on Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
47 page(s)
7/20/2004
Abstract:
Among other things, GAO’s testimony focuses on attributes on which electronic voting systems can be assessed, as well as design and implementation factors affecting their performance. GAO also describes the immediate and longer term challenges confronting local jurisdictions in using any type of voting equipment, particularly electronic voting systems.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
David Dill; Will Doherty
National Research Council ; Verified Voting Foundation
National
20 page(s)
11/22/2004
Abstract:
Even our preliminary analysis of the still not fully compiled set of electronic voting incidents reported so far on the Election Protection Hotline and Election Incident Reporting System during Election 2004 suggests a substantial base of questions about the functioning of electronic voting machines in live election situations.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Security; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Barbara Simons
Open Voting Consortium
National
11 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
The issue of e-voting should have been primarily a technological issue - one involving computer security, human factors, reliability, and efficiency. Instead, because of the vast sums of money involved, e-voting has been heavily politicized. Election officials were told that DREs in the long run would be cheaper than alternative voting systems. They were told that DREs had been extensively tested and that the certification process guaranteed that the machines were reliable and secure. No mention was made of the significant costs of testing and of secure storage of DREs; no mention was made of the inadequacy of the testing and certification processes, to say nothing of the difficulty of creating bug-free software. Technologists are attempting to educate election officials, policy makers, and the public about the risks of paperless DREs. It is critical for the continued existence of democracy throughout the world that we succeed.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Jo-Anne Chasnow
Project Vote
National; Iowa; Missouri; North Carolina; Wisconsin
6 page(s)
2/8/2007
Abstract:
Pollworkers are the link between election administration—the laws, rules and procedures that govern the election process—and the voters. They are the line staff of the democratic process. This makes pollworker training one of the most important components of a fair and effective election system. Properly trained pollworkers understand the laws and procedures for voting in their state, exercise discretion responsibly, seek guidance when appropriate, and act in a professional and respectful manner with all voters. Poorly trained pollworkers, on the other hand, are not well acquainted with their state’s laws and procedures for voting, exercise discretion arbitrarily and treat some voters with considerably more deference than other voters. The differences can lead to illegally disenfranchised voters, unwanted media attention and legal challenges. This policy brief outlines a few critical elements of an effective pollworker training program.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Michael Pitts
Journal of Law and Politics
Indiana
53 page(s)
10/21/2008
Abstract:
Despite the Supreme Court's opinion from last term in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, it seems like the debate over laws that require prospective voters at the polls to present government-issued photo identification will continue to rage in both legislatures and courtrooms throughout America. However, one of the fundamental missing pieces in this debate is an empirical assessment of how many prospective voters are unable to cast a countable ballot because of photo identification laws. This article analyzes data related to the 2008 Indiana primary election to determine: (1) how many voters arrived at the polling place without a photo identification and then cast a provisional ballot; and (2) how many of the photo identification-related provisional ballots were ultimately counted.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud; Voter confidence
Michael Pitts
Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indiana University
Indiana
27 page(s)
8/12/2014
Abstract:
This article is part of a series of studies related to the impact of Indiana’s photo identification law during the two presidential election cycles at which it has been implemented — 2008 and 2012. This article tracks the number of provisional ballots cast and not counted because of a lack of voter identification at Indiana’s 2012 general election. Importantly, this article also addresses an argument against photo identification laws that has became more prominent in recent years — the idea that photo identification laws disparately disfranchise female voters. This article addresses that argument by tracking the gender of those persons who cast provisional ballots due to a lack of valid photo identification — something that does not seem to have been previously done anywhere in the literature. While the research presented here allows for several conclusions, the most important of those conclusions are as follows. First, Indiana’s photo identification law has a relatively small (in relation to the total number of ballots cast) overall actual disfranchising impact on the electorate. Second, Indiana’s photo identification law’s actual disfranchising impact seems to be headed in a downward direction when one compares data from the 2012 general election to the 2008 general election. Third, Indiana’s photo identification law appears to have a disparate impact on women.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Women voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Douglas Kruse; Kay Schriner; Lisa Schur; Todd Shields
Political Research Quarterly
National
25 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
This article reports the results of a nationally representative household telephone survey of 1,240 people-stratified to include 700 people with disabilities-following the November 1998 elections. Voter turnout is found to be 20 percentage points lower among people with disabilities than among people wihtout disabilities who have otherwise-similar demographic characteristics. Other standard predictors of turnout such as political efficacy and mobilization explain only a small portion of this gap.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Joy Marie Forsythe
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
65 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
This thesis proposes adding voter verification to an existing multi-candidate election scheme (Baudron et al.) that uses Paillier encryption. A “cut and choose” protocol provides a probabilistic guarantee of correctness. The scheme is straightforward, and could easily be extended to multi-authority elections. The feasibility of the proposed scheme is demonstrated via a simple implementation.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Erin Ferns Lee
Project Vote
National
7 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
In this paper we review the voter registration and voting rates of 18-29-year-old citizens in recent elections, and examine existing laws that hinder or facilitate participation by young, non-college attending voters. Finally, we provide policy recommendations for improving voter registration and ballot access for all American youth.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Civic education; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Michael Ellement
The Catholic University of America
National
36 page(s)
5/13/2013
Abstract:
Despite strides in the modern era, voting continues to present barriers for persons with disabilities. Many in the disability rights community saw promise on the horizon with the passage of The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. HAVA focused on updating voting machines across the country, and additionally enacted standards for disability access to voting locations. However, HAVA failed to contain a private right of action to remedy violations. As many commentators have discussed, this failure to permit persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA to sue for those violations has left many of HAVA's promises unfulfilled. Under-analyzed is the potential use of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (RA) to enforce voting rights for persons with disabilities post-HAVA.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Jody Herman; Lauren Forbes
Project Vote
National
24 page(s)
12/1/2001
Abstract:
To address low turnout among youth, a number of states, counties, and cities across the country have adopted laws, administrative rules, and mandates to increase youth participation through high school voter registration programs. To assess the degree to which high school voter registration programs have been encouraged or implemented at state or municipal levels, Project Vote contacted state officials and education administrators, inviting them to participate in a survey. Data from this survey come from all 50 states and have allowed Project Vote to examine where programs exist, how they were created, and how they are being implemented.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Pedro Cortés
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
National
102 page(s)
9/24/2008
Abstract:
This report, based upon NASS survey data and state election office information compiled from June through early September, takes a broad-based approach to state preparations for the 2008 general election. During the last several years, state have overhauled their election systems under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) and successfully introduced major election-administration reforms (with numerous legislative and regulatory changes in some states) on everything from voting equipment to statewide voter registration databases, provisional voting, poll worker recruitment and training, and more. As part of these efforts, they have introduced new and innovative election practices that build upon HAVA’s requirements while at the same time addressing the unique history, tradition and legal structure in each state.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Vote centers; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Greg Vonnahme; Robert Stein
The Journal of Politics
Colorado
10 page(s)
3/27/2008
Abstract:
To test the efficacy of Election Day vote centers, we have collected individual vote histories on voters in Larimer and a control county (i.e., Weld, CO) that used precinct voting on Election Day for the years 1992–2004. We find significant evidence to support the hypothesis that Election Day vote centers increase voter turnout generally, and among infrequent voters in particular.
Subject(s):
Vote centers
Combine With: Turnout
Frances Zlotnick; Michael Parkin
Politics and Policy
National
23 page(s)
12/21/2012
Abstract:
This article focuses on how the ability to speak and read English affects Latino citizens’ participation in U.S. elections, and evaluates the extent to which this language barrier might be overcome by living in a community with a relatively large Latino population and having access to registration materials and ballots in Spanish. Using data primarily from the Pew Hispanic Center, we find that the inability to speak and read English hinders registration and turnout among Latino citizens. While the language barrier to turnout is mitigated by several factors, the barrier to registration is more intractable.
Subject(s):
Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Tova Wang
Demos
National; Alaska; Arizona; South Dakota
24 page(s)
6/18/2012
Abstract:
The Native community in the United States is increasingly making its voice heard in state and national elections. Unfortunately, most of our history has been one of state mistreatment and exclusion of indigenous peoples. There are still problems and tensions. This makes it all the more incumbent upon the federal and state governments to fulfill their obligations and take an affirmative step to provide greater access to the ballot box for Native people. Making voter registration easier and more accessible through designation of Indian Health Service facilities as voter registration agencies will not solve all the problems that are causing low rates of participation among American Indians and Alaska Natives or fully address the ongoing mistrust. Nonetheless, it would be an important step that would have a significant positive impact on the voting rights of thousands of Americans.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Native American voters; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout; Voter confidence
Bilal Dabir Sekou
New England Journal of Political Science
Connecticut
39 page(s)
12/4/2012
Abstract:
On June 4, 2012, Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed into law legislation that made Connecticut the ninth state to adopt Election Day registration (EDR). This article tells the story behind passage of House Bill 5024, An Act Concerning Voting Rights. The adoption of a law permitting citizens to register and vote on Election Day was due to a combination o f broad and idiosyncratic factors. One reason EDR was adopted is because Connecticut has a political culture that tends to value and expect political participation by its residents. Second, single-party control of the governor ’s office, secretary of the state ’s office, and sizable majorities in both the House and the Senate made passage of the bill possible. Third, after the years of resistance, many local registrars finally supported the measure because some of their key concerns were addressed in the bill the governor signed. Finally, the governor and legislative leaders had the backing of a group of skilled, battle tested, election-reform advocates working both inside and outside the General Assembly to build support for an Election Day registration law.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Project Vote
National
8 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
This legislative brief outlines the reasons why thousands of provisional ballots have not been counted since the passage of HAVA, and why the use of provisional ballots should be limited. It also provides policy recommendations which, if implemented by all states, would increase the likelihood that a voter’s provisional ballot would count.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Gregory Stumbo; Jeremy Epstein
Joint Task Force on Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs; Kentucky Attorney General; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Kentucky
95 page(s)
10/23/2007
Abstract:
This report reflects my experience overseeing elections in Kentucky, particularly my 2007 investigation of Kentucky's electronic voting systems and Mr. Epstein's expert recommendations regarding state certifications of these systems. Pursuant to the EAC's 2007 policy on posting reports and studies regarding voting systems, I request that Kentucky's report be added to the EAC's web site and clearinghouse of information.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Indiana
127 page(s)
4/14/2006
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence
Kevin Kennedy
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
3 page(s)
1/6/2012
Abstract:
G.A.B. staff solicited election cost data from Wisconsin's county and municipal local election officials (LEO) via an online survey and response tool. Surveys were mailed to municipalities (120) that do not have high-speed internet capability. LEO's were asked to provide estimates for a variety of election administration tasks that are necessary for conducting elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Kyle Meng; Thomas Fujiwara; Tom Vogl
National Bureau of Economic Research
National
33 page(s)
10/1/2013
Abstract:
We estimate the effect of past voting on current voting by exploiting transitory and unanticipated voting costs. Using county-level data on U.S. presidential elections from 1952 to 2012, we find that precipitation on both current and past election days reduces voter turnout. Our estimates imply that a 1 point decrease in past turnout lowers current turnout by 0.7-0.9 points. Consistent with a simple Downsian framework, current precipitation has stronger effects following previous inclement elections. Precipitation on nearby days or on future election days has no effect, suggesting that the result reflects the perpetuation of the effects of voting cost shocks though habit formation.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Cambridge University Press
National; New Mexico; Ohio
146 page(s)
11/1/2012
Abstract:
In competitive and contested democratic elections, insuring integrity is critical. Evaluating Elections shows why systematic analysis and reporting of election performance is important and how data-driven performance management can be used by election officials to improve elections. The authors outline how performance management systems can function in elections and their benefits for voters, candidates, and political parties.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Post-election audits
J. Quin Monson; Kelly Patterson; Stephen Mockabee
Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, Brigham Young University; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Ohio; Texas
175 page(s)
12/5/2012
Abstract:
With grants from the Make Voting Work Initiative, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and, formerly, the JEHT Foundation, HAVA Partners LLC and the Office of the Ohio Secretary of State developed a pilot program to determine if on-line training, in combination with traditional face-to-face training, can improve poll worker performance on Election Day. The program was then expanded to include an additional study in conjunction with the Office of the Texas Secretary of State and local officials in Travis and Bexar Counties, Texas. After implementation of this program in each state, researchers surveyed the poll workers to measure the satisfaction with the training and to gather other data to assess its effectiveness.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training
Adam Berinsky; Charles Stewart III; Gabriel Lenz; R. Michael Alvarez; Stephen Ansolabehere; Thad Hall
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
83 page(s)
8/27/2008
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to describe an ongoing effort to assess the overall quality of election administration in the United States in the 2008 general election, both nationwide and within each state. This is a survey-based study which has already been piloted twice — in the three states that held gubernatorial elections in November 2007 and in the fifteen states that held presidential primaries for both parties in the February 2008 “Super Tuesday” primary. In addition to describing the study and the steps taken thus far, we focus in this paper on the substantive results associated with the Super Tuesday primary.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
David Jefferson
Post-Election Audit Standards Working Group, California Secretary of State
California
39 page(s)
7/27/2007
Abstract:
California law requires a manual count of 1% of precincts in every election. This report evaluates new models for determining the appropriate size of the sample for the manual count, examines “escalation” (i.e., expansion) of audits when discrepancies are found between the manual and machine counts, and provides options for strengthening California’s manual count.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Recounts; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Diana Mutz
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
64 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
Based on the campaign materials I reviewed, it is extremely unlikely that the Commonwealth achieved its goals of educating all eligible voters about the law, and providing appropriate information to those without suitable IDs. The campaign was inadequately focused on its end goals to achieve this mark.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence
Thad Hall
Alexandria Board of Elections; The Century Foundation
Virginia
11 page(s)
12/17/2002
Abstract:
During the 2002 general election, the Alexandria Board of Elections tested the Hart Intercivic eSlate voting system as a first step in determining how well an electronic voting system would work in the City of Alexandria. There are three key findings from the evaluation of this system. 1. Alexandria voters are comfortable and satisfied with the current voting system that they have. Voters like the optical scan system and use it quite adeptly. 2. When voters at the Lee Center precinct were exposed to the Hart Intercivic voting system for the first time, they generally had a high level of satisfaction with the system. 3. There is a certain level of non-voting that occurs in Alexandria that will likely occur regardless of the type of voting system the City adopts.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Usability testing; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Brian Randell ; Dylan Clarke; Feng Hao; Matthew Kreeger; Peter Hyun-Jeen Lee; Siamak Shahandashti
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
25 page(s)
7/1/2014
Abstract:
This paper presents a new End-to-End (E2E) verifiable e-voting protocol for large-scale elections, called Direct Recording Electronic with Integrity (DRE-i). In contrast to all other E2E verifiable voting schemes, ours does not involve any Tallying Authorities (TAs). The design of DRE-i is based on the hypothesis that existing E2E voting protocols’ universal dependence on TAs is a key obstacle to their practical deployment. In DRE-i, the need for TAs is removed by applying novel encryption techniques such that after the election multiplying the ciphertexts together will cancel out random factors and permit anyone to verify the tally. We describe how to apply the DRE-i protocol to enforce the tallying integrity of a DRE-based election held at a set of supervised polling stations. Each DRE machine directly records votes just as the existing practice in the realworld DRE deployment. But unlike the ordinary DRE machines, in DRE-i the machine must publish additional audit data to allow public verification of the tally. If the machine attempts to cheat by altering either votes or audit data, then the public verification of the tallying integrity will fail. To improve system reliability, we further present a fail-safe mechanism to allow graceful recovery from the effect of missing or corrupted ballots in a publicly verifiable and privacy-preserving manner. Finally, we compare DRE-i with previous related voting schemes and show several improvements in security, efficiency and usability. This highlights the promising potential of a new category of voting systems that are E2E verifiable and TA-free. We call this new category “self-enforcing electronic voting”.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Open Source Digital Voting Foundation; TrustTheVote Project
National
13 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
We at OSDV believe the best way America can restore trust in the process of elections is through open-source technology. With open source, the blueprints for technology are designed, built and maintained in a transparent manner. It is freely available and publicly owned intellectual property. Here’s how it works: A core team of technologists, collaborating with a virtual community of volunteers, publicly releases all source code, designs and specifications. By making all technology available for independent review, public trust in the technology builds. Errors and security flaws are identified and corrected early in development. Open source is technology by and for the people.
Subject(s):
Security; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
John Lott, Jr.
National
27 page(s)
8/18/2006
Abstract:
The results provide some evidence of voter fraud can actually increase the voter participation rate. It is hard to see any evidence that voting regulations differentially harm either minorities, the elderly, or the poor. While this study examines a broad range of voting regulations, it is still too early to evaluate any possible impact of mandatory photo IDs on U.S. elections. What can be said is that the non-photo ID regulations that are already in place have not had the negative impacts that opponents predicted. The evidence provided here also found that campaign finance regulations generally reduced voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
David Wagner; Philip Stark
IEEE Security and Privacy
National
8 page(s)
5/8/2012
Abstract:
We propose an alternative to current requirements for certifying voting equipment and conducting elections. We argue that elections should be structured to provide convincing affirmative evidence that the reported outcomes actually reflect how people voted. This can be accomplished with a combination of software-independent voting systems, compliance audits, and risk-limiting audits. Together, these yield a resilient canvass framework: a fault-tolerant approach to conducting elections that gives strong evidence that the reported outcome is correct or reports that the evidence is not convincing. We argue that, if evidence-based elections are adopted, certification and testing of voting equipment can be relaxed, saving money and time and reducing barriers to innovation in voting systems—and election integrity will benefit. We conclude that there should be more regulation of the evidence trail and less regulation of equipment, and that compliance audits and risk-limiting audits should be required.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Fraud
Mary Garber
Florida Fair Elections Center; Florida Fair Elections Coalition
Florida
19 page(s)
6/23/2009
Abstract:
According to the Times article, Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning attributed the increase in invalid votes primarily to the fact that 15 Florida counties that formerly used touchscreens were “forced” to switch to paper ballot-based optical scanners in 2008. Despite the size of the increase, Browning did not express concern. “You aren’t going to find a voting system that protects voters against themselves,” he is quoted as saying. In this paper, we will show that Browning is wrong on both counts: (1) The higher invalid vote rate in 2008 is not the result of the change in technology from touchscreens to optical scanners, and (2) by law voting machines are supposed to prevent precisely the kinds of errors that drove up the invalid vote rate in 2008. We will show that the state’s comparison of the 2004 and 2008 invalid vote rates is itself invalid, leading to a considerable overstatement of the actual comparable increase.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Kelly Patterson; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi; Ryan Claassen
The Journal of Politics
National
12 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
Drawing on theories used in organizational psychology and marketing and using an internet-administered panel survey, we assess the impact of voters’ expectations on their satisfaction in the 2008 elections. The findings indicate that voters have different expectations about the voting process and that these expectations condition the ways in which voters assess their experience. Therefore, a complete explanation of voter satisfaction with the voting process must account for both the expectations voters bring to the polling place and the experiences voters have there.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
ELECTricity
National
6 page(s)
11/14/2013
Abstract:
Following the release of our Twitter primer for election administrators, we are producing a handful of quick guides on Excel. Excel is a mighty force. The toolbar gives you shortcuts and advanced options that can drastically improve your life. Seriously. For example, Text to Columns is a tool that quickly splits information into multiple columns. It is especially helpful when you’re faced with several pieces of information -- for example , a poll worker’s full name and address -- combined in one column, and you’d like the pieces to live neatly in different columns.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
ELECTricity
National
4 page(s)
12/16/2013
Abstract:
In this Excel lesson we will guide you through two simple formulas that extract contents within a cell based on where the desired data lives relative to left and right orientation. For our examples, we will look at poll worker zip codes and phone numbers.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
1/27/2014
Abstract:
In this Excel lesson we will guide you through a simple formula that makes the text within a cell contain both uppercase and lowercase letters. For our example, we will look at voter names.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
1/31/2014
Abstract:
In this Excel lesson we will guide you through a simple formula that removes irregular spaces in a cell. For our examples, we will look at poll worker names.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
ELECTricity
National
6 page(s)
2/23/2014
Abstract:
Concatenate is a quick function to bring together data from multiple columns into one.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
ELECTricity
National
5 page(s)
2/28/2014
Abstract:
In this tutorial, you learn how to use the VLOOKUP formula to retrieve desired data from one list based on common data that exists in multiple lists.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Merle King
Travis County Clerk
National
2 page(s)
1/22/2014
Abstract:
U.S. Election Officials plan and execute elections under considerable pressure. This pressure includes deteriorating voting systems, increasingly complex election systems, declining resources, diminishing numbers of poll workers, increased expectations for efficiency, effectiveness, and convenience, and increased scrutiny of election observers and activists.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Maintenance; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Francisco Pedraza; Matt Barreto
Elections and Exit Polling; Wiley and Sons
National
4 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
In this paper, we have outlined one possible alternative approach to exit polling in racially diverse settings, to ensure the representation of majority-minority precincts where a high percentage of minority voters reside. In addition to the aim to reduce survey error, each of these considerations also has in common the potential to lessen the burden on voters of participating in an exit poll. The resources that go into making an exit poll a success aren’t just drawn from a pollster’s budget, but also from the time and energy of each participant. However, making it easier for voters to actually participate in an exit poll doesn’t have to be costly for a pollster. As alternative methodology exit polls in Los Angeles and Seattle have demonstrated, it can be as easy as simply selecting heavily minority precincts or offering the exit poll in multiple languages.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
John Fortier
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project; Subcommittee on Elections, Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives
Colorado; Oregon; Texas
6 page(s)
10/22/2007
Abstract:
Practice with respect to absentee, mail, and early polling place voting differs significantly from state to state. While expanded absentee and mail voting has been the choice of a number of states, I would urge Congress not to impose this choice on other states. Some states have clearly chosen the early polling place model as a form of convenience voting. Others have little voting before Election Day, but might want to adopt Election Day Vote Centers or early polling place voting in the future. Both the "no excuses" absentee mandate in H.R. 281 and the grant program in H.R. 1667 would have Congress weigh in and make this choice for states. It may well be that most states will adopt the mail and absentee voting model, but early polling place voting is growing rapidly as well, and it would be a mistake for Congress to take one side or the other.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Security
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence
Eric McGhee
Public Policy Institute of California
California
24 page(s)
1/1/2014
Abstract:
Over the past 20 years, voter turnout in California has been slipping compared to other states, and this decline may be exacerbating the gap between Californians who vote and the rest of the population. The state has considered or undertaken a variety of reforms to reverse these trends. In this report, we explore three of these reforms: a system of online voter registration, a same-day registration process, and a more relaxed deadline for submitting vote-by-mail ballots. One could argue that all of these reforms have inherent value because no eligible citizen should be prevented from voting for what amount to administrative reasons. But the administrative costs of a reform and the number of people who benefit from it matter as well. We find that none of these reforms is likely to produce large gains in turnout but two of the three are likely to cost very little or save money.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voter registration; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Jennifer Rosenberg; Margaret Chen
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
56 page(s)
Spring 2009
Abstract:
This report is a multi-nation examination of the details of voter registration systems. It examines the way sixteen other countries create and keep voter lists. Many of the nations studied are similar to ours in diverse populations, cultural values, and government structures. Their experiences show the clear benefits to voters, overall taxpayer savings, and best practices that can be employed in the United States as Congress drafts reform legislation.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
David Callahan; Jeannette Hedgepeth; Sarah Tobias; Steven Carbó
National
23 page(s)
1/1/2002
Abstract:
This report examines election day registration (EDR), an important reform measure that would help address some of the problems highlighted by the 2000 election. Currently, six states have election day registration - Wisconsin, Maine, Minnesota, Idaho, Wyoming and New Hampshire. As the research presented in this report shows, allowing voters to register and vote on election day helps to increase participation significantly and to ensure that all voters who arrive at the polls can vote. The six states with election day registration have substantially higher voter turnout than the national average and report few problems with fraud, excessive costs, or administrative complexity. Extending election day registration to other states, and eventually the entire nation, would bring millions of new voters to the polls and help reverse the long-term decline of voting in the United States.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Project Vote
National
9 page(s)
3/1/2010
Abstract:
This legislative brief discusses the underrepresentation of youth - particularly youth of color - in the general electorate, and how the growing trend of preregistration helps to address this problem. It concludes with recommendations for implementing preregistration policies.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Civic education; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Preregistration for teens; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
Lisa Danetz; Scott Novakowski
North Carolina
8 page(s)
4/1/2008
Abstract:
When Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) in 1993, its goals were to "increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office" and "protect the integrity of the electoral process." Yet, while most states created effective programs for mail-in and motor vehicle department-based registration processes, many neglected the NVRA's social services agency requirements (detailed in Section 7 of the Act). This paper outlines and highlights the outstanding and thorough work of the North Carolina State Board of Elections in responding to evidence that the state was falling short of NVRA Section 7 requirements. In 18 months, the state became a model for NVRA compliance, boasting an almost six-fold increase in the number of public assistance clients registering to vote.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter
Lisa Danetz
Demos
Ohio
24 page(s)
7/22/2010
Abstract:
Ohio's experience, which required litigation, provides a case in point, and offers valuable lessons both for advocates and for state officials seeking to encourage voter registration and achieve the full promise of the National Voter Registration Act.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Allegra Chapman; Scott Novakowski
Demos
National; Virginia
10 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
Voter registrations in Virginia public assistance agencies declined by 87 percent between 1995-1996 and 2005-2006, despite increased enrollment in public benefit programs like food stamps. Field investigators in early 2008 confirmed that state offices were not offering voter registration, as required by the National Voter Registration Act. Working cooperatively with Demos and its state partners, Virginia has achieved a dramatic change of course. The first several data reports indicate an eightfold increase in voter registrations.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Election Protection Coalition; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
New Jersey; New York
42 page(s)
10/29/2013
Abstract:
This report discusses the 2012 General Election in New Jersey and New York in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and offers recommendations to jurisdictions seeking to adopt contingency plans. Recognizing that emergency responders play a crucial role in the aftermath of any disaster and that their ability to vote may be compromised when responding to an emergency, this report includes proposed model legislation that would enable emergency responders to secure and cast ballots more easily, whether within or outside their state of residence.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Online voter registration; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
Jeff Rosen
National Council on Disability
National
127 page(s)
10/24/2013
Abstract:
HAVA joins existing voting rights laws to prohibit voter discrimination, suppression, intimidation, and denial of voting access for people with disabilities, coupled with the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and building upon the mandate of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This report examines the impact of HAVA through the experiences of voters with disabilities during the 2012 election cycle.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Public opinion
Antoine Banks; Ismail White; Michael Hanmer
Political Analysis
National
25 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Voting is a fundamental part of any democratic society. But survey based measures of voting are problematic because a substantial proportion of nonvoters report that they voted. This over-reporting has consequences for our understanding of voting as well as the behaviors and attitudes associated with voting. Relying on the “bogus pipeline” approach, we investigate whether altering the wording of the turnout question can cause respondents to provide more accurate responses. We attempt to reduce over-reporting simply by changing the wording of the vote question by highlighting to the respondent that: 1) we (survey administrators) know some people who say they voted did not; and 2) that we can in-fact find out, via public records, whether or not they voted. We examine these questions through a survey on U.S. voting age citizens after the 2010 midterm elections. Our evidence shows that these questions improved accuracy of the reports by reducing over-reporting of turnout.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
David Marker
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
17 page(s)
6/30/2013
Abstract:
There are three main issues I would like to discuss: (1) the survey estimate of hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania citizens who do not have one of the forms of ID required for voting under Pennsylvania law; (2) the number of citizens without a PennDOT ID with another acceptable form of ID is small; and (3) whether a survey can estimate knowledge of the existence and substance of a law.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Litigation
Ferran Martinez i Coma; Pippa Norris; Richard Frank
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
20 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
Determining when, where and why elections succeed or fail is a matter of growing concern for the international community. This paper presents the first results of a new study, based on an expert survey of Perceptions of Electoral Integrity. The August 2013 data-set includes 33 countries. This data facilitates comparison of an overall standardized 100-point PEI index for each contest, or the results can be examined in more fine-grained detail for eleven dimensions of electoral integrity, or for each of the separate 49 items. The PEI index demonstrates high levels of external validity, internal validity, and legitimacy. Therefore PEI can address many research issues, as proving useful for scholars and policy-makers.
Subject(s):
Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
12 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
Based on my substantive engagement with immigration policy and practice issues, as well as individual case examples, I conclude that there are significant barriers to getting acceptable photo identification as described by Act 18 for naturalized US citizens and Puerto Rican-born residents of Pennsylvania who are eligible to vote.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Lorraine Minnite
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
30 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
Based on findings from my research on voter fraud in contemporary U.S. elections, I conclude that “stringent” photo identification requirements to vote are not justified by claims that such requirements are needed to reduce or prevent voter impersonation forms of election fraud because as the empirical record makes clear, fraud committed by voters either in registering to vote or at the polls on Election Day is already exceedingly rare. For example, national data on illegal registration and voting in the 2002 midterm and 2004 presidential elections in which a total of more than 197 million votes were cast show that the percentage of illegal votes was statistically zero. Of the twenty-six persons convicted by the federal government between 2002 and 2005 of illegal registration or of casting illegal ballots, there was no evidence that any of them impersonated other or fictitious voters.
Subject(s):
Security; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Michele Levy
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
9 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
In my capacity as a Staff Attorney and now Managing Attorney of HAP, I have experienced first-hand the variety of obstacles facing our clients as they attempt to obtain a birth certificate. As described above, the most common barriers include lack of ID or alternative documents; lack of relationships with family members who would be authorized to obtain an ID on the client's behalf; lack of income to obtain the document; changing state procedures and demands; atypical birth or living situations resulting in lack of birth information to corroborate the client's identity; and discrepancies between the client's name at birth and the name used.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Paul Gronke
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
National; North Carolina
70 page(s)
2/24/2014
Abstract:
There is strong and consistent evidence that African-American voters in North Carolina prefer to cast an early in-person ballot at higher rates than White voters. The pattern is consistent across elections, and is stronger in Presidential elections than in midterm elections. My expert opinion is that the patterns that have been observed since 2006, and that were strengthened in 2008, have and will continue to persist. African Americans show a higher preference for one-stop absentee voting, and show a higher preference for voting during the first week of early voting, when compared to White voters. They have habituated to this mode of balloting. There is no reason not to expect these patterns to continue in the future. I conclude from the analyses in this report that the changes to early in-person voting that I have reviewed—eliminating the first seven days of one-stop early voting—will have a differential and negative impact on the ability of African Americans to cast a ballot in North Carolina. I know of no empirical argument by which one could conclude that African-American voters—or any voters for that matter—will successfully adjust to 40% fewer early voting days, regardless of the possibility of longer hours on those days. 53. With respect to same-day registration during the early voting period, there is similarly strong evidence that minority voters show a higher preference for same day registration when compared to White voters. There is no reason not to expect these patterns to continue in the future. 54.I conclude from the analysis in this report that, because same-day voter registration has been shown to be a strong and consistent predictor of higher turnout, the elimination of same-day registration during the election process, whether during one-stop voting or on Election Day, will lower turnout overall. In particular, I conclude that eliminating same-day registration will have a disparate impact on African-American voters because they take advantage of same-day registration at a significantly higher rate.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place hours; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Theodore Allen
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
National; North Carolina
29 page(s)
4/11/2014
Abstract:
I have been retained by Plaintiffs’ Counsel as an expert witness in the above captioned case. Plaintiffs’ Counsel requested that I offer my opinions as to: (1) whether HB 589, if it had been in effect in the most recent general election in North Carolina, would have caused longer lines at polling places and longer average waiting times to vote; and (2) the possible effect of such waiting times, if any, on voter turnout. As explained below, I conclude that eliminating seven days of early voting before the 2012 election would have caused waiting times to vote on Election Day in North Carolina to increase substantially, from a low-end estimate of an average of 27 minutes, to a worst-case scenario of an average of 180 minutes of waiting. Moreover, I further conclude that, as a result of longer lines, a significant number of voters would have been deterred from voting on Election Day in 2012 (with a conservative estimate of several thousand). Finally, I conclude that, barring some additional changes to the law or to the resources allocated to polling places, HB 589’s reductions to early voting are likely to result in longer average waiting times to vote in future elections.
Subject(s):
Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place management
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Veronica Ludt
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
New York; Pennsylvania
9 page(s)
7/15/2012
Abstract:
Based on my 20 years' experience working with indigent clients (the past four and a half years of directing a program designed to help them obtain legal identification) and as reflected above, it is my professional opinion that significant, unduly burdensome, and costly barriers exist which inhibit or prevent a significant number of indigent people from obtaining legal identification.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Litigation
William Wecker
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
23 page(s)
7/8/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Senior voters; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Benny Geys
Electoral Studies
25 page(s)
12/1/2006
Abstract:
In a research field dominated by empirical studies – such as the one on voter turnout – an overview of where we stand and what we know is not superfluous. Therefore, the present paper reviews and assesses the empirical evidence brought forward through a meta-analysis of 83 aggregate-level studies. We thereby concentrate on the effect of socio-economic, political and institutional variables. The results argue for the introduction of a ‘core’ model of voter turnout – including, among other elements, population size and election closeness – that can be used as a starting point for extending our knowledge on why people vote.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Turnout
Kevin Kennedy; Nathaniel Robinson; Steven Angeli
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
19 page(s)
8/6/2010
Abstract:
In response to the creation of Section 7.08 (11), Wisconsin Statutes, the Board determined that a more systematic and evidence-based approach should be used to decide what extended hours of operation to employ. The Board staff developed an online survey and made it available on January 15, 2010 to the 1,738 County and Municipal Clerks who receive email notifications. The Board also mailed a paper copy of the survey to the 185 clerks who lacked email accounts. The responses to this survey provided objective data on which the Board based a decision on extended operating hours for the 2010 Election Cycle in order to meet its obligation to Section 7.08 (11), Wisconsin Statutes. This report describes the survey and clerks’ responses, the extended hour plans employed by the Board based on those responses, and an analysis of the effectiveness of those hours in providing clerks with more flexibility for submitting inquiries and collaborating with Board staff.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting
Combine With: Costs
Mark Halvorson; Sarah Martyn Crowell
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN)
Minnesota
52 page(s)
5/26/2009
Abstract:
This report descibes the manual counting process in the 2008 Minnesota post-election audit and US Senate recount based on the reports of non-partisan observers. We analyze the accuracy of the optical scanners used in the audited precincts and we calculate the time and cost to conduct the audit. We also compare the vote margin change in the US Senate recount with three other state legislative recounted races.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Optical scan voting machines; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Recounts
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
U.S. Department of Justice
National
3 page(s)
7/26/2006
Abstract:
The Department of Justice’s ongoing Ballot Access and Voting Integrity Initiative was established in October 2002 to spearhead the Department’s expanded efforts to address election crimes and voting rights violations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Douglas Kruse; Lisa Schur
Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations
National
9 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
Key points: 14.7 million people with disabilities voted in the November 2008 elections. The voter turnout rate of people with disabilities was 7 percentage points lower than that of people without disabilities. Employed people with disabilities, however, were just as likely as employed people without disabilities to vote, suggesting that employment helps bring people with disabilities into mainstream political life. The voter registration rate of people with disabilities was 3 percentage points lower than that of people without disabilities. The lower voter turnout is due both to a lower registration rate among people with disabilities, and to lower turnout among those who are registered.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Douglas Kruse; Lisa Schur
Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations
National
10 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
Key points: 11.0 million people with disabilities reported voting in the November 2010 elections. The voter turnout rate of people with disabilities was 3 percentage points lower than that of people without disabilities. Employed people with disabilities, however, were just as likely as employed people without disabilities to vote, suggesting that employment helps bring people with disabilities into mainstream political life. The voter registration rate of people with disabilities was 1 percentage point lower than that of people without disabilities. The lower voter turnout is due both to a lower registration rate among people with disabilities, and to lower turnout among those who are registered.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day polling place voting; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
National
2 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
When 25 countries voted to elect their representatives to the European Parliament by June 2004, it was the biggest democratic event in European history. But a majority of Europeans could not be bothered to vote. Only 45,5% of Europeans actually cast a ballot, the lowest percentage in the quarter-century history of the popularly elected Parliament. However, there were big differences in turnout between countries. In Belgium and Luxembourg more than 90 percent of the electorate voted, while in Slovakia and Poland only a fifth or less could be bothered to vote. Such great differences cry out for explanation: why should turnout in European country be almost five times that in another?
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; International election administration; Internet voting; Voting technology; Women voters
Combine With: Turnout
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
National
2 page(s)
2002
Abstract:
The Voter Turnout Project contains the most comprehensive collection of voter turnout statistics in the world, covering all democratic elections held since 1945. The information is available on International IDEA’s website (www.idea.int) as well as in reports published biennially. Since its launch in 1996, it has become the authoritative source for turnout statistics. The project also contains specially commissioned analyses of voter turnout rates and political participation, regional and country case studies, and comparative articles on relevant topics, such as voter registration.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
David Dill; Walter Mebane, Jr.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Florida
47 page(s)
1/23/2007
Abstract:
Based on statistical analysis of detailed electronic ballot and event log data from the Sarasota general election ending November 7, 2006, we find that none of the many theories advanced so far to explain the extraordinarily high undervote rate in the Florida Congressional District 13 (CD-13) race adequately account for systematic covariations between that undervote and other identifiable factors, such as voting patterns in other contests and unusual events on the voting machines. At this time, we are unable to propose a convincing mechanism based on voter, machine or ballot characteristics that completely explains the phenomenon.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Carol Johnson; Kathy Bonnifield
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN); Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance/Association of Universalist Women
Minnesota
44 page(s)
11/1/2010
Abstract:
In April of 2010, Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota and the Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance/Association of Universalist Women, with the support of a subcommittee of the Voting Rights Coalition, initiated a project to research documented cases of ineligible voting and voter fraud in the 2008 Minnesota election. We felt that facts were needed to provide insight into the conversation regarding changing voting requirements. Specifically, we wanted to determine if there was an election integrity issue that a photo identification requirement would prevent. Because voter fraud is a felony, County Attorneys are responsible for the investigation of ineligible voting and the conviction of those who commit voter fraud. As such, we went directly to them for information on the types and outcomes of their investigations into voter fraud and ineligible voting. County Attorneys from 81.6 percent of Minnesota’s 87 counties, representing 93.3 percent of Minnesota’s registered voters, responded to our request for data. The survey gathered both quantitative and qualitative information.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Rob Richie
Huffington Post
Maryland
7 page(s)
4/11/2014
Abstract:
During early voting on April 6-7 and on Election Day on April 8, 2014, FairVote conducted a voluntary survey of voters in the Ward 3 special election for city council. The survey focused on voter opinions about the voting process in the city and this year's election. The results were encouraging for supporters of ranked choice voting and those interested in Takoma Park's suffrage laws.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voters with felony convictions; Voting methods; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Doug Chapin
Election Academy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
National; California; Colorado; Oregon; Texas
1 page(s)
2/10/2014
Abstract:
Recently, the National Review ran a piece by John Fund responding to the Presidential Commission on Election Administration's report - largely supportive, but sharply critical of the endorsement of increased vote-by-mail balloting. Falls Church, VA's David Bjerke didn't agree - and he shared his response with me ... and I am now sharing it with you.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Online voter registration; Vote centers; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Wait times
Christopher Culnane; James Heather; Peter Ryan; Rui Joaquim; Steven Schneider; Vanessa Teague
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
14 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
Printing Prêt à Voter ballots on demand is desirable both for convenience and security. It allows a polling station to serve numerous different ballots, and it avoids many problems associated with the custody of the printouts. This paper describes a new proposal for printing Prêt à Voter ballots on demand. The emphasis is on computational efficiency suitable for real elections, and on very general ballot types.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot on demand; International election administration; Security; Voting technology
The Washington Post
National
3 page(s)
8/13/2012
Abstract:
Almost three quarters of all Americans support the idea that people should have to show photo identification to vote, even though they are nearly as concerned about voter suppression as they are about fraud in presidential elections, according to a new Washington Post poll.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Public opinion
David Powner; Randolph Hite
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
107 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 established the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to help improve state and local administration of federal elections and authorized funding for state and local governments to expand their use of electronic voting systems. EAC began operations in January 2004. However, reported problems with electronic voting systems have led to questions about the security and reliability of these systems. GAO was requested to (1) determine the significant security and reliability concerns identified about electronic voting systems, (2) identify recommended practices relevant to ensuring the security and reliability of these systems, and (3) describe actions taken or planned to improve their security and reliability.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Security
Rob Richie; Robert Fekete
FairVote
National
9 page(s)
7/18/2013
Abstract:
In order to quantify and attempt to explain turnout declines, we analyzed all federal primary runoff elections held between 1994 and 2012. This study compares declines in primary runoff voter participation by election year, and identifies a key factor that affects turnout in runoffs: the time gap between when the initial primary is held and when the runoff is held.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Election types; Runoff elections
Combine With: Turnout
Randolph Hite
Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
57 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
In view of concerns about voting systems and the important role EAC plays in certifying them, GAO was asked to determine whether EAC has (1) defined an effective approach to testing and certifying voting systems, (2) followed its defined approach, and (3) developed an effective mechanism to track problems with certified systems and use the results to improve its approach. To accomplish this, GAO compared EAC guidelines and procedures with applicable statutes, guidance, and best practices, and examined the extent to which they have been implemented.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing
Combine With: Errors
Randolph Hite
Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
54 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
The 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) created the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and assigned both it and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) responsibilities for accrediting laboratories that test voting systems. NIST assesses a laboratory’s technical qualifications and makes recommendations to EAC, which makes a final accreditation decision. In view of the continuing concerns about voting systems and the important roles that NIST and EAC play in accrediting the laboratories that test these systems, GAO was asked to determine whether each organization has defined an effective approach for accrediting laboratories that test voting systems and whether each is following its defined approach.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing
Craig Donsanto; Nancy Simmons
Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice
National
344 page(s)
5/1/2007
Abstract:
This book was written to help federal prosecutors and investigators discharge the responsibility of the United States Department of Justice in attacking corruption of the election process with all available statutes and theories of prosecution. It addresses how the Department handles all federal election offenses, other than those involving civil rights, which are enforced by the Department’s Civil Rights Division. This Overview summarizes the Department’s policies, as well as key legal and investigative considerations, related to the investigation and prosecution of election offenses.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
The Sentencing Project
National
9 page(s)
11/1/2003
Abstract:
This brief summarizes some of the literature on felony disenfranchisement in the hope of fostering critical thinking, promoting a socially conscious debate, and encouraging the development of strategies advancing reasonable, democratic and equitable law.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
The Sentencing Project
National
3 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
Since the founding of the country, most states in the U.S. have enacted laws disenfranchising people currently or previously having been convicted of a felony. In the last 40 years, due to the dramatic expansion of the criminal justice system, these laws have significantly affected the political voice of many American communities. The momentum toward reform of these policies has been based on a reconsideration of their wisdom in meeting legitimate correctional objectives and the interests of full democratic participation.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Jean Chung
The Sentencing Project
National
12 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
The dramatic growth of the U.S. prison population in the last 40 years has led to record levels of disenfranchisement, with an estimated 5.85 million voters banned from the polls today. Disenfranchisement policies vary widely by state, ranging from no restrictions on voting to a lifetime ban upon conviction. Felony disenfranchisement has potentially affected the outcomes of U.S. elections, particularly as disenfranchisement policies disproportionately impact people of color. Nationwide, one in every 13 black adults cannot vote as the result of a felony conviction, and in three states – Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia – more than one in five black adults is disenfranchised. Denying the right to vote to an entire class of citizens is deeply problematic to a democratic society and counterproductive to effective reentry. Fortunately, many states are reconsidering their archaic disenfranchisement policies, with 23 states enacting reforms since 1997, but there is still much to be done before the United States will resemble comparable nations in allowing the full democratic participation of its citizens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Jessie Allen; Lawrence Norden
Ohio Elections Summit
Ohio
107 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
The primary purpose of this report is to assist Secretary Brunner, the State Legislature, election officials, voting rights groups, and other Ohio citizens with framing issues and topics for election reform agendas in 2009. More generally, we hope the report will be a useful tool to anyone in Ohio — or elsewhere — who is interested in crafting a consensus-based elections policy that springs from systematic factual analysis and takes into account many different perspectives on voting and elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter registration
Brian Kemp
Elections Advisory Council, Georgia Secretary of State
Georgia
15 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
I formed the Secretary of State’s Elections Advisory Council (EAC) to review the Georgia Election Code, State Election Board Rules and all our election processes throughout 2011 and make recommendations that improve and strengthen Georgia’s election laws and procedures. The EAC looked particularly at improvements that will create cost savings and increase efficiencies at the state, county and local government levels.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Online voter registration; Polling place management; Special elections; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Kimball Brace; Michael McDonald
Election Data Services; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
266 page(s)
9/27/2005
Abstract:
The Election Day Survey represents the largest and most comprehensive survey of voting and election administration practices ever conducted by a U.S. government organization. Questions on the Election Day Survey covered voting statistics on voter registration; total ballots cast by mode of voting; specific statistics on absentee and provisional voting; votes for federal offices; the number overvotes and undervotes cast for each federal office; and the number of precinct, polling places, and poll workers. Questions covered election administration of voting equipment, reported equipment failures, disability accesses to polling places, and sufficient number of poll workers.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Orlan Johnson; Sherrilyn Ifill
Task Force on Voting Irregularities, Maryland Attorney General
Maryland
9 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
In April 2008, the Task Force issued a report documenting problems experienced by voters arising from the state’s election practices and procedures, and offering recommendations for improvements in the conduct of elections in the state. The recommendations contained in that report were limited to those that could be implemented in the short-term – many before the then upcoming 2008 general election. At that time, the Task Force pledged to supplement its initial report with additional recommendations for matters that might require structural changes to our election system or legislation. This report is devoted exclusively to the presentation of those issues. It is our hope that the Attorney General will raise the legislative initiatives suggested in this report with relevant committees in the General Assembly and work to implement all of the changes suggested by the Task Force in order to promote the unfettered exercise of the franchise by Maryland voters of all races, socioeconomic conditions, political party affiliations and levels of physical disability, across the state.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling place management; Voter information & outreach; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Katherine Hanley; Stuart Mendelsohn
Fairfax County Bipartisan Election Process Improvement Commission; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Virginia
7 page(s)
3/19/2013
Abstract:
In response to citizen complaints about long lines and other concerns during the 2012 Election Day, and to improve the election process in Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors created the Bipartisan Election Process Improvement Commission at its November 20, 2012 meeting. The 26-member Commission comprised the Co-Chairmen, Katherine K. Hanley and Stuart Mendelsohn, and 24 members, one to represent each of the nine Supervisor election districts, two representatives appointed at-large by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, three representatives of the disability community, and one representative each from the Fairfax County Democratic and Republican Committees, Fairfax County Public Schools, the Fairfax Bar Association, the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens’ Associations, the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area, the African-American community, the Hispanic community, the Asian/Pacific Islander American community, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker recruitment; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Kevin Kennedy; Sarah Whitt; Shane Falk
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
57 page(s)
12/11/2012
Abstract:
The SAVE Fact-Finding Team has thoroughly researched the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program maintained by the United States Department of Homeland Security (USDHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This Report provides the results of this research, as well as recommendations for how the SAVE Program could be used in Wisconsin for the purpose of voter registration list maintenance. Costs are also provided to help anticipate the financial impact of such use.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter list maintenance
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
85 page(s)
2/18/2013
Abstract:
This Report analyzes the anticipated impacts on the administration of Wisconsin elections and the procedures of several State agencies if Wisconsin Statutes were amended to eliminate the opportunity for EDR. This Report also provides estimated costs related to additional responsibilities of the Government Accountability Board and partner State agencies which would result from the elimination of EDR.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Cheryl Scott
King County Executive; King County Independent Task Force on Elections
Washington
23 page(s)
2/28/2006
Abstract:
This report constitutes the conclusion of the Task Force’s process. It summarizes the recommendations that were included in the Task Force’s 27 July 2005 report, and contains the Task Force’s February 2006 findings and recommendations, which reflect the Task Force’s assessment of what has occurred to implement the original recommendations in the six months since they were presented to the Executive. As was the case last July when we presented our original set of recommendations, the Task Force offers the following updated recommendations in the interest of restoring public trust and confidence in King County’s elections system.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election consolidation; Poll watchers; Recounts; Vote centers; Voter information & outreach; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Voter confidence
Curtis Crider; Mary Kendall
Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Interior; Inspector General, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Virgin Islands
36 page(s)
10/31/2013
Abstract:
In its audit, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Inspector General found that Election System of the Virgin Islands' lax posture on internal controls put $3.3 million in HAVA funds and other funding at risk of fraud, waste, or mismanagement.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Election administrators
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Electronic Ballot Counting Device Advisory Committee, New Hampshire General Court
New Hampshire
24 page(s)
11/30/2009
Abstract:
The charge of the committee was to: “… facilitate the design of an electronic ballot counting device (“Future Tabulator”), or the identification of an electronic ballot counting device (“Future Tabulator”), for use at future elections in the state of New Hampshire that will be fail safe and provably correct and can be supported by an independent technical review to eliminate potential manipulation of election results by tampering. The committee shall also research the upgrades that are available for voting machines (tabulators) currently used in New Hampshire and recommend which upgrades should be required for the continued use of the machines (tabulators) by cities and towns.”
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Optical scan voting machines; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion
Adam Harvell; Edward Edney; Kevin Kennedy
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
16 page(s)
12/17/2009
Abstract:
This document combines the Board’s previous examination of early voting with suggestions and comments from many of the 1,922 county and municipal clerks who administer Wisconsin elections, and the state’s 3.4 million registered voters. This report discusses whether change is necessary, how early voting in Wisconsin might work, and what the costs of implementing early voting might be. This report presents policy questions raised when considering changes to the current in-person absentee balloting system. Finally, this report presents a series of recommendations on what changes should be made.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Wait times
Steven Hamm
Richland County Board of Elections and Voter Registration
South Carolina
9 page(s)
6/27/2013
Abstract:
The South Carolina General Assembly established certain statutory standards that apply to county elections. As is now completely clear, the Board, the Executive Director and staff failed to remotely comply with the requirements of S.C. Code of Law Section 7-13-1680. Just as alarming, virtually no one from the Board, the Executive Director or staff even noticed or recognized this serious and major deficiency that existed for many months before the General Election.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Joseph Nuñez ; Mark Ritchie
Task Force on Election Integrity, Minnesota Governor
Minnesota
4 page(s)
1/30/2012
Abstract:
The purpose of this first Interim Report and Initial Recommendation is to provide the Governor and Legislature with observations with respect to current Minnesota law and protocols regarding the current prohibition of felons from voting and initial recommendations for revisions and enhancements to our system.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
Priscilla Southwell
Political Science and Politics
Oregon
4 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Turnout
Adam Pintar ; David Rockoff; Eunice Kim; Jonathan Hobbs ; Luke Fostvedt; Randy Griffiths
Chance: A Magazine for People Interested in the Analysis of Data
Iowa
4 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
Iowa’s proposed post-election audit legislation includes provisions for escalation if a county’s recount reveals a substantial discrepancy. In addition, the procedure is comprehensive in including all ballots in the selection process. A numerical assessment finds that the risk may be substantial for close races and the procedure would be inefficient, but have low risk, if the race is not close. The introduction of comprehensive post-election audit legislation in Iowa is an encouraging development for electoral integrity, as is the recent ASA Board of Directors’ recommendation for widespread implementation of risk-limiting audits. We advocate the further development of risk-limiting audits in Iowa and interaction between statisticians and election officials.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Toby James
Electoral Studies
National
9 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
Concerns about electoral malpractice have been raised in many democracies in recent years because of errors made in the administration of elections by local election officials (LEOs). This article argues that adopting appropriate policy instruments to manage LEOs is an under-explored method for improving election administration and reducing electoral malpractice. The article provides a case study of the use of performance benchmarking schemes in the UK 2008–2010. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 74 LEOs from 41 organisations subject to newly devised performance indicators. The research demonstrates that performance benchmarking can encourage learning amongst local electoral officials and strengthen central control over them.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; International election administration
Ted Selker
Scientific American
National
8 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
The infamous 2000 U.S. presidential election dramatized some very basic, yet systemic, flaws concerning who got to vote and how the votes were counted. An estimated four million to six million ballots were not counted or were prevented from being cast at all—well over 2 percent of the 150 million registered voters. This is a shockingly large number considering that the decision of which candidate would assume the most powerful office in the world came to rest on 537 ballots in Florida. Three simple problems were to blame for these losses.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Drew Spencer; Rob Richie
FairVote
California
12 page(s)
6/18/2013
Abstract:
Under Top Two, all candidates compete against each other in the first preliminary election irrespective of party preferences. Voters have one vote, and the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election, again irrespective of party preferences. California’s new system was used for all state and congressional elections for the first time in 2012. This report examines the impact of the system on voter choice, representation and competition and explores the potential impact of a revised model of the system: advancing more than two candidates with ranked choice voting in the general election. We find that Top Two has made little difference in most races, yet has created new problems. It improves competition and inclusion only at a troubling cost. Fortunately, a simple change would make Top Two more likely to accomplish the goals of Top Two supporters while avoiding its pitfalls. We demonstrate the value of a simple change: advancing four candidate to the general election and using ranked choice voting to accommodate increased voter choice.
Subject(s):
Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; Top two primaries
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Conny McCormack
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Florida
17 page(s)
9/23/2008
Abstract:
The objective of traveling to Florida before the August 26, 2008 primary election was to observe and provide a preliminary assessment of the impact to voters in two large Florida counties of the transition from direct record electronic (DRE) touch screens to optical scan paper ballots (op scan) during the early voting period in conjunction with Florida’s August 26, 2008 statewide primary election. Although newly enacted Florida law mandated replacement of DRE with op scan voting systems statewide for both early voting and on Election Day, this report focuses on the challenges and consequences of the implementation relative to early voting operations in the populous counties of Dade and Hillsborough and what lessons can be identified and shared with other counties both in Florida and throughout the U.S.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling place management
Combine With: Turnout
Anna Chu ; Charles Posner; Joshua Field
Center for American Progress Action Fund
Florida
39 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
This report isolates several different factors that illustrate the variation in voter experience from county to county. By evaluating the differences in voting statistics at a county level, we can better understand the voting administration practices that work and encourage state and local officials to consider how they can improve the voting experience for their citizens.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Barry Edwards
American Politics Research
National
33 page(s)
5/1/2014
Abstract:
Based on analysis of congressional elections from 1960 to 2010, I assess the central holding of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, and other controversial areas of VRA enforcement. My results support the Court’s finding that the Act’s historic coverage formula does not accurately reflect current political conditions. However, my results challenge prevailing views on two points. I conclude that uniform standards are problematic because redistricting guidelines that improve opportunities for African American voters are likely to diminish opportunities for Latino voters (and vice versa). In addition, requiring majority African American districts appears to diminish aggregate African American voting opportunities relative to targeting 45% to 50% African American districts.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Hasen
University of California-Irvine School of Law
National; Arizona; California; Florida; Ohio; Wisconsin
7 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
On September 14, 2012, the University of California, Irvine School of Law, the UC Irvine Law Review, and the University of California, Irvine Center for the Study of Democracy sponsored a symposium, “Foxes, Henhouses, and Commissions: Assessing the Nonpartisan Model in Election Administration, Redistricting, and Campaign Finance,” featuring many of the nation’s leading election law scholars. This issue of the UC Irvine Law Review contains scholarship presented at that symposium.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Nonpartisan election administration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
James Blacksher; Lani Guinier
Harvard Law and Policy Review
National
32 page(s)
2/23/2014
Abstract:
The authors argue that the appropriate response by Congress to Shelby County would be reasserting its explicit constitutional authority to interpret the Privileges or Immunities Clause. Adoption of the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments and the Court’s repeated acknowledgment of a constitutional right to vote have effectively overruled the Slaughter-House Cases and Minor v. Happersett. The American people of the twenty-first century should demand that Congress enact statutes expressly proclaiming what no one today can deny, that the right to vote is the paramount privilege or immunity of citizenship in the United States.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Brenda Wright
National
6 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
For the first time ever, people around the country who love American democracy have decided to come together to observe a National Voter Registration Day on September 25, 2012 – a day to pull out all the stops in making sure that every eligible voter is registered and able to vote in this critical election year. Hundreds of non-partisan organizations have agreed to reach out to help hundreds of thousands of people get registered to vote, so that they can fulfill their civic duty as citizens and make their voices heard in November. This is an inspiring project that all of us should support. Yet, it also provides an important occasion for asking deeper questions about our voting system: Why exactly are there so many Americans who are not registered to vote, and how can we improve our electoral system to get rid of red tape around the registration process and ensure that every eligible person is able to exercise the freedom to vote?
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Tova Wang; Youjin Kim
Demos
29 page(s)
12/1/2011
Abstract:
As a society, we should strive to ensure that new citizens become engaged, incorporated and invested in democracy by encouraging their participation in elections. Yet in the United States, there is a significant gap in the voter participation rates of native-born and naturalized American citizens. Analysts have different theories for why this is so. One paramount reason is upon inspection immediately evident, but not much discussed: The unique American voter registration process is a significant barrier to voting for naturalized Americans in particular. Fortunately, there are some concrete remedies that can and should be implemented to address the lower rate of participation among naturalized citizens. This paper describes the voting and registration gap, identifies reasons that have been put forward for it, and suggests some potential ways to close or at least narrow the gap.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Jennifer Bachner
National
33 page(s)
9/12/2010
Abstract:
Using longitudinal data and a matching analysis, this paper shows that students who complete a year of coursework in American Government/Civics are 3-6 percentage points more likely to vote in an election following high school than those without exposure to civic education. Further, this effect is magnified among students whose parents are not highly politicized. Among students who report not discussing politics with their parents, additional coursework is associated with a 7-11 percentage point increase in the probability of voting. This result suggests that civic education compensates for a relative lack of political socialization at home, and thereby enhances participatory equality.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Georgios Tsoukalas; Kostas Papadimitriou; Panayiotis Tsanakas; Panos Louridas
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
17 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
We present Zeus, a verifiable internet ballot casting and counting system based on Helios, in which encrypted votes are posted eponymously to a server, then are anonymized via cryptographic mixing, and finally are decrypted using multiple trustee keys. Zeus refines the original Helios workflow to address a variety of practical issues, such as usability, parallelization, varying election types, and tallying through a separate computing system. In rough numbers, in the first nine months of deployment, Zeus has been used in 60 elections, tallying a total of more than 12000 votes.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Online voter registration; Polling place management; Polling places; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Bonnie Glaser; Karin Mac Donald
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
California
14 page(s)
4/12/2007
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act and other legislation required that local election agencies throughout the United States upgrade voting equipment and consequently implement new technology at the polling place. Funding was made available to purchase new equipment and for the training of the people who administer the elections on the street level, poll workers. This paper looks at the implementation challenges of moving from a hand-counted or mechanical system to one that employs a variety of electronic technology. For some participants in the process, this is like moving from a Locomotive to the Bullet Train in six years or less. We analyze a survey of poll workers and find large variations in how well prepared they felt to operate machines and assist voters, across technologies. Our preliminary findings illuminate inequities at the polling places, raise questions about the one person, one vote principle, and point to issues of possible vote dilution.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
Jeffrey Lewis; Michael Herron
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
Florida
47 page(s)
4/24/2006
Abstract:
Many counties across the United States are in the process of replacing old voting technologies
with electronic touchscreen systems. Little is known, however, about the effects of touchscreens on voter candidate choices and dropoff decisions. With this in mind we study Pasco County, a Gulf Coast county in Florida that after the 2000 general election changed its voting technology from Votomatic punchcards to iVotronic touchscreens. We treat Pasco County’s technology shift as a natural experiment and using a collection of several hundred thousand ballot images show that touchscreens facilitated the casting of valid votes by those voters who wanted to cast them; that touchscreens produced ballots with relatively high degrees of internal predictability in terms of dropoffs and vote choices across races; and, that voters’ proclivities to dropoff from voting were correlated with precinct demographics in 2000 yet were essentially uncorrelated in 2004.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Daniel Tokaji; Edward Foley; Nathan Cemenska; Steven Huefner
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
Illinois; Michigan; Minnesota; Ohio; Wisconsin
202 page(s)
Winter 2007
Abstract:
From voting machines to provisional ballots to voter identification requirements, the “nuts and bolts” of the country’s election systems have generated concern across the political spectrum. Yet in the face of considerable disagreement over what changes should be made, the debate has too often proceeded without an adequate understanding of existing rules and practices. Particularly in need of scrutiny is how the changes required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (“HAVA”), passed by Congress in response to the 2000 presidential election, as well as many recent state-initiated changes, have altered the election environments at the state and local level. This report seeks to help fill that gap by describing the results of a yearlong study of election administration in five key Midwestern states: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
Vicki Davis
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
Florida
3 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE) strongly urges the Florida Legislature to adopt the following during the 2013 Legislative Session.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter information & outreach
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
Florida
4 page(s)
9/20/2014
Abstract:
It is the position of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE) that the
2015 regular legislative session is the appropriate time for Florida to pursue Online Voter
Registration (OVR) with an implementation in 2017.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Miles Rapoport
National
54 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
In the second section, the Election Reform Agenda, we examine the mechanics of our democracy—various components of our electoral system that are groaning under the weight of problematical laws, administrative confusion and under-investment. These factors discourage rather than encourage voting, and erect new barriers while further entrenching existing ones—preventing far too many eligible voters from casting a ballot. We present an array of research-based examples and statistics that demonstrate this reality, and we also put forward an agenda for reform to make a difference and help create a vibrant and inclusive democracy for the future.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Scott Novakowski
Demos
National; Illinois; Missouri; North Carolina; Ohio; Tennessee; Virginia
20 page(s)
7/22/2010
Abstract:
Work by Demos and its partners suggests that millions of low-income Americans can be brought into the political process through proper implementation of an often-neglected provision of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) that requires states to provide voter registration services to applicants and recipients of public assistance benefits. And the time is ripe to ensure that voter registration is provided at public assistance offices. Many public assistance programs are experiencing significant growth, with participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP", formerly Food Stamps), one of the largest programs, now at an all-time high, having increased dramatically over the past year.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Civitas Institute
North Carolina
7 page(s)
1/17/2011
Abstract:
This poll of 600 registered voters in North Carolina was conducted December 15-16, 2010 by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Virginia. This survey has a margin of error of +4.0% in 95 out of 100 cases. To ensure a representative sample, interviews were conducted proportional to voter registration figures for each county in the state based on the most recent figures compiled by the State Board of Elections.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Nabajyoti Barkakati
Task Force on Florida-13, Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Florida
27 page(s)
10/2/2007
Abstract:
In November 2006, about 18,000 undervotes were reported in Sarasota County in the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District (FL-13). After the contesting of the election results in the House of Representatives, the task force unanimously voted to seek GAO’s assistance in determining whether the voting systems contributed to the large undervote in Sarasota County. GAO agreed with the task force on an engagement plan, including the following review objectives: (1) What voting systems were used in Sarasota County and what processes governed their use? (2) What was the scope of the undervote in Sarasota County in the general election? (3) What tests were conducted on the voting systems in Sarasota County prior to the general election and what were the results of those tests? (4) Considering the voting systems tests conducted after the general election, are additional tests needed to determine whether the voting systems contributed to the undervote?
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Benjamin Healey; Myriah Pahl
Demos
National; Connecticut; Maine; New York; South Carolina
8 page(s)
5/1/2007
Abstract:
Fusion is a simple reform that gives candidates for elected office the freedom to run with the endorsement of more than one political party. Throughout the 19th and into the early 20th century, fusion was legal in nearly every state of the union. Today, fusion voting remains technically legal in seven states, though only still implemented in a few. It is part of common electoral practice in New York, and is enjoying a revival in Connecticut and South Carolina. Fusion proponents argue that legislators should consider fusion voting as a tool for invigorating our elections and as an antidote to sinking levels of voter participation and citizens’ increasing alienation from the political process.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Doug Chapin
Future of California Elections (FOCE); Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
California
24 page(s)
8/29/2013
Abstract:
This document is intended as a summary of FOCE’s work on key issues in the field of election policy and is being shared with the Commission with the expectation that it will be included with other materials the Commission uses in preparation of its final report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
3/7/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Ballot marking tools; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day emergencies; Evaluation & assessment; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Usability testing; Vote centers; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Wait times
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
1 page(s)
7/3/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling place management; Polling places; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Doreen Crisostomo; E. Brobesong; G. Yeoh; Robert Clemente
Guam Election Commission
Guam
4 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Alice Taijeron
Guam Election Commission
Guam
4 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Reid Magney
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
2 page(s)
9/14/2012
Abstract:
The Government Accountability Board today released local election cost data for elections held in April, May and June 2012. At the request of the Legislature, the G.A.B. began last August to collect election cost data from Wisconsin’s 72 counties and 1,851 municipalities. Most election costs are borne by local taxpayers.
Subject(s):
Election types; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker training; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Reid Magney
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
1 page(s)
2/19/2013
Abstract:
Running the November 2012 Presidential and General Election cost local governments an estimated $10 million, according to new data released today by the Government Accountability Board. Poll worker wages topped the list of expenses borne by local governments at $3.2 million, while election official staff cost $3 million and ballots cost $1.4 million. “Today’s Spring Primary election will cost significantly less because clerks have fewer workers at the polls and they print far fewer ballots,” said Kevin J. Kennedy, Wisconsin’s chief election official. “Unlike November when turnout was more than 70 percent statewide, we expect today’s turnout to be less than 10 percent.” The 2012 election data released today includes statistics reported by Wisconsin’s 1,851 municipalities about the numbers of voters, ballots, absentee ballots, and voter registrations. It also includes clerks’ cost estimates for administering elections.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker compensation; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Ronald Hayduk
Northern Illinois University Press
New York
291 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
In this timely study, political scientist Ronald Hayduk assesses the impact that electoral rules, registration procedures, and on-the-ground operations of New York's state and city election boards have had upon voters' participation and election outcomes over the past 130 years. This in-depth case study documents the ways in which certain practices not only disenfranchise eligible individuals but disproportionately affect low-income and minority groups. It also provides alarming evidence that the debacle in Florida during the 2000 presidential election was not unique. Partisanship and the corruption it fosters have been built into the American system of election administration. At the same time, however, Hayduk argues that expansive election practices and efficient administration do encourage registration and voting. Bringing his research up to the 2004 presidential election, he evaluates the reforms instituted by the Help America Vote Act. In the conclusion, he offers a candid discussion of other proposed measures for ensuring that all citizens can exercise their right to vote.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Christopher Elmendorf; Edward Foley
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
National
33 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
This Essay examines the methodological upheaval created by the quartet of constitutional election law cases decided during October Term 2007.
Subject(s):
Top two primaries; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Fox; Susan Carroll
Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics
National
223 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
Gender and Elections offers a systematic, lively, multi-faceted account of the role of gender in the electoral process through the 2004 elections. This timely, yet enduring, volume strikes a balance between highlighting the most important developments for women as voters and candidates in the 2004 elections and providing a more long-term, in-depth analysis of the ways that gender has helped shape the contours and outcomes of electoral politics in the United States.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Women voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Steve Strahs
Election Reform Network
Pennsylvania
8 page(s)
3/1/2009
Abstract:
This report outlines the findings of the Election Reform Network with regard to the operation of the November 08 election in Montgomery County. The vantage point of this report is that of the individual eligible voter or potential voter who interacts with the “apparatus” of election administration with the goal of casting a ballot that is recorded and counted accurately.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Provisional ballots; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Tammy Patrick
Maricopa County Elections Department
Arizona
215 page(s)
12/5/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Evaluation & assessment; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Turnout
Jay Bagga; Jessica Myers; Joshua Franklin
State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
National
35 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Voting technology
Kevin Arceneaux; Megan Mullin; Thad Kousser
Political Research Quarterly
National
13 page(s)
11/5/2012
Abstract:
This study extends previous field experimental research on turnout by considering how institutional context moderates the effect of mobilization. Taking advantage of a setting in which some registrants are assigned to vote by mail, the authors find that a door-to-door mobilization campaign has a larger effect on the participation of those who vote at polling places than on registrants assigned to cast mail ballots, but only among individuals whose voting behavior is most likely to be shaped by extrinsic social rewards. The authors conclude that there may be payoff for election reform strategies that tap into voting’s social rewards.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Civic education; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Heather Gerken
Oklahoma City University Law Review
National
4/3/2008
Abstract:
I want to talk about what ought to be the central question in election reform but is not: how to get change passed in this country. That is a tendentious claim given that lots of people devote lots of time to making our election system better. The problem is that they are fighting this battle on hostile terrain, and almost no one is thinking about how to change the terrain itself. We have spent too much time identifying the journey's end and not enough time figuring out how to smooth the road that leads there.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Evaluation & assessment
Derek Cressman
Common Cause Education Fund
National
14 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
Vote By Mail (VBM) elections can increase turnout by four to five percentage points in general elections and significantly more in local or off-year elections. Rather than sparking participation among citizens who never vote, it appears that the added convenience of votng by mail serves primarily to retain higher participation among those voters who tend to vote in general elections by making it easier for them to vote in traditionally lower-interest local, special, or nonpartisan elections. Among the other benefits of mail balloting are a reduction in logistical problems associated with in-person voting on Election Day, a reduction in poll-worker requirements, increased opportunities to conduct voter mobilization, minimizing the appeal of last-minute attack ads, providing more time for voters to fill out their ballots, the potential to save both time and money, and deterring fraud more efficiently than photo-ID requirements used with in-person polling. There are also some potential problems with voting by mail, but these can be mitigated or eliminated by using the following recommended practices for Vote By Mail elections.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day emergencies; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Hans von Spakovsky
National Review
National
2 page(s)
8/3/2012
Abstract:
Among the many poorly researched articles that have written about voter-ID laws, one piece that appeared recently in Politico holds a special place.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Cynthia Rugeley; Robert Jackson
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
22 page(s)
3/20/2009
Abstract:
States and the federal government have initiated reforms designed to increase voting participation. Research has focused on the effects of these reforms-specifically, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA)-on voter turnout, but little research has focused directly on voter registration. Moving beyond the question of whether the NVRA increased registration, we ask: Did its implementation diminish the influence of core demographic variables on registration, producing a more representative pool of registered citizens? Relying on data from Current Population Surveys, our analyses provide limited affirmative support. The NVRA attenuated the influence of income in the states with no previous Motor Voter laws. It also reduced the on-year influence of age and the off-year influence of residential stability in these states and those that had prior passive Motor Voter laws. It did not have a similar effect on the influence of other core characteristics.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter
Jeff Fischer; Rafael López-Pintor
Bureau for Development Policy, United Nations Development Programme; Center for Transitional and Post-Conflict Governance, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
National
212 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
The Cost of Registration and Elections (CORE) Project was initiated to assist governments and independent organizations in their efforts to identify and examine all forms of election-related costs and funding sources. The Project’s primary objectives were to evaluate the methods by which election budgets are established, tracked and funded; to identify the cost-management practices that can be adopted by EMBs; and to establish a methodology for the comparative assessment of electoral costs. This study is intended to expand upon and complement research into election budgeting and financing issues that were discussed in Electoral Management Bodies as Institutions of Governance, published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Jeffrey Karp; Susan Banducci
Political Behavior
Oregon
17 page(s)
12/1/2000
Abstract:
We examine the question of whether or not reducing the costs of voting by conducting elections entirely through the mail rather than at the traditional polling place increases participation. Using election data from Oregon, we examine whether or not elections conducted through the mail increase turnout in both local and statewide elections. Using precinct-level data merged with census data we also examine how postal voting may alter the composition of the electorate. We find that, while all-mail elections tend to produce higher turnout, the most significant increases occur in low stimulus elections, such as local elections or primaries where turnout is usually low. The increase in turnout, however, is not uniform across demographic groups. Voting only by mail is likely to increase turnout among those who are already predisposed to vote, such as those with higher socioeconomic status.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Brian Duff; Ismail White; Michael Hanmer; Won-Ho Park
Public Opinion Quarterly
National
24 page(s)
2/25/2007
Abstract:
In this article, we assess the effectiveness of a new turnout question on reducing voter over-reporting in the National Election Study. Providing respondents with socially acceptable excuses for not voting, we found that this alternate question significantly reduces the over-reporting of turnout in the 2002 National Election Study by about 8 percentage points. Moreover, our analysis reveals that with the new question wording, estimates of the turnout rate for those usually thought to be the least likely to vote are considerably lower than estimates using the traditional question. Thus, not only did the experiment work to significantly reduce over-reporting, the new question provides deeper insights into the voting behavior of the American electorate that has implications for both scholars and reformers.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Susan MacManus
Election Reform: Politics and Policy
Florida
39 page(s)
8/29/2003
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Canvassing & election certification; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Runoff elections; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Common Cause; Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN); Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National
32 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
In response to these new requirements, organizations in some affected states have established “Got ID?” programs designed to assist citizens who wish to obtain photo ID in order to vote. However, more of these efforts are needed, and this need will only increase as strict ID laws pass in other states. New programs to assist individuals in obtaining IDs can benefit from the experience and lessons learned from organizations currently undertaking such efforts. Interviews with representatives of some of the organizations with experience running “Got ID?” programs in Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Colorado have yielded a number of “best-practice” recommendations.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Frank O'Bannon
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Indiana
2 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
The 2001 Indiana General Assembly was one of a few state legislatures to pass significant election reform following the controversial election of 2000. It was sensible legislation that set a workable timeline for banning the controversial "punchcard" voting system, established a funding source for partial reimbursement to those counties forced to replace their voting systems and mandated the development of a statewide voter registration database to improve our poll lists. It is an accomplishment of which all Hoosiers can be very proud. The rest of the nation has taken notice. Indiana has fielded many inquiries asking why our legislature was able to come to consensus where others could not. Those election reforms, as well as several others that seem destined for my desk from this year's session, grew out of the Bipartisan Task Force on Election Integrity.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Evaluation & assessment; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Dan Glickman; Dirk Kempthorne; Olympia Snowe; Tom Daschle; Trent Lott
Bipartisan Policy Center; Commission on Political Reform
National
120 page(s)
6/1/2014
Abstract:
The Bipartisan Policy Center launched the Commission on Political Reform in 2013 to investigate the causes and consequences of America’s partisan political divide and to advocate for specific reforms that will improve the political process and that will work in a polarized atmosphere. The commission met at public and private institutions across the country to hear from interested citizens, political leaders, and issue experts about the problems and potential solutions. It is clear that Americans are concerned about the lack of civil discourse and the increasing inability of the U.S. political system to grapple with the nation’s biggest challenges. These shortcomings put the nation at risk of losing its standing in the world. This report, Governing in a Polarized America: A Bipartisan Blueprint to Strengthen our Democracy, is the culmination of the commission’s public and private deliberations, but it is not the end of its work. Our recommendations provide a realistic path forward to strengthen U.S. democracy. The commission does not pretend to have discovered the cure to all that ails democracy. But, 29 Americans have come together as part of our commission to embrace a truly bipartisan reform agenda. The commission identifies reforms in three specific areas: the electoral process, the process by which Congress legislates and manages its own affairs, and the ability of Americans to plug into the nation’s civic life through public service. We chose to focus on three broad areas of reform, because the polarization in the United States runs deeply through its institutions, affects the ways Americans elect political leaders and how the institutions of government operate, and even puts in danger Americans’ deep-seated desire to serve their nation.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Civic education; Closed primaries; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election types; Institutional arrangements; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Nonpartisan election administration; Online voter registration; Open primaries; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence
Miles Rapoport
Committee on Government, Military and Veterans Affairs, Nebraska Legislature
National; Iowa; Nebraska
6 page(s)
2/1/2009
Abstract:
Demos President Miles Rapoport delivers testimony, highlighting Iowa's turnout for the 2008 General Election was the highest in state history largely as a result of EDR recently enacted in the state, EDR states have little to no instance of fraud related to EDR and election officials in EDR states support its efficacy as pro-voter legislation that opens access to the polls and limits the need for provisional ballots, before the Nebraska Senate Committee on Government, Military and Veterans Affairs.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Mary Fitzgerald
American Politics Research
National
26 page(s)
11/1/2005
Abstract:
In this study, I evaluate the merits of the structural-legal theory of voter participation in light of the most recent voting reforms instituted in the states. Specifically, I determine the extent to which alternative voting methods such as unrestricted absentee voting, in-person early voting, election-day registration, and motor vehicle and mail registration actually increase turnout and attract participants to the electoral arena by making voting more convenient and reducing the “costs” of participation. In doing so, voter turnout is examined in federal elections across the 50 states and over the time period 1972-2002. A pooled cross-sectional time-series model with fixed effects is used to explore the aggregate, state-level data. Overall, the results reveal the relative weakness of the structural-legal theory with regard to explaining electoral participation and show that voter turnout in U.S. elections may be less about convenience and costs than expected.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Ray Martinez III
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
"[T]he protection of the voting process is as important for the well-being of the body politic as is protection of public health and safety for the bodies of our individual citizens."
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
37 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
This section provides tools and procedures that can improve poll worker management and reduce the administrative burden on Election Day. These measures can include employing Election Day troubleshooters, using early voting sites, and developing and assigning blended poll worker teams.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Vote centers
Combine With: Errors
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
96 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
Elections depend on poll workers. They cannot operate without the army of citizens who are willing to staff the polls every Election Day. Recruiting poll workers is an ongoing challenge. According to a 2006 survey conducted by the National Association of Counties (NACo), 56 percent of election officials reported that they were unable to fully staff the polls in the last presidential election.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
44 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
The stars of Election Day are the poll workers who take pride in how well they manage the polling place. This section offers strategies to keep them coming back.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
72 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
Every 2 years, election officials train more than 1.4 million citizens to carry out a task critical to our democracy. On Election Day, the citizen’s right to cast a vote rests not in the hands of election officials but in the hands of poll workers. Ultimately, poll workers ensure that eligible citizens are able to cast a vote and have that vote counted. Election officials must provide the training and tools poll workers need to carry out these important tasks. How well poll workers carry out their responsibilities reflects the quality of their training and the support they receive on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs
Daniel Tokaji
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
This essay surveys lawsuits involving the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) during that statute's first decade. It provides an overview of HAVA litigation, describing decisions that are exemplary as well as ones that are exceptional. It finds that courts have mostly deferred to state and local election officials' decisions on how to implement HAVA. The essay closes by considering what lessons might be learned from HAVA's experience in the courts.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
5 page(s)
7/13/2012
Abstract:
What can be done to boost voter participation in Hawaii? And would any effort really be effective? Experiences on the mainland, along with evaluations of Hawaii election procedures, suggest several types of legal and procedural changes that would be likely to bolster voter registration and election turnout, although studies suggest the overall impact may be modest at best. Some proposals have already drawn significant public support and, in one case, legislative backing as well.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Polling place hours; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter information materials
Combine With: Turnout
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
4 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
If Americans paid more attention to elections in other democratic countries, they would likely come away with an unsettling realization: Just as voter turnout in Hawaii lags behind that in other states, turnout across the U.S. lags behind that recorded in most of the world’s countries.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Polling place locations; Voter registration; Weekend voting
Combine With: Turnout
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
4 page(s)
6/1/2004
Abstract:
Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. Supporter of HAVA would indicate that it is one of the few times that the federal government has established a national program that relies on the states to determine the best methods of implementing the mandates and goals, while opponents would point to its lack of clear direction and clear authority of the federal government to determine whether a program is meeting its objectives.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
David Kimball ; Martha Kropf
Routledge
National
156 page(s)
12/22/2011
Abstract:
Helping America Vote is focused on the conflict between values of access and integrity in U.S. election administration. Kropf and Kimball examine both what was included in HAVA and what was not. Widespread agreement that voting equipment was a problem made technology the centerpiece of the legislation, and it has remedied a number of pressing concerns. But there is still reason to be concerned about key aspects of electronic voting, ballot design, and the politics of partisan administrators. It takes a legitimacy crisis for serious election reforms to happen at the federal level, and seemingly, the crisis has passed. However, the risk is still very much present for the electoral process to fail. What are the implications for democracy when we attempt reform?
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Nonpartisan election administration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
David Kimball ; Lindsay Battles; Martha Kropf
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
11/4/2006
Abstract:
State and local election officials play an important role in implementing election laws and administrative rules. There is some suspicion that election officials may tilt rules and procedures to help a favored party, prompting recent proposals for nonpartisan election administration in the United States. We examine the impact of state and local election officials on provisional voting in the 2004 presidential election, the first national election in which pro- visional voting was required by federal law. We find suggestive evidence of partisanship in the selection of state rules governing the counting of provisional ballots. We also find conditional partisan effects in the casting and counting of provisional ballots. In 2004, provisional ballots were more likely to be cast and counted in heavily partisan jurisdictions administered by an election authority of the same party. Additionally, other state-level administrative features (prior experience with provisional voting, a statewide registration database, and rules for counting provisional votes cast in the wrong precinct) strongly affected provisional voting in 2004. Election administration in the United States should be subjected to more scrutiny.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Overseas voters; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics
Electionline; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
29 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
“Election Reform Briefing 20: Poll Workers” examines a number of facets of America’s one-day workforce, including training requirements, compensation, specialization and absenteeism, attitudes and what innovations are underway in states and localities to recruit, train and retain poll workers.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling places; Voter demographics
Chris Rockwell; Mikhail Bernshteyn; Theodore Allen
Franklin County Board of Elections
Ohio
28 page(s)
7/30/2008
Abstract:
This report includes voting time data from the 2006 November election, the 2008 primary, a mock election involving 60 carefully selected citizens, and results from our simulation models and formulas. These results permit our team to make many findings relevant to the November election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Vote centers; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
National
2 page(s)
1/1/2005
Abstract:
Advocates for democracy had one strong reason to cheer on election night: high voter turnout. More than 122 million Americans voted for President in 2004, an increase of 17 million voters or more than 8% of the voting-eligible population (VEP),1 from the 2000 election. Once again, the states leading the country in voter participation all have one thing in common: they allow voters to register to vote on Election Day. Election Day Registration (EDR) makes it possible for new voters, the recently relocated, and those whose registrations were incomplete or lost to participate without unnecessary hurdles. Nationwide, residents of states with Election Day registration voted at rates far higher than average.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Jens Manuel Krogstad
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
2 page(s)
4/2/2014
Abstract:
Hispanics have voted in record numbers in recent years, but their turnout rate continues to lag behind whites and blacks, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census data.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
32 page(s)
7/19/2006
Abstract:
For the past six years, the only constant in election reform has been change – from new rules at polling places and updated voter databases to new machines and ballot-counting procedures. However, there is one area that appears relatively untouched – voter registration. This, the 13th electionline.org Briefing, explores the user end of the registration process: how would-be voters obtain forms, complete them, and how much time they have before an election to do so.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology
Tom Schedler
Louisiana Secretary of State; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
Connecticut; Delaware; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Vermont; Virginia
8 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
I am honored to be here today to testify in two capacities: First, as Louisiana Secretary of State and chief state election official, and second, as the Co - Chair of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections. I want to discuss state disaster readiness and emergency planning for elections and share some of the research and recommendations from our group.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Paper ballots; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots
John Fortier; Norman Ornstein; Thomas Mann
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
19 page(s)
6/29/2010
Abstract:
We launched the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project (ERP) in June 2005 with the encouragement and financial support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Five years later we bring the project to a close. We take this opportunity to reflect on the state of election administration in the United States almost a decade after the extended and controversial Florida vote count in the 2000 presidential election and suggest how additional changes in technology, election law and administrative practices might further strengthen American elections in the years ahead.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Paper ballots; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion; Turnout
Daniel Smith; Michael Herron
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
Florida
32 page(s)
9/12/2012
Abstract:
New state laws governing voter registration went into effect in Florida on July 1, 2011. Among the legal changes promulgated as a consequence of a piece of Florida state legislation known as House Bill 1355 were new registration requirements for third-party groups like the League of Women Voters and a new oath, warning of prison time and fines, that voter registration agents had to sign before engaging in registration activities. Such changes raised the implicit costs that eligible Florida citizens faced when registering to vote, and we show, consistent with this logic, that voter registrations across Florida in late 2011 dropped precipitously compared to registrations in late 2007. This pattern is evident among registrants in general, among registrants age 21 and younger, and among the number of individuals who registered as Democrats as well as the number who registered as Republicans. Outside of House Bill 1355, we know of no credible explanations for our findings about Florida registration drops in 2011. Our results thus show how restrictions on the way that third-party organizations register voters can have tangible effects on actual registrations and, given that registration prior to an election is a civic necessity in Florida, can affect electoral participation.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Michael Marcello
Committee on Oversight, Rhode Island House of Representatives
Rhode Island
51 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
The 2012 elections were, for most Rhode Islanders, a smooth process. But for some, there were excessively long waits at the polls. Every registered voter should have the opportunity to cast a ballot without any unreasonable barriers, no matter where they live in the state. And for this reason, the House Committee on Oversight chose to launch a comprehensive study on the events of Election Day and make recommendations to improve the voting experience for all Rhode Islanders.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Ballot length; Canvassing & election certification; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Usability testing; Voter ID
Combine With: Wait times
Rachel Smith
Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Minnesota
8 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
This document consists of a series of flowcharts to illustrate how the entire absentee voting process works currently. Several key observations should be clear. To begin with, there are distinct processes for each stage of absentee voting – obtaining a ballot, casting a ballot, and the review of the ballot to determine if it meets specified requirements. Secondly, there are distinct differences between types of absentee voting – including individuals receiving a domestic absentee ballot to those voting from the military or overseas. Lastly, this process is highly decentralized with the absentee voting process handled entirely at the local level – either by the county, or in some cases, larger cities. The hope is that this document will help to illustrate and demonstrate the complexity and details of Minnesota’s absentee voting process so that any reform proposals can be carefully grounded on accurate knowledge of the system.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting
Stuart Naifeh
Demos
National; Arizona; Kansas
8 page(s)
8/25/2014
Abstract:
State laws requiring voters to submit documentary evidence of citizenship in order to register to vote are already having a dramatic and harmful effect on citizens’ ability to participate in the
political process in the states that have them. Conversely, they do almost nothing to reduce voter registration fraud, a problem that barely exists in the first place.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Native American voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud
Elaine Ginnold; Elizabeth Bergman; Philip Yates
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California; Oregon; Washington
37 page(s)
10/21/2009
Abstract:
In California’s last election on May 19, 2009, a record 62.19% of voters in the state cast their ballots by mail. Across the nation, twenty-four states allow No Excuse Absentee Voting. Voters appear to be latching on to the relaxation of laws giving them access to the new mode of voting. However, it is important to note that in all but two states, voting by mail is optional. As much as officials and proponents of the change to all-mail elections would like to use the high participation rate of vote by mail as positive indicators regarding a mode change, the reality is that these data are based on self-selected behavior. In other words, a majority of California voters chose to cast their ballot by mail. What would happen if voting by mail became compulsory? What would happen to the 37.81% who expressed no desire for voting by mail when they are required to change over to a new system? We answer that question in this paper. In this study we take advantage of a natural experiment following the same voters to ascertain the individual-level effects on turnout when voters are assigned to mandatory mail-ballot precincts.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
40 page(s)
7/1/2006
Abstract:
Our research, based on a randomly-selected sample of American adults interviewed by telephone in January 2006, indicates that some think it is difficult to register in their state, as 10% of survey respondents stated that the voter registration process in their state was difficult. This implies that an estimated 21 million American adults believe that the voter registration process is difficult in their state. We see also that younger voters, those who are not registered to vote, and political independents are especially likely to believe that at the voter registration+AC2 process is difficult in their state. We focus on younger voters in our analysis reported below because they are one group that research has shown is affected by voter registration procedures. But as nearly 87% of the adults in our sample said that they thought the voter registration process was easy, we conclude that efforts to reform the registration process to make it easier for eligible citizens should be carefully targeted at the segments of the population who find the existing process the most difficult.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
DMV Answers
National
9 page(s)
7/15/2010
Abstract:
Check your state in the grid below for ID fees, and for more information about the ID application requirements (for example, some states won’t let residents apply for ID cards until they reach a certain age, while other states will allow any resident to apply) and fees in your state, contact your local DMV office.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Betsy Sinclair; R. Michael Alvarez; Richard Hasen
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
16 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
Conventional wisdom holds that candidates listed first on an election ballot may gain some measure of advantage from this ballot placement. This belief is shared by the courts, which have relied on it to change election outcomes. For example, the 2001 mayoral election results in Compton, California were recently overturned and the losing incumbent mayor was (temporarily) reinstated because of a supposed failure by the city clerk properly to randomize the candidate names on the ballot. The trial court - eventually overruled - believed that permitting a single candidate to be first necessarily gives that candidate an advantage. How much proof of this "ballot order effect" should be necessary befor courts hold that failure to randomize and rotate the names of candidates on the ballot to neutralize the effect denies candidates (or voters) some measure of equal protection of the laws? And how should courts balance the concern over the ballot order effect against other interests, such as the costs and potential confusion associated with rotation and randomization? Is there enough proof of the effect for courts to order a change in the outcome of an election by reason of a failure to rotate or randomize?
Subject(s):
Ballot design
Combine With: Litigation
William Kelleher
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
64 page(s)
8/28/2014
Abstract:
Internet voting in the USA has a tragic history. It began in the year 2000. It worked so well that Congress approved a major project for the Department of Defense to provide website based Internet voting for overseas military. But the project was abruptly aborted, and the reputation of Internet voting suffered a blow from which it is yet to recover. In chronicling these events our discourse analysis shows how a coup d'état of the election administration function was executed through the control of Internet voting’s meaning.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Certification & testing; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion
Benjamin Highton; Megan Mullin; Raymond Wolfinger
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
23 page(s)
3/20/2005
Abstract:
A well-established scholarly tradition links lower voting costs with higher turnout. Whereas previous research emphasized the costs imposed by requiring voter registration, our research assesses postregistration costs and state policies that can make it easier for registered citizens to vote. These policies include mailing each registrant a sample ballot and information about the location of his or her polling place, providing a longer voting day, and requiring firms to give their employees time off to vote. Using the 2000 Voter Supplement to the Current Population Survey, we find that all but the last of these provisions enhance turnout, especially by the young and the less educated.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Turnout
Joyce Kirschner; Steven Carbó
North Carolina
10 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
2007 was the first year that the North Carolina General Assembly seriously considered Same Day Registration. SDR bills had been introduced in prior years and attracted legislative support, but never gained sufficient traction. This report recounts North Carolina’s road to Same Day Registration from three different perspectives: legislative supporters, elections officials and the advocacy community.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Andrew Reynolds; Marco Steenbergen
Electoral Studies
National
29 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
This article gives a historical overview of the evolution of voting procedures from ancient times to the modern day, describes the results of a survey of 134 paper ballots used over the last decade for national legislative, executive and referenda elections in 107 countries, and gives the findings of a laboratory experiment testing the impact of ballot paper design. The evidence suggests three things: first, elaborate ballots (incorporating colors, symbols and photographs) are more likely to be found where literacy is lower and competitive multi party elections are a new phenomenon. But elaborate ballots are not significantly related to the level of democracy, the effective number of parties, or the type of electoral system. Second, there is little evidence to suggest that elaborate and costly ballots reduce spoilt ballot rates or are essential tools for illiterate voters. Rather, the negative correlation between ballot design and spoilt ballots, combined with the weight of historical evidence which shows that ballots are often a highly manipulative tools of political symbolism, implies that ballot papers symbols, photographs, layout, and color are of most interest as political cues (for both literate and illiterate voters). This intuition is confirmed by the results of a vote simulation experiment conducted on 401 students in which ballot design had a pronounced effect on voting behavior.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot wording; International election administration
Kristen Greene; Michael Byrne; Stephen Goggin
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
15 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
Despite the importance of usability in ensuring election integrity, it remains an under-studied aspect of voting systems. Voting computers (a.k.a. DREs) offer the opportunity to present ballots to voters in novel ways, yet this space has not been systematically explored. We constructed a DRE that, unlike most commercial DREs, does not require voters to view every race, but instead starts at the “review screen” and lets voters directly navigate to races. This was compared with a more traditional, sequentially-navigated, DRE. The direct access navigation model had two effects, both of which were quite large. First, voters made omission (undervote) errors markedly more often. Second, voters who were free to choose who to vote for chose to vote in substantially fewer races. We also examined the relationship between the true error rate—which is not observable in real elections—and the residual vote rate, a measure of effectiveness commonly used for real elections. Replicating the findings of [Campbell and Byrne 2009a], the mean residual vote rate was close to the mean true error rate, but the correlation between these measures was low, suggesting a loose coupling between these two measures.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors
Paul Craft
Freeman, Craft, McGregor Group; National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems
5 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Lawrence Norden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
20 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
There were many images typical of Election Day last November 6, including the usual confetti and tears that accompanied the victory and concession speeches at the end of the night. Unfortunately, there was another image that is increasingly common on Election Day, especially during presidential contests: long lines. While it was inspiring to see so many Americans endure hours of standing to exercise their most fundamental right, it was also troubling. We admire the voters in Miami who waited for hours and “refused to leave the line despite fainting.” But should this kind of fortitude be needed to vote?
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Diane Kasden; Jonathan Brater; Lawrence Norden; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
44 page(s)
12/19/2013
Abstract:
Everyone agrees that the long lines of 2012 were a disgrace. This is a plan for how we can “fix that.” What follows are practical, evidence- and research-based best practices regarding four areas of reform — each of which will improve election administration and the voting experience:1. Modernizing voter registration; 2. Expanding early voting; 3. Improving management of polling place resources; and 4. Improving the simplicity and usability of ballots and voting machines, and publishing data on machine performance.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Portable registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Usability testing; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Weekend voting
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Wait times
Robert Stein
The Monkey Cage, The Washington Post
National
3 page(s)
11/7/2013
Abstract:
It was a pretty pleasant day for this week’s statewide elections in both Virginia and New Jersey. But the recent anniversary of Hurricane Sandy reminds us that sometimes the weather does affect elections. In this guest post, Rice University political scientist Robert Stein tells us how to help ensure our elections can withstand extreme weather.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places
Combine With: Turnout
Gracia Hillman
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
34 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
This report is part of the Commission’s work in serving as a resource for information. The 2004 Election Day Survey represents the largest and most comprehensive survey on election administration ever conducted by a U.S. governmental organization. The survey is our first attempt to compile a set of statistics on election practices and voting. This information is invaluable in helping us better understand what is happening throughout the country and identify key issues that deserve further exploration and consideration. It will help us meet our statutory requirements to study various portions of the election process and report to Congress about the status of election administration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Susan King Roth
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland; Human Factors Research on Voting Machines and Ballot Designs: An Exploratory Study
National
8 page(s)
6/1/2002
Abstract:
The lack of standardization and quality control in the election process has created a system greatly in need of reform. Several high-level commission reports and task force findings have been issued since November 2000, and legislative proposals to improve the situation through funding and policy changes are currently progressing through Congress. Suggestions include restructuring the Federal Election Commission, revising and updating Voting System Standards to include human factors criteria, and increasing the role of the federal government in equipment certification, ballot guidelines, and collecting system performance data from states and local officials. As a result of its analysis of voluntary federal voting system standards, the GAO has determined that more information is needed in a key area: the interaction between voters and voting technology.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Florida; Hawaii; Louisiana; New Jersey; New York
8 page(s)
11/6/2012
Abstract:
Federal elections are traditionally administered by state and local governments. While Congress has the power to regulate federal elections, it has exercised that authority in limited circumstances. Nevertheless, questions have arisen about what actions might be taken by the federal government to respond to the possible impacts of Hurricane Sandy on the November 6 election in affected states. This fact sheet discusses examples from prior elections in the United States where natural disasters, severe weather, or terrorist attack affected elections, including instances of federal assistance or postponement. It also includes discussion of developments relating to the impacts of Hurricane Sandy on elections in affected states.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling places
Combine With: Turnout
David Nickerson; Elizabeth Bennion
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
25 page(s)
4/2/2009
Abstract:
College campuses provide excellent testing grounds to measure the effectiveness of different approaches to voter registration. Like other young people, who turnout at low rates, students move frequently and have little or no voter history. Using student directories to randomly assign students to different registration appeals, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of face-to-face, classroom-based appeals, and the corresponding ineffectiveness of less personal mail- and email-based approaches to registration. Unlike mail and email campaigns, classroom presentations provide young citizens with the combination of information, motivation, and designated time required to successfully complete the registration process.
Subject(s):
Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Shelley de Alth
Harvard Law and Policy Review
National
18 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Last spring, in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s law requiring voters to show picture identification in order to vote, but the Court divided four ways over the issue. Central to the Justices’ debate and the applicable constitutional balancing test was the degree of the burden that the law imposes on voters. This Essay surveys the voter ID controversy and describes original empirical research finding ID laws to have a negative impact on voter turnout. Since the Court left open the possibility of as-applied challenges to voter ID laws, future litigants who can produce research such as this will have a much stronger case to have these laws declared unconstitutional.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Ray Christensen; Thomas Schultz
American Politics Research
National
26 page(s)
8/19/2013
Abstract:
We propose a new method of measuring election fraud, especially identity fraud, that is superior to previous measurement efforts because it measures actual instances of fraud rather than waiting for conclusive proof of fraud produced in a criminal prosecution. We test our method in multiple jurisdictions, including two known cases of electoral fraud, and we find no additional cases of fraud. We speculate that public access to voting and registration records play an important role in preventing this type of election fraud, suggesting that these practices are perhaps more important than voter ID laws in preventing election fraud.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud
Alan Gerber; Gregory Huber; Seth Hill
Political Science Research and Methods
Washington
26 page(s)
6/12/2013
Abstract:
What effect does moving to all-mail elections have on participation? On one hand, all registered voters automatically receive a ballot to return by mail at their convenience. On the other hand, the social aspect of the polling place, and the focal point of election day, is lost. Current estimates of the effect of all-mail elections on turnout are ambiguous. This article offers an improved design and new estimates of the effect of moving to all-mail elections. Exploiting cross-sectional and temporal variation in county-level implementation of all-mail elections in Washington State, we find that the reform increased aggregate participation by two to four percentage points. Using individual observations from the state voter file, we also find that the reform increased turnout more for lower-participating registrants than for frequent voters, suggesting that all-mail voting reduces turnout disparities between these groups.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
David Jefferson
California Voter Foundation; Verified Voting Foundation
National
6 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The security, privacy, and transparency requirements for online voting are much more complex and stringent than they are for ecommerce transactions. The acceptability of small losses and the strategies for managing risk are very different between the two. And it is hard to grasp the full implications of the fact that online elections might be compromised and the wrong people elected via silent, remote, automated vote manipulation that leaves no audit trail and no evidence for election officials or anyone else to even detect the problem, let alone fix it. These ultimately are the reasons we cannot provide satisfactory security for online voting even though we can for online commerce.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Security
John Fortier; Norman Ornstein
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
Winter 2004
Abstract:
In this piece, we go through a presidential election cycle chronologically, identifying key points that terrorists might target and the problems that might be caused as a result.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Polling places
Alia Beard Rau
The Arizona Republic
Arizona
4 page(s)
11/17/2013
Abstract:
An examination of voter-fraud cases in Maricopa County shows those involving illegal immigrants are nearly non-existent, and have been since before the changes to voter-ID requirements were enacted in 2004. In response to an Arizona Republic records request, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office provided a list of 21 criminal cases since January 2005 in which the suspect was charged with a felony related to voter fraud. A search of court records found 13 other cases. Of the 34 Maricopa County cases, two of the suspects were in the country illegally and 12 were not citizens but living in the U.S. legally, court records showed. One of the suspect’s legal-residency status was unclear from the records. The non-citizens came from around the world — Indonesia, Canada, Mexico, Yugoslavia, the Philippines and Thailand. Most had been living legally in the U.S. for decades. Several stated in court documents that they thought they were permitted to vote because they were legal permanent residents of the United States. None was convicted of a felony or given any jail time. A couple of the cases were dismissed; the other suspects pleaded guilty to misdemeanors and served a few months of probation.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud
R. Michael Alvarez; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
7 page(s)
7/1/2004
Abstract:
We recommend four immediate steps that the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) should take to improve the electoral process for the November 2004 presidential election. We also provide below a number of other steps that we believe are necessary for avoiding lost votes in the presidential election this fall.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot wording; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Security
Combine With: Errors
Kevin Kennedy
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
33 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
The purpose of this report by the Government Accountability Board (“Board” or “G.A.B.”) is to describe impediments to voting encountered by elderly voters and voters with disabilities who seek to participate in elections conducted in the State of Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling places; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Nebraskans for Civic Reform
Arizona
8 page(s)
8/3/2010
Abstract:
This document seeks to answer several questions regarding the implementation of electronic registration in Arizona. These questions include; whether the system has been a success, what sorts of legal and public opinion issues have arisen during the implementation process, and how these issues were overcome. Voter Fraud and Immigration issues are also addressed in this paper.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation
Elaine Ginnold; Freddie Oakley; Gail Pellerin; Joseph Lorenzo Hall; Luke Miratrix; Martin Peaden; Melvin Briones; Philip Stark; Tom Stanionis; Tricia Webber
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
California
22 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Risk-limiting post-election audits limit the chance of certifying an electoral outcome if the outcome is not what a full hand count would show. Building on previous work [19, 20, 22, 23, 15], we report pilot risk limiting audits in four elections during 2008 in three California counties: one during the February 2008 Primary Election in Marin County and three during the November 2008 General Elections in Marin, Santa Cruz and Yolo Counties. We explain what makes an audit risk-limiting and how existing and proposed laws fall short. We discuss the differences among our four pilot audits. We identify challenges to practical, efficient risk-limiting audits and conclude that current approaches are too complex to be used routinely on a large scale. One important logistical bottleneck is the difficulty of exporting data from commercial election management systems in a format amenable to audit calculations. Finally, we propose a bare-bones risk-limiting audit that is less efficient than these pilot audits, but avoids many practical problems.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits
Leonard Shambon
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
20 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
This paper describes the central events leading to the passage of HAVA, explains HAVA, and examines the pattern of state plans to implement HAVA. The paper closes with a discussion of (1) issues that impede HAVA implementation by the deadline, (2) issues that were not addressed in the legislation, and (3) reasons why it is difficult to emulate the more efficient and non-partisan election regimes of both Canada and Mexico.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day polling place voting; Paper ballots; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Raymond Scheele
Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Ball State University; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Indiana
12 page(s)
12/10/2012
Abstract:
To support election officials considering using Vote Centers, we have collected and organized background information, examples, statistics, implementation guidelines, and best practices into a repository to be a resource for people who are evaluating, planning, and using Vote Centers. This section introduces and sets forth a checklist for election officials to use if they are planning on adopting Vote Centers.
Subject(s):
Vote centers
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Tova Wang
Demos; State Government and Elections Committee, Ohio House of Representatives
Georgia; Indiana; Maryland; Missouri; North Carolina; Ohio; Wisconsin
5 page(s)
3/22/2011
Abstract:
Many states across the country are well on the way to passing restrictive voter ID laws including in Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Montana and Iowa. All of the bills being contemplated in this session would require every voter to present government issued photo identification in order to vote. Eleven percent of the U.S. population does not have the type of identification required by these laws. Depending on the type of voter ID law being contemplated, voter ID laws can costs millions of dollars to implement.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Wait times
Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition
Delaware; Pennsylvania
49 page(s)
7/4/2005
Abstract:
The purpose of ballot access laws includes an assurance that candidates with a modicum of support have ready access to the ballot. Most states, including neighboring Delaware, are achieving that goal with far less oppressive ballot access laws than Pennsylvania.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation; Public opinion; Turnout
Andrew Chang; David Wagner; Eric Kim; George Yiu; Kai Wang; Nicholas Carlini
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
California
18 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
This paper studies how to provide support for ballot-level post-election audits. Informed by our work supporting pilots of these audits in several California counties, we identify gaps in current technology in tools for this task: we need better ways to count voted ballots (from scanned images) without access to scans of blank, unmarked ballots; and we need improvements to existing techniques that help them scale better to large, complex elections. We show how to meet these needs and use our system to successfully process ballots from 11 California counties, in support of the pilot audit program. Our new techniques yield order-of-magnitude speedups compared to the previous system, and enable us to successfully process some elections that would not have reasonably feasible without these techniques.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Noel Runyan
Common Cause; Voter Action
National
71 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
The following is a set of recommendations that should make the next generation of voting systems more accessible. A major redesign and simplification of all voting systems and their components will also make blends of voting systems more practical for election officials, poll workers and voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot marking tools; Ballot on demand; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Software-based systems; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Kim Alexander; Saskia Mills
California Voter Foundation
California
73 page(s)
8/1/2014
Abstract:
In the twelve years since California’s permanent vote-by-mail law took effect, the reliance
of California voters on voting by mail has steadily increased. More than 50 percent of the
votes cast in the November 2012 election were cast using mail ballots, the first time a
majority of California voters cast vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots in a statewide general election.
Permanent VBM voters now number nearly eight million and account for 43 percent of all
registered voters in the state. To better understand how California’s vote-by-mail process is working and to identify ways it can be improved to increase the mail ballot success rate, the California Voter Foundation (CVF) undertook a year-long study of three California counties and their vote-by-mail programs. The three chosen – Orange, Sacramento and Santa Cruz – are of varying sizes but all share a desire to improve their programs and maximize voter participation.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Ballot on demand; Canvassing & election certification; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Overseas voters; Paper ballots; Permanent absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voter list maintenance; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
Gary Crawley; Joe Losco; Raymond Scheele; Sally Jo Vasicko
Annual Meeting of the Western Political Science Association; Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Ball State University; Pew Center on the States
Indiana
33 page(s)
3/19/2009
Abstract:
In 2003, Larimer County, Colorado, was the first jurisdiction to experiment with Vote Centers as an alternative to traditional precincts. Vote Center advocates argue that they have the potential to increase voter turnout by making voting more convenient as well as cutting the election costs by reducing the number of polling places. This study examines these two arguments by investigating the installation and operation of Vote Centers in three Indiana counties. Turnout rates are compared with control counties and through time. The impact of early voting in 2008 also is examined along with the question of whether Vote Centers cut the costs of election administration. Finally, elements of a model are specified for use by counties considering adopting Vote Centers as an alternative to traditional precincts.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Polling place management; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Stephanie Singer
Philadelphia City Commissioners
Pennsylvania
9 page(s)
12/18/2012
Abstract:
On November 6, 2012, there were over 27,000 provisional ballots cast in Philadelphia. Philadelphians deserve to know why there were so many provisional ballots voted on November 6, 2012. After a detailed forensic investigation, we have pinpointed the major factors contributing to the use of provisional ballots. The purpose of this report is to show how we can use lessons from this investigation to improve the electoral process in Philadelphia and build public confidence in Philadelphia elections.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Frances Ulmer; Olene Walker
Committee on State Registration Databases, National Research Council, The National Academies
National
173 page(s)
10/21/2009
Abstract:
The EAC asked the NRC to convene a number of workshops among state policy officials and information technology experts and Academy-selected technology experts on specific topics of interest related to state voter registration databases, to prepare an interim report drawing on these workshops that describes challenges in implementing and maintaining state voter registration databases, and to provide a final report to the EAC on a plan for achieving database interoperability. This plan would provide advice aimed at assisting the states in maintaining statewide voter registration databases that are capable of sharing information with other intrastate and federal databases, as well as across state lines, securely and accurately and address concerns of state technical representatives responsible for database implementation and maintenance.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Portable registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
15 page(s)
3/31/2006
Abstract:
The collection of detailed election administration data from local and state jurisdictions across the United States has proven difficult. The problem is partly due to the decentralized nature of election administration in the United States but is exacerbated by the lack of a centralized reporting of election information. Following calls made for better reporting of election administration data in recent years from many groups, including the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission mounted an ambitious effort in 2004-2005 to collect detailed and consistent election administration data in the Election Day Survey. This effort was comprehensive and ambitious, but the less than perfect result illustrates many problems associated with collecting meaningful data regarding election administration. In this report, we briefly discuss some of the general problems seen when we have attempted to use the Election Day Survey data in our research. We then provide twelve recommendations for improvement as a conclusion to this report.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Robert Pastor
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
10 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
In this article, I will begin by reviewing the lessons of 2000 and the legislative response, the "Help America Vote Act of 2002." Then, I will identify the operational objectives that we should seek as we consider reforms of the electoral system. Finally, I will borrow from Canadian and Mexican procedures and institutions those elements that could be helpful to the United States in the following areas: (1) administration of elections; (2) registration and identification of voters; (3) definition of electoral boundaries (redistricting); (4) campaign finance and access to the media; (5) procedures and technologies of voting; (6) civic education; (7) training of poll workers; and (8) constitutional changes.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; International election administration; Poll worker training; Polling places; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology
James Yen; John Cugini; Marguerite Autry; Sharon Laskowski; William Killam
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce
National
104 page(s)
5/1/2004
Abstract:
In the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, Public Law 107-252, the Election Assistance Commission is mandated to submit a report on human factors, usability, and accessibility to Congress. Specifically, “…the Commission, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall submit a report to Congress which assesses the areas of human factor research, including usability engineering and human-computer and human-machine interaction, which feasibly could be applied to voting products and systems design to ensure the usability and accuracy of voting products and systems, including methods to improve access for individuals with disabilities (including blindness) and individuals with limited proficiency in the English language and to reduce voter error and the number of spoiled ballots in elections.” This report was written to address this mandate. It describes the results of our review and analysis of related research, standards, guidelines, and evaluation methodologies. It also presents our assessment of their applicability to voting systems and products and to the process of qualification and certification testing. As a result of this investigation, we have compiled a set of recommendations that, if followed, should measurably improve the usability and accessibility of voting products and systems.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Polling place accessibility; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities
Tova Wang
The Century Foundation
National
16 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
To encourage more Americans to vote, major reforms are needed to remove barriers to casting ballots.
Subject(s):
Election Day holiday; Election Day polling place voting; International election administration; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Allyson Pellissier
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
42 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Online voter registration is one of the most recent efforts to stimulate turnout in American elections. Within the past decade, an increasing number of states have begun to allow their residents to register as voters electronically. Like other efforts to increase political participation, though, the actual impact on registration and turnout remains unclear. Although other voting liberalizations have received a fair amount of scrutiny, the peer-reviewed literature does not include a systematic exploration of how voters are responding to online registration. In this paper, I develop an individual-level model that point identifies an estimate for the impact of online registration on the likelihood of both registration and turnout. The results suggest that online registration may be one of the more successful implementations of convenience voting. Perhaps even more importantly, its effects seem to be concentrated most highly among young adults and those who have moved recently, two subgroups that are consistently underrepresented at the polls. I then use the individual-level model to predict changes in state-level aggregate turnout and identify states for which this registration alternative could have influenced the election. Although it is hard to know how the partisan distribution would shift, several states in both the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections could have experienced different outcomes had they offered online registration. At both the individual and aggregate level, therefore, the introduction of online registration may have significant implications for American elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
SurveyUSA
Minnesota
11 page(s)
9/10/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
12 page(s)
2/1/2012
Abstract:
Voter registration in the United States largely reflects its 19th-century origins and has not kept pace with advancing technology and a mobile society. States’ systems must be brought into the 21st century to be more accurate, cost-effective, and efficient. Research commissioned by the Pew Center on the States highlights the extent of the challenge.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Scott Novakowski; Youjin Kim
Demos
National
14 page(s)
3/31/2010
Abstract:
Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires state public assistance agencies to provide voter registration services to clients and applicants for benefits. As women are increasingly affected by the economic downturn and as public assistance rolls expand dramatically, the NVRA may be the most effective vehicle for ensuring that low-income women have a voice in the democratic process.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Women voters
Everyone Counts
National
17 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
Persons with disabilities, arguably the most severely disenfranchised voters, can be provided secure, private, and independent access to their ballots, via new technology. These solutions can be deployed securely and cost-effectively by any jurisdiction and anywhere in the world. Software-based solutions can provide improved ballot access, as well as privacy in casting a vote and the assurance it will be counted. The software solutions available can assist all individuals with disabilities to participate fully in the democratic process, including persons with visual, motor and cognitive impairments. Adopting next generation election administration and voting software can uniquely ensure that every citizen with a right to vote can do so privately and independently.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Election administrators; International election administration; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
Hans von Spakovsky
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
National
20 page(s)
9/13/2006
Abstract:
The solution to preventing fraudulent votes from being cast in polling places is to require all voters to present photo identification, a recommendation made by the bipartisan Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform. The Commission’s recommendation was based on photo identifications issued under the REAL ID Act of 2005, which requires states to verify each individual’s full legal name, date of birth, address, social security number, and U.S. citizenship before the individual is issued a driver’s license or personal identification card. Similarly, the solution to preventing noncitizens from registering and voting in elections is to require all individuals registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Diane Cordry Golden
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
26 page(s)
5/7/2014
Abstract:
This presentation addresses the efficient use of accessible voting systems.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker training; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Ceridwen Cherry
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
National
Winter 2012
Abstract:
Youth voter participation lags behind all other age groups. However, the percentage of registered young people who actually cast ballots is very high. The correlation between registration and actual voter participation suggests that when given assistance and greater opportunities to register, young citizens will vote. As a result, the biggest barrier to electoral participation is not difficulty in ensuring that registered voters actually cast ballots, but rather the current system of voter registration. Attempts to increase the percentage of younger Americans who vote should be targeted at improving the registration process for young people.
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Daniel Tokaji; Steven Huefner
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
2 page(s)
10/26/2006
Abstract:
After the curtain dropped on the 2004 election, it became clear that there was a pressing need for scholarly attention to the institutional challenges surrounding the drawing of district boundaries and the administration of elections. Accordingly, on September 9 and 10, 2005, Election Law @ Moritz brought together fifteen leading election scholars for a conference entitled “Independent Election Administration: Who Draws the Lines, and Who Counts the Votes?”
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration
Roy Saltman
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce
National
26 page(s)
8/22/2006
Abstract:
Audit trails are needed for direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting systems. The widely used, current method of providing an audit trail with printouts is evaluated, and several disadvantages are noted.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Barbara Bovbjerg; William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
49 page(s)
11/1/2009
Abstract:
Concerns have been raised about the extent to which states and localities are helping the increasing number of facility residents exercise their right to vote, especially those requiring voting assistance, who may be subject to undue influence or unauthorized completion of their ballot by facility staff or relatives. Given these concerns, GAO was asked to identify the actions taken to facilitate and protect voting for long-term care facility residents at (1) the state level and (2) the local level.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Senior voters; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud
Steven Hamm
Richland County Board of Elections and Voter Registration
South Carolina
29 page(s)
12/6/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Wait times
Rob Richie
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
12 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election types; International election administration
R. Michael Alvarez; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
8 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
We strongly recommend that every election jurisdiction in the nation (in some cases, counties and in others, states) provide a complete and public accounting of how they conduct this fall’s election. Below, we detail simple audit information that should be collected before, during, and after the election in order to improve results and help everyone learn how to improve the election process in the future. Prior to the election, data confirming inventory, equipment tests, ballot design tests and human interventions should be carefully collected. During the election information about voting must be recorded, especially data on precinct voting operations. Postelection certification requires documentation, compilation and cross comparisons of results.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots
Barry Burden
Political Analysis
National
2 page(s)
2003
Abstract:
In an earlier issue of this journal I brought attention to the fact that estimates of voter turnout in U.S. presidential elections from the National Election Study (NES) series have been increasingly biased. Although researchers had already noted that the NES overestimated turnout, I was concerned with the growing severity of the problem. While admitting that other factors were at work, my explanation centered on the representativeness of surveys, in particular that selection bias in the sample is correlated with the likelihood of voting (Burden, 2000). Martinez (2003) and McDonald (2003) offer three possible additions to my argument.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
International Experience With E-Voting: Norwegian E-Vote Project
Ben Goldsmith; John Turner; Jordi Barrat i Esteve
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
National
196 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
This assessment report on International Experiences with E-Voting has been conducted as part of a larger assessment of the Norway E-Vote Project, a pilot of internet voting during the September 2011 local government elections. This report represents one of seven assessment topics conducted on behalf of the Ministry for Local Government and Rural Development in order to analyze the recent pilot, and determine whether a broader adoption of internet voting would be suitable for future Norwegian elections. The report largely focuses on internet voting experiences, first reviewing countries which have used internet voting and summarizing their experiences. This review highlights a number of thematic issues and challenges related to internet voting. Four issues are singled out for more detailed analysis: trust in Internet voting; the secrecy and freedom of the vote; the accessibility of Internet voting; and the role of stakeholders. The report reviews several examples of Internet voting in more depth, examples where Internet voting has been used for a number of elections – Estonia, France and Switzerland-Geneva. A brief summary of these case studies is presented in the main body of the report, with the full case studies included in the annex. The final part of the report looks at the global experiences of non-remote electronic voting and concludes by identifying emerging trends in the use of non-remote electronic voting worldwide.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; International election administration; Internet voting; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Alexander Trechsel; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
30 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
Since 2000, Estonia has conducted two national elections in which all voters could use Internet voting. The first election, in October 2005, was for local offices and the second election, in March 2007, was a national parliamentary election. In this article, we discuss the context for the Estonian experience in deploying Internet voting. We focus on how the Estonians have systematically addressed the legal and technical considerations required to make Internet voting a functioning voting platform, as well as the political and cultural framework that promoted this innovation. Using data from our own qualitative and quantitative studies of the Estonian experience, we consider who voted over the Internet in these elections, and the political implications of the voting platform. Finally, we consider the lessons that other countries can learn from the Estonian experience.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Internet voting; Security; Weekend voting; Youth voters
Combine With: Voter confidence
Alexander Trechsel; Fabian Breuer; Guido Schwerdt; Kristjan Vassil; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Council of Europe; European Union Democracy Observatory; European University Institute
National
67 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
Some have argued that the introduction of e-voting breaks down the barriers hindering political participation and, through easy access to electoral process boosts turnout. Others have kept a more pessimistic view, claiming that e-voting affects only those few who are highly engaged in politics already. This study aims to shed light on the topics beyond this debate. In particular, our objective is to analyze the determinants that lead some citizens to opt for e-voting and others for traditional means of participation. We ask the question of who is voting online and how can we explain the choice of the voting channel? Only then are we able to provide a more scrutinized answer to the question of whether Internet voting indeed affects the aggregate levels of turnout,
Subject(s):
Bilingual & multilingual ballots; International election administration; Internet voting; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Alexander Trechsel; Fabian Breuer; Guido Schwerdt; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Council of Europe; European Union Democracy Observatory; Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute
National
62 page(s)
7/31/2007
Abstract:
This study presents and analyses the results of a survey among the electorate of the Estonian parliamentary elections held on 4 March 2007. The primary focus of the analysis lies on the newly introduced possibility of voting via the Internet in these elections. The application of this pioneering voting channel gave the elections an exclusive character and provoked enormous attention in the political as well as in the scientific community. The use of e-voting in the Estonian parliamentary elections is a remarkable world-première: for the first time an electorate could vote over the Internet in elections of a national parliament. Overall, 30.275 voters have used the possibility of e-voting, which corresponds to 5.4 percent of the participating voters.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; International election administration; Internet voting; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Candice Hoke
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University
National
9/4/2009
Abstract:
The paper submits that election administrative policy decisions are gravely affected by an information gap regarding both Internet security risks and the availability of effective mitigations for these risks. The paper recommends disaggregating election tasks so that nuanced policy decisions can issue approving the Internet and other computer technologies for specific electoral tasks. It presents seven core understandings that election policymakers must master for capacity to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of proposed computer-based election technologies, including the Internet. It reviews exemplar vendor claims and marketing strategies that misinform policymakers, leading to porous balloting and the possibility of skewed or fraudulent election results. The risks to and profound need to safeguard democratic legitimacy where critical functions are conducted on computers or the Internet thus warrant transnational elections regulatory reassessment. The paper concludes by recommending that revised governance structures incorporate three fundamental principles: expertise in computer and network engineering and security, as well as election administration; transparency and public accountability, in order that the election system and reported results have legitimacy; and transnational cooperation among democratic republics, to facilitate prompt mitigations and criminal prosecution for attacks on election information systems.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Online voter registration; Security; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Kevin Coleman; Richard Nunno
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
7 page(s)
1/16/2001
Abstract:
Among the many issues in the ongoing, national discussion about the Internet is its use in the voting process. Because voting determines who runs the government and entails two absolute requirements--the secret ballot and security from fraud--the stakes are higher than for many other transactions routinely conducted via the internet. Public confidence about Internet security is increasing, but many feel that voting online requires a degree of security from fraud beyond the current standard for everyday internet use. Aside from voting issues, observers often refer to a "digital divide" that exists between those who have access to computers and the Internet (and the skills to use it) and those who do not. While Internet access is increasing, estimates show that those with higher incomes and education levels are more likely to have Internet access, and black and Hispanic access lags behind that of whites. Also part of the debate are issues concerning political tradition, public confidence in Internet voting, and equal access to the ballot. Proponents of internet voting suggest it could increase turnout, particularly among younger voters who are familiar with internet technology. In the meantime, several experiments with Internet voting in public elections have taken place this election year and more are likely in the future as the technology for online voting evolves. This report will be updated to reflect new developments.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Internet voting; Low-income voters; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Security; Voter demographics; Voting methods; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Jeff Jonas; R. Michael Alvarez; Rebecca Wright; William Winkler
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Oregon; Washington
13 page(s)
8/10/2009
Abstract:
In this paper, we report on a pilot interstate voter registration database matching project between the two states of Oregon and Washington whose goal was to explore the feasibility of using database matching to identify voters registered in the two states, and to do so with as much openness and transparency as possible. We describe the matching algorithms used, the procedures taken with found matches, and the resulting actions taken on actual voter registrations. We also discuss several directions for improving matching algorithms and procedures.
Subject(s):
Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Bernard Grofman; Jon Fraenkel
Commonwealth & Comparative Politics
National
15 page(s)
8/9/2006
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; International election administration
Richard Hasen
Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review
National
11 page(s)
10/13/2009
Abstract:
This is a brief introduction to the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review developments issue, which focuses in Volume 42 on election law topics. The first half of this introduction provides an update on the state of election law. It compares the state of election law as a discipline now to its state 10 years ago, when I wrote the introduction to the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review symposium on "Election Law as Its Own Field of Study." The second half of this introduction describes the five new important student works contained in the developments issue.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Gani Aldashev; Giovanni Mastrobuoni
National
35 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
In close elections, a sufficiently high share of invalid ballots - if driven by voter mistakes or electoral fraud - can jeopardize the electoral outcome. We study how the closeness of electoral race relates to the share of invalid ballots, under the traditional paper-ballot hand-counted voting technology. Using a large dataset from the Italian parliamentary elections in 1994-2001, we find a strong robust negative relationship between the margin of victory of the leading candidate over the nearest rival and the share of invalid ballots. We argue that this relationship is not driven by voter mistakes, protest, or electoral fraud. The explanation that garners most support is that of rational allocation of effort by election officers and party representatives, with higher rates of detection of invalid ballots in close elections.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; International election administration; Paper ballots
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Douglas Hess; Jody Herman
Project Vote
Colorado
12 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
This report, one in a series of reports on NVRA compliance in the states, reviews Colorado’s voter registration performance in public assistance offices and examines possible explanations for the state’s consistently poor results since the NVRA was enacted. We conclude that many public assistance offices are failing to offer voter registration as required by federal and state voting rights laws. Recommendations for improving Colorado’s compliance with these important laws are provided at the end of this report.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Douglas Hess
Project Vote
Missouri
10 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
The number of citizens registered to vote by Missouri’s public assistance agencies, a service required by the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and state law, has plummeted to oe-tenth the number from 12 years ago. Visits to agency offices by Project Vote staff and Project Vote’s analysis of demographic and voter registration data indicate that the decline in registration is a consequence of the failure to comply with federal and state law by the Department of Social Services, Department of Health and Senior Services and Department of Labor.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Robert Higgs
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Ohio
2 page(s)
5/23/2013
Abstract:
Secretary of State Jon Husted said today that while an investigation did find some cases of voter fraud from last November’s election, it is not a widespread problem across Ohio.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots
Combine With: Fraud
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
8/23/2013
Abstract:
Vol 2: Writing Instructions Voters Understand helped Kammi improve the Inyo county sample ballot booklet. Kammi admits that her original version of voter instructions were technically correct but they were less effective than the revised edition. Using Dana’s design guidelines, Kammi distilled the instructions into clear illustrations and simple language that made it easier for voters to understand.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Jason Noble
Des Moines Register
Iowa
3 page(s)
3/10/2014
Abstract:
A wide majority of Iowans believe it’s more important to ensure ballot access for eligible voters than to guard against voting by those who are ineligible. That result, captured in The Des Moines Register’s latest Iowa Poll, casts new light on a debate that has been raging in the state and across the nation for years over the appropriate balance between ballot access and security.
Subject(s):
Security; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Frederic Schaffer; Tova Wang
Harvard Law and Policy Review
National; Indiana
16 page(s)
10/26/2009
Abstract:
Only three states absolutely require photo identification: Florida, Georgia, and Indiana. Indiana’s law, passed in 2005, is the most restrictive. Unlike the Florida law, which allows voters to present several different types of photo identification, the Indiana and Georgia laws require that the photo identification be government-issued. But unlike Georgia, Indiana makes it difficult for voters to obtain that identification. For these reasons, opponents believe that the Indiana law will inflict the most widespread disenfranchisement.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; International election administration; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Betsy Sinclair
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
2 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
Previous empirical research (and related research from survey methodology) holds that candidates listed first on an election ballot gain additional votes. Using California general election data from the 1998, 2000, and 2002 we test whether a candidate’s relative position on the ballot has any statistical effect on vote shares. We improve on previous methods to examine this problem by accounting for the compositional nature of the data and by producing a balanced dataset (matching based upon a multi-valued propensity score) from which we replicate our results. We find little systematic evidence which indicates that candidates are necessarily benefited by being listed first on the ballot.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout
Dari Sylvester; Keith Smith
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
18 page(s)
9/3/2013
Abstract:
In this article we use the results of a field experiment to investigate whether the choice to convert to permanent vote-by-mail (PVBM) status is driven primarily by individual voters' characteristics—such as a registrant's propensity to vote—or the messages elections administrators and advocates use to convince them to change their status. We find two significant outcomes. First, regardless of the message received, high-propensity voters are much more likely to convert than are low-propensity voters. Second, among low-propensity voters the convenience-based message was the least likely to cause conversion to PVBM status, and none of the messages had a significant effect among high-propensity and prior-PVBM registrants. Taken together, these results suggest that the current focus by scholars and practitioners on VBM's impact on the costs of voting may be misplaced.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
SurveyUSA
North Carolina
15 page(s)
10/2/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Ray Martinez III
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
5 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) created the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). As policymakers debate the merits of HAVA, the area receiving the most scrutiny is the performance of the EAC. This essay offers my own thoughts on that question as one of the EAC's founding commissioners. My preliminary view is that the EAC–despite its missteps and ongoing difficulties–is worth keeping. Although it has discharged much of its original mandate, much work remains to be done. A federal role in overseeing election administration remains vital, and there is no evident substitute for the EAC.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Audrey Petrauli ; Chris Harried ; Khizra Ehsan ; Lauren Lochocki ; Sheila Prados ; Tyson King-Meadows
Social Science Research Network
National
11/1/2013
Abstract:
The Supreme Court’s recently issued opinion in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder (2013) declared an important part of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) unconstitutional, finding the 2006 reauthorized coverage formula to be inappropriate for an era where race based electoral discrimination has declined significantly. Interrogating the “Bull Connor is Dead” concept, this study explores public support for anti-democratic reforms in election law. We analyze survey results from the 2008 and 2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, newspaper content analysis, and Department of Justice data to measure the degree to which attitudinal and contextual determinants explain the trends in white support for three election reform policies that affect minority voting rights.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion
Geoffrey Brennan; Loren Lomasky
Democracy
National
25 page(s)
2000
Abstract:
Good citizenship in the final decade of the twentieth century does not seem to require much of the individual beyond simple law-abidingness. We have traveled a far distance from the Athenian agora. However, there exists a remarkable degree of consensus that voting is requisite, that one who fails to exercise the franchise is thereby derelict. Candidates for the nation's highest office publicly proclaim that duty; so do one's neighbors and associates–perhaps with some asperity in their voices–when informed that you chose to absent yourself from the polls that they took the trouble to visit. We call that consensus remarkable because, as will become evident, it is exceedingly difficult to develop a persuasive rationale for the existence of a duty to vote. Often that duty is simply taken for granted. Where arguments are given, they typically invoke either fallacious reasoning or dubious empirical premises. A cautious surmise is that the assurance with which the duty to vote is affirmed is not matched by equivalent cogency of justification.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Alan Gerber; Conor Dowling; David Doherty; Gregory Huber
British Journal of Political Science
National
46 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
Ballot secrecy is a core feature of American elections, but whether voters believe their choices are protected has not been investigated. Using novel items from a nationally representative survey we find, first, that approximately 25% of all respondents do not believe their ballot choices are kept secret. Second, over 70% of respondents report sharing their vote choices with others. In sum, few people view their vote choices as truly private decisions. We describe how a standard theoretical account of candidate choice must be revised when voters believe their choices are public and examine how voter perceptions of ballot secrecy affect candidate choice. Our findings suggest that the translation from formal rules to perceptions about these rules is not straightforward and that subjective perceptions of how institutions work can affect voter behavior.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Stephen Ansolabehere
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
18 page(s)
3/1/2009
Abstract:
This paper examines the experiences of voters expressed in two surveys, the 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Survey and a 2008 survey conducted by the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project with support of the Pew Foundation. Both surveys were conducted over the Internet by YouGov. The CCES has a sample of 32,800 respondents, and the VTP-Pew Survey has a sample of 12,000 respondents. In addition to the Internet component, the VTP-Pew survey contains a separate phone sample used to validate the surveys.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Claire Smith
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
National
45 page(s)
9/3/2009
Abstract:
This paper is divided into three sections. First, in order to capture the variance in state UOCAVA policy, I create an index operationalizing state legislation on overseas voting issues, such as electronic transmission of voting materials. Second, I adapt the variables used in traditional voter turnout studies to create hypotheses, and use data from the Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) Post-Election Survey to test the hypotheses and identify variables that hinder successful voting. The results demonstrate that variable deadlines combined with postal problems often hamper voters. Furthermore, the impacts of policy are weak and outreach programs remain vitally important. Finally, I interpret these results in order to provide a better direction for future policy changes.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Erin O’Brien; Keith Gunnar Bentele
Perspectives on Politics
National
55 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
In an effort to bring empirical clarity and epistemological standards to what has been a deeply charged, partisan and frequently anecdotal debate, this paper uses multiple specialized regression approaches to examine factors associated with both the proposal and adoption of restrictive voter access legislation from 2006-11. Our results indicate that proposal and passage are highly partisan, strategic, and racialized affairs. These findings are consistent with a scenario in which the targeted demobilization of minority voters and African Americans is a central driver of recent legislative developments. We discuss the implications of these results for current partisan and legal debates regarding voter restrictions and our understanding of the conditions incentivizing modern suppression efforts. Further, we situate these policies within developments in social welfare and criminal justice policy that collectively reduce electoral access among the socially marginalized.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Stephen Weir
Contra Costa County Elections Division
California
21 page(s)
9/4/2012
Abstract:
We have philosophically argued that "County Clerks should own their data." By this, we mean that one should watch data points and threads to see if we are doing all we can for our voters. Such data review leads to unexpected outcomes, such as identifying postal delays to mandatory Vote-by-Mail voters at the March 2002 Election. It has also led us to see a trend towards higher rates of rejection of signatures for younger voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Dennis Thompson
University of Chicago Press
National
269 page(s)
7/15/2004
Abstract:
Thompson argues that three central democratic principles; equal respect, free choice, and popular sovereignty; underlie our electoral institutions, and should inform any assessment of the justice of elections. Although we may all endorse these principles in theory, Thompson shows that in practice we disagree about their meaning and application. He shows how they create conflicts among basic values across a broad spectrum of electoral controversies, from disagreements about term limits and primaries to disputes about recounts and presidential electors.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot design; Closed primaries; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Women voters
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
Jason Kander; Laura Swinford
Missouri Secretary of State
Missouri
1 page(s)
1/27/2014
Abstract:
Secretary of State Jason Kander this morning announced approximately 220,000 registered voters could be disenfranchised with the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 31 & Senate Bill 511, proposed legislation that would require voters to present a current government-issued photo ID before being allowed to cast their ballots.
Subject(s):
Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Frances Fox Piven; Lorraine Minnite; Margaret Chen
The New Press
National
304 page(s)
Spring 2008
Abstract:
Today, over forty years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 demolished bars to voting for African Americans, the effort to prevent black people—as well as Latinos and the poor in general—from voting is experiencing a resurgence. A myriad of new tactics, some of which adopt the mantle of “election reform,” has evolved to suppress the vote. In this sharply argued new book, three of America’s leading experts on party politics and elections demonstrate that our political system is as focused on stopping people from voting as on getting Americans to go to the polls.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Sarah Cherry
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
Indiana
29 page(s)
5/2/2008
Abstract:
The following is an analysis of Indiana’s election system going into the 2008 Presidential election. Part I digests nine key areas of the law that together cover the entire administrative system. Part II analyzes three challenges faced by the system and attempts to predict the outcome of three hypothetical post-election lawsuits that might arise as a result of these challenges.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Fraud
Richard Hasen
Journal of Law and Politics
National
22 page(s)
3/23/2013
Abstract:
Before the election, I gave about thirty talks about my book, The Voting Wars. Since the election, I have given only two, including this one, which tells you how low the public’s interest is in these issues after the election. Every four years, I get calls in October from the press saying “why haven’t things gotten any better?” I say “because you guys haven’t been paying attention for the past three years and ten months,” and it’s cyclical, with interest rising before each election and then falling quickly thereafter. But a lot happened in the 2012 election itself. So while I am going to talk about a part of my book, I’m going to update it and also talk about what has happened in the 2012 election.
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Voter confidence
AJ Culver
Citizens' Elections Oversight Committee, King County; Metropolitan King County Council
Washington
43 page(s)
3/1/2006
Abstract:
The County Council had established the first Citizens’ Election Oversight Committee in February 2003 following significant problems in the conduct of elections in 2002 and 2003. Other significant examinations of the County elections process have been conducted, including the County Executive’s Independent Task Force on Elections and an audit of the Elections Section commissioned by the Council and conducted by the Elections Center. The CEOC has 13 members and was charged by the Council with identifying the cause of and solutions for 10 specific mistakes made in the 2004 General Election. The Council directed the CEOC to observe the 2005 Primary and General Elections and to recommend measures that would improve the conduct of elections to help restore voter confidence.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Military voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote centers; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Dean Logan
King County Elections; King County Executive
Washington
30 page(s)
1/31/2006
Abstract:
At your request and in partnership with King County Elections’ staff, I have prepared the attached report on moving King County to an all vote-by-mail elections system. This report represents the starting point of a comprehensive implementation process that is designed to ensure that our elections process is secure, accountable and responsive to the citizens of King County.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Tracy Buckles
Election Certification and Training Program, Washington Secretary of State
Washington
15 page(s)
5/1/2010
Abstract:
The purpose of this review report is to provide the Klickitat County Elections Department with a useful evaluation of its election procedures and policies and to encourage procedural consistency in the administration of elections throughout the state. This review report includes a series of recommendations and/or suggestions that are intended to assist the Klickitat County Elections Department in improving and enhancing its election processes.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Kansas Secretary of State
Kansas
4 page(s)
2/9/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Chi-Ser Tran; Glen Magpantay
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
National
14 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Asian Americans, the country’s fastest growing minority group, are estimated to number more than eighteen million. Asian Americans now constitute the largest segment of new immigrants to the United States. More and more Asian Americans are becoming U.S. citizens through naturalization and are registering to vote. Though Asian Americans aim to participate in the electoral franchise, they are often unfamiliar with the American political process, or their participation is met with resistance. Asian Americans have had to overcome many barriers in order to exercise their right to vote. In response, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) has monitored elections for compliance with the language assistance provisions (Section 203) of the federal Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and documented other incidents of anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Ballot layout; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Taeku Lee
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
31 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Jacob Shelly; Matt Forbes
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
14 page(s)
6/17/2013
Abstract:
Despite an array of federal, state, and local laws and practices requiring accommodations for voters of limited English proficiency, the need for assistance is often unmet. This Memo summarizes existing laws, catalogs nine categories of problems confronting language minorities (with anecdotes from recent elections), and proposes seven solutions that would supplement the existing statutory scheme to address the identified problems.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Native American voters; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Michael Jones-Correa
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
47 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
This paper proceeds where Congress and the Supreme Court have left off: it explores the effectiveness and implementation of the language provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). In doing so it addresses the imperfect implementation of Section 203; the correlation of registration and turnout to Section 203 implementation; the political implications of variation in policy implementation in a key policy domain; and suggests approaches to a still largely unexplored area of bureaucratic politics: understanding why and when policy implementation varies.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Litigation; Turnout
Michael Jones-Correa
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
2 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Litigation; Turnout
Louis DeSipio
Hispanics and the Future of America; The National Academies Press
National
33 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
This chapter analyzes the phenomenon of Latino politics with three guiding questions. First, I consider the validity of a Latino politics in the singular that has greater predictive value than the politics of the specific Latino national-origin groups. Here, I define politics broadly to include community-based civic activities, both in the United States and abroad; electoral politics; agenda setting and influence; and representation, with the recognition that the existing scholarship disproportionately focuses on electoral politics. Second, I examine electoral and nonelectoral politics to assess how Latino politics manifests itself and the institutional and demographic barriers that prevent Latinos from meeting the sometimes unrealistic levels of influence expected of them. Finally, I assess possible trajectories for the Latino politics of the next two decades, arguing that this future Latino politics is highly uncertain and is itself under construction.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Matt Barreto
Political Research Quarterly
California
8 page(s)
3/1/2005
Abstract:
Research on voting and elections has generally found that Latino foreign-born citizens turnout to vote at lower rates than native-born Latinos as well as non-Latinos. Primarily as the result of lower levels of education, income, and English language skills, immigrant voters have demonstrated low levels of political participation. In addition, naturalized Latinos are rarely, if ever, the target of voter mobilization drives, further decreasing their likelihood to turnout. However, with extensive mobilization drives targeting naturalized voters in California in 2002, and low levels of political interest among the general electorate, higher rates of turnout among the foreign-born are anticipated. Probit models predicting turnout are explored here and the results reveal that in California in 2002, for the first time, Latino immigrant voters were significantly more likely to vote than were the native-born Latinos.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Fox News Latino
National
4 page(s)
10/11/2012
Abstract:
Latino voters have been at the center of the voter ID law controversy, and yet according to a new poll released Thursday, they are not too bothered by it.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Henry Brady; Jasjeet Singh Sekhon; Jonathan Wand; Kenneth Shotts; Michael Herron; Walter Mebane, Jr.
PS: Political Science & Politics
Florida
12 page(s)
3/1/2001
Abstract:
Our individual decisions to become involved in the butterfly ballot cases after the 2000 elections flowed from our intellectual curiosity, the importance of the issue, and the availability of data on the Internet that makes quick data analysis possible. We were then propelled along by the clarity of the facts and the realization that we were well qualified to provide the public and the courts with clear and scientifically accurate analysis. Along the way, and after we had completed our initial analyses, phone and email messages from a lawyer in Florida got us involved in the Florida cases. Throughout the process, our admiration grew for the efforts of lawyers and judges to do their best, but our doubts have increased over whether the legal process can effectively digest information and make the best use of it. We saw, up close, a very significant problem--the failure of our voting system to convert people's vote intentions into counted votes--chopped into law-suit sized pieces that obliterated the larger picture and led to legalistic solutions that often seemed to miss the point.
Subject(s):
Ballot design
Combine With: Errors
Philip Stark
Huffington Post
National
2 page(s)
7/12/2013
Abstract:
Computers can increase the efficiency of elections and make voting easier for people who cannot read English or who have disabilities. But the more elections depend on technology, the more vulnerable they are to failures, bugs, and hacking. Foreign attacks on elections also may be a real threat. Even if we count votes by hand, there will be mistakes. How can we have confidence in the results?
Subject(s):
Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Kasper Hansen; Yosef Bhatti
Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties
National
27 page(s)
11/1/2012
Abstract:
Recent studies have indicated that, contrary to common belief, the relationship between age and turnout among the youngest eligible individuals is not monotonically positive, but rather strongly negative – at least for the first few years of adulthood. With a unique dataset from government records for more than 145,000 young adults, we offer a possible explanation for this intriguing pattern – changing social influences as the young adult leaves the family nest. Parental turnout influences the young adults’ turnout, and young adults living at home vote more than those who have moved out on their own. When young adults leave home, the influence of their parents’ strong voting habits decreases while the weaker voting patterns among their peers have a greater impact. This partly explains the surprising negative relationship between age and turnout and indicates that while political socialization indeed matters, part of the parental influence on young adults stems from voting being a social act.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Rush Holt
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
National; Florida
4 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
Our system of self-government works only if we believe it does.
Subject(s):
Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
E-Voting: Perspectives and Experiences; ICFAI University Press
National
19 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
Around the world, several countries are moving toward more advanced electronic voting systems. The goal of these reforms or voting techniques varies from nation to nation. Some nations are attempting to increase turnout in elections, others seek to reduce election fraud, and still others want to enfranchise difficult-to-serve voting populations. In general, all election reform efforts are intended to improve the democratic process by making voting easier, more accurate, more accessible, and more secure. This article examines the lessons that can be learned by studying election reforms in US, UK and other nations.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; International election administration; Internet voting; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Steven Huefner
University of Richmond Law Review
Florida; Ohio; Virginia
34 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
This article, part of the symposium's “Get Out the Vote?” panel, considers recent efforts to improve the voting experience of military and overseas voters and identifies some broader implications of those efforts on various early and absentee voting methods increasingly available to other U.S. voters. A number of recent measures to facilitate voting by military service personnel have generally received widespread bipartisan support, with legislators quickly lining up to enhance the voting experience of those who are putting their lives at risk to protect American security.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Charles Stewart III; Daron Shaw
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
49 page(s)
8/3/2013
Abstract:
The Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), administered biennially since 2004 by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), is the single most comprehensive data resource concerning local election administration in the United States today. The purpose of this white paper is to provide an introduction to the survey and to paint a picture of election administration in the 2012 election (with comparisons to 2008) based on its results.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Wait times
Hans von Spakovsky
The Heritage Foundation
Georgia
5 page(s)
3/19/2012
Abstract:
The latest data compiled by the Secretary of State of Georgia, Brian Kemp, about the state’s experience with voter ID once again shows that the claims by opponents of voter ID are wrong. Contrary to their assertions that there are large numbers of American voters without a government-issued photo ID, Georgia has had to issue a remarkably small number of IDs to individuals who did not already have one. The state’s specific turnout data on racial minorities also shows that the claim that voter ID will “suppress” their vote lacks any foundation in facts.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Hans von Spakovsky; Katie Beck
The Heritage Foundation
Kansas
3 page(s)
7/25/2012
Abstract:
The latest data compiled by the Secretary of State of Kansas, Kris Kobach, about the state’s experience with voter ID once again shows that the claims by opponents of voter identification are wrong. Kobach reported that just 32 of the state’s 1.7 million voters requested free IDs from the state so they could vote under the Secure and Fair Elections Act of 2011, which took effect January 1. Contrary to the assertions of opponents to voter ID laws that there are large numbers of American voters without a government-issued photo ID, Kansas has had to issue a remarkably small number of IDs to individuals who did not already have one since its new law became effective—just 0.002 percent of registered voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Pamela Karlan
Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy
National
13 page(s)
6/15/2009
Abstract:
The lessons we can learn from what went wrong during the Bush years are both substantive and procedural. On the substantive front, we saw the specter of fraud, rather than the risk of exclusion, come to dominate the debate over democratic integrity. We need to reframe that debate. On the procedural front, we saw an administration transform the Department of Justice, and particularly the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, from a nonpartisan protector of voting rights into a political actor. We need to remake that Department.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
The League of Women Voters of Ohio
Ohio
6 page(s)
6/14/2005
Abstract:
To hear some at the Statehouse tell the story, the 2004 election was plagued by widespread voter “fraud” and abuse. There were stories of the deceased attempting to vote. There were stories of people being bussed into Ohio and paid to vote. There were stories of people attempting to vote two and three times. Because there is very little evidence to substantiate these “stories,” which are based only on anecdotal evidence, the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio along with the League of Women Voters of Ohio, launched a research project in an effort to determine the actual number of ineligible votes cast in the state’s last two general elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Dick Thornburgh; Richard Celeste
Committee on a Framework for Understanding Electronic Voting, National Research Council; National Science Foundation (NSF)
National
13 page(s)
7/20/2006
Abstract:
With this letter report, the National Research Council’s Committee on a Framework for Understanding Electronic Voting (Appendix A) seeks to provide some idea of the current state of readiness for electronic voting in jurisdictions across the United States and to gauge what progress has been made since the publication of the committee’s 2005 report, Asking the Right Questions About Electronic Voting. This second report of the committee is based on a May 2006 workshop that brought together a number of knowledgeable and thoughtful local, state, and federal election officials (Appendix B) who shared their perspectives and experiences with the committee. Presentations and discussions at the workshop made clear that many of the issues discussed in Asking the Right Questions remain open and quite fluid as the nation approaches the 2006 elections—these issues include reliability, usability, security, training, education, and testing/certification.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Security; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs
Cathy Cox
Georgia Governor; Georgia Secretary of State
Georgia
5 page(s)
4/8/2005
Abstract:
It is my strong belief that the picture identification requirement in House Bill 244 is (1) unnecessary, (2) creates a very significant obstacle to voting on the part of hundreds of thousands of Georgians, including the poor, the infirm and the elderly who do not have drivers licenses because they are either too poor to own a car, are unable to drive a car, or have no need to drive a car, (3) very unlikely to receive pre-clearance under the Voting Rights Act by the Department of Justice, (4) violates Art. II, section I paragraph I of the Georgia Constitution by adding a condition on the right to vote that is not contained in the constitution and (5) imposes an undue burden on a fundamental right of all citizens, the right to vote, in violation of both the state and federal constitutions.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud
Janna Star
Disability Policy Collaboration; The Arc of the United States; United Cerebral Palsy
National
2 page(s)
4/19/2005
Abstract:
I would like briefly to address the needs of the population with cognitive, or intellectual, disabilities. This population includes people with mental retardation, traumatic or acquired brain injury, learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia), some psychiatric diagnoses, as well as conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Thomas Perez
South Carolina Assistant Deputy General; U.S. Department of Justice
South Carolina
5 page(s)
12/23/2011
Abstract:
With regard to Section 5 of Act R54, concerning photographic identification requirements and provisional ballots, I cannot conclude that the state has sustained its burden under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Therefore, on behalf of the Attorney General, I must object to Section 5 of R54.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud
William Moschella
Office of Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice
Georgia
5 page(s)
10/7/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Litigation
Mark Phillips
SLI Global Solutions; State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
National
23 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Jeffrey Reiman
Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota; Criminal Justice Ethics
National
16 page(s)
Winter 2005
Abstract:
In the United States today, 4.7 million citizens—more than two percent of the adult population—are deprived of the right to vote because they have been convicted of a felony. Of these, 1.7 million have completed their sentences and are no longer under any form of criminal justice supervision. I shall argue that disenfranchisement of offenders who have completed their sentences is morally wrong, and that enfranchising all offenders—even those in prison—would be good social policy.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Linda Lamone
Maryland State Board of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Maryland
4 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot marking tools; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Douglas Spencer; Zachary Markovits
Survey Research Center, University of California-Berkeley
California
49 page(s)
4/25/2008
Abstract:
Little quantitative research has been done on how the various components of a polling place function during an election. On February 5, 2008 we dispatched 120 volunteers to 30 polling stations in 3 California counties to collect data on poll workers, voting machines, and voting regulations in order to test how these operations affect the overall voting process. The goal of our study is to determine where and when lines form on Election Day, to identify factors that contribute to lines and long waiting times, and to better understand the flow of traffic inside of polling stations. In this report, the study’s two lead investigators from the University of California, Berkeley outline their experience in designing and executing this data collection project.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Polling place management; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Edward Foley
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
3 page(s)
11/14/2006
Abstract:
The early returns declared that the nation’s new electoral system to have operated effectively ”relatively problem-free,” in the words of one Wednesday morning headline. Doug Chapin, who directs the deservedly prestigious electionline.org, was quoted as saying “fender benders but no major tie-ups.” On Sunday, the Washington Post editorialized: “The System Worked.” My assessment is a bit different.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Washington State Auditor
Washington
2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Daron Shawb; James Gimpel; Joshua Dycka
Electoral Studies
Nevada; New Mexico
25 page(s)
3/1/2006
Abstract:
In this paper we examine the geography of convenience voting. We theorize that convenience voting is likely to be most common in neighborhoods where civic skills meet time pressures—generating a demand for early and no-excuse absentee balloting. For harried but politically sophisticated voters, these devices should be particularly valuable because they permit them to buy time. More specifically, we expect that those living within one mile of an early voting site are more likely to cast an early ballot than those who live further away. Using voter list data from Las Vegas and Albuquerque, we find evidence that voters living in neighborhoods full of time-pressured commuters are not only voting early, but may be spreading the word, generating a spatial effect that includes those who are nearby but may not face a high opportunity cost of time. We conclude by pointing out that the distinct geography of early voting has important implications for political campaigning: the geographic concentration of early voting in some locations but not others could narrow the playing field in the final days of the campaign to those locations comprised chiefly of precinct voters and non-voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Turnout
H. Gibbs Knotts; Moshe Haspel
The Journal of Politics
Georgia
13 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
This article provides a new measure of voting costs by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools to calculate the distance between the residence and polling place for registered voters in the city of Atlanta. Using this measure to predict turnout at the individual level, we find that small differences in distance from the polls can have a significant impact on voter turnout. We also find that moving a polling place can affect the decision to vote. In addition to providing a better understanding of the costs of voting, our findings have important implications regarding the location of polling places and the effects of altering precinct boundaries.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations
Combine With: Turnout
H. Gibbs Knotts; Moshe Haspel
The Journal of Politics
Georgia
21 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
This document contains supplemental material for an article that appears in The Journal of Politics, Location, Location, Location: Precinct Placement and the Costs of Voting.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations
Combine With: Turnout
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); South Carolina Election Commission
National
13 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Wait times
Douglas Spencer; Zachary Markovits
Electionline; Survey Research Center, University of California-Berkeley
California
43 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
This paper details the design and implementation of an Election Day field study targeting the operation of polling stations. This pilot study represents the first systematic attempt to determine how common lines are on Election Day, at what times of day lines are most likely to form, bottlenecks in the voting process, and how long it takes an average citizen to cast his or her ballot. We collected data during the 2008 presidential primary election in California measuring the efficiency of the operational components of 30 polling stations across three counties. During the Election Day, voter arrivals peaked twice: in the early morning and the early evening. Our data suggest that experienced poll workers are not more efficient than first-time poll workers. We also find that voters who used a DRE machine took a 1 minute 40 seconds longer to cast their ballot than voters marking paper ballots that were subsequently scanned. This study highlights the importance of evaluating polling station operations as a three-step process: voter arrives, voter is served by poll workers, and voter interacts with a voting machine. This study also illustrates the need for further and more extensive data collection about the operation of polling stations to better help election officials make critical decisions on the allocation of capital, labor and other resources.
Subject(s):
Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Polling place management
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Wait times
Benjamin Highton
PS: Political Science & Politics
Ohio
5 page(s)
1/1/2006
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to answer these questions: (1) What was the effect of voting machine allocations on turnout in Franklin County in the 2004 presidential election? (2) How many more people would have voted had there been no machine shortages? (3) What were the partisan implications of the distribution of voting machines?
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place management
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Dana Chisnell
Center for Civic Design; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
24 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Jennifer Marsico; Jessica Leval
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
4 page(s)
12/12/2008
Abstract:
Though the 2008 election happened just a few weeks ago, it is never too early to think about improving the process for the future. Recent election reform conferences have offered not only a postmortem on the events themselves, but also a look ahead at ways to improve future elections based on lessons learned in 2008.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Charles Stewart III
New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy
National
30 page(s)
12/6/2010
Abstract:
The larger purpose of this paper is not to argue that voting methods that rely on the mail, whether they are mail-in absentee ballots or Oregon’s statewide vote-by-mail system, do or must result in an inordinate number of lost votes. 3 Rather, this paper aims to show that we should be monitoring the lost-votes problem in the context of voting by mail, and that the current state of post-election data gathering is insufficient to identify where the biggest problems with vote-by-mail exist.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Anthoula Malkopoulou
Centre for European Policy Studies
National
19 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
The malaise among Europe’s voting citizens with regard to the European Parliament elections casts a shadow over the EU’s commitment to political participation and democratic values. Not only do EU elections hold little political relevance next to national electoral cycles, but voters are also lost in the EU’s labyrinth of accountability. Yet, what appears as an insurmountable obstacle to the legitimacy of Europe’s decision-making mechanisms can be translated into an opportunity for voting system reforms. One way to address the problem of widespread abstention might be to legislate on the obligation to vote. This paper explores compulsory voting systems in a number of developed democracies worldwide and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of introducing such a measure in the EU.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Walter Mebane, Jr.
Convention of the Southern Political Science Association
Florida
34 page(s)
1/5/2009
Abstract:
The 2006 election for U.S. House district 13 in Sarasota County, Florida, attracted extensive controversy because an unusually high proportion of the ballots cast lacked a vote for that office, and the unusual number of undervotes probably changed the election outcome. Intensive technical studies based on examining software and hardware from the iVotronic touchscreen voting machines used to conduct the election fail to find mechanical flaws sufficient to explain the undervotes. Studies that examined the ballots used in Sarasota and in some other counties conclude the high undervote rate was caused by peculiar features of the ballot’s format that confused many voters. I show that recorded events involving power failures, problems with the Personalized Electronic Ballots used with the machines and touchscreen calibration correlate significantly with undervote rates in several Florida counties. The relationships between machine events and undervotes are sufficiently substantial and varied to make it unreasonable to discount the likelihood that mechanical failures contributed substantially to the high numbers of undervotes.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors
Roanoke Times
Virginia
1 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
Roanoke voter precincts will have electronic voting machines for the Jan. 7 special House of Delegates election – but at an unexpected cost of $36,000.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Recounts; Special elections
Combine With: Costs
Jonathan Katz; R. Michael Alvarez; Sarah Hill
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
19 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
It is now widely known by researchers and the public that pre-scored punchcards can yield significant errors; the precise extent to which these errors are due to voter error or due to machine error has been a question that has eluded previous researchers. In our analysis, we have taken advantage of a unique dataset and have shown that election jurisdictions using pre-scored punchcard voting systems might be systematically undercounting vote intentions. The problem posed by undetached paper chads could lead to incorrect election results.
Subject(s):
Punch cards; Recounts
Combine With: Errors
Best Practices and Vision Commission, Colorado Secretary of State
Colorado
1 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
In 2009, the Colorado legislature passed a bill that allows counties to conduct primary elections by mail-in ballots only. Of the 64 Colorado counties, 45 counties chose to conduct their primary election entirely through the mail.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Turnout
Lauren Hengl
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California
53 page(s)
3/1/2011
Abstract:
This report examines the existing method of voter information dissemination in California and explores alternatives to more efficiently meet the needs of voters. To evaluate potential alternative methods for the delivery of California voter information, it is first necessary to understand each county’s voter registration database, election services and resources. The ability of counties to embrace new alternatives for transmitting voter information will depend heavily on their current practices and technological capabilities. In addition to county resources, voter acceptance of electronic alternatives may vary due to Internet access and comfort with technology. Understanding these variances in voter populations across counties is essential to exploring viable alternatives. Finally, as a variety of data exists on available information delivery alternatives, evidence from analogous industries were utilized to evaluate tradeoffs associated with each considered alternative.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration
Combine With: Costs
Project Vote
National
7 page(s)
3/1/2010
Abstract:
Every state is tasked with the duty to maintain current and accurate computerized statewide voter registration rolls, while at the same time ensuring that no eligible voters are wrongfully removed from the rolls. This report discusses some of the challenges inherent in balancing these two goals, and offers recommendations for implementing best practices.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance
Project Vote
National
4 page(s)
12/22/2006
Abstract:
This policy brief explores the federal law relating to list maintenance, presents an overview of problems that have arisen as a result of the implementation of federal list maintenance provisions, and gives specific recommendations for minimizing or eliminating list maintenance errors that adversely impact voters.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance
Project Vote
National
12 page(s)
3/1/2010
Abstract:
This policy paper explores the federal law relating to list maintenance under NVRA and HAVA, presents an overview of problems that have arisen as a result of the implementation of federal list maintenance provisions, and gives specific recommendations for minimizing or eliminating list maintenance errors that adversely impact voters.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance
John Milhofer
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
National
90 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) developed this document in order to foster a better understanding of each state’s requirements for maintaining its voter registration information. This overview covers four areas of voter registration list maintenance: (1) verification of the information on new voter registration applications; (2) identification of voters who no longer reside where they are registered to vote; (3) criteria for removing names from the voter registration list; and, (4) processes for obtaining the names of voters who are no longer eligible to vote. Additionally, this document provides a summary of recent state efforts to share voter registration information in order to identify duplicate registration records.
Subject(s):
Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Janice Redish; Sharon Laskowski
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
6 page(s)
8/1/2006
Abstract:
The wording and placement of instructions can help or hinder voters from successfully voting for their choices. No research has been done specifically on the language of instructions to voters, but we can draw best practices from research in several related disciplines. A recent study by the authors shows that typical ballots in the United States violate many of the best practices drawn from research. In this paper, we discuss and offer examples of the gap between best practice in giving instructions and the instructions that many voters see as they try to vote. We discuss the research on which we draw for these best practices and the need to study the applicability of this research in the specific context of voting instructions.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot marking tools; Ballot wording; Election Day polling place voting; Voter information & outreach
Ingrid Reed
Center for Government Services, Rutgers University; Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
New Jersey
28 page(s)
3/16/2004
Abstract:
Choosing who governs us is the fundamental right and privilege of living in a democracy. Why citizens do or do not participate is not well understood, although many reasons are given by them – and by others – for their voting behavior. Is it possible to address these reasons successfully? Is there something that can be done that might encourage some of those who don’t participate now to do so in the future and ensure that those who do vote will continue to do so? Since this paper was commissioned by the Center for Government Services, the “something to be done” will focus on what might be accomplished at the state and federal level through laws, public administration and public funding. Complex issues of behavioral change, motivation, trust, and self-interest will be left to others to address, but those connected with government must be aware of their potential significance as efforts to strengthen our representative democracy are pursued.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Civic education; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Adrianne Kroepsch; Mark Frankel; Tova Jacobovits
American Association for the Advancement of Science
National
36 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
To make sound decisions about the future of electronic voting that enhance the system’s performance while minimizing potential problems, we need to know more about technology’s impact on the voting system, from voter registration, to balloting, to counting, and to certifying elections. Informed by such knowledge, the country can move toward developing appropriate, effective, and trustworthy mechanisms for fostering public participation in and protecting the accuracy, integrity, and privacy of the voting process.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Recounts; Security; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
Curtis Gans
Committee for the Study of the American Electorate
California; Oregon; Washington
9 page(s)
9/13/2004
Abstract:
Contrary to their backers’ expectations and defying conventional wisdom, two relatively new and spreading voting reforms aimed at making it easier to vote theoretically increasing participation – no excuse absentee voting and early voting – actually hurt voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Kentaro Fukumoto; Yusaku Horiuchi
American Political Science Review
National
18 page(s)
8/1/2011
Abstract:
Weak electoral registration requirements are commonly thought to encourage electoral participation, but may also promote electoral fraud. As one possibility, candidates and their supporters can more easily mobilize voters who do not reside within the district to register there fraudulently and vote for that district’s candidates. We statistically detect this classic type of electoral fraud for the first time, by taking advantage of a natural experimental setting in Japanese municipal elections.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
Rokey Suleman; Togo West, Jr.
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
119 page(s)
2/17/2011
Abstract:
Catapulted into the national spotlight for the scope and reach of the reforms that it was implementing, an agency that had been under fire for struggling to manage a presidential election successfully implemented same-day voter registration, early voting at satellite voting centers, no-excuse absentee voting, new voting equipment, and a variety of other new initiatives in the highest turnout primary election in sixteen years. This After-Action Report, required by D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(k), discusses how the Board approached these reforms, the major successes and challenges faced by the agency, and the path ahead to move forward from these accomplishments and build an election system that can be a model for the United States.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Ana Muñoz; Justin Levitt; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
44 page(s)
3/24/2006
Abstract:
Making the List is the result of an extensive national survey of state election officials, supplemented by a review and analysis of the relevant state statutes and regulations. It is the best available summary of current and anticipated state practices employed to place new registrants on the rolls, using the new voter registration databases. In addition to state-by-state summaries, this report includes detailed policy recommendations regarding the registration process, based on the best practices in the states and comparative research from other fields. These recommendations are intended to ensure that computerized voter registration lists are compiled and maintained as accurately as possible, in a manner that minimizes the risk that eligible voters will be unintentionally or unfairly disenfranchised.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Inés Levin; J. Andrew Sinclair; R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
43 page(s)
3/15/2010
Abstract:
In this study we analyze the choice of voting mode in the 2008 presidential election. We use a large-sample survey with national coverage that allows us to overcome limitations of previous studies. Our analysis provides a number of insights into some of the important debates about convenience voting. Among other things, we find little support for the hypothesis that convenience voting methods have partisan implications; although we do find voter attributes that lead to the choice of some particular convenience voting mode. Results like these have important implications for future moves towards convenience voting and the design of new outreach campaigns.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Permanent absentee voting; Voter demographics
Catherine Wilson; Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
New York
15 page(s)
4/1/2004
Abstract:
As policymakers, election officials, and the public consider whether New York should change the way in which voters are allowed to register to participate in elections, and bring New York State election law into compliance with the Help America Vote Act, we provide an analysis of the potential impact of election day registration (EDR) in New York. The current system of registration is one in which citizens must register 25 days before election day in order to be eligible to vote. Under EDR this advance registration barrier would be eliminated as citizens could register on election day.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Georgia Tech Research Institute; Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; Operation BRAVO Foundation
National
16 page(s)
7/24/2012
Abstract:
The number of veterans with disabilities continues to grow as a result of the War on Terrorism. Although voting accessibility has improved since the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), voters with disabilities still face barriers to voting privately and independently. Compared to people without disabilities, people with disabilities are more likely to report having a voter registration problem, experiencing difficulty with voting equipment, and needing help to vote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot wording; Military voters; Online voter registration; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Barbara Burt; Matt Shaffer; Susannah Goodman
Common Cause
National; California; Florida; Nevada; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas; Virginia
24 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
This report surveys four major studies that reviewed DRE voting machine security and reliability. Two of the reports involved extensive review of more than 80 academic, technical, and industry reports on DREs. Each report concluded that DRE machines to be vulnerable to malfunction and also to tampering in which a computer-savvy hacker with minimal access to the machine could introduce malicious code to the DRE software and change the results of an election. Such manipulation could be undetectable. In machines equipped with a modem, it could even be done from a remote location.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Governor; Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio
22 page(s)
Spring 2008
Abstract:
Overall the county boards of elections performed exceedingly well in the March 4, 2008 primary election. A record high 46% of eligible voters turned out for this presidential primary (3,603,523 of the 7,826,480 registered voters in Ohio) to cast their ballots. Over 500,000 voters (approximately 14% of the primary election’s voters) voted by absentee ballot, taking advantage of the recent change in state law that does not require a reason to vote absentee. The professionalism and emergency planning by boards of elections allowed them to overcome unforgiving weather conditions, power outrages, bomb threats and late evening court orders.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Elizabeth White; Mark Sullivan; Patrick Dietrick
Marion County Election Board
Indiana
154 page(s)
7/15/2013
Abstract:
The essential challenge facing the Marion County Election Board in the coming months is the expiration of critical long-term software and vendor contracts at the end of 2014. Resolving this challenge must also involve careful consideration of the Election Board’s aging current IT infrastructure and voting machines. The Board’s two options are to (1) attempt to extend the current contracts and continue with the current, aging system for as long as the system remains viable and vendors continue to support it; or (2) procure a new, updated voting system in 2014. Notwithstanding the Election Board’s ultimate choice in 2014, the Board will undeniably have to purchase a new voting system at some point in the future.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Donald Norris
Maryland State Board of Elections; National Center for the Study of Elections, Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis & Research, University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Maryland
36 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
This survey of registered voters in Maryland found that voters have a high level of confidence in Maryland’s touch screen voting system. Most voters surveyed agreed that the current voting system was easy to use (99 percent), made voting quicker (85 percent), and recorded and counted the votes accurately (82 percent). Voters also felt that, even given the controversy around them, touch screen systems are reliable (73 percent), can be trusted (64 percent), accurately record and count votes (73 percent) and that security measures prevent tampering or hacking (53 percent). Seven in ten (70 percent) respondents agreed that that Maryland has done all it could to prevent fraud or tampering.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voter demographics
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Bruno Simeon; Friedrich Pukelsheim
Springer
National
255 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
In this book, different quantitative approaches to the study of electoral systems have been developed: game-theoretic, decision-theoretic, statistical, probabilistic, combinatorial, geometric, and optimization ones. All the authors are prominent scholars from these disciplines. Quantitative approaches offer a powerful tool to detect inconsistencies or poor performance in actual systems. Applications to concrete settings such as EU, American Congress, regional and committee voting are discussed.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Jim Balow
The Charleston Gazette
South Carolina
4 page(s)
9/6/2011
Abstract:
Jones has been pushing for changes in city elections since early this year, in part to save the roughly $200,000 it costs for each election. He suggested the city go nonpartisan - eliminating parties - as Beckley and other cities have done, and he appointed a task force of nine council members to study the issue. The task force finished its work last month by recommending, on a 7-2 vote, to go nonpartisan and change the election dates. Any changes in election procedures require changing the city charter.
Subject(s):
Election scheduling & rescheduling; Polling places
Combine With: Costs
Nathaniel Persily; Stephen Ansolabehere
New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy
National
26 page(s)
12/1/2010
Abstract:
Although we have made great strides as a nation in addressing the technological problems endemic to the 2000 election, we have made very little effort to evaluate the administration of elections in a systematic way. This article attempts to lay out what a system-based evaluation would entail.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Susan Hyde; Thad Hall
Brookings Institution Press; Election Fraud: Detecting and Deterring Electoral Manipulation
National
255 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
Election Fraud presents research on defining, measuring, and detecting election fraud and electoral manipulation by leading scholars of election law, election administration, and U.S. and comparative politics. The first part of the book examines the U.S. understanding of election fraud in comparative perspective. The second part empirically investigates the extent and nature of election fraud in the United States. The concluding section analyzes techniques for detecting and potentially deterring fraud. These strategies include both statistical analysis and on-the-ground election monitoring.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Poll watchers
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion
Inés Levin; R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
40 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
In this article we argue that, since voter confidence and participation decisions are affected by similar covariates, a regression approach may lead to results which are too model dependent, and do not account for the heterogeneity of effects across voters. To solve this problem, we use matching methods, and find that voter confidence has considerable effects on participation decisions, but substantially different in magnitude from those found using the usual regression approach.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter demographics
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Nate Silver
FiveThirtyEight
National
2 page(s)
7/15/2012
Abstract:
In almost every state where the ID laws have been at issue, Republican governors and legislatures have been on the side of passing stricter ones, while Democrats have sought to block them. I sought to back into an estimate of the net effects of these laws, therefore, in a couple of different ways.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Delia Grigg
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
2 page(s)
8/1/2005
Abstract:
In the wake of the 2000 election, the importance of knowing the impact of voting equipment on the number of uncounted ballots became evident. Using data from the 1988-2004 presidential elections, this paper estimates the effects of voting technologies on residual vote rates using several measurement techniques: a difference-in-differences estimator, fixed effects regression models and a propensity score matching technique. The pattern of the results is robust to the different methods. Paper ballots and lever machines produce the lowest rates of residual votes followed by optically scanned ballots, direct recording electronic machines and punch cards.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards
Combine With: Errors
Charles Stewart III
Mobilizing Democracy Working Group Conference
National
62 page(s)
1/14/2006
Abstract:
This paper summarizes what systematic evidence exists about the performance of the American voting process in 2004 and proposes a comprehensive system of performance measures that would allow citizens and officials to assess the quality of the voting system in the U.S. Despite the great deal of attention paid to voting reform from 2000 to 2004, and billions of dollars spent, there is surprisingly little systematic evidence of improvement in how elections are conducted in the United States. The best evidence of improvement comes in assessing the overall quality of voting machines that were used, and here the news is good. Nonetheless the measures used to assess voting machines could be greatly improved. There is little systematic, nationwide evidence of whether registration problems declined, polling places were administered better, or whether voter tabulations were more accurate. In thinking about how to improve data gathering about the election system, we first need to specify four principles guiding data gathering (uniformity, transparency, expedition, and multiple sources) and three major obstacles (federalism, state and local officials, and disputes over the purpose of elections). With these principles and obstacles in mind, I sketch out a basic data gathering agenda intended to allow the public to assess the quality of voting in the United States.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Evaluation & assessment; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
James O'Brien; William Bolling
Joint Subcommittee to Study Virginia's Election Process and Voting Technologies, Virginia General Assembly
Virginia
6 page(s)
7/31/2001
Abstract:
The joint subcommittee conducted several meetings at an all-day session held at the Sheraton Richmond West the day before the State Board of Elections' training session for registrars and electoral board members.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Election Day emergencies; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Indiana
70 page(s)
12/1/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Merle King
Center for Election Systems, Kennesaw State University; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
2 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
The integrity of the outcome of an election is more dependent upon the performance of the collection of “election systems” than the voting system. Current testing and auditing strategies largely ignore the importance of election systems and their interdependence with voting systems. In addition to a misalignment of the scope of system standards and testing protocols that emphasizes voting system testing to the exclusion of election systems, the critical roles of people and physical procedures are also neglected. The advantages to be gained by implementing innovative technologies frequently breaks down in the “last mile” implementation at the election office and polling place. The lack of a defined set of core competencies for election workers hinders our ability to fully realize improvements in election technologies and to establish meaningful expectations of the performance of election workers.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voting technology
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
6 page(s)
7/3/2012
Abstract:
The result of our egg analysis was not only a new way of thinking for us, but also a plan and checklist for what needed to be done for the 2004 election and for all future elections. The process led us to reinforce and fine-tune many of our existing practices and to develop new initiatives. Listed below are some examples of new, continued, or enhanced practices that increase a secure election environment and promote public trust. Examples of these items are provided in the attachments, and since we are particularly proud of the work we did to increase security by using hash code and parallel testing, we have included more detail on these practices.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Security; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Stephen Checkoway
University of California-San Diego
National
17 page(s)
8/31/2012
Abstract:
We give a self-contained presentation and evaluation of a number of post-election audit procedures. Methods which do not provide a statistical bound on the chance of being wrong give little confidence in the reported outcome of an election.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Mario Villareal; Matt Barreto; Nathan Woods
Journal of Urban Affairs
California
22 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
Most research on Latino voting behavior conclusively finds that as a group, Latinos vote at lower rates than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. In this article, we argue that given the appropriate circumstances, Latinos should be expected to vote at higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups. In particular, we think the presence of a viable Latino candidate will spur increased Latino turnout and that when Latinos candidates run for office, Latino voters will prefer the co-ethnic candidate. Analyzing precinct level returns from the Los Angeles 2001 mayoral and the 2000 presidential elections we show this may be the case. High-density Latino precincts show higher rates of turnout when Latino candidates are on the ballot, and these same precincts show heightened support for the co-ethnic candidate. In fact, for the first time ever in Los Angeles, the 2001 mayoral election witnessed Latinos voting at the highest rates of any racial or ethnic group in the city.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Michigan Bureau of Elections
Michigan
17 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker training; Registration/Ballot status updates
Brian Roberts; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Fordham Urban Law Journal
National
60 page(s)
3/8/2007
Abstract:
In this article, we examine how the issue of military voting has changed over time from being a procedural one, focused on how states could change election laws to promote military voting within a given set of parameters, to a technology one that focuses on how new technologies can facilitate military voting. We argue that major wars have spurred procedural changes in the election process and that, after universal suffrage was achieved, the federal role in military voting has allowed for technological efforts that facilitate military voting to move to the fore. However, these efforts to promote technological “fixes” to the problems with military voting still require the acquiescence of the state and local governments who run the elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security
Combine With: Litigation
Eric Eversole
Amvets Legal Clinic, Chapman University School of Law; Military Voter Protection Project
National
18 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
Like the EAC’s report, our report focuses on four key data sets: (1) the total number of absentee ballots requested by military voters in each state; (2) the total number of absentee ballots that were transmitted to military voters in each state; (3) the number of absentee military ballots that were returned, cast, and counted in each state; and (4) the number of absentee military ballots that were rejected in each state and the reason why the ballot was rejected.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters
Joe Wilson
Subcommittee on Military Personnel, U.S. House Committee on Armed Services
National
93 page(s)
7/15/2011
Abstract:
Today the subcommittee meets to hear the testimony on military and overseas voting from the Department of Defense, local election officials, and a military officer who was a voting assistance officer while deployed to Afghanistan during the 2010 election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Florida; Minnesota; Washington
4 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Ballot design should be simple and straightforward to ensure voters understand for whom and for what they are casting their votes. Ballots should be written in clear, plain language. Ballot design should focus on the ABCs: Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Michigan; Missouri; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Virginia; Wisconsin
7 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Voter intimidation and misinformation campaigns have significantly increased in recent years. Congress should pass a ban on deceptive practices and voter intimidation at the federal level. States and local governments should have emergency procedures in place to immediately correct misinformation about elections.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Electioneering & voter intimidation
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Colorado; Florida; Hawaii; Oregon; Washington
7 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Early voting allows eligible voters more time to review issues and cast their ballot. Early voting can increase voter participation. States should expand early in-person voting locations and adopt no-excuse permanent absentee voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Arizona; California; Colorado; New Jersey; Texas
8 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Over 25 million residents have limited English proficiency. Proper translation procedures and practices can directly increase voter participation. States should provide language assistance and translation when three percent or 7,500 persons speak a primary common language other than English.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Alabama; Colorado; Missouri; Ohio
6 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
The NVRA was intended to make voter registration widely available at agencies serving the public, and is an important tool for modernizing voter registration. Ensuring compliance with NVRA requirements increases voter registration rates, particularly among low-income populations. Expanding the number of designated NVRA agencies can further expand the reach of voter registration opportunities.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Florida; Ohio; Wisconsin
5 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Election administration should not be affected by partisan goals. Partisan election administration increases the risk of disenfranchisement. Non-partisan election administration boosts faith and confidence in the electoral process and promotes fair and accurate electoral results.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Nonpartisan election administration; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National
5 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Making our election system function for all of our citizens should be a bedrock commitment of our nation. The current disparities by class and race in voter registration—and thus, voter turnout—undermine an essential tenet of our democracy: of, by and for the people. In order to address the current inefficiencies and inadequacies in our election procedures, we have outlined a robust set of policy recommendations and best practices. At the same time, we also believe the project to perfect our democracy is one that demands we reach higher—and think more boldly about ways to ensure all adult citizens are full participants in our elections. The two ideas presented here—Universal Voting and a federal plan to Improve America’s Elections Fund to incentivize states to invest in their election systems—should be added to the national conversation about how to reach our democracy’s highest promise: that of one person, one vote.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Universal registration; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos; Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
National; Florida; Hawaii; Minnesota; Oregon; Texas
6 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
A person’s voter registration should remain valid when he or she moves within the state. Centralized statewide voter registration databases are essential to provide portable registration. Permanent and Portable registration helps narrow participation gaps among young people, people of color and lower-income Americans.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Portable registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Alaska; California; Maryland; Massachusetts; Missouri; Nebraska; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; South Carolina; Texas; Virginia
6 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
States should provide uniform poll worker training before Election Day to ensure Election Day runs smoothly. Polls workers should receive a uniform wage across the state. Poll worker recruitment should target public employees and high school and college students.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Poll worker training; Youth voters
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National
92 page(s)
2014
Abstract:
This report outlines sixteen policies and practices that would make registration more accessible and seamless, lead to more effective and efficient election administration, and strengthen protections for voters’ rights. For each reform, we highlight current best practices in the states, recommending model practices for others to pursue.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Nonpartisan election administration; Online voter registration; Poll worker training; Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; California; Florida; Hawaii; North Carolina; Washington; Wisconsin
5 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Eligible 16 and 17 year olds should be pre-registered to vote and automatically added to voting rolls when they turn 18. Targeted outreach to young eligible voters leads to substantial increases in voter registration. Encouraging civic engagement at a young age leads to increased participation over a lifetime.
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Arizona; California; New York; Ohio
5 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Provisional ballots are not counted as regular ballots and should be used in only very limited situations. Provisional ballots cast solely because an eligible voter voted in the wrong precinct or polling place should be counted as a regular ballot for any office for which the voter was eligible to vote. Adopting Same Day Registration would substantially decrease the need for provisional ballots because eligible voters can simply re-register if there are registration issues.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Errors
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Indiana; Missouri; New Mexico; Pennsylvania; Wisconsin
5 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Overly burdensome photo ID laws add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy that disenfranchises millions of otherwise eligible voters. Photo ID requirements place tremendous fiscal burdens on states and localities. States should look to their constitutions to protect the freedom to vote from onerous ID laws.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Litigation
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; New York
6 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Nearly six million people are denied the right to vote due to felony offenses, even if they have completed their sentences. One out of every 13 eligible African Americans of voting age has lost their right to vote. States should not permanently take away the freedom to vote from any citizen. At a bare minimum, the right to vote should be automatically restored once a person is released from incarceration.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Colorado; Florida; Kentucky; Missouri; Nevada; North Carolina; Ohio; Texas
7 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
States should ensure eligible voters can be added to state registration databases with fair, effective and uniform standards, and should only remove voters in compliance with the National Voter Registration Act and other applicable laws. Only election officials should be able to challenge the eligibility of a voter. When a voter is challenged, the burden of proof should fall on the challenger with a specific and timely adjudication process.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter list maintenance
J. Mijin Cha; Liz Kennedy
Demos
National; Arizona; Florida; Kansas; Texas
4 page(s)
2/18/2014
Abstract:
Third party voter registration drives are a critical component to ensuring eligible voters are registered. States should permit third party registration drives without restrictive limitations. Boards of elections should provide materials on voter registration to registration drives.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Litigation
Larry Gamble; Tim Dake
Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty
Wisconsin
29 page(s)
4/5/2011
Abstract:
This seven month study developed a historical analysis of the April 5th, 2011 election. Two key statistics leap from the results. First roughly 94 percent of the voters registering had either a Wisconsin Drivers License or State ID and second was that overall there was a 33 percent error rate among all the registration forms.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Dave Braunger
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota
4 page(s)
9/23/2012
Abstract:
The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll interviewed 800 likely Minnesota voters about voter identification from Sept. 17-19. The margin of sampling error is +-3.5 percentage points.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
Minnesota
4 page(s)
9/12/2012
Abstract:
Minnesota's voter ID amendment looks to be headed for more comfortable passage, although the numbers have tightened up a little bit since our June poll. It leads by 17 points, 56-39, compared to a 24 point lead at 58-34 the last time we polled it. That movement is because Democrats have hardened in their opposition to it, going from being against it just 54/36 to now 72/20. But it retains overwhelming support from Republicans (88/9) and independents (62/33).
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
Minnesota
4 page(s)
10/8/2012
Abstract:
Things are starting to get interesting with Minnesota's voter ID amendment. When we polled on it in June it was leading for passage by a 58/34 margin. By September that had tightened to a 56/39 advantage. And now it's leading only 51/43. Democrats are now even more opposed to the voter ID amendment (23/71) than they are to the one on marriage. And although independents continue to support it their 52/41 favor for it is down a good deal from 62/33 a month ago. This fight may end up a lot closer than people initially expected.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Dan Pederson; Jessica Trites Rolle; Mark Halvorson; Stan Hilliard
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN)
Minnesota
23 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN) is a statewide, non-partisan organization, formed in 2004, that advocates for accurate, transparent and verifiable elections in Minnesota and nationally. CEIMN has organized six statewide non-partisan observations in Minnesota – three post-election audit observations and three recount observations from 2006 -- 2010.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Security
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
Minnesota
3 page(s)
6/5/2012
Abstract:
Republicans are headed for better news with their proposed amendment to require voters to show a photo identification when they go to cast their ballots. 58% of voters support that with 34% opposed. Republicans (84/10) are almost unanimously supportive of it.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Matt Barreto; Ricardo Ramirez
PS: Political Science & Politics
California
4 page(s)
1/1/2004
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election types; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Tova Wang
Demos
Wisconsin
4 page(s)
1/25/2011
Abstract:
Strong voter participation and engagement are fundamental to a healthy democracy. Efforts to restrict access to voting fly in the face of this important goal. Alarmingly, despite another midterm election in which nationally only 41 percent of eligible persons voted, many states are now renewing efforts to restrict, rather than expand, the franchise. The timing could not be more inappropriate. Incoming legislators and governors are pushing the passage of strict voter identification laws while their states face critical budget crises. Instead of focusing on job creation and providing relief for millions of unemployed and underemployed residents, legislators have placed a law that would disenfranchise tens of thousands at the top of their agendas.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Allison Orris; Donna Cohen Ross
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)
Missouri
4 page(s)
5/15/2008
Abstract:
Missouri’s legislature is considering a constitutional amendment permitting the state to require residents to provide documentary proof of their U.S. citizenship in order to vote. If implemented, it risks disenfranchising large numbers of Missouri residents who are U.S. citizens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Seth Masket
Center for Effective Public Management, The Brookings Institution
National
18 page(s)
3/1/2014
Abstract:
Given the potential problems associated with party polarization, several reform efforts have recently been proposed designed to mitigate legislative partisanship in the U.S. Congress and allow some measure of bipartisanship to return to the chamber. This paper is an effort to evaluate some of these proposals. I will discuss not only their political feasibility and prospects for reducing partisanship, but also the possible costs associated with their implementation.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; International election administration; Open primaries
Lorraine Minnite; Robert Erikson
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
17 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
In April 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s controversial voter identification (ID) law. Adopted in 2005, the law requires voters to show a current, government-issued photo identification. Opponents worry voter identification rules will place an undue burden on the voting rights of elderly, low income, and minority voters, disputing the need for the rules. Nevertheless, over the last five years, stricter voter identification requirements have been adopted on party line votes in more than a dozen states. Stimulated by the pressing policy debate, recent scientific research on the turnout question suggests that the most stringent rules will have harmful effects. However, the complexity of electoral laws and voting behavior together with the likely marginal effect of photo ID rules makes statistical outcomes quite sensitive to research designs. We see problems with existing designs that rely on individual, self-reported voting records from the Current Population Survey. Our article evaluates this research and disputes the strength of the statistical arguments used to support findings of an observable negative effect on turnout from voter ID laws.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Kim Alexander
California Voter Foundation; Future of California Elections (FOCE)
California
7 page(s)
1/23/2013
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the recent history of California voting systems, the federal and state legislation that paved the way for counties to purchase new equipment beginning in 2002, and Los Angeles County’s ongoing efforts to modernize its voting system. It offers policy questions to consider that could help facilitate the successful development, acquisition and deployment of a new voting system for Los Angeles County, which would also benefit all other jurisdictions in the state by giving them more choices when considering future voting system upgrades.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards
Vishal Agraharkar; Wendy Weiser
Book of the States; Council of State Governments (CSG)
National
6 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
America’s system of election administration is, in many ways, inefficient, unnecessarily expensive to administer and does not work as well as it can for the population it is intended to serve. To bring our elections into the 21st century, states should modernize how we register to vote, when we vote and how we manage the voting process.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote centers; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Weekend voting
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Wait times
Christopher Ponoroff; J. Adam Skaggs; Lawrence Norden; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Ohio
23 page(s)
11/5/2009
Abstract:
Experts, election officials, and advocates agree: Ohio’s voter registration system is in serious need of reform. Although Ohio has recently made significant improvements to the technology of voter registration—launching a statewide voter registration data base before the 2008 elections— the system as a whole has not reaped the full benefits of that advance. Instead, Ohio still relies in significant part on outmoded and costly procedures designed for a pre-computer age. The result is a voter registration system rife with inefficiencies, which imposes serious burdens on election administrators and voters alike. What is more, each year these inefficiencies rack up costs the state can ill afford.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Christopher Ponoroff; Nhu-Y Ngo; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Arizona; Colorado; Delaware; Indiana; Kansas; Louisiana; Ohio; Oregon; Texas; Utah; Wisconsin
14 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The past year has seen gathering momentum in the states to modernize the voter registration system. In various ways, states have begun to move toward a system in which voters are automatically and permanently added to the rolls, with fail-safes in case of government mistakes. Such changes have typically garnered bipartisan support, and been implemented without controversy. Moreover, reforms have increased voter registration rates, improved the accuracy of the voter rolls, curbed opportunities for fraud, and saved millions of dollars.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Comparative Study of Electoral Systems
National
8/4/2003
Abstract:
CSES Module 1 focused on three general themes: the impact of electoral institutions on citizens' political cognition and behavior (parliamentary versus presidential systems of government, the electoral rules that govern the casting and counting of ballots; and political parties); the nature of political and social cleavages and alignments; and the evaluation of democratic institution and processes.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Public opinion
Comparative Study of Electoral Systems
National
6/27/2007
Abstract:
CSES Module 2 focused on representation and accountability via three key theoretical questions. First, it examined the contrasting views of the logic of elections - to what extent are elections a mechanism to hold government accountable, as opposed to a means to ensure that citizens' views are properly represented in the democratic process? Second, the module added a new set of items on citizen engagement and cognition across democratic polities. Third, the module expanded the analyses of the first module to examine how voters' choices are affected by the institutional context within which those choices are made.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Public opinion
The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems
National
8 page(s)
5/31/2012
Abstract:
CSES Module 3 focused on voters' perceptions of, assessments of, and responses to the variety and quality of political choices in an election. The module addresses important policy questions about electoral system design. For established democracies, Module 3 asks how popular satisfaction with politics varies with the choices offered to voters, and how and why new parties are formed and attract electoral support when the choices on offer are viewed as inadequate. For newly democratizing countries, the module helps us think about electoral system design, and about identifying the system that will best suit voters' concerns and provide long-term political stability in governance. Drawing on Dahl's (1971) distinction between inclusiveness and contestation, the module asks to what degree political systems provide contestation between meaningful alternatives and how integrative is the structure of electoral competition. Voters' understanding of the set of electoral choices they face is a central concern. The module enables scholars to ask how voters distinguish the parties, how contextual conditions enhance the degree to and ease with which they can make these distinctions, and the relative weights of different kinds of distinctions in shaping voting behavior in those varying contexts.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Barbara Bovbjerg; William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
47 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
Voting is fundamental to our democratic system, and federal law generally requires polling places to be accessible to all eligible voters, including those with disabilities. In response, states and localities have implemented provisions and practices addressing the accessibility of polling places. However, during the 2000 federal election, GAO found that only 16 percent of polling places had no potential impediments to access for people with disabilities. To address these and other issues, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which required polling places to have at least one voting system accessible for people with disabilities. However, the extent to which state and local practices have improved accessibility is unknown. To respond to this issue, GAO determined (1) the proportion of polling places that have features in the path to the voting area that might facilitate or impede access to voting for people with disabilities and how these results compare to our findings from the 2000 federal election and (2) the proportion of polling places that have features in the voting area that might facilitate or impede private and independent voting for people with disabilities.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Voters with disabilities
Fred Solop
Social Research Laboratory, Northern Arizona University
Arizona
6 page(s)
3/12/2006
Abstract:
More than one-third of registered voters statewide say they are unfamiliar with new voter identification requirements in Arizona, according to a recent telephone survey. Most have heard no information on television, in newspapers, or on the radio explaining which forms of ID are required to cast a ballot. When asked if they have the proper identification that will allow them to cast a ballot in Arizona, one-in-ten registered voters say they are not sure, while one percent know they do not have the proper identification. Republicans are more familiar with the new requirements than Democrats and Independents, and are more certain they have proper identification for voting.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Fox News
National
2 page(s)
4/18/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Joseph Lawler
Department of Economics, University of Notre Dame
National
27 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
This paper estimates the effects of the 1993 NVRA using a difference-in-difference method. For those states without any active registration law, the passage of the NVRA generated reduced costs of voter registration. Subsequently, if the law was effective at increasing registration, we should see an increase in voter registration and turnout in these states after 1993. However, it would be unclear how much of the change is caused by the NVRA and how much is attributable to possible secular changes in voter participation. Therefore, I use the states with active laws in place prior to 1993 as a control group. Specifically, the time series changes in voter registration and turnout in these states identify the secular changes in these outcomes that would have occurred in the states with no measures prior to 1993 without federal intervention.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Sharon Ward
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
Pennsylvania
14 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is still falling short in its implementation of a requirement in the state’s strict new Voter ID Law that a photo ID be made available free of charge to voters who need one to cast a ballot.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Wait times
Curtis Gans
Center for the Study of the American Electorate, American University
National
34 page(s)
11/6/2008
Abstract:
Despite lofty predictions by some academics, pundits, and practitioners that voter turnout would reach levels not seen since the turn of the last century, the percentage of eligible citizens casting ballots in the 2008 presidential election stayed at virtually the same relatively high level as it reached in the polarized election of 2004.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Allison Brummel; Christopher Patusky; Timothy Schmidt
Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
40 page(s)
8/20/2007
Abstract:
MyVote1’s goals, as in 2004, were to use the project’s unique hotline technology to (1) help voters vote, (2) gather data from voters during the November 2006 elections that could be used for evidence-based election reform efforts, and (3) demonstrate that the hotline technology can be used to monitor elections by tracking voter complaints in real time across a web interface. The project achieved these goals by employing InfoVoter’s unique technology platform, which connected a national toll free telephone number (1- 888-MYVOTE1) to an Interactive Voice Response system that then downloaded all data collected from the calls into a database accessible in real-time via the web.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Jessica Good
National Association of Counties (NACo); Orange County Registrar of Voters
California
1 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The Orange County Registrar of Voters Election Academy was designed to offer the citizens of Orange County a new service to increase the level of citizen participation in elections. This educational tool was also designed to provide a thorough understanding of elections – how they work and the policies behind them. The Election Academy courses have been designed to teach participants about elections in Orange County, California. This unique program provides insight on the various components of election management in an interactive classroom setting at the Registrar of Voters’ office.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Turnout
Tracy Ward
National Association of Counties (NACo); Oakland County Election Division
Michigan
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The Election Network is a password-protected website created in 2008 to assist their local city and township clerks and their own Election Division to access and share important election-related information. Local clerks also have a forum on the website where they are invited to share election tips, everything from precinct layout suggestions to the correct handling of absentee ballots to poll worker recruiting advice. The Election Network is a wonderful forum for sharing election-related news. It will serve as a central repository for election items and a one-stop-shop for election administrators.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Bill Bullard
National Association of Counties (NACo); Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Michigan
1 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
The Oakland County Clerk’s Online Election Reminder Service, which sends emails to voters to alert them to upcoming elections, was launched just prior to the November 2009 election. We believe this is one of the first-such services offered at the county level. The objective of the new service was two-fold. Foremost, our office wanted to improve voter turnout by offering our residents a gentle reminder – sort of an electronic Post-it note – about approaching community, school, state and federal elections. Voters subscribe to the service, which is free, on our website at www.oakgov.com/clerkrod simply by using their email address. The alert includes links to our elections website so users can access candidate lists, ballot proposal language, polling locations, elections results, etc. In addition to informing voters, the new service has drawn more users to our website, helping us publicize our online services. In light of economic challenges, as well as budget cuts and staff reductions, we are pushing to increase online orders as a way to better distribute our workload.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Paul Drugan
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk; National Association of Counties (NACo)
California
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
In keeping with its goal of continually increasing efficiency and transparency of elections, the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s (RR/CC) Officer began a survey project in 2006 that now constitutes an ongoing statistical analysis of poll worker responses to Election Day operation an equipment issues. The survey introduces scientific statistical analysis processes and publishes its methodology for public review and critique. Its approach to consistently measure responses over time and across election type is unique. The purpose of the survey instrument is threefold: it measures programmatic implementation and reforms; it assesses organizational responses to equipment functionality; it provides information to Department decision-makers regarding policy changes that effect Election Day operations. This survey is sent to RR/CC Inspectors after every major election and entered into a statistical software program for tabulation and analysis.
Subject(s):
Poll worker satisfaction; Voting technology
Jessica Good
National Association of Counties (NACo); Oakland County Registrar of Voters
California
1 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The Internal Program seeks to find new and innovative ways to provide election services while increasing the cost effectiveness of elections. Three main projects were implemented in the past year. Online Training allows volunteer poll workers to prepare for their key role at poll sites on Election Day on their own schedule in the comfort of their own home. In addition, Online Training reduces the need to training classes and their associated labor, supply, equipment, and transportation costs. Supply conveyors change how supplies are processed on Election Night as they return from the polls. Instead of a ten day process to sort and account for Election Day supplies, the supplies are sorted on Election Night, equating to both a time and cost savings. Vote-by-Mail Extractors open envelopes and remove the voted ballots, which was previously done manually. The number of people needed to open and process paper ballots is reduced from 200 to 24 by the Vote-by-Mail Extractors. Both the Supply Conveyors and Vote-by-Mail Extractors reduce the time of Registrar of Voters takes to certify an election. This allows the public to better participate in elections, as well as provides final election results that facilitate effective government and policy making.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Polling place management
Combine With: Costs
Brooke De Baca
National Association of Counties (NACo); Orange County Registrar of Voters
California
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The Orange County Registrar of Voters developed an Online Voter Information Program designed to increase citizen participation in elections, promote intergovernmental cooperation and coordination, improve departmental efficiencies, and expand communication with the citizens of Orange County. Extensive additions to the department’s website, including video blogs, podcasts, newsfeeds, RSS, newsletters, live streaming video, and live election night results have changed the way the office communicates with the public. This proactive approach to transparency and communication has positively altered the office’s relationship with voters, campaigns, political parties, the media, elected officials, and other government agencies.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Tracy Ward
National Association of Counties (NACo); Oakland County Clerk
Michigan
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
In 2007, aware that 2008 would be a critical election year with the upcoming primary and national elections, the Oakland County Clerk’s Office created an instructional DVD program for election workers, “Poll Worker Training.” The objective of the program was to supplement the training already provided by local clerks, as well as educate and update poll workers about precinct changes they would find on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs
Lenora Boninfante-Kodytek
Cape May County; National Association of Counties (NACo)
New Jersey
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The Cape May County Communications Director has developed a comprehensive and sophisticated county and community-wide information program that has transformed the relationship between its citizens and county government. By integrating a full range of mediums, it has become the most relied on source for information on county news activities as well as increased the awareness and use of county services, it has given citizens a clear understanding of the role of county government and has been integral in fostering public participation in the decision-making process. The program was composed of a website, radio advertisements and announcements, brochures and handouts, forums and conferences, and a monthly television show.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Ray Ching
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk; National Association of Counties (NACo)
California
1 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
The online vote-by mail application submission and tracking system is a service that was implemented in Los Angeles County through the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) to allow registered voters to submit their vote-by-mail application through a secure website. In California, registered voters who wish to vote by mail must submit an application no later than seven days before an election. Providing the option to submit an application through a secure web site provides an easy to use and convenient method for individuals to apply for a ballot. An important element of the online vote-by-mail program is the functionality that allows individuals who have submitted an application to quest the system to determine the status of their application.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting
Terra Strouhal
King County Elections; National Association of Counties (NACo)
Washington
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
In 2009, King County implemented a new “vote by mail” form of administering elections that relies on a combination of leading edge technology. This effort, considered a national model, involved significant investments in new hardware, software, and business process re-engineering and involved upgrading the tabulation systems, ballot tracking, and overall accountability process. The acquisition of new technology improved the timeliness, accuracy, security, and efficiency of processing ballots while reducing the number of staff and scanning workstations. Additionally, the system transitioned elections from a manual process of resolving ballot problems to a transparent, electronic resolution process that drastically improved efficiency and reduced risk
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Efrain Escobedo
Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters
California
1 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The Voting Systems Assessment Project (VSAP) is an unprecedented initiative launched by the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters as a part of the County’s goal to modernize its voting systems. The initiative seeks to establish a collaborative model between citizens and government in order to determine the current and future needs to be addressed through the modernization of the County’s voting system. The VSAP model establishes a new participatory approach that initiates the process of voting systems development and procurement with public input to ensure the “people” element is well balanced with those of “technology” and “regulations.” Working in partnership with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the project is coordinating a series of convenings and focus groups to gather public input, from individual voters and citizen activists, to community organizations. The input provided during the initial discussions served to establish the fundamental principles that will drive the County’s voting system requirements and development/procurement strategies.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement
Combine With: Public opinion
Beverly Kaufman
Harris County Clerk; National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks (NACRC)
Texas
6 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
Three days after a fire destroyed the Harris County’s voting equipment, the County Clerk appeared before the county’s governing body in emergency session and submitted a post-disaster election plan which called for proceeding with the timely conduct of the of the Nov. 2 general election. The election plan devised by County Clerk called for a hybrid balloting system. The primary elements of plan included quickly acquiring, by loan or purchase, the same type of electronic voting equipment in use in Harris County prior to the fire. The goal was to obtain a level of eSlate electronic voting equipment equal to the amount used in the previous mid-term election. The plan also called for employing the paper ballot system used for balloting by mail on Election Day. In addition, the plan called for providing voters the same number of Early Voting and Election Day polling locations as expected prior to the disaster.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting
Jon Gegenheimer
Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court; National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks (NACRC)
Louisiana
3 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
In an ongoing effort to improve services and to make doing business with the clerk of court’s office easier, Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court Jon Gegenheimer in 2011 established two new methods to enhance and streamline the retrieval of election results. JeffClerk Alerts and an Elections Mobile App are easy-to-use services available at no charge, where courthouse patrons may enhance their experience and interaction with the elections process. These technology initiatives are the result of recognizing that more and more people use mobile devices to get news and information. Citizens no longer need a television or a desktop computer to retrieve real-time election results.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach
Efrain Escobedo
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk; National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks (NACRC)
California
5 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
Independent citizen oversight of elections is an integral part of the American political process. Over the past decade, election monitoring activities in major elections have increased significantly. While these activities promote greater accountability and transparency in the elections process, they often overwhelm elections offices with complaints, media inquiries, and voter confusion. In 2008, Los Angeles County created its Election Monitor Program. The program seeks to work collaboratively with election monitoring efforts in order to better: manage the increased activity; ensure informed monitors; react to Election Day problems in real time and with better information.
Subject(s):
Poll watchers
Hawaii Free Press
Hawaii
6 page(s)
8/16/2012
Abstract:
The Office of Elections has received numerous requests to investigate what transpired during the 2012 Primary Election in the County of Hawaii from public officials, candidates, and members of the public. In order to best address those requests, we believed it appropriate to issue the following report for public dissemination.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Polling place hours; Polling places; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Chrissie Weatherford; Tom Schedler
Louisiana Secretary of State; National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
Louisiana
6 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Secretary of State Tom Schedler launched the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone application to assist citizens in confirming if they are a registered voter, where to vote, what’s on their ballot and their voting districts. The app, located in the reference category, is easily found in iPhone and Android App Stores by searching ‘geaux vote’ or ‘Louisiana Secretary.’ There is also a mobile site for other smartphone users. Citizens can also access the app by visiting www.GeauxVote.com.
Subject(s):
Registration/Ballot status updates
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS); Nevada Secretary of State
Nevada
5 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Track-It serves as a centralized “command center” and automates the process of clerk-to-Secretary and Secretary-to-clerk communication without having to make phone calls and streamlines issue tracking for the SOS and jurisdictions. A Resource center ensures that everyone is looking at the most recent version of a document as it hosts necessary information in one location online where users can view and download printed material such as Sequoia manuals and Secretary of State forms. Additionally, users may track internally and submit to the SOS a work order to notify of an election problem or issue such as a power outage at a polling location, comments from voters or notification that all polls are open or closed.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration
Combine With: Fraud
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS); Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon
10/22/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
National
5 page(s)
11/6/2009
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Runoff elections; Security; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
California; Colorado; Connecticut; Florida; Illinois; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Michigan; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Oklahoma; Virginia; West Virginia
9 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
The NASS Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections was formed in January of 2013 in response to the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the administration of the 2012 Presidential Election. The Task Force consists of Secretaries of State and Election Directors from 24 states. Its mission is to support state election officials in their efforts to establish/enhance administrative election practices in preparation for, and response to, emergency conditions. Efforts include identifying relevant laws and policies; sharing experiences and lessons learned from past emergencies situations; engaging with relevant state and federal agencies and other stakeholders; and discussing ideas and strategies for effectively dealing with future emergencies scenarios impacting an election.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Overseas voters; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics
Kimball Brace
Election Data Services
National
15 page(s)
10/17/2008
Abstract:
For the first time in the nation’s history, fewer jurisdictions and less registered voters will be using electronic voting equipment than in the previous election. After nearly three decades of consistent growth in their use with each election, nearly 10 million fewer registered voters will be using electronic voting equipment in the 2008 general election compared to just two years ago. Every county that has changed voting systems since 2006 has moved to optical scan equipment.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Voter registration
Ian Schuler
Innovations
National
19 page(s)
Spring 2008
Abstract:
National Election Watch’s efforts were aided by an innovative text-message reporting method. Observers used a series of carefully constructed codes to send short message system (SMS) messages to one of seven phones connected to a computer by USB cables at NEW headquarters. NEW observers could transmit complex information about the election, from minor procedural infractions to serious flaws. The computer then interpreted the codes and stored the information in a database, which included reports that facilitated rapid analysis of the data.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; International election administration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
William Jeffrey
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
7 page(s)
5/17/2007
Abstract:
I will begin my testimony by reviewing NIST's role in meeting the requirements of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of2002, specifically in providing technical expertise towards the development of voluntary guidelines for voting systems and providing assistance to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) with respect to voting system testing laboratories. I will discuss NIST's role in producing the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines of 2005 (the VVSG 2005). As part of that discussion I will describe the major areas of change between the VVSG 2005 and its precursor, the 2002 Voting Systems Standard (VSS). I will also discuss our current efforts in voting, which center on producing the next iteration of the VVSG and producing an associated set of comprehensive test suites. Lastly, I will discuss the status of our work in assessing potential voting system testing laboratories and recommending them to the EAC for accreditation.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Security
Andrea Boyle Tippett
Center for Political Communication, University of Delaware
National
6 page(s)
7/17/2012
Abstract:
A new National Agenda Opinion Poll by the University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication reveals support for voter identification laws is strongest among Americans who harbor negative sentiments toward African Americans.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion
National Association of Counties (NACo)
National
8 page(s)
2/1/2013
Abstract:
In December 2012, 80 members of the NACo Board of Directors participated in a live polling session to explore local perspectives on national politics and elections, county fiscal conditions, public pensions, health, immigration, economic development, natural disasters, and more. This report summarizes the findings of that session, called an “eForum.”
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Voter ID
Patrick Murray
Monmouth University
National
3 page(s)
10/26/2012
Abstract:
American voters are more concerned about the potential for voter fraud throughout the country than they are in the area where they actually vote, according to the latest Monmouth University Poll. Just under 1-in-10 voters suspect they have voted in an election that was ultimately decided by fraudulent votes.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion
Danel McCool; Jennifer Robinson; Susan Olson
Cambridge University Press
National; South Dakota; Utah
225 page(s)
3/1/2007
Abstract:
This book explains the history and expansion of Indian voting rights, with an emphasis on seventy cases based on the Voting Rights Act and/or the Equal Protection Clause. The authors describe the struggle to obtain Indian citizenship and the basic right to vote, then analyze the cases brought under the Voting Rights Act, including three case studies. The final two chapters assess the political impact of these cases and the role of American Indians in contemporary politics.
Subject(s):
Native American voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Stuart Comstock-Gay
Committee on Government, Military and Veterans Affairs, Nebraska Legislature; Demos
Maine; Nebraska; New Hampshire
8 page(s)
1/31/2008
Abstract:
Testimony of Democracy Program Director Stuart Comstock-Gay before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Christopher Keale; Dorothy Harbeck; Peter Sheridan
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
New Jersey
6 page(s)
9/1/2002
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Vote counting & recounting
James Gardner
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
11 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout
Combine With: Litigation
David Muhlhausen; Keri Weber Sikich
The Heritage Foundation
National
38 page(s)
9/11/2007
Abstract:
Controlling for factors that influence voter turnout, voter identification laws largely do not have the claimed negative impact on voter turnout based on state-to-state comparisons. When statistically significant and negative relationships are found, the effects are so small that the findings offer little policy significance. White survey respondents in photo identification states are 0.002 percent less likely to report voting than white respondents from states that only required voters to state their name. African-American respondents in non-photo identification states are 0.012 percent less likely to report voting than African-American respondents from states that only required voters to state their name. In other cases, no effect was found.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Native American voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Kyle Saunders; Lisa Bryant; Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
40 page(s)
11/1/2007
Abstract:
In democratic societies there is a tension between maximizing ballot access and minimizing voter fraud. Since the 2000 presidential election, this tension has been central to discussions about election reform, at the national and local level. We examine this tension by focusing on the implementation of voter identification laws in one state that has experienced significant issues in recent elections, and that is now implementing significant attempts at election reform: New Mexico. We hypothesized that Hispanic voters were more likely to show some form of identification than other types of voters. Using a voter data set from New Mexico’s First Congressional District in the 2006 election, we find that Hispanic, male and Election Day voters were more likely to show some form of identification than non-Hispanic, female and early voters. In addition, using an overlapping study of Bernalillo County 2006 poll workers, we find no evidence that certain groups of poll workers were more likely to ask for voter identification. Our findings suggest that broad voter identification laws, which may be applied unequally, may be perceived as discriminatory.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Women voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Daniel Smith; Michael Herron
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
Florida
21 page(s)
1/27/2012
Abstract:
In my testimony today, I will discuss some of Professor Herron’s and my preliminary findings concerning early voting patterns in the 2008 General Election. If time permits, I will then touch upon two other aspects of HB 1355, specifically the burdens it places on individuals and groups wishing to register new voters and the law’s requirement that registered voters must cast provisional ballots if they have moved within the state and not officially changed their addresses with appropriate Supervisors of Election.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter registration drives; Weekend voting
Combine With: Turnout
Justin Levitt
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
National
28 page(s)
9/8/2011
Abstract:
Less than two miles from the new memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and within a few weeks of its opening, it is a worthy endeavor indeed to continue his work striving to ensure that all citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, or social status, are able to participate fully in our representative democracy. Unfortunately, a spate of recent state regulations seem headed in the wrong direction. These laws exact real burdens on real Americans, making it more difficult for citizens to exercise their rights to vote. Crucially, these burdens are not only real but unnecessary, which renders them suspect as a matter of constitutional law, and fundamentally flawed as a matter of public policy. Not only do they make it more difficult for Americans to vote, but they do so without any meaningful benefit. Indeed, in several circumstances, the new laws are directly counterproductive.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Douglas Kellner; James Walsh
New York State Board of Elections
New York
48 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
This report provides a comprehensive review of board programs and accomplishments during the calendar year 2010.
Subject(s):
Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Douglas Kellner; James Walsh
New York State Board of Elections
New York
44 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This report provides a comprehensive review of Board programs and accomplishments during the calendar year 2011.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Voting technology
Thomas DiNapoli
Division of State Government Accountability, New York State Comptroller; New York State Board of Elections
New York
13 page(s)
3/9/2009
Abstract:
Our report contains five recommendations directed toward improving the State Board Elections’ oversight of the absentee voting process. State Board officials agree with our general findings with regards to them and several County Boards of Elections. They indicated they will continue to review our comments and recommendations, and as resources and opportunity permit, will explore ways those areas with which they agree, can be implemented, as appropriate.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Permanent absentee voting; Voter registration
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE); Youth Engagement Fund
National
5 page(s)
8/3/2012
Abstract:
Findings from a recent poll commissioned by the Youth Engagement Fund, and analyzed by CIRCLE suggest that overall non-college youth do not vary significantly from their college experienced counterparts. However there are some slight differences.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
National
22 page(s)
3/1/2006
Abstract:
This article, prepared for a symposium on voting rights in the South Carolina Law Review, examines the future of election law in the Roberts Court. Even before the death of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and the announced retirement of Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, election law scholars had declared that the Supreme Court had reached doctrinal interregnum. In the campaign finance arena, the Court's jurisprudence was becoming increasingly incoherent; voting rights law was said to be at law with itself; partisan gerrymandering claims in flux; and the question of Supreme Court oversight of the nuts-and-bolts of elections after Bush v. Gore a big mystery. With the change of two Justices on the Supreme Court, exit from doctrinal incoherence and uncertainty becomes possible.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Project Vote
National; Florida
11 page(s)
2/1/2014
Abstract:
HAVA was designed to establish minimum election administration standards and streamline the administration of elections across the country, but No Match, No Vote laws have only succeeded in creating more confusion and inconsistency. These laws are not merely a minor issue in the administration of elections; they strike right at the core, disenfranchising qualified voters whose applications do not match a demonstrably flawed system of state and national databases. Though only four states have established hard-line No Match policies, there are still a number of ways that states can and do make the voting process more difficult through their matching procedures. By adopting the best practices suggested here, states would go a long way towards registering voters more accurately and ensuring that no eligible citizen is disenfranchised.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Michael Caudell-Feagan; Susan Urahn
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
47 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
No Time to Vote: Challenges Facing America’s Overseas Military Voters, a new report from the Pew Center on the States, found that more than a third of states do not provide military voters stationed abroad with enough time to vote or are at high risk of not providing enough time. An additional six states provide time to vote only if their military personnel overseas return their completed absentee ballots by fax or e-mail—a practice that raises important questions about their access to this technology and the privacy and security of their votes. All told, 25 states and Washington, D.C., need to improve their absentee balloting rules for military voters abroad. In fact, given our conservative assumptions, the other 25 states would better serve these voters by giving them additional time to request and return their ballots as well.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Combine With: Turnout
Doug Chapin
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
3 page(s)
9/1/2011
Abstract:
The growing enthusiasm across the country for non-precinct place voting (NPPV) presents the election administration field with a series of challenges and opportunities with respect to the design and implementation of jurisdiction-specific programs to put NPPV into practice.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voter registration
Eric Townsend
Elon University
North Carolina
1 page(s)
4/4/2012
Abstract:
Nearly three quarters of North Carolina residents would support a state law requiring voters to show some sort of photo identification before they are allowed to vote, according to the latest Elon University Poll.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii; Maine; Minnesota; New Hampshire
5 page(s)
7/12/2012
Abstract:
At the same time Hawaii is seeking ways to boost voter participation, new conservative majorities in many of the high-turnout states are moving to slam the door on the voting booth with highly partisan legislation tightening requirements for registration and voting. Justified as erecting barriers to voter fraud, the proposals include measures to eliminate last-minute or election day voter registration, and to impose strict new identification requirements for anyone trying to register or vote. In Hawaii, an effort earlier this year to tighten voter ID requirements died in the Legislature without a hearing.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Common Cause Education Fund
National
50 page(s)
Fall 2001
Abstract:
Our survey does not cover every aspect of election reform, nor does it lay out a legislative agenda for effective election reform. But it does look at four major criteria identified by the major studies and commission reports that have been issued since last November’s elections, and gives each state two grades. The first grade is based on the election laws in that state as of Election Day last year. The second is based on the election laws in that state one year later.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Richard Shordt
The George Washington Law Review
National
38 page(s)
2/1/2010
Abstract:
This Note argues that because states can no longer be trusted to correct errors in the election process, Congress must step in and build on the reforms instituted in the NVRA and HAVA to make voter registration easier for qualified citizens. The focus on voter-registration statutes and procedures is particularly relevant because registration problems were among the most prevalent voter complaints in the 2008 presidential election. Citizens from around the country reported that on November 4, 2008, they were mistakenly purged from the rolls before the election or that their voter-registration forms were not forwarded to the local board of elections by third-party registration groups or state agency officials.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Stephen Weir
Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
California
8 page(s)
1/3/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Permanent absentee voting; Poll watchers; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Errors; Litigation; Turnout
Georgia Secretary of State; Survey Research Center, University of Georgia
Georgia
17 page(s)
11/1/2006
Abstract:
On November 7, 2006, the Survey Research Center at the University of Georgia, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia, conducted an exit poll at three selected Georgia election precinct to assess voter satisfaction and confidence in a paper trail electronic voting system.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Stephen Weir
Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
California
28 page(s)
1/16/2013
Abstract:
Vote-by-Mail (VBM) has grown from a small fraction of the vote cast in the November, 1980 Presidential Election (5.80%) to over half of the ballots cast in the November, 2012 Presidential Election (55.63%) (see Attachment A). This tenfold increase has dramatically changed the manner in which we conduct our elections. One significant impact brought on by this increase in Vote-by-Mail voting is the rejection of Vote-by-Mail ballots due to the factors of late arrival, no signature match and no signature submitted. This and prior reports outline our efforts to reduce rejected ballots.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Errors
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
6 page(s)
7/9/2012
Abstract:
Differing measures and assumptions lead to sometimes conflicting assessments of just how well, or poorly, Hawaii is doing in encouraging active voter participation in elections. Compared to our own historical performance, we perhaps aren’t doing too badly, but compared to other parts of the U.S., we rank very low.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Turnout
Project Vote
National
2 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) requires government programs assisting the poor and disabled (such as Food Stamps, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, and disability services programs) to offer voter registration services to their clients when they apply for benefits, recertify their application for benefits, and change their name or address. This memo reviews data collected through Project Vote’s surveys of public assistance offices assessing their compliance with Section 7 of the NVRA. Overall, the surveys demonstrated widespread failure to comply with the public assistance agency provisions of Section 7 of the NVRA.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter registration
Daniel Kolb; John Dunne
Special Committee on Voter Participation, New York State Bar Association
New York
78 page(s)
1/25/2013
Abstract:
We believe that, if implemented, the changes we recommend would have a very significant impact on voter participation, bringing New York’s rates of registration and voter participation up to levels of which the citizens of the state can and should be proud. Based on statistical analysis and experience in other states and other major democracies in the world that have modernized their registration and voting practices, we believe that moving New York’s rate of voter registration and participation at least above 80% within a few years is an attainable goal if the changes we recommend are implemented.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Early/Advance in-person voting; Online voter registration; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout
John Schaff
Audit Subcommittee, Legislative Management Committee, Utah Legislature; Utah Legislative Auditor General
Utah
11 page(s)
1/16/2007
Abstract:
As you noted in your letter, maintaining the integrity of Utah’s voting system is of utmost importance to the Legislature. Utah voters appeared to have some fears with the overall security of the new electronic voting machines, in particular the memory cards recording the votes. So, at your request, we observed the November 7th election process during which electronic voting machines were used in Utah for the first time in a General Election.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker training; Security
Matthew Damschroder
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
7 page(s)
6/19/2013
Abstract:
This essay explores the impact of modernized voting technology from the perspective of a local and state election administrator. It considers both the short- and long-term impacts of these changes, particularly in terms of ongoing expenses, sustaining improvements, and the shift in power relationships between federal, state, and local policy-makers and election administrators. The essay concludes with thoughts on where the U.S. could go next to continue the modernization of its election systems.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Elaine Howle
California Secretary of State; California State Auditor, Bureau of State Audits; Joint Legislative Audit Committee, California General Assembly
California
75 page(s)
12/16/2004
Abstract:
Our review of the Office of the Secretary of State’s (office) administration of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds revealed the following: The office’s insufficient planning and poor management practices hampered its efforts to implement HAVA provisions promptly. The office’s disregard for proper controls and its poor oversight of staff and consultants led to questionable uses of HAVA funds. The office avoided competitive bidding for many contracts paid with HAVA funds by improperly using a Department of General Services exemption from competitive bidding and by not following the State’s procurement policies. The office bypassed the Legislature’s spending approval authority when it executed consultant contracts and then charged the associated costs to its HAVA administration account. The office failed to disburse HAVA funds to counties for the replacement of outdated voting machines within the time frames outlined in its grant application package and county agreements.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Elaine Howle
California State Auditor, Bureau of State Audits
California
67 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
The State has not effectively spent HAVA funds for new voting systems. Specifically, over $22 million in HAVA funds have been spent on replacing voting systems with new systems that counties and voters cannot fully use. This problem resulted from various secretaries of state reaching different conclusions as to whether particular direct recording electronic voting systems—such as computer based push button or touch screen systems—were suitable for use in California. As a result, some counties that used HAVA funds to buy certain voting systems subsequently found that they could no longer use these systems or could use them only with significant restrictions.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Amy Hanauer; Sana Haider
Policy Matters Ohio
Ohio
16 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
HB 159 is likely to suppress voting in Ohio. The bill purports to solve the virtually non-existent problem of voter impersonation, but will instead create new voting problems, and at a new cost. Ohioans value the right to vote and they value their neighbors’ participation. If there is a problem with voting in Ohio, it is that existing barriers keep too many from exercising this basic right. Creating new, unnecessary costs and suppressing votes has no place in the Buckeye State.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Amy Hanauer; Sana Haider
Policy Matters Ohio
Ohio
2 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
HB 159 is likely to suppress voting in Ohio. The bill purports to solve the virtually non-existent problem of voter impersonation, but will instead create new voting problems, and at a new cost. Ohioans value the right to vote and they value their neighbors’ participation. If there is a problem with voting in Ohio, it is that existing barriers keep too many from exercising this basic right. Creating new, unnecessary costs and suppressing votes has no place in the Buckeye State.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
University of Arkansas-Little Rock Law Review
National
13 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
In this article we use our recent survey research about American voters' confidence and report results comparing voter confidence between 2005 and 2006. When examining overall levels of confidence in the electorate, we find that voter confidence in their ballot being counted accurately declines between 2005 and 2006, but even with this decline, 75% of likely voters in our October 2006 sample reported being confident that their ballot would be counted as they desired. When we disaggregate these data, we then find that there is evidence of substantial racial and partisan "gaps" in voter confidence. These gaps raise troubling normative questions about the electoral process. We then conclude by discussing the implications of these "gaps" for the future of election reform in the United States. Before presenting these findings, we put the issue of voter confidence in context, noting linkages that exist between public attitudes, trust in government, media coverage, and public policies.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security; Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Ronald Rivest
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
14 page(s)
4/29/2007
Abstract:
We address the problem of auditing an election when precincts may have different sizes, and suggest methods for picking a sample of precincts to audit that precinct size into account. One method yields optimal auditing strategies together with an exact measure of its effectiveness (probability of detecting corruption of a given size).
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits; Recounts
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Javed Aslam; Raluca Popa; Ronald Rivest
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
14 page(s)
4/22/2007
Abstract:
We consider the problem of statistical sampling for auditing elections, and we develop a remarkably simple and easily-calculated upper bound for the sample size necessary for determining with probability at least c whether a given set of n objects contains b or more “bad” objects. While the size of the optimal sample drawn without replacement can be determined with a computer program, our goal is to derive a highly accurate and simple formula that can be used by election officials equipped with only a simple calculator.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Ellen Katz
University of Michigan Law School
Texas
20 page(s)
12/16/2012
Abstract:
The State of Texas is presently staking out two positions that are not typically pursued by a single litigant. On the one hand, Texas is seeking the invalidation of the Voting Rights Act, and, on the other, the State is defending the validity of the expansive race-based affirmative action policy it uses at its flagship university. This Essay presses the claim that Texas has increased the chance it will lose both Texas v. Holder and Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin because it has opted to stake out markedly extreme positions in each. I argue that Texas would be more likely to succeed had it chosen to temper both its actions and claims in the pending cases.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Florida
9 page(s)
11/10/2004
Abstract:
Allegations have surfaced on the Internet about apparent anomalies between partisan voter registration statistics and the Bush-Kerry vote in certain Florida counties. Our examination of these allegations is that they do not provide evidence for election fraud; rather they are clearly the result of political changes in Florida --- counties with the greatest apparent disparities are those that are closely aligned with the “Dixiecrat” South. Other examinations by experts in the field correspond with our conclusion, as they find that the patterns observed in 2004 are not new or unique. This adds weight to our conclusion that the analyses circulating on the Internet claiming to document election fraud in Florida are without merit.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Lisa Hill
British Journal of Political Science
National
6 page(s)
7/29/2010
Abstract:
Annabelle Lever's thought-provoking article rests on three broad claims that I dispute, partly on conceptual and partly on empirical grounds. Her first claim is that low and declining turnout is not especially worrying. This encompasses the implication that socio-economic disparities in turnout are not significant and the claims that high turnout does not confer greater legitimacy on the outcome of elections and that abstention connotes consent and even participation. Her second claim is that there is nothing special about voting as a means for self-government. This encompasses the suggestion that 'the consequences of voting are too uncertain for voting to be a necessary implication of our duties.' Her third claim is that 'voluntary political participation' is a defining value of democracy that is 'undercut' by requiring people to vote. This encompasses the claim that the harms of failure to vote do not justify compelling people to vote and the assumption that there exists a 'right' not to vote. I address each of these arguments in turn.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
John Wack; Ronald Rivest
National
11 page(s)
7/28/2006
Abstract:
This paper defines and explores the notion of “software independence” in voting systems: a voting system is software-independent if an undetected change or error in its software cannot cause an undetectable change or error in an election outcome. We propose that software independent voting systems should be preferred, and software-dependent voting systems should be avoided. VVPAT and some cryptographically-based voting systems are software-independent. Variations and implications of this definition are explored.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Optical scan voting machines; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Jackie Tortora
AFL-CIO
Pennsylvania
4 page(s)
8/9/2012
Abstract:
A small group of Pennsylvania voters who cast a ballot in 50 consecutive November elections is an elite bunch. In the state, they’re inducted into the “Voter Hall of Fame.” However, thanks to a new Voter ID law passed by state Republicans, nearly one-fourth of these civically minded seniors do not have the proper state-issued ID to vote this November.
Subject(s):
Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Conference; North Carolina State Board of Elections; SOE Software
North Carolina
4 page(s)
2/10/2011
Abstract:
A task force was assembled to look into statewide processes and identify areas where improvements could be made. It was determined that election officials and their staff require tools to optimize election operations, create confidence with the voters and manage all the tasks necessary to conduct a successful statewide election. These tools should leverage the latest advancements in web based technologies to ensure effective communications and enhanced accessibility. The state identified five (5) areas of the election administration process that web-based tools could be implemented to optimize election operations.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Demos
National
7 page(s)
9/12/2013
Abstract:
Five important online election tools to help voters find the information they need the most are summarized, and their availability in all 50 states and the District of Columbia’s official election websites for the 2012 November election is shown below.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Michelle Kanter Cohen
Project Vote
National
9 page(s)
5/1/2013
Abstract:
This paper defines online voter registration and discusses its numerous benefits. In addition, it raises potential concerns with online voter registration, and provides recommendations for implementing it in a manner that maximizes its reach and does not create inequities as it solves other problems.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter list maintenance; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Voter confidence
Barry Pump; Bonnie Glaser; Francisco Pedraza; Karin Mac Donald; Loren Collingwood; Matt Barreto
Election Administration Research Center, University of California-Berkeley; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity and Race
Arizona; Washington
142 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This report provides a comprehensive examination of the implementation, operation, public confidence and usage of online voter registration in Arizona and Washington. This may be particularly important as other states already move forward towards Internet-based registration, and Congress considers paving the way towards national online registration.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Online voter registration; Security; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; The California Civic Engagement Project
California
5 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
Utilizing California’s voter records, we examined the following key questions surrounding the impact of online voter registration on the 2012 November election.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), U.S. Department of Defense; Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
107 page(s)
9/16/2011
Abstract:
As part of a broad initiative to evaluate potential systems for remote voting electronic pilot projects, Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) coordinated with the Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy (WWCTP) and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to address the voting related needs of Wounded Warriors by assessing the usability, accessibility, and privacy of electronic voting systems. This report details the results of this assessment, and includes: an evaluation of Wounded Warrior needs for electronic voting systems, recommendations to improve both Internet Voting Systems (IVSs) and Electronic Ballot Delivery Systems (EBDSs), recommendations to enhance the usability and accessibility portions of the EAC’s UOCAVA Pilot Program Testing Requirements (UPPTR), and recommendations for future testing efforts.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Military voters; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Robert Young
Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan
121 page(s)
7/18/2007
Abstract:
For the reasons previously articulated, the photo identification requirement in MCL 168. 523(1) is facially constitutional and withstands scrutiny under both the Michigan Constitution and the United States Constitution. Under the balancing test articulated by Burdick, supra, the photo identification requirement is a reasonable, nondiscriminatory restriction designed to preserve the purity of elections and to prevent abuses of the electoral franchise, as demanded by art 2, § 4 of the Michigan Constitution, thereby ensuring that lawful voters not have their votes diluted.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Per Curium
Missouri Supreme Court
Missouri
17 page(s)
10/16/2006
Abstract:
The trial court properly held that SB 1014's photo ID requirement violates the equal protection clause of article I, section 2 of the state constitution. It also properly held that the photo ID requirement violates the right to vote as guaranteed by article I, section 25 of the state constitution, which provides more expansive and concrete protection to the right to vote than the federal constitution. In reaching these conclusions, this Court applies strict scrutiny analysis, in which any limitation on a fundamental right must serve compelling state interests and must be narrowly tailored to meet those interests. SB 1014's photo ID requirement fails to pass constitutional scrutiny because it creates a heavy burden on the fundamental right to vote and is not narrowly tailored to meet a compelling state interest.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
David Tatel
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Texas
56 page(s)
8/20/2012
Abstract:
Pursuant to section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Texas seeks a declaratory judgment that Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), a newly-enacted law requiring in-person voters to present a photo ID, "neither has the purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race[,] color," or member[ship] [in] a language minority group." 42 U.S.C. §§ 1973c(a), 1973b(f)(2). To satisfy section 5's effect requirement, Texas must demonstrate that SB 14 will not "lead to a retrogression in the position of racial minorities with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise." Beer v. United States, 425 U.S. 130, 141 (1976). For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we find that Texas has failed to make this showing - in fact, record evidence demonstrates that, if implemented, SB 14 will likely have a retrogressive effect. Given this, we have no need to consider whether Texas has satisfied section 5's purpose element. Accordingly, we deny the state's request for a declaratory judgment.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
John Paul Stevens
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
21 page(s)
4/28/2008
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Voter confidence
Jonathan London; Mindy Romero; Nancy Erbstein
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis; Sierra Health Foundation; The California Endowment
California
64 page(s)
11/1/2010
Abstract:
To understand how youth civic engagement – or YCE – is occurring in the Capital Region, this paper addresses three basic questions: what are types of YCE opportunities available to youth within the Capital Region? What are youth experiences of YCE in the region? What are lessons learned about key barriers and supports for YCE?
Subject(s):
Civic education; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
John Bridges
Chelan County Superior Court
Washington
15 page(s)
6/8/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Jonathan Goler; Matthew Hockenberry; Shawn Sullivan; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
15 page(s)
2/1/2005
Abstract:
This paper demonstrates opportunities for reducing errors with orienting graphical interface for voting. We have built many interfaces to explore opportunities for keeping voters aware of the selections they have made and are making. Tests of our best prototypes show that missed races and incorrect selection errors are greatly reduced with orienting graphics. The interface reduces errors significantly while extending the time required to vote.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors
Clifford Jones
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Florida
23 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Anne-Marie Oostveen
Policy & Internet
National
20 page(s)
12/1/2010
Abstract:
Outsourcing IT services is a common practice for many governments. This case study shows that outsourcing of elections is not without risk. Studying electronic voting in the Netherlands through documents obtained with Freedom of Information requests, we see that government agencies at both local and national level lacked the necessary knowledge and capability to identify appropriate voting technology, to develop and enforce proper security requirements, and to monitor performance. Furthermore, over the 20 years that e-voting was used in the Netherlands, the public sector became so dependent on the private sector that a situation evolved where Dutch government lost ownership and control over both the e-voting system and the election process.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; International election administration; Internet voting; Security; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Charis Varnum; David Callahan
National; California
20 page(s)
1/1/2002
Abstract:
The controversy surrounding the 2000 presidential election dramatically underscores the need to improve the quality of voter registration lists. In at least 25 states, inaccurate or purged lists prevented some eligible voters from casting ballots and caused widespread frustration at the polls. The best way for states to improve list quality, and thus ensure that all voters who come to the polls can vote, is to establish statewide integrated voter registration databases, along with safeguards adequate to protect voters from erroneous purges. Such systems can also play a critical role in facilitating new reform efforts aimed at increasing voter participation, such as allowing for election day registration.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Claire Smith; Thad Hall
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
National
43 page(s)
4/1/2011
Abstract:
In October 2009, the most significant bill in decades regarding overseas and military voters was passed by the Senate. The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was implemented by the states for the first time during 2010 elections, and dramatically changed the landscape of overseas voting. For example, in 2010, 48 states began emailing blank ballots to voters and 21 states accepted voted ballots via email. Although these changes were made to make voting easier for overseas and military citizens, were they successful? Were more people able to vote? Are they more satisfied with the process than in previous years? This paper provides a first look at voter survey data from the 2010 election and investigates the success of these public policies in promoting voter satisfaction. We adapt the variables used in traditional voter satisfaction studies to create hypotheses, and use data from the Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) 2010 Post-Election Voter Survey to test the hypotheses and identify variables that hinder successful voting. These findings are contrasted with the results of the 2006 and 2008 elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Combine With: Public opinion
Charles Stewart III; Daron Shaw; Stephen Ansolabehere
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
26 page(s)
11/20/2013
Abstract:
During late summer/early autumn, we conducted a national survey of local election officials. The purpose of the survey was to ascertain, in a systematic way, the views of local officials about the challenges and successes they had in the conduct of the 2012 general election. This document provides a summary overview of the findings from that survey. We anticipate writing a fuller report of the survey’s findings in the coming weeks.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter information materials; Voter list maintenance; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Wait times
Arthur Traldi; L. Paige Whitaker
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
20 page(s)
10/28/2004
Abstract:
This report provides a summary of state statutes providing for the tabulation of provisional ballots. The first section contains summaries of District of Columbia and state provisional voting tabulation statutes, organized in alphabetical order; the second section contains summaries of five state statutes providing for election-day registration (also known as same-day registration), organized in alphabetical order; and the third section contains a summary of one state statute providing that voter registration is not a requirement for voting.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration
L. Paige Whitaker
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Illinois; Indiana; Louisiana; Maryland; Michigan; New York; North Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; West Virginia
6 page(s)
9/22/2004
Abstract:
This Report summarizes seven state statutes that provide a mechanism for the postponement of certain elections. In the event of emergencies or disasters, it appears that these laws might provide for the postponement of the general presidential election within the state. The following state statutes are summarized: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, and North Carolina.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling
Lawrence Norden; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
4 page(s)
11/9/2011
Abstract:
A shift that could change the electoral landscape is underway – the tightening of restrictions on who can vote and how Americans can vote. Going into the 2012 elections, there will be millions of Americans who will find that since 2008, there are new barriers that could prevent them from voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
Claire Smith
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF)
National
19 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF); U.S. Vote Foundation
National
34 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) is pleased to release the results of its 2012 Post-Election Survey of Military and Overseas Voters, and 2012 Local Election Official Survey. Now in their fifth federal election cycle, these surveys uniquely position OVF at the forefront of research concerning the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) community and the election administration that facilitates military and overseas voting for American citizens abroad. More than 13,500 voters in 160 countries and more than 2,000 local election officials (LEOs) in the U.S. participated in the OVF surveys. These extensive surveys provide a unique look into the voting experiences of overseas citizens and military voters, and are an unequaled resource in supporting OVF’s ongoing mission to help UOCAVA voters register and vote in federal elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion
Susan Bucher
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
4 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Overseas voters; Polling place hours; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
National
1 page(s)
9/1/2010
Abstract:
Paperless voter registration systems provide exciting new opportunities for improving access to voter registration among groups traditionally underrepresented in the electorate. Specifically, paperless voter registration processes can be developed economically and can seamlessly integrate and transfer existing electronic data collected at voter registration agencies and the DMV to election officials. Such systems will allow states to: Reach traditionally underrepresented groups in the electorate; Reduce costs associated with paper applications; and Efficiently and consistently maintain voter rolls.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Steven Rosenfeld
Project Vote
Delaware; Kansas; South Dakota
10 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
This memo profiles the experiences of election officials in using computer technology to automate voter registration procedures and transactions at motor vehicle agencies in their states. In a forthcoming publication, Project Vote will further analyze the technical issues and cost savings to be gained by extending these initiatives to universities and public assistance agencies. Fully implemented, "paperless" registration will increase the accuracy of registration rolls and help states achieve not just the letter but the spirit of the NVRA to reduce barriers to registration.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Nigel Roberts; Stephen Levine
Conference on Political Culture, Representation and Electoral Systems in the Pacific
National
22 page(s)
10/7/2004
Abstract:
This article complements the country-specific studies by providing an analytical survey of the constitutional and electoral system arrangements of 22 polities across the Pacific. As elsewhere, the design of national institutions in the Pacific has provoked debate and controversy, with constitutional arrangements reflecting both colonial experiences and indigenous cultures. This article covers choices of presidential or parliamentary models, unitary or federal structures, and electoral systems. It examines methods of selection of presidents, governors and heads of state, and methods of election to lower and upper houses.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; International election administration
Charles Stewart III; Michael Sances
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
51 page(s)
4/5/2012
Abstract:
We ask, to what degree is voter confidence in the fairness and trustworthiness of election procedures driven by a respondent’s satisfaction with the outcome of an election, as opposed to more general trust in government or objective features of the polling place, such as voting technology? Using data drawn from approximately 30 national public opinion surveys conducted over the past decade, we find that there is a consistent relationship between voting for the winning candidate and the degree of confidence expressed in election administration. However, this confidence varies as a function of question wording and electoral context.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Brian Newby
Election Diary
Kansas
11/28/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations
Emily Shen
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National
124 page(s)
2/13/2013
Abstract:
This thesis presents new results in two areas: cryptography and voting systems. In the area of cryptography, we construct an efficient pattern matching encryption scheme. In the area of voting systems, we study strategic voting in the context of range and approval voting. We also propose a new property for voting systems, called statistical robustness. We describe each of these three contributions in turn.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
2 page(s)
6/21/2013
Abstract:
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration held its first public meeting in the General Services Administration Auditorium, 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20405. A recording of the video streamed live online during the event is presented here.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Sharon Ward
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
Pennsylvania
22 page(s)
8/1/2012
Abstract:
In this report, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) has documented the experience that voters would have when seeking to obtain an ID through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the agency responsible for issuing the free ID. PBPC recruited volunteers who made 47 visits to 43 PennDOT offices in 28 counties to observe how the law was being implemented. The 43 offices in our sample are representative of the geographical distribution of all PennDOT offices issuing non-driver photo ID and serve 73% of Pennsylvania’s population.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Daniel Smith
ElectionSmith
Florida
2 page(s)
3/2/2012
Abstract:
What these figures show, is that early in-person voting–even among Republican voters–was considerably lower under HB1355 than under the old law with more days of early voting. The effects would likely have been magnified if it were a Democratic primary, and will likely be considerably greater in the 2012 general election if the truncating of early voting under HB1355 is upheld.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting
Combine With: Turnout
Thomas McTavish
Michigan Auditor General; Michigan Secretary of State
Michigan
52 page(s)
5/1/2012
Abstract:
The survey addressed the following topics: experience with the administration of provisional voting system, state guidance for implementing provisional voting, implementing provisional voting, general perceptions, and recommendations for the future. This Executive Summary provides an overview of key findings from the study.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Poll worker training; Security; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
2012
Abstract:
The following initiatives were implemented by the Board in fiscal year 2010 and 2011 and continue into fiscal year 2012: The description below demonstrates the level of completion for each initiative.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach
Michelle Kanter Cohen
Project Vote
National
7 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
This paper defines permanent portable registration, discusses its numerous benefits, and suggests best practices when implementing permanent portable registration. In addition, this paper reviews the status of permanent portable registration in the states.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling places; Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Adam Skaggs; Jonathan Blitzer
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Colorado; Delaware; Florida; Maryland; Ohio; Oregon; South Dakota; Washington
30 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
To assist states in bringing their voter registration systems into the twenty-first century, this report examines the permanent registration systems and the associated tools already in place across the country. First we define permanent registration and describe the elements of a system of permanent registration. Next, we lay out the technological and policy tools that facilitate permanent registration, noting the states in which these tools are already employed. We then describe the three basic models states have adopted to achieve permanent registration using Election Day tools. We also describe the techniques that some states employ to automatically update voters’ addresses to move closer to permanent registration and achieve more accurate voter rolls on Election Day. Because of the substantial benefits to voters and election officials, we recommend that all states establish permanent registration. We conclude with recommendations for developing effective systems of permanent registration.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Portable registration; Voter list maintenance
Election Task Force, City of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
2 page(s)
2/6/2013
Abstract:
On Election Day November 6, 2012, some voters in Philadelphia experienced challenges as they attempted to vote at polling places across the city. The Mayor, in an effort to clarify the extent of and reasons for those issues, announced his appointment of a task force to engage in a fact-finding effort to look into what happened and make recommendations to improve processes leading up to elections in Philadelphia. We are collecting stories from people at the voting booths from Election Day 2012 to help inform our fact-finding effort and provide real examples of the challenges that were reported on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
City of Phoenix
Arizona
4 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Under the Voting Center proposal, about 25 Voting Centers would replace traditional polling places in City of Phoenix elections, making voting more convenient and flexible.
Subject(s):
Vote centers
Combine With: Costs
Catherine Flanagan; Estelle Rogers
Project Vote
National
14 page(s)
1/1/2014
Abstract:
As of 2013, 19 states had enacted laws requiring that a voter present photographic identification at the polls, many with no exceptions. Although details of the laws vary, they all deter otherwise-eligible voters from going to the polls. Those hit hardest are the same groups traditionally marginalized in our election process: African Americans, Spanish speakers, low-income individuals, disabled voters, and youth. State legislatures passed these laws and other restrictive measures in a concerted response to the historic 2008 presidential election, when minority turnout surged. The stated rationale for the measures—preventing voter fraud—is baseless. Photo ID laws prevent only one kind of voter fraud: impersonation at the polling place, in which an individual poses as a particular eligible voter and votes as that person. This sort of voter fraud is extremely rare.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Michael Pitts
University of Richmond Law Review
Indiana
22 page(s)
3/1/2013
Abstract:
This article represents the continuation of a series of studies that measure the impact of photo identification on the electorate by examining provisional ballots cast and not counted because prospective voters lacked photo identification. Prior studies examined provisional balloting at Indiana’s 2008 primary and 2008 general elections. This article presents results from the 2012 primary and proceeds in two parts. Part I briefly discusses the details of Indiana’s photo identification law, the various methods used to measure the impact of photo identification laws generally, and the research methods employed for this study. Part II presents and analyzes the empirical data generated in this study and, notably, compares the impact of the photo identification law at Indiana’s 2008 primary election with the impact of the photo identification law at Indiana’s 2012 primary election.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Daniel Rhodes Simpson
Georgia College & State University
Georgia; Indiana
70 page(s)
5/1/2010
Abstract:
The assertions have been made that the photographic voter identification requirement would adversely affect the elderly, the impoverished, racial minorities, and those without adequate education. This research will examine the effects on voter turnout of the new policy controlling for each of these variables to test the hypothesis that the implementation of the voter identification requirement decreases turnout with respect to these socioeconomic variables.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Ari Weisbard
National
7 page(s)
10/28/2004
Abstract:
In a recent national survey, Demos found that over half of the states have subverted the lofty goal of HAVA’s provisional ballot requirement. Florida – or one of 31 other states – may again be the poster child for an ailing election system this November. Like patients sent home with a placebo, provisional voters in these states may think they are being given the vote, when in fact they are receiving a false promise.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Indiana
6 page(s)
12/21/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Tova Wang
The Century Foundation
Colorado; Florida; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; New Mexico; Ohio; South Dakota
15 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
3 page(s)
7/14/2012
Abstract:
Elections conducted entirely by mail offer the ultimate in convenience voting, removing barriers and making casting a ballot as simple and easy as dropping a letter in the mail, proponents say. Since adopting the vote by mail approach, both Oregon and Washington have been among the states with the highest total voter turnout. Hawaii has already taken a big step in the same direction by adopting key ballot reforms that could move the state to all-mail elections, such as “no excuse” absentee voting. That allows any voter to request an absentee ballot without stating a specific reason. Hawaii voters can also file a permanent absentee ballot request to receive ballots by mail in all future elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Permanent absentee voting
Combine With: Turnout
Advancement Project
National; Florida; Maryland; Michigan; Ohio; Pennsylvania
13 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
Poll worker experiences in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, and Michigan demonstrate the urgent need for changes in the recruitment, training, support, and retention of poll workers nationwide. Had an Election Review Panel been initiated in other states and counties, it is likely that problems similar to those identified in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, would have been uncovered. New voting equipment and the overhaul of election laws add stress to major fault lines that, if not repaired, will collapse under the weight of high turnout elections.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Brookings Institution Press
National
204 page(s)
1/5/2004
Abstract:
In Point, Click, and Vote, voting experts Michael Alvarez and Thad Hall make a strong case for greater experimentation with Internet voting. In their words, "There is no way to know whether any argument regarding Internet voting is accurate unless real Internet voting systems are tested, and they should be tested in small-scale, scientific trials so that their successes and failures can be evaluated." In other words, you never know until you try, and it's time to try harder. The authors offer a realistic plan for putting pilot remote Internet voting programs into effect nationwide. Such programs would allow U.S. voters in selected areas to cast their ballots over any Internet connection; they would not even need to leave home. If these pilot programs are successful, the next step is to consider how they might be implemented on a larger scale in future elections.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Security; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Georgia; Indiana; New Jersey
2 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
Fraud by individual voters is both irrational and extremely rare. Many vivid anecdotes of purported voter fraud have been proven false or do not demonstrate fraud. Voter fraud is often conflated with other forms of election misconduct. Raising the unsubstantiated specter of mass voter fraud suits a particular policy agenda. Claims of voter fraud should be carefully tested before they become the basis for action.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Voter ID
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Seth Trenchard
Nebraskans for Civic Reform
Colorado; Kansas; Nebraska; Oregon; Washington
7 page(s)
Fall 2011
Abstract:
Turnout in American elections has been on a steady decline since the 1960s, and Nebraska is no exception to this national trend. In the recent 2010 midterm election, a mere 43% of registered voters in Nebraska turned out to vote. To address this issue and reduce administrative costs on the county level, many states have turned to absentee voting reforms, including early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, permanent absentee voting, and vote-by-mail (VBM) elections. Together, absentee election reforms constitute a spectrum of practices that can decrease time, travel, and information costs for voters, improve overall voting quality, and, particularly in the case of voting by mail, streamline election administration.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Security
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
FairVote
Rhode Island
6 page(s)
3/14/2013
Abstract:
This policy briefing details how pre-registration improves current best practices, summarizes the research on youth voting and voting as a habit, discusses the technical issues surrounding implementation and makes suggestions for the future.
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Palazzolo; Vincent Moscardelli
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
22 page(s)
9/21/2006
Abstract:
We test the impact of political leadership on policy adoption in a crisis situation by constructing a leadership variable from content analysis of news coverage in the states. We find that the activities of elected or appointed policymakers, particularly the states' chief elections officials (CEOs), had a decisive effect on the extent of election reforms adopted by the states. Five other factors also affected the adoption of election reforms: political culture, the ideology of a state's electorate, recommendations by statewide commissions, legislative term limits, and the interaction between the winner's margin of victory in the 2000 presidential election and the state's residual vote rate.
Subject(s):
Vote counting & recounting
Christina Wolbrecht; J. Kevin Corder
The Journal of Politics
National
16 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
Many observers expected new women voters to respond to their political context in distinctive ways. Some scholars anticipated that newly-enfranchised women—lacking political interest and experience—would be volatile and highly responsive to context. Others expected political isolation and norms proscribing political activity would insulate women from political stimuli. We test these competing predictions with a Bayesian approach to ecological inference and a unique set of aggregate data. We find that the responsiveness of women's turnout is strikingly similar to that of men. However, the lesser impact of electoral competition, and the greater effect of electoral laws and prior suffrage activism, suggest that the experience of and response to disenfranchisement shaped women's turnout after the vote was won.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics; Women voters
Combine With: Turnout
J.E. Schuknecht; J.G. Gimpel
Political Geography
National
18 page(s)
6/1/2003
Abstract:
Commuting to and from precinct locations can be burdensome, particularly on a busy weekday in congested metropolitan areas when many voters are pressed by the demands of everyday living: work, family and school. Some precinct locations are more accessible than others, and for the less accessible ones, at least some people will feel that the cost to get there outweighs any benefit they may reap in terms of personal satisfaction from having fulfilled a civic obligation. Even after controlling for variables that account for the motivation, information and resource levels of local precinct populations, we find that accessibility does make a significant difference to turnout. The evidence points to a non-linear relationship. Distance imposes its heaviest burden on turnout in suburban precincts in the middle ranges of distance (2–5 miles). In the most rural precincts, where in spite of the distance (6–10 miles), travel routes are direct and relatively unimpeded, turnout rates are higher. We conclude with some policy recommendations that would ease the burden of getting to and from precinct sites on election day.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places
Combine With: Turnout
G. Bingham Powell, Jr. ; Mala Htun
Task Force on Electoral Rules and Democratic Governance, American Political Science Association
National
144 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
Electoral rules are one of the important forces that make democracy work. Small variations in them can influence the type of democracy that develops. Political science is essential to the study of why and how this happens: hundreds of political scientists develop and test theories about the consequences of electoral rules and regulations for party systems, representation, governance, and other aspects of democratic politics. In addition, political scientists have worked as electoral system engineers, educating and advising policy makers around the world by authoring reports, delivering presentations at global and regional meetings, traveling on consulting missions, and training democracy promotion officers. By sharing scientific knowledge about the consequences of electoral rules and global trends in electoral reform, political scientists make their work relevant to the world. The report shows how political scientists have contributed to the world of electoral systems as scientists and as engineers. Its separate essays and appendices take stock of their work.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Brian Silver; Valentina Bali
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
27 page(s)
3/20/2006
Abstract:
The controversial presidential election of 2000 triggered a wide variety of electoral reforms in many states. We examine the impact of a state's politics, ethnicity, and fiscal health on the passage of these reforms. Using state-level data from 2001 and 2002, we find that the partisan make-up of state government frequently influenced the fate of these reforms. States with a divided government or high party competition tended not to adopt several key electoral reforms, while partisanship and the interaction of partisanship and minority representation influenced the adoption of others. Fiscal constraints and institutional arrangements had less impact on reform adoption. Overall, our findings suggest that electoral reforms were shaped more by political factors than by fiscal concerns or any objective need for reform.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Costs
Bob Warner
Philadelphia Inquirer
Pennsylvania
2 page(s)
9/17/2012
Abstract:
Nearly two-thirds of likely Pennsylvania voters support the state's new law requiring official photo ID to vote, according to the Inquirer Pennsylvania Poll, but behind the overall numbers lie sharp divisions.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion
R. Doug Lewis
National Association of Election Officials, Election Center
Alabama; Arizona; California; Colorado; Delaware; Florida; Illinois; Iowa; Kentucky; Maryland; Minnesota; Missouri; Nebraska; North Carolina; Ohio; Oklahoma; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; Wisconsin
6 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
Question Asked: If you are in a large jurisdiction (100 precincts or more) what methods do you have to communicate with poll workers in case of an emergency? How do poll workers notify you of problems?
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling place management; Polling places
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arizona; California; Florida; Illinois; New York; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas
3 page(s)
10/17/2012
Abstract:
New research from the Pew Center on the States examines poll worker stipends from the country’s most populous election jurisdictions — Pew researchers looked at these counties’ election websites and contacted their elections offices — and found significant variation.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker training
Kathleen Moore; Thad Hall
Bush v. Gore, 10 Years Later: Election Administration in the United States
National
30 page(s)
4/16/2011
Abstract:
In this paper, we summarize the literature on poll workers and our understanding of the critical role that they play in elections. We focus first on what we know about the demographic characteristics of poll workers - based on poll worker surveys - that have been implemented since 2000. Second, we consider what we know about the linkages between poll worker training and the subsequent quality of elections, such as problems at the polls with voting equipment or implementing election laws regarding voter identification or provisional voting. Third, we consider how poll workers are viewed from the perspective of the voter. Here, we focus on the quality of the poll worker-voter interaction and how that interaction affects the way in which poll workers are evaluated and how elections overall are evaluated. We close by considering what research questions are still in need of greater study.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
Combine With: Voter confidence
J. Quin Monson; Kelly Patterson; Thad Hall
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
9 page(s)
10/1/2003
Abstract:
In this article, we report the results of two surveys conducted during the 2006 primary elections in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and in the Third Congressional District in Utah. Not only did both of these locations have competitive primary elections, they were also both moving to the same voting technology—the Diebold TSX electronic voting equipment with a voter- verified paper audit trail. However, as the survey results show, the poll workers in these jurisdictions had dramatically different experiences with the voting technology. These differences, we argue, can likely be traced back to the differences in the poll-worker training implemented by the election officials in the two electoral jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
David Waterman; Matthew Waring
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
Maryland; Virginia
6 page(s)
9/3/2008
Abstract:
As Election Day 2008 approaches, the nation's focus will be on the two candidates with their last-minute appeals to the voters, and on the pundits with their predictions and electoral maps. What will go largely ignored will be the complex infrastructure that is needed for the election to take place, and the massive volunteer force of poll workers needed to ensure it runs smoothly.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training
Combine With: Voter confidence
Dalia Sussman
The New York Times
Pennsylvania
2 page(s)
9/27/2012
Abstract:
A wide majority of Pennsylvania voters support state efforts to require photo identification to vote, the latest Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS News poll finds.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
2 page(s)
1/15/2014
Abstract:
Polling conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and the Mellman Group for The Pew Charitable Trusts indicates that many voters are not well-informed about election policies. Early voting is the area in which survey respondents demonstrated the most accurate knowledge. Of particular note, voters in states that allow Election Day registration knew more about their registration options than those in states that do not allow it.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Public opinion
Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities
National
21 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
P&A developed a Polling Place Accessibility Survey to evaluate whether a polling place has basic accessible features needed by voters with disabilities. The survey focused on areas of a polling place that are important to all voters, especially voters with disabilities, including parking, the entrance to the polling place, the voting area, and the availability of assistance, if needed. The SC DisAbility Voting Coalition, a non-partisan coalition dedicated to increasing the numbers of people with disabilities who vote through improved access to the voting process and voter education, reviewed the survey and provided recommendations for changes.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
1 page(s)
2/4/2014
Abstract:
A recent Pew poll of registered voters demonstrates that the Internet is the preferred resource for election information.
Subject(s):
Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion
John Logan
American Communities Project, Brown University
Louisiana
25 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
New Orleans’ first election after Hurricane Katrina was conducted under unusual conditions. A large share of the population remained displaced outside the city, and the majority of displaced persons were living outside the State of Louisiana. The foreseeable result was that the electorate was much smaller than in prior elections, and political voice of black neighborhoods – the ones most affected by flood damage – was much diminished. This report reviews what was known about displacement prior to the election and analyzes its impacts on the results.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
Political Behavior
National
10 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
I find that statewide registration portability—permitting registrants who move anywhere within a state to transfer their registration and vote on Election Day at their new polling place—increases turnout rates among movers by 2.4% points. The effect is similar among movers living in EDR states, suggesting that about a quarter of the beneficial turnout effect of EDR is realized by recent movers. Yet, movers are still less likely to vote even where these policies are present. These findings further challenge existing literature that finds that reregistering is the primary impediment of voting among movers.
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
National
16 page(s)
9/25/2007
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Recounts
Combine With: Costs
District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics
District of Columbia
88 page(s)
8/19/2011
Abstract:
This After-Action Report discusses the successes and lessons learned from the April 26 special election, including the steps taken to improve efficiency and strengthen operations, as well as the implications of these lessons for future elections in the District of Columbia. To allow for comparison with other elections held in the District, this report provides information as described under 3 DCMR §817.1.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Special elections; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Aggelos Kiayias ; Alex Russell; Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel
Connecticut Secretary of State; Voting Technology Research Center, University of Connecticut
Connecticut
11 page(s)
5/12/2009
Abstract:
The Uconn VoTeR Center performed a post-election audit of the memory cards for the Accu-Vote Optical Scan tabulators that were used and to be used in the November 2008 Elections. The cards were programmed by LHS Associates of Methuen, Massachusetts, and shipped to Connecticut districts for use in the elections. The VoTeR Center received in total 462 memory cards from a number of districts after the elections. This document reports on the findings obtained during the audit.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Jeff Hastings
Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
Ohio
2 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
On April 16th and 17th, 2012 we conducted three Risk-Limiting Post-Election Audits for the March Primary Election. A total of 86,727 ballots were cast for the Republican Presidential Delegate-At-Large between six (6) candidates, 144,287 ballots were cast for the Democratic Justice of the Supreme Court FTC 1/2/13 between two (2) candidates and a total of 244,439 ballots were cast for County Issue 15.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Inajo Davis Chappell
Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
Ohio
4 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
On December 18 and 19, 2012 we conducted a Risk-Limiting Post-Election Audit for the November General Election. A total of 650,387 ballots were cast for U.S. President/Vice-President between eight responses, 650,387 ballots were cast for Justice of the Supreme Court – FTC 1/1/2013 between two responses, and 640,197 ballots were cast for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas – General Division – FTC 1/12/2013 between two responses.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Mark Earley
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections; Leon County Supervisor of Elections
National; Florida
17 page(s)
2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Aaron Burstein; Joseph Lorenzo Hall; Lawrence Norden; Margaret Chen
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, University of California-Berkeley School of Law
National
90 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
Instead of attempting to survey all of these elements of examination and auditing, we have chosen to focus on voter-verifiable record-based audits of electronic vote tallies because these audits are at the center of many current legislative debates over election integrity, and because they hold immediate and long-term value for election integrity. The kinds of postelection audits that we discuss here may lend confidence in the results of a close election as well as shed light on voting system problems even when elections are not close. Although it would be ideal to detect voting system problems before an election takes place, the past few elections have shown that some problems may be unavoidable, irrespective of the precautions that election officials take. This report sets forth ways in which post-election audits using voter-verifiable paper records may nevertheless provide a systematic means of understanding voting system performance (and failures).
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections
Florida
1/31/2012
Abstract:
The Florida Legislature requires for every election that a voting system audit be conducted in every county after the election results have been certified to ensure that the system deployed in the election tabulated all votes properly. The county canvassing board or other local canvassing board must conduct an audit of the voting system by randomly selecting a race and two percent of the precincts in which the selected race appears and tallying the votes cast. The audit must be completed and results publicized within seven days following the official certification of election results.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Recounts
Debra Bowen
California Secretary of State; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
California
5/23/2011
Abstract:
The Secretary of State is conducting a pilot program to develop and test post election risk-limiting audit methods in California. The federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) awarded the Secretary of State $230,000 in new federal grant money to fund up to 20 audit pilots following elections held in California counties through 2013.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs
Arkansas Secretary of State ; InfoSENTRY Services, Inc.
Arkansas
85 page(s)
7/17/2006
Abstract:
Because of the problems that surfaced, the Arkansas Secretary of State decided to conduct a post-election Quality Assurance Review and Performance Assessment of the voting system implementation project and project management services provided by the prime contractor, Elections Systems and Software (ES&S). The Secretary of State's office contracted with InfoSENTRY Services, Inc. to carry out this review to (1) assess the execution of actions and items in Arkansas’s contract with ES&S and (2) provide recommendations for appropriate actions going forward.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines
Combine With: Errors
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
26 page(s)
9/28/2012
Abstract:
This Court properly predicted at the end of the first hearing that there would be no disenfranchisement from Act 18. The Supreme Court was less sure, and it gave this Court one task - to look at what had been done since. It also recognized the scope of this Court's discretion to change its mind upon consideration of the additional record: "if the Commonwealth Court is not still convinced in its predictive judgment that there will be no voter disenfranchisement...." The respondents respectfully suggest that the testimony and evidence at the hearing confirm this Court's initial ruling and that any legitimate concern about voter disenfranchisement, if it merits an injunction at all, could be narrowly tailored to any threat that votes will not be counted in this election.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Henry Brady
PS: Political Science & Politics
California
5 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
Political scientists usually study elections. I tried to postpone one. Here's my story with some social science lessons.
Subject(s):
Election types; Punch cards; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Lorelei St. James
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
8 page(s)
10/20/2011
Abstract:
In summary, we found that voting by mail has limited potential for providing USPS with additional revenues substantial enough to affect its deteriorating financial condition because of the small potential increase in volume relative to total mail volume, the low profit margins on election mail, and the lack of strong nationwide support for voting by mail.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Costs
R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); NIST Threats to Voting Systems Workshop
National
6 page(s)
10/1/2005
Abstract:
Here I offer some analysis of potential threats to statewide voter registration systems, which might help further analysis and discussion of the development of standards, testing and certification for HAVA-compliant statewide voter registration systems.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks; Security; Software-based systems; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Robert Higgs
Northeast Ohio Media Group
Ohio
12 page(s)
1/7/2013
Abstract:
Despite concerns by some Ohio lawmakers about voter fraud, most of the voting irregularities that elections officials reported during the 2012 general election did not result in criminal charges, the Northeast Ohio Media Group has found.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Senior voters
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Pat Hollarn
Public Administration Review
Florida
5 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Ernest Hawkins
Public Administration Review
California
1 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
Changes in law, technology and population have had a dramatic impact on the job of election administration.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Punch cards; Voting technology
Scott Doyle
Public Administration Review
National
1 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
The field of election administration has seen numerous changes since the 2000 presidential election. Some of the changes have been self-initiated, some externally mandated, and some the unintended consequences of other changes. The experiences of Larimer County, Colorado, illustrate all three.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Vote centers
Dana DeBeauvoir
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Travis County Clerk
Texas
2 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
Scanning the voter’s selections into a storage medium at the voting booth may speed voting for some voters. Certification is not complete yet on current voting systems to allow pre-voting. For security reasons, it is preferable for the voter to use paper at the polling location to scan their pre-voted ballot rather than download the data from a personal electronic device. While it is not immediately ready for implementation, and certification is the lengthiest hurdle, this concept is workable. Implementation seems more a matter of voter education and hardware configuration rather than being cost burdensome.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Security; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Wait times
Mara Marks; Matt Barreto; Nathan Woods
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
California
13 page(s)
4/15/2004
Abstract:
This paper investigates the extent to which precincts in Los Angeles vary, the geographic distribution of low-quality precincts and the relationship between precinct quality and voter turnout. In assessing the relationship between precinct quality and voter turnout, this paper proceeds in four sections. First, we review the relevant literature on the costs of voting. Second, because of the uniqueness of our data, we review the design and implementation of the polling place accessibility research project. Next, we detail the findings concerning the quality and accessibility of precincts in the study area, Los Angeles, California. Finally, we test the relationship between precinct quality, race and income of the precinct neighborhood, and precinct level voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); NIST Threats to Voting Systems Workshop
National
3 page(s)
10/5/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Polling place management; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Voter confidence
James Finch
Joint Task Force Investigating Possible Election Fraud
Wisconsin
7 page(s)
5/10/2005
Abstract:
Based on the investigation to date, the task force has found widespread record keeping failures and separate areas of voter fraud. These findings impact each other. Simply put: it is hard to prove a bank embezzlement if the bank cannot tell how much money was there in the first place. Without accurate records, the task force will have difficulty proving criminal conduct beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Subject(s):
Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Fraud
Jack Pinkowski
2012 Elections Task Force, Broward Legislative Delegation
Florida
28 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
The Purpose of the task force is three-fold: First, to work in a cooperative fashion to identify what, if any, problems Broward County voters may have had in accessing voting opportunities during the 2012 election cycle; Second, to identify possible solutions to these problems in order to reduce their likelihood of occurring again; finally, to make legislative recommendations to the Florida State Legislature so that they may make necessary changes to the law and equitably and effectively solve voting problems for our County and for the state as a whole.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot length; Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Voter registration
Combine With: Wait times
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
40 page(s)
12/7/2012
Abstract:
This Report analyzes the anticipated impacts on the administration of Wisconsin elections and the procedures of several State agencies, if Wisconsin Statutes were amended to eliminate the opportunity for EDR. This Report also provides preliminary estimated costs related to additional responsibilities of the Government Accountability Board which would result from the elimination of EDR.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Ronald Rivest
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
7 page(s)
8/6/2005
Abstract:
We introduce the notion of preliminary voting, or pre-voting, wherein a voter deposits—perhaps over the Internet—a preliminary vote or pre- vote with election authorities at some time before the close of elections. Prevotes are not official votes, and need not be kept private; indeed, election officials might, as a matter of announced policy, publish the list of received prevotes together with the names of the voters submitting such prevotes. With prevoting, a voter must visit a polling site to make any final adjustments to his prevote in private, and to actually cast her (perhaps modified) prevote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Online voter registration; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Costs
Michael Cardozo
Election Modernization Task Force, New York City Mayor
New York
19 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
With its excessive delay, the State has placed the City and other counties in the position that they will miss federal deadlines for replacing voting machines. This could require the State to return a portion of the approximately $50 million in federal HAVA assistance it has received specifically to replace its obsolete lever voting machines and thus potentially cost the City over $18 million in lost federal funding. This is a deplorable situation, but the Board must nevertheless meet its obligations to the voters.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Poll worker training; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs
Kris Kobach
Kansas Secretary of State; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; Kansas
4 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
The interstate crosscheck is a tool used by a growing number of states to compare voter registration data across state lines for two purposes: (1) to identify possible duplicate records, and (2) to identify possible double votes. As part of the nationwide voter registration system, a person who moves from one state to another and registers to vote in the new state is requested to provide his/her address in the previous state so the record can be canceled there. If the person fails to provide the previous address, or if the registrar fails to send it to the previous jurisdiction, or if the registrar in the previous jurisdiction fails to act on the cancellation notice, a duplicate record exists. The interstate crosscheck compares records between states to find these duplicates. In addition, if the voter history in the records indicates a possible double vote, then the information is sent to the respective secretaries of state so that they may determine if, in fact, there was an election crime committed.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Wait times
Neal Kelley
Orange County Registrar of Voters; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
California
5 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Registration/Ballot status updates
Kim Strach; Marc Burris; Veronica Degraffenreid
North Carolina State Board of Elections
North Carolina
58 page(s)
4/2/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Norman Robbins
Greater Cleveland Voter Coalition
Ohio
20 page(s)
12/6/2005
Abstract:
Most of my remarks today will be directed toward the new provision in HB3 Sub that requires every voter to show photo ID or some other form of acceptable ID before being allowed to vote. I will present data that shows that this proposed legislation is both unnecessary to prevent voter fraud, and worse yet, almost certainly will disenfranchise tens of thousands of legitimate Ohio voters. Still worse, the data show that this legislation selectively makes voting more difficult for the elderly, youth, the poor, and minorities - it is, in fact, a kind of de facto discrimination, a new kind of "poll tax", and a major step backward for the cause of election reform. Secondly, I will discuss a few serious election problems that are totally neglected by HB3, and could be fixed by thoughtful legislation if you take the time necessary.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Homeless voters; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Penelope Townsley
Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
24 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place locations; Polling places; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Wait times
Center for Election Integrity, Cleveland State University
National
23 page(s)
10/11/2005
Abstract:
In the aftermath of the November election and presidential recount, a range of probing questions and concerns occupied congressional investigators, national panels of review, and Ohio citizens’ groups. The issues raised included alleged voter registration obstacles, erroneously disqualified voters and wrongly rejected provisional ballots, various types of election fraud, and disproportionate disenfranchisement of racial minorities. Other observers contend that no election system can be 100% error free, and that Ohio’s system preserves fundamental fairness and access. Regardless of political affiliation, most would agree that in a time when elections are decided by small margins, it is imperative that the public and media be well informed about existing election system problems and proposed solutions.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Voting methods
Dan Seligson; Tova Wang
Electionline; The Century Foundation
National; Arizona; California; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Mississippi; Missouri; New Hampshire; New York; Ohio; Oklahoma; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; Wisconsin; District of Columbia
48 page(s)
1/9/2004
Abstract:
In this report, electionline.org and The Century Foundation examined national election reform issues around the country that will have an impact on the 2004 primary election season. It also specifically examines changes to voting procedures – and potential voting problems – in the 22 early primary states that will be the key battlegrounds as the Democratic contenders seek to secure their party’s presidential nomination.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Litigation
James Snyder, Jr.; John Mark Hansen; Shigeo Hirano; Stephen Ansolabehere
Quarterly Journal of Political Science
National
23 page(s)
3/24/2010
Abstract:
Many observers and scholars argue that primary elections contribute to ideological polarization in U.S. politics. We test this claim using congressional elections and roll call voting behavior. Many of our findings are null. We find little evidence that the introduction of primary elections, the level of primary election turnout, or the threat of primary competition are associated with partisan polarization in congressional roll call voting. We also find little evidence that extreme roll call voting records are positively associated with primary election outcomes. A positive finding is that general election competition exerts pressure toward convergence as extreme roll call voting is negatively correlated with general election outcomes.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election types
Combine With: Turnout
Boris Shor; Seth Masket
Social Science Research Network
Colorado; Illinois
14 page(s)
5/8/2013
Abstract:
Advocates of direct primaries argued that party nominees selected by voters should be more independent-minded than those hand-selected by party elites. We test this claim through a study of state legislative vacancy appointments, through which a small group of party activists is responsible for replacing legislators who have died or resigned. We compare the roll call voting behavior of two decades of legislators in Colorado and Illinois based on whether the legislators were directly nominated in primary elections or selected by party elites on a partisan vacancy committee. Results demonstrate that there is, in fact, little ideological difference between the two types of incumbents, suggesting that party elites are largely able to secure the nominations of their preferred candidates even under conditions of a direct primary.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Open primaries; Special elections
Juan Gilbert
Clemson University
National
4 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
Prime III enables those who may have difficulty seeing, hearing, speaking, or reading, as well as those who may have other physical disabilities, such as missing limbs, with the ability to vote securely, privately, and with dignity. Dr. Juan E. Gilbert thusly named Prime III because it is considered a third-generation voting device. First generation voting was done with mechanical equipment and paper (e.g., lever machines, punch cards, etc.) Second-generation voting uses computers (e.g., optical scan, Direct Recording Electronic [DRE] voting machine.) Third generation devices are multimodal.These are machines that accommodate multiple voters on one machine using multimodality. Prime III is a third generation voting device that allows voters to privately and securely cast their ballot using touch or voice interchangeably.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Internet voting; Software-based systems
Kimball Brace
Election Process Task Force, Prince William County
Virginia
77 page(s)
3/27/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Dan McCrea; Lynn Garland; Mark Halvorson; Mark Lindeman; Pamela Smith; Vittorio Addona
ElectionAudits.org
National
16 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
Well-designed and properly performed post-election audits can significantly mitigate the threat of error, and should be considered integral to any vote counting system. A post-election audit in this document refers to hand-counting votes on paper records and comparing those counts to the corresponding vote counts originally reported, as a check on the accuracy of election results, and resolving discrepancies using accurate hand counts of the paper records as the benchmark. Such audits are arguably the most economical component of a quality voting system, adding a very small cost for a large set of benefits.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
Heather Lardy; Michael Plaxton
Berkeley Journal of International Law
National
42 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
There may be no political costs in disenfranchising prisoners. Indeed, doing so may allow politicians to appear "tough on crime." For this reason, courts are most likely to consider the constitutionality of legislative restrictions on the right to vote in prisoner disenfranchisement cases. These cases implicate, more obviously than other rights cases, deep questions concerning the basis for legal authority and civic duty in a democratic society, and the relationship between a government and the people it governs. It is, therefore, interesting to explore how courts around the world have approached the issues raised in prisoner disenfranchisement litigation.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Provisional ballots; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Arnold Urken; Arthur Keller; David Mertz; Joseph Lorenzo Hall
Open Voting Consortium; Privacy and Technologies of Identity: A Cross-Disciplinary Conversation
National
19 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
This paper describes how the OVC model ensures ballot privacy. The OVC has developed the model for an electronic voting system largely in response to the reliability, usability, security, trustworthiness, and accessibility concerns of other voting systems. Privacy was kept in mind throughout the process of designing this system. Section 2 of this paper discusses the requirements for a secret ballot in more detail. Section 3 considers how secrecy could be compromised in some systems. Section 4 describes the architecture of the polling place components of the OVC system. Section 5 describes how the OVC handles the privacy concerns.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot marking tools; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Software-based systems; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Nevada
10 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
What I witnessed at the election both encouraged and horrified me. The paper “receipts” were less confusing than I feared they would be. Poll workers and voters alike showed an eagerness to “get it right,” even when the new technology required them to endure some amount of initial frustration. However, things went gravely wrong when workers did not have adequate time to set up or test equipment; when, in the pressure of the moment, procedures were ignored or forgotten and, instead, solutions were improvised; or when no standard policy existed to guide election officials in proper protocol. In my experience, such problems are not unique to that election, to the Sequoia electronic voting machines, or to the paper trail audit system. Indeed, the shortcomings I encountered in Nevada resemble those I have seen in precincts throughout the country and with every kind of voting system. Luckily, most of these problems can easily be solved if we focus on improving both training and process. We can learn from our mistakes. Toward that end, a detailed account of my day in Reno follows.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Philip Peisch
Georgetown Law Journal
National; California; Florida; Maryland; Massachusetts; Ohio
39 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
Due to the plethora of variables affecting how elections are administered, specific distributions of this procurement power are difficult to tie to particular election successes or failures. However, in examining how five states overhauled voting machine technology using various distributions of procurement power, this Note highlights the benefits of prudently distributing this power. Specifically, dividing the responsibility for procuring voting machines between state and local officials, and delegating this division of responsibility such that each level of government is responsible for the tasks it is best suited to handle, can help improve both public confidence in voting machines and the actual effectiveness of the machines used at the polls.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio
86 page(s)
12/14/2007
Abstract:
Project EVEREST (Evaluation and Validation of Election Related Equipment, Standards and Testing) is a risk assessment of Ohio's current voting system, examining the integrity, handling, and securing of voting machines and systems before, during and after an election. The Ohio secretary of state has conducted this assessment in an effort to provide to the citizens of Ohio a comprehensive, independent, balanced and objective assessment of the accuracy, reliability and security associated with Ohio's voting systems.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Vote centers
Combine With: Voter confidence
Chelsea Brossard
Early Voting Information Center, Reed College
North Carolina
3 page(s)
4/4/2013
Abstract:
Two proposed bills in the North Carolina legislature. Senate Bill 428 seeks to shorten the early voting period from two weeks to one week, and House Bill 451 aims to outlaw voting on Sundays. Our analysis demonstrates the impact these changes would have on the electorate. We examined early voting data from 2008, 2010, and 2012. Our results show that 55.61% of the electorate voted early in 2008, compared with 33.67% of the electorate in 2010 and 58.98% of the electorate in 2012. Of those that voted early in 2008, 54.96% voted in first week of early voting, including the second to last Sunday. In 2010, 38.61% of the early voting electorate voted during this period, and 54.42% of early voters voted during this period in 2012. These numbers show that a significant portion of the electorate would be negatively affected by the proposed changes, and would be forced to find other times to vote should these bills pass.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Weekend voting
Combine With: Turnout
Charlie Hendrix
Nebraskans for Civic Reform
Nebraska
4 page(s)
1/10/2011
Abstract:
Many jurisdictions are prosecuting individuals for fraud associated with utilization of invalid electronic signatures. Where electronic signatures are directly referenced in statute, jurisdictions will sometimes establish additional security requirements. However, whether or not these requirements are met, there seems to be no prohibition against using the common law default rules associated with manual signatures.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
David Anderson; Timothy Vercellotti
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
29 page(s)
8/31/2006
Abstract:
Forty-one states now require proof ranging from voter signatures to photo identification at the polling place. In this paper we examine the effects of these varying requirements on voter turnout. Drawing on previous research, we hypothesize that as the level of proof becomes more costly to the voter, turnout declines. We test our hypotheses using aggregate measures of turnout at the state and county levels in the 2004 presidential election, as well as individual-level data drawn from the Voter Supplement to the November 2004 Current Population Survey. This research has significant normative importance, in that it speaks to the difficulty of balancing the potentially competing aims of election integrity and access to voting.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Liz Kennedy
Demos
National
9 page(s)
5/17/2012
Abstract:
The ability to cast a ballot that will be counted is a fundamental freedom that protects the other essential rights that Americans hold dear. The freedom to vote is how Americans, regardless of privilege or economic status, maintain the power to hold their elected representatives accountable for the decisions that impact their lives. A legitimate government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”1 must vigorously promote and protect the freedom to vote so that all eligible voters can participate in this fundamental exercise in self--government. Right now, already powerful interests are threatening our freedom to vote, and the ability of us all to exercise our constitutional right to participate in our democracy. Strengthening our democracy means facilitating civic inclusion and democratic participation. The Voter Empowerment Act of 2012, HR 5799, has the goal of improving our electoral system to provide more access to the ballot, integrity in our election systems, and accountability in our elections.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Hans von Spakovsky
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National; Georgia; Indiana
6 page(s)
3/1/2012
Abstract:
Ensuring fair elections requires that individuals authenticate their citizenship when they register and their identity when they vote. Such measures also increase public confidence in our election process. It is important that every individual who is eligible have the opportunity to vote, but it is equally important that the votes of such eligible voters are not stolen or diluted by fraudulent or bogus votes cast by ineligible or imaginary voters. These measures prevent impersonation fraud, voting under fictitious voter registrations, double voting by individuals registered in more that one state or locality, and voting by illegal aliens or even legal aliens. Contrary to the claims of critics, such minimal requirements do not depress the turnout or have a disparate impact on minority, poor, or elderly voters—the overwhelming majority of Americans have photo ID or can easily obtain one. The claims made against photo ID have also lost in the courts and decisions over such laws in Georgia and Indiana have found them to be constitutional, nondiscriminatory, and in full compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence
Heather Heidelbaugh; James Miller; Logan Fisher
Harvard Law School Journal on Legislation
National
Winter 2009
Abstract:
On Election Day 2008, many American voters encountered what has become an increasingly conspicuous--and increasingly contentious--presence in the polling place: the poll watcher. Statutes permitting poll watchers have been part of the American voting process for well over a century. Only recently, however, has their role as a critical election participant been magnified. Following the hotly-contested 2000 presidential election, both political parties increased their use of poll watchers in 2004, leading to allegations of voter intimidation. Just days before voters were to cast their vote for President of the United States, two federal district court judges in Ohio granted temporary injunctions barring the enforcement of a long-standing Ohio statute, which allowed poll watchers (called "poll challengers" under Ohio law) to be present at poll locations. On the morning of the election, just hours before the polls were set to open, the Sixth Circuit stayed the lower courts' injunctions.
Subject(s):
Poll watchers
Combine With: Litigation
Arshia Singh; Karin Mac Donald
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF); Election Administration Research Center, University of California-Berkeley
California
70 page(s)
12/31/2013
Abstract:
This paper details and summarizes a two part study conducted in California in 2013. The first part examines the access that people living in residential care facilities in six counties have to the electoral system. The second part describes an outreach program to residential care facilities that is in place in one county, and assesses the implementation of modified versions of that program by Local Election Officials in two other counties.
Subject(s):
Permanent absentee voting; Polling place locations; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Dalia Khader; Peter Ryan; Qiang Tang
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
20 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
Prêt à Voter is a supervised, end-to-end verifiable voting scheme. Informal analyses indicate that, subject to certain assumptions, Prêt à Voter is receipt free, i.e. a voter has no way to construct a proof to a coercer of how she voted. In this paper we propose a variant of Prêt à Voter and prove receipt freeness of this scheme using computational methods.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Online voter registration; Paper ballots; Security; Voting technology
Sean Greene
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
9 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
Issued when a person’s eligibility to vote is in question, “provisional ballots” are used for various reasons, including when a person is not on a voter registration list, or when he or she does not have the correct state- required identification. According to new research by the Pew Center on the States, more than two million provisional ballots were submitted nationwide during the 2008 presidential election. Of these, more than 1.4 million, or approximately 70 percent of all provisional ballots, were counted. Nearly 600,000 were rejected.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Maricopa County Elections Department
Arizona
208 page(s)
1/30/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Hispanic voters; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Scott Novakowski
Demos
National; Arizona; California; Colorado; Florida; Indiana; Michigan; Ohio; Wisconsin
10 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
This briefing paper describes some of the common problems experienced with provisional ballots, emerging issues, and states to watch in 2008.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Advancement Project
National; Florida; Ohio
40 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
In this report, Advancement Project presents its findings and analysis of how provisional ballots were administered and counted in the states of Ohio and Florida in the 2006 general election and recommends steps to minimize the unnecessary use and rejection of provisional ballots.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
David Myers; Scott Novakowski; Steven Carbó; Youjin Kim
National
24 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
A central goal of any automatic voter registration proposal should be a representative electorate in which all eligible citizens, including those from historically underrepresented communities, are effectively registered and able to cast a ballot on Election Day. State databases of individuals receiving public assistance benefits—including SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid—can be an important source for registering low-income citizens—one of the most under-registered segments of the population. To better understand the nature of public assistance agencies’ computerized eligibility databases and their ability to facilitate automatic voter registration, Demos conducted telephone interviews with public assistance agencies in 41 out of 51 states (including the District of Columbia). A subsequent follow-up survey focusing on several issues discovered during the initial interviews was received from 29 of the 41 states.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Center for Public Policy and Administration, University of Utah
National
8 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
We recently undertook a national survey of eligible and registered voters to better understand their opinions about the governance of elections in the United States, and we found strong support for the following three propositions: elections should be run by nonpartisan, not partisan, officials; elections should be run by election boards, not by a single election official; and these election officials should be elected, not appointed.
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
David Konisky; Michael Powell
Institute of Public Policy, Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri
National
4 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
Researchers at the University of Missouri recently completed a national survey as part of the 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). The 2008 CCES is a nationally-representative survey of 32,800 respondents conducted through the collaborative efforts of a consortium of universities. The 2008 CCES was administered in two waves during the fall of 2008 by Polimetrix. Here, we discuss the responses to two sets of questions asked of a subset of the 2008 CCES participants (n = 780). First, we asked respondents two questions about the potentially competing goals of increasing turnout and minimizing fraud. Second, we examined four types of election reforms: EDR, VBM, early voting, and photo identification. The survey asked respondents to characterize their approval of each reform and their beliefs about its effect on turnout, fraud, and partisan advantage.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Aviel Rubin; Dan Wallach
A Center for Correct, Usable, Reliable, Auditable, and Transparent Elections (ACCURATE); Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, University of California-Berkeley School of Law; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
50 page(s)
9/30/2005
Abstract:
A Center for Correct, Usable, Reliable, Auditable and Transparent Elections (ACCURATE), a multi-institution, interdisciplinary, academic research project funded by the National Science Foundation’s “CyberTrust Program,” is pleased to provide these comments on the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines to the Election Assistance Commission.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Thad Hall
The American Review of Public Administration
National; California
15 page(s)
12/1/2003
Abstract:
This article examines the importance of public involvement in the management of elections, especially as it pertains to serving the needs of voters for whom English is not their first language. The Los Angeles County Community Voter Outreach Committee is a model of community participation that demonstrates the benefits to both administrators and to voters of public participation in election management. Analysis of this model also illustrates the broader implications of this method of management for serving other special populations of citizens, an issue that will become more critical to managers as the nation’s population becomes more diverse and has a larger number of citizens with special needs
Subject(s):
Voters with limited-English proficiency
John McNulty; Justin Buchler; Matthew Jarvis
Perspectives on Politics
National
8 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
Votomatic-style punch card voting systems produce higher rates of residual voting than other technologies, but the effect of punch card voting systems is not uniform. Minority voters are less likely to have their votes properly recorded with punch card systems than are nonminorities. This racial gap occurs, for the most part, because punch card systems lead to higher rates of “undervoting” by minorities. When election administrators switch to other systems, such as optical scan systems, the racial gap is significantly reduced. Punch card voting systems, then, constitute a disproportionate obstacle to minority voting. This effectively gives less weight to votes cast by minorities than to votes cast by nonminorities, and arguably violates constitutional requirements for equal voting rights. The mechanism is similar to the literacy tests that were abandoned after the 1970 amendments to the Voting Rights Act.
Subject(s):
Punch cards; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Charles Bullock III; M.V. Hood III; Richard Clark
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
Georgia
12 page(s)
9/21/2005
Abstract:
Following the problems with presidential voting in Florida in 2000, voters and political scientists became interested in election administration. While empirical studies have shown that different election equipment can produce different tabulation error rates, little is known about the factors that affect voters' perceptions of good election administration. Using a survey of voters in Georgia, we examine these perceptions of the voting process. We find that black voters and Democrats were significantly less confident than others that their votes were counted accurately and that they were also more likely to express concerns over the election equipment they used. In contrast, the actual voting environment, including the type of voting equipment used, appears to have no direct bearing on voters' trust in the process.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Alec Ewald
Demos
National
62 page(s)
11/24/2003
Abstract:
Political scientist Alec Ewald sheds new light on the fundamentally undemocratic nature of felony disenfranchisement laws. Tracing the history of these laws from ancient Europe to their racist application in the post Civil War U.S., Ewald concludes that felony disenfranchisement laws are in profound conflict with America's best ideals of fairness and traditions of democracy.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Christopher Uggen; Jeff Manza
Perspectives on Politics
National
15 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
This paper provides an overview and analysis of the unique practice of felon disenfranchisement in the United States today. We focus in particular on the political impact of disenfranchising large numbers of nonincarcerated felons—those who have served their entire sentences and those living in their home communities while completing a term of probation or parole. Our discussion is organized around three key issues relating to felon disenfranchisement: (1) the historical and legal origins of this practice; (2) its practical political impact on recent elections; and, (3) the racial dynamics that color both the history and contemporary effects of felon disenfranchisement in the United States.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Public opinion
Laleh Ispahani; Nick Williams
Demos
National
44 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
This survey reflects our research of state law as supplemented by conversations with representatives from each state’s chief elections agency and two county election agencies. Through our research and conversations, we sought to answer the following questions: (1) how does the state compile its felon purge list?, (2) how do the state’s elections officials “match” people with felony convictions against individuals listed on their voter registration list before purging them from the rolls?, and (3) does the state notify the individuals deemed “matched” that they will be or have been purged?
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Edward Foley
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
2 page(s)
10/9/2008
Abstract:
This morning's front-page New York Times story on purges is, I believe, somewhat inaccurate in one potentially significant respect. After describing apparently unlawful purging practices in several states, the article says: "Some states allow such voters to cast provisional ballots." My understanding of HAVA--and I believe the prevailing understanding in the legal community (of those who focus on HAVA-related issues)--is that HAVA requires every state to let all individuals cast a provisional ballot if they are willing to affirm that they believe themselves to be registered voters, as presumably would occur if there an unlawful or otherwise erroneous purge.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Arthur Edelstein; William Edelstein
Proceedings of the 2010 Electronic Voting Technology Workshop/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
National; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire
8 page(s)
8/9/2010
Abstract:
Computerized touch screen “Direct Recording Electronic” (DRE) voting systems have been used by over 1/3 of American voters in recent elections. In many places, insufficient DRE numbers, in combination with lengthy ballots and high voter traffic, have caused long lines and disenfranchised voters who left without voting. We have applied computer queuing simulation to the voting process and conclude that far more DREs, at great expense, would be needed to keep waiting times low. Alternatively, paper ballot-optical scan systems can be easily and economically scaled to prevent long lines and meet unexpected contingencies. We have developed a heuristic "Queue Stop Rule” that can be applied to prevent long lines at voting stations. We have also carried out queuing simulations of other parts of the voting process, for example, voter check-in and ballot scanning. Our results can be used to help plan cost-effective election systems that will produce expeditious elections.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Wait times
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Absentee Voting and Vote by Mail is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials effectively manage and administer elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Election types; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
16 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Acceptance Testing is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials effectively manage and administer elections.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Software-based systems; Usability testing; Voting technology
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
15 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
The Quick Start on Accessibility provides many examples of ways to improve accessibility and to incorporate these practices into all aspects of election administration.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Ballot Preparation/Printing and Pre-Election Testing is a snapshot of processes and procedures for local election administrators to use for ballot preparation and logic and accuracy testing. It is a guide that assists election officials with some of their most critical tasks—formatting and printing ballots and programming and testing voting systems. A comprehensive set of Management Guidelines is under development and will be released in modules in 2007 and 2008.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Software-based systems
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
Laws and regulations for conducting the canvass vary by State and at times by local jurisdiction. These laws and regulations can specify who is responsible for the canvass, who must participate in the canvass, when the canvass can start, when the canvass must be completed, what information must be contained in the canvass, and which portions of the canvass process are open to the public. Following are recommendations to consider when conducting the canvass. These recommendations should be vetted with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and relevant case law to ensure they are properly and lawfully implemented. Election officials should contact their State officials when there is a question as to whether a practice is permitted or prohibited under State law.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
16 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
In a central count system, ballots are tabulated at a central location with the use of a high speed ballot scanner. At the polling place, cast ballots are deposited by voters into secure ballot boxes, which at the close of the polls are transported to the central count location. In precinct count systems, ballots are tabulated in the same precinct in which those ballots were cast. Polling place procedures for precinct scanners differ from central count in that they can be programmed to immediately return blank, overvoted, and undervoted ballots to a voter for inspection prior to it being tabulated. Therefore, polling place procedures for processing voters and ballots will have to be taken into account when deciding between central and precinct scanners. This guide will highlight considerations and administrative practices election officials should consider when implementing a central count optical scan ballot system.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management
Combine With: Costs; Errors
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
11 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
Following are recommendations to consider regarding the general management of recounts. The recommendations contained in this publication should be vetted with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and relevant case law to ensure they are properly and lawfully implemented; election officials should contact their State officials when there is a question as to whether a practice is permitted or prohibited under State law.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
Contingency planning in elections involves planning responses for situations as simple as maintaining a listing of poll workers to respond to a call for replacements on Election Day, or as complicated as relocating polling places on the morning of Election Day due to flooding or other natural disasters. This guide provides a quick overview of things to consider when developing policies/procedures for administering an election… from running out of ballots…to experiencing a major natural or manmade disaster.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
16 page(s)
3/1/2008
Abstract:
Ensuring elections are administered fairly, accurately, transparently, and efficiently requires creating documentation of each component involved in the development and conduct of an election. These components include all preelection, Election Day, and post-election activities; examples include, but are not limited to, candidate filing forms, voter registration lists, verification of voting systems, poll workers, etc. Documentation of these processes may also serve to prove the accuracy and validity of an election in a court of law and resolve questions regarding the integrity of the election. Furthermore, developing a formal record (audit trail) of an election’s components is an essential tool for election administrators to accurately evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the processes established to conduct an election. It is therefore important to establish accurate methods and procedures for documenting and reviewing an election’s audit trail.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place management; Post-election audits
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
15 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This Quick Start on Elections Office Administration will provide election officials with some recommended practices for managing the internal functions of an elections office. The following sections cover internal processes and procedures, facilities and equipment management, staffing, budgeting, and data collection.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Managing Change in an Election Office is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials effectively manage and administer elections.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
16 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Media and Public Relations is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials effectively manage and administer elections.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
7 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide is a snapshot of processes and procedures for local election administrators to use when implementing new voting systems. It is not intended to be a comprehensive management tool but a guide that highlights priority items essential to managing a successful election with a new voting system. A comprehensive set of Management Guidelines is under development and will be released in modules over the next several years.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Security; Voter education campaigns
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Poll Workers is a snapshot of processes and procedures for local election administrators to use for recruiting, training, and retaining poll workers. It is a guide that assists election officials with one of their most challenging tasks—managing the people resources required to conduct an election. A comprehensive Guidebook for Poll Workers is under development and will be released in 2007.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Polling Places and Vote Centers is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials effectively manage and administer elections.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Vote centers
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
16 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
Following are recommendations to consider regarding the general management of provisional ballots. The recommendations contained in this publication should be vetted with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and relevant case law to ensure they are properly and lawfully implemented. Election officials should contact their State officials when there is a question as to whether a practice is permitted or prohibited under State law.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Canvassing & election certification; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
15 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
In the November 2006 general elections, 63% of adults aged 65 and older voted; this age group made up 17% of the voting age citizen population and 23% of the population that actually voted. As noted above, this segment of the population is projected to increase 147% between 2000 and 2050. In addition, the Congressional Research Service has reported that “two-thirds of the people receiving long term care are over 65, an age group expected to double by 2030. After 2030, even faster growth rates are anticipated for people over 85, the age group most likely to need care.” The administration of elections must, therefore, develop and implement policies that facilitate registration and voting processes for elderly voters and voters with disabilities, including those in long-term care facilities. These policies must include safeguards to preserve and protect the integrity of the voting process.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
Advances in technology can yield great benefits to those who use them correctly. The Quick Start Management Guide on Technology in Elections aims to make these advances accessible to election officials across the country, by explaining innovative uses for technology in the elections office and the voting process. The Guide also includes tips for how to manage cost, maintenance and replacement of technology.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
3/1/2008
Abstract:
UOCAVA voters face unique challenges in registering to vote, requesting and receiving their ballot, and returning their voted ballot. The most important component in ensuring their right to vote can be summed up in one word: COMMUNICATION. Communication between the local election officials and their state election office; between each state election office and the FVAP; and the ongoing communication between the UOCAVA voter and you – the state/local election official.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
8/1/2007
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Voting System Certification is part of a series of brochures designed to highlight and summarize the information contained in the chapters of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC’s) Election Management Guidelines (EMG). This Quick Start is a snapshot of procedures developed to help election officials understand the certification process at the Federal, State, and local levels as it applies to existing voting systems or voting systems under consideration for future acquisition. The goal of the EMG is to provide a collection of election management guidelines, consolidated into one document, to assist State and local election officials in effectively managing and administering elections.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
12 page(s)
9/1/2006
Abstract:
The Quick Start Management Guide for Voting System Security is a snapshot of processes and procedures for local election administrators to use when implementing security measures for their voting systems. It is a guide that highlights priority items essential to securing a voting system. A comprehensive set of Management Guidelines is under development and will be released in modules in 2007 and 2008.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place management; Security; Voting technology
CBS News; Quinnipiac University; The New York Times
Florida; Ohio; Pennsylvania
17 page(s)
9/26/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
CBS News; Quinnipiac University; The New York Times
Florida; Ohio; Wisconsin
16 page(s)
8/23/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Benjamin Deufel; Orit Kedar
Public Opinion Quarterly
National
33 page(s)
Summer 2010
Abstract:
We demonstrate that the use of self-reported turnout data often results in misleading inferences about racial differences in turnout. We theorize about the mechanism driving report of turnout and, utilizing ANES turnout data in presidential elections from 1976 to 1988 (all years for which comparable validated data are available), we empirically model report of turnout as well as the relationship between reported and actual turnout. We apply the model to the two subsequent presidential elections in which validated data are not available, 1992 and 1996. Our findings suggest that African Americans turned out almost 20 percentage points less than did Whites in the 1992 and 1996 U.S. presidential elections — almost double the gap that the self-reported data indicates. In contrast with previous research, we show that racial differences in factors predicting turnout make African Americans less likely to vote compared to Whites and thus increase their probability of overreporting. At the same time, when controlling for this effect, other things equal, African Americans overreport electoral participation more than Whites.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Harvard Law Review Forum
North Carolina; Texas
18 page(s)
11/11/2013
Abstract:
Courts should apply a more rigorous standard to review arguably discriminatory voting laws. When a legislature passes an election administration law (outside the redistricting context) discriminating against a party’s voters or otherwise burdening voters, that fact should not be a defense. Instead, courts should read the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause to require the legislature to produce substantial evidence that it has a good reason for burdening voters and that its means are closely connected to achieving those ends. The achievement of partisan ends would not be considered a good reason (as it appears to be in the redistricting context). These rules will both discourage party power grabs and protect voting rights of minority voters. In short, this new rule will inhibit discrimination on the basis of both race and party, and protect all voters from unnecessary burdens on the right to vote.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Daniel Smith; Michael Herron
Political Research Quarterly
Florida
2/24/2014
Abstract:
In mid-2011, the Florida legislature reduced the state’s early voting period from fourteen days to eight and eliminated the final Sunday of early voting. We compare observed voting patterns in 2012 with those in the 2008 General Election and find that racial/ethnic minorities, registered Democrats, and those without party affiliation had significant early voting participation drops and that voters who cast ballots on the final Sunday in 2008 were disproportionately unlikely to cast a valid ballot in 2012. Florida’s decision to truncate early voting may have diminished participation rates of those already least likely to vote.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter demographics; Weekend voting
Combine With: Turnout
Guy-Uriel Charles ; Heather Gerken ; Michael Kang
Cambridge University Press
National
312 page(s)
1/17/2011
Abstract:
This book offers a critical re-evaluation of three fundamental and interlocking themes in American democracy: the relationship between race and politics, the performance and reform of election systems, and the role of courts in regulating the political process. This edited volume features contributions from some of the leading voices in election law and social science. The authors address the recurring questions for American democracy and identify new challenges for the twenty-first century. They not only consider where current policy and scholarship is headed, but also suggest where it ought to go over the next two decades.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; International election administration; Poll watchers; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Public opinion; Turnout
Charles Stewart III; Nathaniel Persily; Stephen Ansolabehere
Harvard Law Review
National
52 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This Article examines the data from the 2008 primary and general elections to assess the geographic patterns of racial differences in voting behavior. The data suggest that significant differences remain between white and minority voters and among jurisdictions that are covered and not covered by section 5 of the VRA. These differences remain even when controlling for partisanship, ideology, and a host of other politically relevant variables. This Article discusses the implications of President Obama’s election for legal conceptions of racially polarized voting and for decisions concerning which jurisdictions section 5 ought to cover.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto; Stephen Nuño
Latino Decisions
Texas
4 page(s)
3/21/2012
Abstract:
In May of 2011 we posted a blog to Latino Decisions focused on the question of whether minority voters across the United States are less likely to have access to the forms of identification required by many of these new laws. In that report our findings focused on 2008 survey data indicated that Latino, African American, and Asian American voters were all less likely to have an “up to date” driver’s license or state issued identification card. The purpose of this brief blog report is to isolate the Texas respondents from the 2008 survey in an effort to determine whether the Texas law will disproportionately impact minority voters.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Charles Stewart III
NACRC Annual Conference
National
34 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Polling places; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Sean Richey
Political Research Quarterly
National
13 page(s)
9/18/2012
Abstract:
Condorcet’s theory of voting rests on the crucial proposition that voting errors are random and not systematic. Using Lau and Redlawsk’s voting correctly measure, I test whether voting error is systematic or random in presidential elections from 1972 to 2004. I show that errors are systematically skewed toward Republican candidates. I also show that the level of skew of incorrect voting has led to the incorrect candidate being elected in three out the last nine elections. In addition, I find that greater skew in Republican campaign spending increases skew of incorrect votes toward Republican candidates.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors
Andrew Douglas
FairVote
Massachusetts; Minnesota; Oklahoma; Washington
4 page(s)
4/1/2014
Abstract:
Ranked choice voting (RCV) has been associated with a range of civic benefits, but in the context of the polarized politics of the United States its potential to promote civil and inclusive campaigns is especially promising. As the use of ranked choice voting has increased in the U.S. – including adoptions in Minnesota’s Twin Cities and the Bay Area in California – there is now more data available to test this idea in American elections. Highlights from two recent studies suggest that RCV has been embraced by voters and candidates alike, who see RCV as a means of reducing divisive politics and fostering more positive, inclusive, and informative campaigns.
Subject(s):
Voting methods
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Wisconsin
79 page(s)
4/23/2012
Abstract:
The objective of this research report is to determine the rates of possession, and lack of possession of accepted photo identification among the eligible voting population in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. More specifically, the plaintiffs in Frank v. Walker, Civil Action No. 2:11- cv-01128(LA) retained us to create a research design that would allow for an examination of whether Latino and African American eligible voters in Milwaukee County are more likely, or less likely, than eligible White non-Hispanic voters to possess accepted photo ID, and if any differences are statistically significant.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Matt Barreto
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
36 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
The objective of this research report is to determine the rates of possession, and lack of possession of valid photo identification among the eligible voting population, the registered voter population, and 2008 voters in Pennsylvania. More specifically, the plaintiffs in Applewhite, et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al., No. 330 MD 2012 retained us to create a research design that would allow for an examination of the percent of the eligible, registered, and 2008 voting population that do not possess a valid photo ID. Furthermore, we have attempted to determine why certain segments of the Pennsylvania population lack valid identification: lack of any accepted identification, possession of an expired identification, or the failure of their full legal name to substantially conform to their photo ID.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Public opinion
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California; Georgia
32 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) has created a new dynamic for the oversight and implementation of elections, giving greater power to the states than previously. We consider how HAVA has changed the relationship between states and localities, especially through the HAVA planning process. We examine two approaches that states have used in HAVA planning—a rational approach and a pluralistic approach—and how these approaches can shape the power relationship between states and localities. We then present two case studies from Georgia and California to illustrate how these two approaches have functioned in practice.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Nonpartisan election administration; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
D. Roderick Kiewiet; R. Michael Alvarez
British Journal of Political Science
California
51 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
The California recall election of 2003 provides an excellent setting in which to investigate voter rationality and certain forms of sophisticated voting. In a pre-election telephone survey, 1500 registered voters were asked to make pairwise comparisons between the major candidates, and responses to these questions were combined to infer preferences. Individuals’ preference orderings over the major candidates rarely exhibited intransitivity. The patterns of tactical voting observed in the replacement part of the recall election were consistent with the declining rate hypothesis, which holds that more support for minor candidates translates into smaller losses due to defection. Voters also engaged in another form of sophisticated voting, which we call hedge voting, on the recall question itself. The results of our analyses, as well as other considerations, lead us to characterize voters’ decisions as ‘rationalistic’: while voters are extremely consistent in forming utility-based preference rankings and choosing on the basis of these rankings, the voting strategies they adopt do not incorporate probability assessments in a realistic, consistent fashion, and may not involve probability assessments at all.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Women voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
James Hicks; Paul Gronke
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
17 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Voter confidence –– or the voter’s perception that his or her ballot will be counted accurately –– has been proposed as one of a few key metrics by which we can evaluate the performance of the American election system. In this paper, we subject this item to critical scrutiny, testing the hypothesis that voter confidence is less a function of experiences with elections and election administration, and more an expression of the respondent’s affective orientation toward the political system (trust and confidence in government) and their evaluations of current political debates. We test our hypothesis using the 2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. We find that while voter confidence is strongly influenced by a respondents affective orientations and policy opinions, the individual’s experiences with election mechanics, poll workers, and the individual’s confidence in election administrators still play the largest role in influencing a voter’s confidence that her ballot is counted as she intends.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Advancement Project
Georgia
9 page(s)
8/25/2005
Abstract:
The restrictive and unprecedented photo identification provisions contained in H.B. 244 are not tied in any way to a demonstrable need for electoral reform; rather, H.B. 244 will have the effect of returning to Georgia the types of restrictions that historically have limited the freedom of identifiable subgroups of eligible citizens to participate in the electoral process.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Adam Cox; Daniel Tokaji; Heather Gerken ; Michael Kang ; Spencer Overton
Voting Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Georgia
9 page(s)
8/18/2005
Abstract:
We are law professors who specialize in voting rights. In the absence of additional information, we write to urge you to object to Georgia House Bill 244 pursuant to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Chris Moore
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections; Pasco County
National; Florida
27 page(s)
2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
Huffington Post
Colorado
3 page(s)
4/14/2013
Abstract:
Colorado legislators are contemplating changes to their election laws this week that may result in higher turnout. A report issued by Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler figures prominently in the deliberations, which triumphantly touts "the most successful (election) in Colorado history," implying that no changes are needed. However, claims in the report that Colorado's voter turnout increased compared to 2008, while turnout declined elsewhere are not supported by the facts. I reassess the report with the best available data -- my United States Elections Project -- which the Colorado Secretary of State's office analyzed selectively. With Colorado considering changes to its election laws, policy makers should make their decisions with the most accurate information.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Kirk Jowers
Commission on Strengthening Utah's Democracy, Utah Governor
Utah
2 page(s)
11/5/2009
Abstract:
The Commission hereby resolves to recommend that Utah residents will be deemed to register to vote by completing a Utah State tax form, drivers’ license application, or social services form, provided said forms gather that information necessary to meet existing voter registration laws and prominently indicate that completion registers a person to vote. Utahns would register by completing these forms only if they affirmatively indicate, by means of marking a provided “optin” box. These forms will inform Utah residents of this automatic registration and allow them to refuse to register to vote. The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office will utilize information submitted to other government entities so that if a voter updates his/her registration information with another state government entity, the update is automatically shared and voter rolls are updated.
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Jon Greenbaum
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; California; Colorado; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Maryland; Michigan; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Texas
40 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
This document is divided into two parts. Part I summarizes the Lawyers’ Committee’s recommendations, which are drawn from the Lawyers’ Committee’s work, experience and expertise. Part II presents case studies from noteworthy jurisdictions that: Had significant problems in the lead up to and on Election Day, Have implemented reforms leading to positive outcomes, or Have innovative programs that serve as examples of best practices for administering elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Electronic pollbooks; Nonpartisan election administration; Online voter registration; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Usability testing; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Wait times
Eric Lazarus
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; DecisionSmith; Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
National
14 page(s)
6/28/2004
Abstract:
In response to the public controversy about DREs, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights asked the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law to undertake an independent assessment of DRE system security and to develop recommendations that could be implemented immediately by jurisdictions planning to use DREs in their 2004 elections. The Center retained a 20-year veteran in the field of technology evaluation, Eric Lazarus of DecisionSmith, to provide the technical assistance with the project. Mr. Lazarus in turn enlisted a team of nationally renowned security experts and consulted closely with others interested in this effort.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security
Kenneth Detzner
Florida Secretary of State
Florida
12 page(s)
2/4/2013
Abstract:
During Secretary Detzner’s fact-finding efforts, supervisors of elections and others agreed the 2012 General Election was a fair election as a whole. However, it was similarly believed by all that the election process should be improved upon. The area for improvement most commonly mentioned was the length of lines at polling places, which were believed to have been caused by the record number of voters, a shortened early voting schedule, inadequate voting locations and a long ballot. Other areas for improvement frequently mentioned in the Secretary’s meetings included the unprecedented number of “in-person absentee” ballots cast and the burden they put on supervisors of elections to distribute and canvass in a timely manner; the increased number of overall absentee ballots and the time in which they could be requested, mailed and canvassed; deficiencies in the local administration of elections; and the limited funding by county commissions to purchase the best available voting equipment.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter registration
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce; Verified Voting Foundation
National
4 page(s)
11/10/2009
Abstract:
We, the undersigned, participated in a working meeting on vote tabulation audits hosted by the American Statistical Association (ASA) on October 23 and 24, 2009. We write to emphasize that future iterations of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) should facilitate effective vote tabulation audits. We applaud the VVSG II’s requirement for independent voter-verifiable records (IVVRs). This requirement is necessary to enable verification of election outcomes independently of the tabulation systems; it should be adopted as soon as possible. However, if election outcomes are to be verified efficiently, vote tabulation systems must meet requirements that go well beyond the draft VVSG 1.1.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Jane Platten; Mark Goins; Mark Halvorson; Mark Ritchie; Sam Reed
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN)
National
19 page(s)
2/1/2014
Abstract:
Contained in the document are principles and practices for recounts along with one fundamental message: Above all, be prepared. These principles and best practices are designed to help candidates, election officials, policy makers, and the public improve recount statutes and administrative rules. This document includes some management guidance, but it is not addressed in detail. Also excluded is any discussion of election contests: the reliance on the courts to determine the winner of an election. The guidance offered in this document is aimed at minimizing petitions for court interventions during the recount, as well as the need for post-election contests, by improving the legal and administrative framework necessary for fair, transparent, and accurate recounts.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Post-election audits; Recounts; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
24 page(s)
10/1/2005
Abstract:
In this 12th election reform Briefing, electionline.org examines the rules in each state governing recounts, with a particular focus on the impact of voter-verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs), absentee and provisional ballots. As with most election issues, federalism has produced a variety of rules governing the same process.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts
Combine With: Costs
Lisa Schur
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
12 page(s)
6/22/2013
Abstract:
This white paper reviews the evidence on voter turnout and voting difficulties among people with disabilities, and identifies best practices for removing obstacles that can limit their ability to exercise their right to vote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
José Muñoz; Matt Barreto
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences
National
21 page(s)
11/1/2003
Abstract:
This article undertakes a multivariate analysis of political participation among Mexican American immigrants. Traditional forms of participation such as registration and voting are not adequate tests of civic engagement for a population including 7 million noncitizens. Rather, this article examines nonelectoral participation including attending a meeting or rally, volunteering for a campaign, or donating money to a political cause. This research employs a national sample of Mexican Americans, including immigrants and noncitizens, and the models reveal that Mexican American immigrants are politically active.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Edward Foley
Ohio State Law Journal
National
15 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
In a scholar’s career, few accomplishments are as rewarding as when another scholar, especially a longstanding leader in the field, gives one’s work the kind of sustained and thoughtful treatment that Dan Lowenstein has devoted to my taxonomy of potential Bush v. Gore claims. I am particularly appreciative of the charitable way in which he describes my work, and I feel fortunate that I can respond in kind because I agree that he has usefully suggested an alternative to the taxonomy I proposed. Considering his suggestions has caused me to modify my original proposal, incorporating a key analytic distinction he advances, while at the same time refining features that he would have replaced.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Charles Stewart III
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
3 page(s)
1/27/2011
Abstract:
The decision issued by the three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in the matter of Hunter v. Hamilton County Board of Elections contains a very interesting analysis of problems with Ohio’s law about counting provisional ballots when they are cast in “the right church, wrong pew” (RCWP) One of the things that makes the case so interesting and important is that it gives us a better idea about how Bush v. Gore will be applied in difficult election cases. Another reason it has garnered such interest is that it grows out of what appears to be a state mandate that some voters be disenfranchised precisely because they have followed the directives of election officials. Close scrutiny of the numbers of ballots that were placed into a mind-numbing array categories reveals that the RCWP problem is a non-trivial one. Not being an attorney, but an election geek political scientist, a third issue drew my interest — the pattern of use of provisional ballots and the patterns of their rejection. Among those interested in election law, election policy, and election administration, these patterns raise the question of whether provisional ballot policies will have disproportionate effects on particular types of voters. Precisely this concern is raised in footnote 24 of the Hunter decision.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Boris Shor; Justin Phillips; Thad Kousser
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
California
45 page(s)
8/27/2013
Abstract:
Can electoral reforms such as an independent redistricting commission and the top-two primary create conditions that lead to better legislative representation? We explore this question by presenting a new method for measuring a key indicator of representation – the congruence between a legislator’s ideological position and the average position of her district’s voters. We do this by combining two cutting-edge methods: the joint classification of voters and political candidates on the same ideological scale using a common policy survey, along with multilevel regression and post-stratification to estimate the position of the average voter across many districts in multiple elections. After describing and validating our approach, we use it to study the recent impact of electoral reforms in California.
Subject(s):
Top two primaries; Voting methods
George Grayson
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
8 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
The thesis of this paper is that the United States could diminish voter fraud and enhance national security by adopting the Mexican system of registering and identifying voters.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Jonathan Hoffman; Raymond Wolfinger
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
9 page(s)
3/1/2001
Abstract:
The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 (P.L. 103-31) was designed to reduce the cost of voting by incorporating registration into a transaction with a public agency that citizens initiate for another purpose. The act took effect on January 1, 1995; between then and the 1996 election, 18,333,479 people registered in offices they had visited on other business (Federal Election Commission 1998, Table 2). Four years later, answers to even the most elementary questions about this first NVRA election have not been published. We narrow the data gap by describing people who used NVRA to register, and then comparing their participation to that of their fellow citizens who registered to vote using more traditional methods.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Nicole Kovite
Project Vote
Missouri
9 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
After years of neglecting their responsibility to help low-income clients register to vote, public assistance agencies in the state of Missouri went from collecting fewer than 8,000 applications a year to collecting over 180,000 applications in just fifteen months. This remarkable turnaround came about through the Public Agency Voter Registration Project, a joint partnership of Project Vote, Demos, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in cooperation with the law firms of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP and Arthur Benson & Associates. This case study documents how this success was achieved, and provides a timely and powerful reminder of how proper implementation of public agency voter registration can dramatically increase the number of low-income Americans who are registered to vote.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Adam Skaggs
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
26 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Members of the United States armed forces and their families face unique challenges to participating in our elections. If their votes are to count and their voices are to be heard, these citizens must overcome hurdles not faced by most Americans. They deserve better: the nation should make it a priority to remove barriers to political participation for those who dedicate themselves to defending our democracy.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter registration
J. Mijin Cha
Demos
National
18 page(s)
5/20/2013
Abstract:
Since its adoption twenty years ago, the NVRA has successfully registered millions of eligible voters and led to important increases in voter registration among lower-income Americans. This brief highlights the key provisions in the act that were designed to expand voter registration opportunities, describes its impact on voter registration rates, and provides recommendations to ensure the act continues to expand voter registration opportunities for millions of Americans.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities
Erin Ferns Lee; Ian Nunley
Project Vote
National
5 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
Young Americans ages 18-29 appear to be registering and voting at significantly higher rates than in recent elections. If further research bears this it out, it will be a welcome development given that young Americans are under-represented in the electorate compared to their voting eligible population. This research memorandum provides registration and voting information on voting-eligible Americans ages 18-24 and 25-29 by age and college experience.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Youth voters
Kate Krontiris
Reboot.org
Colorado; Florida; Kentucky; Missouri; Texas; Vermont
7 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
So, we asked the question: What are the human motivation, technological systems, and institutional landscapes that define local elections administration? To answer this question, we launched a six-city design research investigation into a diverse subset of election jurisdictions across the Unite States.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Kareem Crayton
Indiana Law Review
National
41 page(s)
12/1/2010
Abstract:
Forty years into the “temporary” era of federal administrative review of state election systems, Congress has avoided the two most vexing questions about the preclearance system: When, if ever, should this oversight structure reach its endpoint? And if there is to be an end, how will we know when we have reached it? This article offers a conceptual framework called “reinventing” preclearance that responds to these pathologies and helps to address these perplexing questions. Taking the reorganization of basic governing structures as a starting point, this Article proposes adjustments to Section 5 that provide a more clear, effective, and lasting means of enforcing voting rights.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Brandon Quester
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting (AZCIR)
Arizona
45 page(s)
4/7/2013
Abstract:
Tens of thousands of ballots cast in Arizona’s 2012 election were rejected by elections officials, indicating continued communication and voter education problems in the state, according to an AZCIR analysis of rejected ballots and interviews with elections experts and legislators.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Native American voters; Permanent absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Wendy Underhill
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL); Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
4 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
Much of our work involves gathering and disseminating unbiased elections-related information for legislators. You’ll be glad to know that there is a great deal of overlap between their interests and the questions you are addressing here at the commission. I’ll start right off with the top five issues that legislators ask us about. You’ll see that integrity and costs are common themes through most of these issues.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Matt Crane
Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Colorado
3 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
A benefit of transitioning to a Vote Center election model was the anticipated decline in provisional ballots. Other Colorado counties had reported that once they transitioned to Vote Centers, the number of provisional ballots had dropped considerably from polling place totals. The main reason for that is because people could no longer vote in the wrong precinct. However, provisional ballots did not decrease in Arapahoe County in 2012. The number of provisional ballots actually increased.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote centers
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Steven Huefner
Harvard Journal on Legislation
National
62 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
Many matters of U.S. election administration have attracted significant popular, political, and scholarly attention in recent years. Largely slighted, however, has been the matter of how the various state election systems respond when an election outcome is unsettled or contested. Moreover, some recent electoral reforms, such as widespread provisional balloting and increased use of no-fault absentee voting, actually may increase the frequency with which contested elections occur. This Article explores the complex issues that arise in remedying a failed election, and urges states to refine and clarify their remedial standards and procedures for resolving an election dispute.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day emergencies; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
David Wagner
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
National
85 page(s)
8/13/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Security; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
44 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
Indiana has enacted the most restrictive voter identification law in the nation. The State defends the law by arguing that petitioners lack standing to challenge it and that even a hypothetical risk of fraud is sufficient to justify the very real burdens that the law imposes on Indiana voters, many of whom cannot easily obtain the required voter identification. The State’s arguments do not withstand scrutiny.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Supreme Court of the United States
Indiana
38 page(s)
12/20/2007
Abstract:
Petitioners showed that the Indiana Photo ID Law imposes significant burdens on voting by a substantial number of people, while serving little or no legitimate public purpose. In their answering brief, the state respondents offer little more than obfuscation.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
Connecticut Citizen Action Group; Connecticut Citizen Election Audit Coalition ; Connecticut Common Cause; CTVotersCount.org; League of Women Voters of Connecticut
Connecticut
38 page(s)
2/28/2013
Abstract:
After the November 2012 Federal election, Connecticut conducted its eleventh large-scale post-election audit. This was also the Connecticut Citizen Election Audit Coalition’s eleventh large audit observation. The Coalition includes the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, Connecticut Common Cause, Connecticut Citizen Action Group, and Connecticut Voters Count. The purpose of the observation was to demonstrate citizen interest in the process, increase citizen involvement in elections, provide feedback to the Secretary of the State and the Connecticut Legislature on the audit process, and provide the public with information necessary to determine their confidence in our elections.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Poll watchers; Post-election audits
Combine With: Voter confidence
June Lagmay
Los Angeles City Clerk; Los Angeles City Council
California
33 page(s)
11/18/2009
Abstract:
This report discusses the advantages, disadvantages, mitigation strategies and costs of implementing an all-VBM election program in elections and non-Citywide Special Elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Special elections; Vote centers; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Betti Sheldon; Sam Reed
Election Reform Task Force, Washington Governor
Washington
24 page(s)
3/1/2005
Abstract:
Washington State has recently experienced the closest Governor's election in United States history. The extremely close outcome has highlighted both imperfections in our election systems and mistakes made that are clearly unacceptable. As a result, Governor Christine O. Gregoire formed the Election Reform Task Force and charged its members to recommend ways to improve the state's election system. The Task Force held five public meetings across the state for the public to provide ideas and concerns about the state's election system. In addition to testimony and written comments received at the five public hearings, the Task Force received feedback on a questionnaire distributed at the public hearings and available on the website. This report is the summation of the public input and the recommendations of the Task Force.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Military voters; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Voter confidence
Common Cause
National; New Mexico; Ohio
11 page(s)
12/7/2004
Abstract:
The report provides a preliminary analysis of what we found and concludes with a look at some of the reforms needed to fix our nation’s dysfunctional voting systems. The report also highlights some of the problems in Ohio as a starting point and describes the information Common Cause and others received on Election Day. In Ohio the reports from voters focused on registration problems, access to polling places (long lines, etc.), and absentee ballot problems. Voters also reported problems with voting machines and the use of provisional ballots.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Nonpartisan election administration; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Public opinion; Wait times
Bernard Siskin
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
71 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
In the November 2013 election, Pennsylvania voters may be required to present valid photo ID in order to cast a regular in-person ballot. The question arises as to how many registered voters in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (“PA,” “Pennsylvania,” or “Commonwealth”) currently lack such valid photo ID. Counsel for Petitioners in this matter have asked me to determine the number of currently Registered Voters who lack an acceptable voter ID issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (“Penn DOT”) or Pennsylvania Department of State (“DOS”).
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Litigation
Dana Chisnell; Ethan Newby; Janice Redish; Sharon Laskowski; Svetlana Lowry
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
198 page(s)
5/1/2009
Abstract:
In a study of 45 voters in three geographic locations comparing a ballot with traditional language instructions to a ballot with plain language instructions, we collected both performance and preference data. The traditional language was language commonly found in actual ballots across the United States. A detailed explanation of plain language can be found in Part 1 of the full report. For performance data, participants voted on ballots that differed only in the wording and placement of instructions: Ballot A, traditional instructions; Ballot B, plain language instructions. Half of the participants voted in the order Ballot A / Ballot B; the other half in the order Ballot B / Ballot A. For preference data, after voting both ballots, participants commented on 16 pairs of pages, giving us preference page by page, as well as an overall preference at the end.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Ballot wording; Senior voters; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Susan Inman
Reimbursement Study Group, Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners
Arkansas
5 page(s)
5/5/2011
Abstract:
A number of problems with the reimbursement process have been noted, and this study group is being asked to look at those problems with an eye toward determining whether an easier, fairer, quicker process can be developed.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation
Combine With: Costs
Matthew Dunlap
Commission to Study the Conduct of Elections in Maine, Maine Secretary of State; Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs, Maine Legislature
Maine
28 page(s)
1/28/2013
Abstract:
This report does not recommend any radical changes in our election laws. Indeed, we believe our suggestions are modest and, if adopted, will cause only minor changes in our election laws and practices. This result is undoubtedly due to the fact that our State has heretofore done an outstanding job in administering its elections year in and year out.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day holiday; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Optical scan voting machines; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Turnout
Committee to Review Physical and Operational Security of the Danaher Controls 1242 Electronic Voting Machine; New Castle County Department of Elections
Delaware
27 page(s)
6/22/2004
Abstract:
The purpose of this committee was to review the physical and operational security of the Danaher Controls 1242 Electronic Voting Machine as used by the Department of Elections for New Castle County and to make recommendations to the Board. This review included a review of the processes used in tabulating each citizen's vote.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Poll worker training; Security
Brian Schoeneman; Cameron Quinn
Fairfax County Electoral Board
Virginia
33 page(s)
12/11/2013
Abstract:
The Fairfax County Electoral Board (“FCEB”) has developed the following report in response to concerns raised by the community regarding issues surrounding the November 5, 2013 General Election in Virginia. Given the intense scrutiny the Board and the Fairfax County Office of Elections (“FCOE”) came under during this election, given tabulation problems in the 8th Congressional District and controversy surrounding the Electoral Board’s handling of the provisional ballot meeting, the Board has chosen to provide this voluntary report on the events that occurred during the election and canvass where questions were raised by various participants.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Special Investigations Unit, Milwaukee Police Department
Wisconsin
67 page(s)
2/1/2008
Abstract:
In 2004 the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, at the direction of District Attorney E. Michael McCann participated with federal authorities and the Milwaukee Police Force in a Joint Task Force investigating possible voter fraud. Today's Report is issued by the Milwaukee Police Department's Special Investigations Unit, and contains that unit's investigative findings, opinions and recommendations, especially relating to the management of elections within the City of Milwaukee. The findings, opinions and recommendations expressed in this Report will be closely considered by District Attorney John Chisholm as relevant to the investigation of future allegations of election related misconduct, but this office did not participate in the preparation of the report and is not endorsing the findings, opinions or recommendations of the report at this time.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Homeless voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Kenneth Cuccinelli II
Rights Restoration Advisory Committee, Virginia Attorney General
Virginia
6 page(s)
5/28/2013
Abstract:
Questions of law have arisen in recent public policy discussions regarding the manner and extent to which the restoration of civil rights for persons convicted of felonies may be accomplished in Virginia. Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II appointed an advisory committee to consider these legal questions. The Attorney General’s Rights Restoration Advisory Committee examined Article II, § 1 as well as the constitutional provision setting forth the Governor’s clemency powers. The committee also considered alternatives that may be available within the existing framework of the Constitution of Virginia to restore the civil rights of individuals who, after having been convicted of certain nonviolent felonies, have completed their sentences and paid all fines and court-ordered restitution, if any.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Judy Duffy; Norman Turrill
Election Audits Task Force, League of Women Voters
National
30 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
This report consists of four key parts: Recommended Guidelines for Election Audits, Criteria for an Election Auditing Law, Glossary of Election Audits Terminology, and Election Audits Resources. These sections are intended to be used together in their entirety.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Security; Usability testing; Voter education campaigns
Jonathan Katz
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division
Indiana
16 page(s)
11/7/2005
Abstract:
I was asked by legal counsel in this case to evaluate the reports of Dr. Marjorie Randon Hershey and Mr. Kimball W. Brace on the impact of Indiana’s new requirement that voters present proof of identification before being allowed to vote (Senate Enrolled Act 483). A summary of my basic findings is as follows: Dr. Hershey’s report is pure speculation without any quantitative evidence on the likely magnitude and distribution across Indiana’s citizens of the law’s likely impact. Mr. Brace’s analysis, while more quantitative than Dr. Hershey’s, suffers from several serious statistical flaws that prevent any scientifically valid conclusions to be drawn from it on the likely impact of SEA 483 on voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Kansas Secretary of State; Sedgwick County Election Commissioner
Kansas
6 page(s)
12/21/2012
Abstract:
On election night November 6, 2012, and during the days immediately following the election, the Sedgwick County (hereinafter, “SGCO”) Election Commissioner’s office and Secretary of State’s office received questions from the media, candidates, political parties, and members of the voting public about a delay in the reporting of election results after the polls closed on election day. Secretary of State Kris Kobach sent a task force of members of his staff to assess the cause of the delay in election night results and to identify possible remedies to the problem. The task force met with the SGCO Election Commissioner and with a representative of the vendor, Election Systems and Software (ES&S), that manufactures the tabulation and reporting software used by SGCO.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place management; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Daron Shaw; Vincent Hutchings
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
19 page(s)
6/21/2013
Abstract:
We assume that the goal here is to (a) reduce incidences in which voter eligibility is at issue, and (b) provide an opportunity for all eligible voters to participate. In light of these goals, we recommend the best practices identified in the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s 2010 report on provisional voting: improving voter outreach/ communication, adding to staff and poll worker training, encouraging more consistent and comprehensive Election Day management procedures, and strengthening procedures for offering and counting provisional ballots as well as upgrading post-election statistical systems. These recommendations respect differences between and amongst the states, but provide a pathway for achieving consistency within states and improving voting procedures across the board. We also recommend that provisional ballot procedures are consistent within a given state, that younger voters be targeted for outreach, that provisional voting data be integrated into the voter lists and analyzed to inform outreach, and that both Election Day and (especially) post-election procedures for using and counting provisional ballots be strictly defined, understood, and implemented by election administrators.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Charles Stewart III; Stephen Ansolabehere
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
20 page(s)
6/26/2013
Abstract:
Voter registration list development and maintenance is a rapidly changing aspect of election administration. Not only must the lists change continually to stay current, but state laws and technologies are changing very quickly and in ways that will reshape the registration systems in the future. The most significant of these changes are (i) the introduction of On-Line Registration and Same Day Registration, (ii) the development by private organizations of national registration lists, and (iii) the creation of new technologies for managing large databases and matching and tracking individual records. We see several opportunities for innovation and improvement in the registration system.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Daniel Tokaji; Jan Leighley; Jonathan Nagler; Nathan Cemenska
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
43 page(s)
12/14/2009
Abstract:
Recent decades have seen a large number of states adopt non-precinct voting procedures, and such reforms have now gained wide public support. In striking contrast, scholars have paid relatively little attention to the impact of alternative procedures, locations and timing in the conduct of elections. One of the reasons for this lack of attention is the absence of a detailed dataset on state laws governing the availability and procedures associated with non-precinct voting laws for federal, state and local elections. With the support of the Pew Foundation, we have collected data on state laws governing non-precinct voting in each state for each presidential year election from 1972 thru 2008. This report describes the procedures used to collect these data and describes our basic findings regarding the availability of, methods for and identification requirements associated with absentee and early voting in the states.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Turnout
Diane Struzzi ; Rose Gill Hearn
New York City Department of Investigation
New York
22 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
Rose Gill Hearn, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued a report today finding the New York City Board of Elections (“BOE”) could have saved the City at least $2.4 million during the November 2011 general election by consolidating approximately 50% of the election districts and reducing the staffing number of election inspectors by about half. This was an off-year election with no major races on the ballot and where low-voter turnout was expected. Thus, in advance of the election, the BOE was urged at public hearings and by the media to consolidate, which it is legally permitted to do when anticipated voter turnout is low, and which has been done in the past. Instead, the BOE fully staffed its polling sites with 28,279 workers assigned to 6,102 election districts. DOI examined the decisions made by the BOE regarding resources used in this election including their decision not to staff poll sites as efficiently as possible.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Donetta Davidson
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
72 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
This report presents details on election reform payments received and spent by each State and related information.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Maintenance; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
John Steen
Texas Legislature; Texas Secretary of State
Texas
15 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This report is submitted in accordance with Section 43.007(j) of the Texas Election Code, (“the Code”) which requires the Secretary of State to file a report with the Texas Legislature no later than the first day of each odd-numbered year regarding specific complaints or concerns filed with the office of the Secretary of State related to counties participating in the countywide election day polling places program (“Program”) for the 2011/2012 election year cycle. Under the Program, counties were eligible to apply to use countywide voting locations (also known as "super precincts" or "vote centers") for elections held on the November 2011 and 2012 uniform election dates and elections held countywide on the May uniform election date, instead of providing polling places at each regular county election precinct. Participation in the Program is limited to those counties that exclusively use direct recording electronic ("DRE") voting systems and provide a computerized and linked voter registration list at each countywide polling place.
Subject(s):
Vote centers; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Gregory Irving
Philadelphia City Commissioners
Pennsylvania
14 page(s)
12/5/2012
Abstract:
The General Election took place on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. During this Election Cycle, the Department faced a number of unique challenges, including the Photo Voter ID Law, a lengthy challenge to petitions of the Libertarian candidates, nearly 100 polling place changes, and a hurricane the week before Election Day. The office of the City Commissioners, which includes the Voter Registration Division and the County Board of Elections, has completed a review of all the relevant events that took place before, during and after the General Election that impacted this election cycle.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Voter ID; Voter registration
Ruth Mandel
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University; Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
35 page(s)
6/28/2006
Abstract:
This study provides information on voter identification practices in the 2004 election. It makes recommendations for best practices to evaluate future proposals for voter ID requirements, including the systematic collection and evaluation of information from the states.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Chris Kromm
Facing South; The Institute for Southern Studies
North Carolina
2 page(s)
2/2/2011
Abstract:
Today, Facing South and the Institute for Southern Studies released an analysis showing that a voter ID bill proposed by North Carolina Republicans could cost the state $20 million or more over the next three years, exacerbating the state's $3.7 billion budget gap. Drawing on data from other states, the Facing South/Institute for Southern Studies report concludes that an effective voter ID program could end up costing North Carolina taxpayers $18 to $25 million over three years, just slightly more than the estimated price tag for a similar measure in Missouri.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Douglas Hess; Jody Herman
Project Vote
National
48 page(s)
11/1/2009
Abstract:
Representational Bias in the 2008 Electorate reviews the story of who was eligible to vote, who was registered to vote, and who did vote in the 2008 general election. By comparing this data with those from other recent elections, the report presents a picture of the changing electorate in the United States, and identifies the changes in the extent to which participation in our federal elections is–and is not–representative of the population that is eligible to vote in America. These findings are based on the authors’ analysis of the November Voting and Registration Supplements of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, a biennial nationwide survey of approximately 90,000 adult citizens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
National
5 page(s)
8/13/2012
Abstract:
The poll asked respondents a series of questions related to voter ID laws and voter registration rules in their state. Over half, and in some cases two thirds to three fourths of young Republicans and conservatives either were unsure about the laws in their state or were incorrect in their understanding of voting laws and requirements. This is consistent with other demographic groups, indicating an information gap amongst young voters and potential voters.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Armin Schafer
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies
National
30 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
This paper starts from four observations: (1) voter turnout is declining in established democracies; (2) low turnout means socio-economically unequal turnout; (3) compulsory voting is an effective means to increase turnout; (4) even low-turnout countries, however, have neither introduced nor even contemplated a legal obligation to vote. A closer look at the arguments against compulsory voting shows that these draw on assumptions from liberal political theory, which defines freedom negatively as non-interference. This concept of freedom has been challenged by “neo-republican” writers who, in the neo-Athenian tradition, understand freedom as “sharing in self-government” and, in the neo-Roman, as “non-domination.” Both strands of republicanism attach importance to political participation and, it will be argued, offer reasons to support compulsory voting. The purpose of this paper is to show that opponents to mandatory voting have to rely on liberal assumptions that have not remained uncontested and to outline a republican defense of equal participation.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
Hans von Spakovsky
The Heritage Foundation
National; North Carolina
9 page(s)
7/18/2013
Abstract:
America is one of the few democracies in the world that do not uniformly require voters to present photo identification when they vote. All of the other 100 countries administer such a requirement without any problems and without any reports that their citizens are in any way unable to vote. Requiring voters to authenticate their identity is a perfectly reasonable and easily met requirement. It is supported by the vast majority of voters of all races and ethnic backgrounds. As the U.S. Supreme Court has said, voter ID protects the integrity and reliability of the electoral process. It should be applied to in-person voting as well as to absentee ballot voting, which is all too often the “tool of choice” of vote thieves.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF); Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
6 page(s)
6/7/2013
Abstract:
We strongly encourage a “whole process” approach to improvements in UOCAVA voting. It is not just a ballot problem, or a registration form problem or a participation problem and there is no single fix for the low level of participation. The trends in UOCAVA voting are moving in the right direction; however it is not sufficient. Technology adoption, communications and process refinements are urgently needed. States and counties must more broadly implement comprehensive, usable technology and support voters in the process.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Charles Stewart III
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
21 page(s)
2/7/2005
Abstract:
This report documents the improvement in one measure of election system performance that the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project championed following the 2000 election --- the “residual vote rate.” Utilizing the official election returns that have been published by the date of this report, the residual vote rate fell from 1.91% in 2000 to 1.07% in 2004. Assuming this comparison holds firm once the last few states have reported their official turnout numbers, and assuming that the states that do not report turnout at all had similar improvements in ballot accuracy across the quadrennium, this works out to a recovery of one million “lost votes” between 2000 and 2004.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Charles Stewart III; Stephen Ansolabehere
The Journal of Politics
National
34 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
We examine the relavtive performance of voting technologies by studying presidential, gubernatorial and senatorial elections returns across hundres of counties in the United States from 1988 to 2000. Relying on a fixed-effects regression applied to an unbalanced panel of counties, we find that in presidential elections, traditional paper ballots produce the lowest rate of uncounted votes (i.e., "residual votes"), followed by optically scanned ballots, mechanical lever machines, direct register electronic machines (DREs), and punch cards. In gubernatorial and senatorial races, paper, optical scan ballots, and DREs are significantly better in minimizing the residual vote rate than mechanical lever machines and punch cards. If all jurisdictions in the United States that used punch cards in 2000 had used optically scanned ballots instead, we estimate that approximately 500,000 more votes would have been attributed to presidential candidates nationwide.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
18 page(s)
3/30/2001
Abstract:
In this report, we examine the relative reliability of different machines by examining how changes in technologies within localities over time explain changes in the incidence of ballots that are spoiled, uncounted, or unmarked – or in the lingo of the day the incidence of “over” and “under votes.” If existing technology does not affect the ability or willingness of voters to register preferences, then incidence of over and under votes will be unrelated to what sort of machine is used in a county.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards
Combine With: Errors
Justin Levitt
William & Mary Law Review
National
77 page(s)
2/19/2012
Abstract:
The ghosts of the 2000 presidential election will return in 2012. Photo-finish, and error-laden, elections recur in each cycle. When the margin of error exceeds the margin of victory, officials and courts must decide which, if any, errors to discount or excuse, knowing that the answer will likely determine the election’s winner. Yet despite widespread agreement on the likelihood of another national meltdown, neither courts nor scholars have developed consistent principles for resolving the errors that cause the chaos. This Article advances such a principle, reflecting the underlying values of the electoral process. It argues that the resolution of an election error should turn on its materiality: whether the error is material to the eligibility of a voter or the determination of her ballot preference.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Paul Hastings
Georgia Appleseed; Georgia Election Protection Coalition; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Georgia
18 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
The following report identifies major recurring election problems that could interfere with the ability of eligible Georgia voters to cast a ballot during the November 2012 elections and offers suggested solutions to these problems. This report is not intended to be a critique of current election laws in Georgia. Rather, it sets forth practical steps that can largely be implemented within the existing legal framework in Georgia through coalition efforts of attorneys, community organizations and state and local elections officials.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
19 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
In this chapter, we argue that, despite federal and state efforts to make voter registration easier and more convenient for voters, the existing patchwork quilt of registration practices and regulations remain a barrier to some many eligible citizens. This patchwork quilt has produced a voter registration system that is likely more costly and less accurate that other types of voter registration systems. Thus, the United States should consider a process for implementing an active, rather than passive, voter registration process. Implementation of an active voter registration process should make registration issues less of a burden for many eligible citizens, lower the costs of election administration, and produce a voter registry that is both more accurate and more comprehensive.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Facing South; The Institute for Southern Studies
North Carolina
3 page(s)
2/17/2011
Abstract:
When Republicans launched campaigns in 20 states this year for laws requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls, they likely saw it as a chance to score a quick political victory on one of their favorite causes. But the GOP's urgent and coordinated push is encountering growing resistance, led by citizens who fear they could be disenfranchised by new barriers to voting, as well as election officials who balk at the price tag of a costly new government program. This week in North Carolina, voting rights advocates -- holding signs reading "Stop Photo ID, Respect My Vote" -- descended on the legislature to oppose a bill Republicans plan to introduce next week. The diverse group reflected the range of N.C. voters who could be affected -- seniors, students, the disabled and low-income and homeless citizens who may not have photo ID cards. Rep. William Brisson (D) called the measure a "slap in the face" to his largely rural district in Bladen County.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Daniel Tokaji
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
40 page(s)
1/29/2014
Abstract:
The article argues that Shelby County provides an opportunity for Congress to take constructive action to protect the vote for all eligible citizens. It proposes a Grand Election Bargain: federal legislation that would expand the opportunities for voter registration (a priority for Democrats) while requiring voter identification (a priority for Republicans) in federal elections. The approach suggested here is a necessary complement to the race-based remedies available under current law, one that would expand the right to vote more generally. It is a proposal for a Voting Rights Act that will address the problems of the current century rather than those of the last century.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Catherine Weiss; Justin Levitt; Spencer Overton; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; People for the American Way Foundation; The National Network on State Election Reform
National
33 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
This paper addresses the main substantive flaws in the Report, refuting in detail its recommendations that “Real ID” cards be used for voter identification, that Social Security numbers be spread through interstate databases and on ID cards, and that states restore voting rights to people convicted of felony convictions only in certain cases and only after they have completed all the terms of their sentence. These recommendations are ill-advised and should not set the standard for election reform in the states.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Erika Wood
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
38 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
The right to vote forms the core of American democracy. Our history is marked by successful struggles to expand the franchise, to include those previously barred from the electorate because of race, class, or gender. As a result our democracy is richer, more diverse, and more representative of the people than ever before. There remains, however, one significant blanket barrier to the franchise. 5.3 million American citizens are not allowed to vote because of a felony conviction. As many as 4 million of these people live, work and raise families in our communities, but because of a conviction in their past they are still denied the right to vote.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Estelle Rogers
Project Vote
National
12 page(s)
3/1/2014
Abstract:
This policy paper examines the varying ways in which states regulate or prevent voting by former felons, and concludes with policy recommendations.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Turnout
Privacy and Technologies of Identity: A Cross-Disciplinary Conversation; Project Vote
National
17 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This policy paper examines the varying ways in which states regulate or prevent voting by former felons, and concludes with policy recommendations.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Nabajyoti Barkakati
Task Force for the Contested Election in the 13th Congressional District of Florida, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Florida
44 page(s)
2/8/2008
Abstract:
In November 2006, about 18,000 undervotes were reported in Sarasota County in the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District (Florida-13). After the election results were contested in the House of Representatives, the task force unanimously voted to seek GAO’s assistance in determining whether the voting systems contributed to the large undervote in Sarasota County. In October 2007, GAO presented its findings on the review of the voting systems and concluded that while prior tests and reviews provided some assurance that the voting systems performed correctly, they were not enough to provide reasonable assurance that the voting systems in Sarasota County did not contribute to the undervote. GAO proposed that a firmware verification test, a ballot test, and a calibration test be conducted. The task force requested that GAO proceed with the proposed additional tests. GAO also verified whether source code escrowed by Florida could be rebuilt into the firmware used in Sarasota County.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors
Mathew Streb
Routledge
National
242 page(s)
1/26/2011
Abstract:
While frustration with various aspects of American democracy abound in the United States, there is little agreement over—or even understanding of—what kinds of changes would make the system more effective and increase political participation. Matthew J. Streb sheds much needed light on all the major concerns of the electoral process in this timely book on improving American electoral democracy. This critical examination of the rules and institutional arrangements that shape the American electoral process analyzes the major debates that embroil scholars and reformers on subjects ranging from the number of elections we hold and the use of nonpartisan elections, to the presidential nominating process and campaign finance laws. Ultimately, Streb argues for a less burdensome democracy, a democracy in which citizens can participate more easily in transparent, competitive elections.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Election types; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Ann Crigler ; Edward McCaffery; Marion Just
Oxford University Press
National
286 page(s)
9/25/2003
Abstract:
"
Rethinking the Vote: The Politics and Prospects of American Election Reform centers on what can and should be learned about the processes of voting. Using the 2000 presidential election as a starting point, this collection of essays puts forth a constructive effort to learn from what transpired and to offer potential solutions for the future. Featuring work by leading academics and participants in the real-world drama of the 2000 election, it examines the legal, political, and institutional problems of administering elections in the U.S."
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation; Public opinion
Joshua Benaloh
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
26 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
When the Australian secret ballot was introduced in the 1850s, it not only provided privacy for those voters who wanted it, but it also effectively eliminated coercion by allowing no viable means for voters to prove their votes to third parties. In an environment where the privacy of voters is enforced by independent observers, coerced voters could freely express their true preferences while making their selections. In contrast, modern technologies render the traditional poll-site protections largely ineffective, and the limited remaining options for preserving these protections will almost certainly disappear in the not-too-distant future. Today, in-person voters routinely carry video recording equipment and other technologies that facilitate coercion into polls, and although not yet ubiquitous, inexpensive and unobtrusive wearable video recording devices are readily available. In view of these realities, it is appropriate to re-examine the efforts and countermeasures currently employed and explore what defenses are possible and reasonable against various forms of voter coercion.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Internet voting; Security
Karl Aro
Office of Policy Analysis, Maryland Department of Legislative Services
Maryland
147 page(s)
11/1/2001
Abstract:
The report compiles quantitative and qualitative data to describe, assess, and provide inter-state comparative information on Maryland election practices and the State’s success in implementing newly imposed requirements.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Bob Rotz; Gregory Rest; Justin Brown; Stefanie Papps
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Virginia General Assembly
Virginia
37 page(s)
6/14/2010
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits
Combine With: Costs
Alan Butkovitz
Philadelphia City Commissioners; Philadelphia Controller
Pennsylvania
24 page(s)
5/1/2013
Abstract:
Pursuant to Section 6 - 400(d) of the Home Rule Charter, the City Controller’s Office conducted an audit of the provisional ballots cast in the 2012 City of Philadelphia presidential election to determine the reason(s) for the widespread use of provisional ballots by voters in that election. A synopsis of the results of our work, which was performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, is provided in the executive summary to the report.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Mark Goins
Davidson County Election Commission ; Tennessee Coordinator of Elections
Tennessee
26 page(s)
4/25/2013
Abstract:
It is our opinion that the 2012 election cycle was marred by a series of avoidable errors and violations of law in Davidson County. While minor mistakes are understandable, our review uncovered an unacceptable pattern of serious errors. These errors were sometimes repeated, often at a cost to taxpayers, and have led to an erosion of confidence in the Davidson County Election Commission.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Ellen Hansen
Citizens' Elections Oversight Committee, King County; Metropolitan King County Council
Washington
12 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
This report provides the Oversight Committee’s recommendations about implementing the Executive’s proposal and includes a summary of public testimony and comments received by the CEOC.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Edward Foote II; James Smith
Collins Center for Public Policy ; Select Task Force on Election Procedures, Standards and Technology, Florida Governor
Florida
78 page(s)
3/1/2001
Abstract:
The Governor recognized that Florida’s experiences with the 2000 presidential election required immediate review and action. He charged the Task Force with completing its work and submitting a final report by March 1, 2001, so that the Florida Legislature could consider recommendations during its Regular Session in March and April 2001. The Task Force has been very serious about its assignment and responsibility and has kept very busy. It has held five meetings in four Florida locations within a month: January 8 and January 9 in Tallahassee, January 23 in Orlando, February 1 in Davie near Ft. Lauderdale, and February 6 in Jacksonville. During its short life, it has heard 16 invited speakers, listened to 83 members of the public who chose to testify, received thousands of inquiries at its Internet site, and responded to hundreds of E-mails, phone calls, proposals and recommendations. Its deliberations have been broadcast and publicized widely. More than 90% of the members of the Task Force attended all of its meetings and most stayed through all of its deliberations to hear public testimony early in the evenings in Orlando, Davie, and Jacksonville. This Final Report is an important step along the way of continuing to improve Florida’s elections system.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Civic education; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Internet voting; Nonpartisan election administration; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Recounts; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Stephen Berger
State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference; TEM Consulting, LP
National
27 page(s)
6/15/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Anand Sarwate ; Hovav Shacham; Stephen Checkoway
Statistics, Politics and Policy
National
36 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
Post-election audits are an important method for verifying the outcome of an election. Recent work on risk-limiting, post-election audits has focused almost exclusively on plurality elections. Several organization and municipalities use nonplurality methods such as range voting, the Borda count, and instant-runoff voting (IRV). We believe that it is crucial to develop effective methods of performing risk-limiting, post-election audits for these methods. We define a general notion of the margin of victory and develop risk-limiting auditing procedures for these nonplurality methods. For positional or scored systems, we show how to adapt methods from plurality auditing. For IRV, the situation is markedly different. We provide a risk-limiting method for auditing the candidate elimination order. We provide a more efficient audit for the elections in which the margin of the IRV election can be efficiently calculated or bounded. We provide efficiently computable upper and lower bounds on the margin and, where possible, compare them to the exact margins for a large number of real elections.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Post-election audits
Philip Stark
Department of Statistics, Kansas State University
National
39 page(s)
10/2/2008
Abstract:
Eighteen states require or allow post election audits; New Jersey is the latest. Oregon and other states are poised to require them. Generally, the state-mandated audits do not control the risk of certifying an incorrect election outcome. They do not guarantee any minimum chance that there will be a full manual count when the apparent outcome is wrong. I will present a method that does. The method has been tested on data from a 2006 U.S. Senate race in MN and “live” on a 2008 ballot measure in Marin County, CA. Between 3 and 5 California counties will be trying the method this November. The method couches the problem of confirming an election outcome as a statistical hypothesis test, and tests the hypothesis sequentially.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Jennie Bretschneider; Mark Halvorson; Mark Lindeman; Pamela Smith; Philip Stark; Roger Johnston; Ronald Rivest; Sean Flaherty; Susannah Goodman
Risk-Limiting Audits Working Group
National
50 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
How can we determine whether vote-counting systems have performed well in specific elections? We need to check the evidence. Computerized systems may produce incorrect results due to programming errors or deliberate subversion. Even hand counts may be erroneous. Risk limiting audits systematically check the election outcomes reported by vote-counting systems. Specifically, a risk-limiting audit checks some voted ballots or voter-verifiable records in search of strong evidence that the reported election outcome was correct – if it was. Specifically, if the reported outcome (usually the set of winner(s)) is incorrect, then a risk-limiting audit has a large, pre-specified minimum chance of leading to a full hand count that reveals the correct outcome. A risk-limiting audit can stop as soon as it finds strong evidence that the reported outcome was correct. (Closer elections generally entail checking more ballots.)
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Recounts
Combine With: Voter confidence
Charles Bell; Craig Burkhardt; Harvey Tettlebaum; Jason Hanselman; Justin Riemer; Larry Levy; Michael Thielen
Republican National Lawyers Association
National
39 page(s)
4/10/2014
Abstract:
The Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) issues this report to offer its perspective on the recent report of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration (PCEA) outlining recommendations to improve election administration in the United States. RNLA agrees with many of the Commission’s recommendations, particularly its identification of deficiencies in our voter registration system as a significant contributor to Election Day problems such as long lines at the polls. The PCEA’s recommendations to reform voter registration are good ones and, if states adopted them, the reforms should greatly improve citizens’ voting experience. RNLA offers other suggestions in addition to adopting many of the PCEA’s recommendations. Taken in tandem, these recommendations will result in a secure and voter-friendly voter registration system that provides alternatives to same-day voter registration while avoiding the management issues which historically attend the combining of two functions on Election Day – voting and registration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Security; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout; Wait times
Albert Burstein; Jerry Fitzgerald English; Peter Tober
New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission
New Jersey
43 page(s)
11/16/2004
Abstract:
The purpose of this report has been to review and evaluate the presentation, accessibility, convenience, usefulness, and comprehensiveness of the information made available by the Commission to the public through its Internet site. A key recommendation for an appropriation is made in the first appendix to improve still further the convenience and usefulness of ELEC’s already highly-regarded homepage. Previous chapters set forth steps that have been taken to enhance the Commission’s technological underpinnings in the past as well as to ready the stage for future projects.
Subject(s):
Voter information materials
Jeff Narabrook
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Minnesota
64 page(s)
9/17/2012
Abstract:
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits used GIS software to calculate distances between Minnesota municipalities and nursing homes to their county auditor and the nearest eligible DVS site for free voter ID. The following are the results.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Steven Carbó
Demos
District of Columbia
4 page(s)
10/8/2010
Abstract:
Demos partnered this year with political scientists at four leading universities (Rachel Cobb, Suffolk University; Thad Hall, University of Utah; Jan Leighley, American University; Costas Panagopulos, Fordham University) and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law on a multi-part study of the primary election. First, we placed a number of volunteers at polling places throughout the District during high volume periods to observe the voting process there. I will summarize our observations at eight precincts in Wards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, during the first several hours after the poll opened and the last several hours before the polls.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Spencer Overton
Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review
National
38 page(s)
2002
Abstract:
Conflicts over form—the choice between rules and standards—permeate the law that governs the political process, from the Supreme Court’s landmark recognition of the one-person, one-vote principle to Bush v. Gore. Although the struggle between rules and standards has been carefully examined in many other areas of the law, commentators have generally overlooked this conflict in the law that governs the political process. As a result, they have failed to recognize the critical implications of crafting legal directives in the political context in the form of rules or standards. This Article seeks to illuminate the unique nature of the conflict in the political realm.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Canvassing & election certification; Election administrators; Punch cards; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation
Estelle Rogers
Project Vote
Iowa; Maine; Minnesota; Montana; New Hampshire; North Carolina
6 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
Despite the growing acceptance of SDR across the country and its smooth implementation for 35 years—including decades before the advent of statewide voter databases mandated by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)—there is still resistance to adopting such policies in many states. Some of the attacks emanate from the misguided pronouncements of partisans seeking electoral advantage, such as the notion that SDR laws will unfairly advantage one party over another. Others raise the specter of so-called voter fraud and paint SDR as a way to game the system. However, these allegations and concerns have proven unfounded, and SDR has been a successful and powerful means of expanding the number of voters and enhancing the diversity of the electorate for multiple election cycles.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voting methods; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
National
2 page(s)
2/1/2013
Abstract:
Same Day Registration (SDR) allows eligible voters to register to vote and cast their ballots on the same day. Depending on the state, this one-stop process for registering and voting may be offered on Election Day, during the early voting period, or both. Eligible voters can also use Same Day Registration to correct an outdated voter registration record and cast a ballot that will be counted. Pioneered by Maine, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the early-to-mid-1970s, eleven states (California, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia have now enacted the reform.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
Maryland
8 page(s)
12/1/2010
Abstract:
Authors R. Michael Alvarez (California Institute of Technology) and Jonathan Nagler (New York University) have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Maryland adopt Same Day Registration (SDR).
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
North Carolina
8 page(s)
Spring 2007
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should North Carolina adopt Election Day Registration (EDR).
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Demos
West Virginia
10 page(s)
Spring 2011
Abstract:
We have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should West Virginia adopt Same Day Registration.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Anthony Gierzynski
Cambria Press
National
446 page(s)
5/18/2011
Abstract:
In this book, Anthony Gierzynski addresses the state of electoral reform discourse by offering a new approach that borrows from the field of medicine. Doctors do not prescribe treatment until they have a diagnosis. The same should be true of those who prescribe treatments for American elections. In order to sort through all of the election fixes that have been prescribed, what is needed is a diagnosis of what is actually wrong with elections––not a diagnosis that focuses on one or two aspects of the problem, but a full diagnosis.
Subject(s):
Civic education; International election administration
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Jon Sherman
Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN)
National
10 page(s)
1/14/2014
Abstract:
Partial counting of provisional ballots should be the law of the land. If, as Justice Brandeis wrote, the states serve as “laborator[ies]” in our federal system, then partial counting has already been tested and proven effective and harmless. Votes are salvaged with no detriment to electoral integrity or fairness. And when more than half the country has found a way to avoid or seriously diminish this problem, we are way past the point of tinkering and experimentation. The 22 holdouts should follow the leaders in this area and support their voters by enacting Election Day Registration, statewide registration portability or, at a bare minimum, a partial counting rule for provisional ballots.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Joseph Nuñez ; Mark Ritchie
Task Force on Election Integrity, Minnesota Governor
Minnesota
3 page(s)
1/15/2013
Abstract:
The purpose of this Second Report and Further Recommendations is to provide the Governor and Legislature with additional observations with respect to how Minnesota election laws and systems could be modernized. Over the past year, the Task Force heard from election officials and other experts from both within and outside of our state in connection with our examination of both the voting process and our election systems, including technology opportunities for modernization of voter registration and polling place management. We also heard about the challenges of managing the steadily increasing number of absentee voters and about opportunities for efficiency gains through the adoption of new technology. The Task Force believes that Minnesota's election system is the finest in the nation and our election professionals are dedicated, hard-working public servants. However, the Task Force also believes that various parts of our election system are in need of modernization.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote centers; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs
Yasmin Dawood
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
21 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
This article proposes and develops the concept of “second-best deliberation,” and uses it to evaluate the deliberative possibilities within and the shortcomings of various aspects of the U.S. electoral system, including electoral redistricting, majority-minority districts, political parties and partisanship, the Voting Rights Act, campaign finance regulation, election administration, and electoral reform. Under a second-best approach, the norms of deliberation change depending on the actors and institutions involved. I argue that the concept of deliberation should be reconceived as existing along a spectrum, with ideal deliberation on one end and nonideal deliberation on the other end.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Voter demographics
David Chaum
IEEE Security and Privacy
National
10 page(s)
1/1/2004
Abstract:
Introduced here is a fundamentally new kind of receipt. In the voting booth, the voter can see his or her choices clearly printed on the receipt. After taking it out of the booth, the voter can use it to ensure that the votes it contains are included correctly in the final tally. But, because the choices are safely encrypted before it is removed from the booth, the receipt cannot be used to show others how the voter voted.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Charles Sabatino; Deborah Markowitz; Jason Karlawish
Mobile Polling Pilot Project, Vermont Secretary of State
Vermont
3 page(s)
6/4/2009
Abstract:
During the 2008 general election, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office joined with the University of Pennsylvania and the American Bar Association to develop a pilot program where trained election workers brought ballots to residential care facilities prior to the election to permit eligible residents to register and vote. Residents who were unable to vote independently were offered assistance from bipartisan pairs of election workers who had been trained to work with elderly voters, and in particular, voters who have cognitive impairment.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud
Marc Carrel; Mark Kyle
Ad Hoc Touch Screen Task Force, California Secretary of State
California
56 page(s)
7/1/2003
Abstract:
Secretary of State Kevin Shelley created the Ad Hoc Touch Screen Task Force on February 19, 2003 in response to concerns expressed over the security of DRE voting equipment. The purpose of the Task Force was to study these concerns, discuss possible improvements, and to make recommendations to the Secretary of State and the Voting Systems and Procedures Panel. The Task Force is comprised of individuals who brought vastly different backgrounds, experience, and views on these issues. Over the course of eight meetings, the Task Force heard from the Secretary of State, local election officials, voting system vendors, experts in computer security, a representative of an independent testing authority, a representative of the NASED ITA Technical Subcommittee of the Voting Systems Board, and representatives of the disabled and civil rights community. This report represents a consensus view on the issue.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Voter confidence
Justin Levitt
The Yale Law Journal
National
24 page(s)
6/7/2013
Abstract:
Professor Justin Levitt discusses the Shelby County challenge to section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, noting downsides to the Act’s tremendous symbolic importance. In particular, he finds that the case seems to hinge on a simulacrum of the statute—like an editorial cartoonist’s rendering of a political figure, in which particular features take on exaggerated salience. Many elements of the simulacrum have at least the ring of truth. But though the cartoon version of section 5 resembles the original, the exaggerated features distort rather than clarify our understanding of the actual statute’s constitutionality.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
Enbar Toledano
Emory Law Journal
Arizona; Georgia
46 page(s)
12/1/2011
Abstract:
The VRA has achieved tremendous success since its enactment, due in large part to the powers embedded in section 5. That provision, however, was a temporary measure, designed to remain in place only as long as it was needed. In light of modern developments in black suffrage and political representation, and with the election of President Obama symbolizing to many a post-racial America, increasingly more scholars and politicians argue that section 5 has run its course. This Comment disagrees and suggests that section 5’s language and legislative history confirm it was intended to secure not only access to the vote for black Americans but also access to a meaningful vote for all minorities. In this respect, section 5 still has a significant role to play for the country’s growing numbers of nonblack minorities and naturalized citizens.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Robert Berman
Voting Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Georgia
11 page(s)
8/25/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
Publius (Hans von Spakovsky)
Texas Review of Law & Politics
National
21 page(s)
Spring 2005
Abstract:
It is unfortunately true that in the great democracy in which we live, voter fraud has had a long and studied role in our elections. Maintaining the security of our voter registration and voting process, while at the same time protecting the voting rights of individuals and guaranteeing their access to the polls, must be our foremost objective. Unlike what certain advocates in the civil rights community believe, these goals are not mutually exclusive. Every vote that is stolen through fraud disenfranchises a voter who has cast a legitimate ballot in the same way that an individual who is eligible to vote is disenfranchised when he is kept out of a poll or is somehow otherwise prevented from casting a ballot. In other words, violations of criminal election crimes statutes are just as important as violations of federal voting rights statutes and both cause equal damage to our democracy.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Proof of citizenship requirement; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
20 page(s)
3/1/2004
Abstract:
For this Briefing, electionline.org surveyed the nation’s state election directors on the subject of voting security. Their answers were dominated by VVPAT concerns, most certainly reflecting the intense focus of the last year, but some of them described other procedures – ranging from certification and testing of machines to storage of equipment and training of poll workers – that have similarly important roles in the voting security regime. This report summarizes those responses and looks for trends that could affect the security debate through the November 2004 presidential election and beyond.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
David Callahan; Lorraine Minnite
National
52 page(s)
2003
Abstract:
The overall conclusion of the report is that the incidence of election fraud in the United States is low and that fraud has had a minimal impact on electoral outcomes. The report also finds that the important electoral reforms of recent years have not led to increased election fraud and, in some cases, have helped reduce the potential for fraud. More generally, the report observes that the conditions that have historically led to election fraud have been on the decline for many years. Technological improvements in voting technology, stronger enforcement efforts, and changes in election administration can further reduce the likelihood of fraud.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Nonpartisan election administration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Fraud
Ariel Feldman; Edward Felten; J. Alex Halderman
Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University
National
20 page(s)
9/13/2006
Abstract:
This paper presents a fully independent security study of a Diebold AccuVote-TS voting machine, including its hardware and software. We obtained the machine from a private party. Analysis of the machine, in light of real election procedures, shows that it is vulnerable to extremely serious attacks. For example, an attacker who gets physical access to a machine or its removable memory card for as little as one minute could install malicious code; malicious code on a machine could steal votes undetectably, modifying all records, logs, and counters to be consistent with the fraudulent vote count it creates. An attacker could also create malicious code that spreads automatically and silently from machine to machine during normal election activities—a voting-machine virus. We have constructed working demonstrations of these attacks in our lab. Mitigating these threats will require changes to the voting machine's hardware and software and the adoption of more rigorous election procedures.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Jonathan Goler; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
9 page(s)
4/1/2004
Abstract:
This paper considers problems with ergonomics, logistics, security, fraud, and mechanical fragility with using Voter Verifiable Paper Trail (VVPT). Ergonomic problems are introduced by the receipt having a different layout than the ballot, difficulty remembering previous selections to make the verification, by the extra step it introduces after making selections and by it not working well for sightless people. Logistics problems include difficulties in collecting and organizing the receipts, transporting them, and reading and reconciling them with electronic tallies. Security issues include the possibility that receipts can be systematically misprinted in a way that cannot be detected and that hand counting will not easily detect fraud. Mechanical problems include printer breakdowns and supplies running out. VVPTs could add problems by being questioned in various ways or though the development of computer programs that defraud the VVPT systematically.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Justin Levitt; Michael McDonald
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
12 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
Introductory statistics classes are commonly presented with the Birthday Problem: the surprisingly high probability that two students in the class share the same birthday. Here, we review and extend the Birthday Problem to find the probability that two persons in a given group share an exact birthdate and, in a related calculation, the expected number of matching birthdates in a group of a certain size. These thorny calculations are simplified in a simulation framework. We then apply the “Birthdate Problem” to a pressing legal and public policy debate concerning allegations of widespread double voting and/or multiple registration. We show that these allegations are inflated by not appropriately accounting for the Birthdate Problem, and discuss the implications of the Birthdate Problem for the debate over double voting and the means to address this perceived fraud.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Advancement Project; Hispanic National Bar Association Journal of Law and Policy
National
24 page(s)
9/21/2012
Abstract:
This report finds that 22 states currently have legal barriers that disproportionately impact voter registration and participation by Latino citizens. These obstacles could deter or prevent more than 10 million Latino citizens from registering and voting in the 2012 elections. In many states, the number of eligible Latino citizens that could be affected by these barriers exceeds the margin of victory of the 2008 presidential election.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
86 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
This report discusses the ways that selected jurisdictions covered under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act have provided bilingual voting assistance as of the November 2006 general election and any subsequent elections through June 2007, and the challenges they reportedly faced in providing such assistance; and the perceived usefulness of this bilingual voting assistance, and the extent to which the selected jurisdictions evaluated the usefulness of such assistance to language minority voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Asian-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Kenneth Mayer; Stéphane Lavertu
American Politics Research; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Wisconsin
42 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
We use a principal-agent framework to theorize about how the preferences and actions of local election officials differ depending on whether they are elected or appointed. We test these predictions with a dataset that includes the survey responses of 1,200 Wisconsin local election officials, structured interviews, census data, and returns from the 2008 presidential election. Drawing upon a natural experiment in how officials are selected, we find that, compared to appointed officials, elected officials express greater support for voter access and express less concern about ballot security and administrative costs. For appointed officials, we find that voter turnout in a municipality is lower when the local election official’s self-reported partisanship differs from the partisanship of the electorate, but only in cases where the official is a Republican.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Same day/Election Day registration; Security
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
2 page(s)
9/12/2006
Abstract:
States currently have at least seven alternative means to address potential problems targeted by ID requirements. All seven alternatives, when executed correctly, impose less of a burden on eligible Americans than mandatory ID. And most have long been used successfully in states across the country. Why reach to ID – which will exclude many legitimate voters – when there are so many other ways to ensure that only eligible citizens vote?
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Shane Hamlin
Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC); Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Washington Elections Division
National; Washington
3 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
I am going to cover five topics in my presentation: 1. ERIC’s mission and brief explanation of ERIC, 2. Washington State’s experience with ERIC, 3. Other ERIC benefits to states, 4. Briefly touch on privacy and security and 5. Closing thoughts on voter registration, ERIC and improving elections administration.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Barbara Amwine; Julian Bond; Ralph Neas
Election Protection Coalition; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); People for the American Way Foundation
National; Arizona; Arkansas; Colorado; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Louisiana; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Nevada; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas; Wisconsin
78 page(s)
12/1/2004
Abstract:
This preliminary summary provides an initial view of the types of reports and problems experienced by the Election Protection Coalition during the 2004 Presidential Election Cycle. To date more than 39,000 complaints have been recorded in the Electronic Incident Reporting System (EIRS) database with thousands more still be added. These problems must be analyzed, publicized, and remedied. The margin of victory in the Presidential election led to the popular misconception that the election went smoothly; this summary aims to address that misconception by highlighting the problems voters across the nation encountered and gives voice to the disturbingly large number of citizens who were unable to cast a ballot because of obstacles to the ballot box.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Polling place accessibility; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation; Turnout; Wait times
Richard Hasen
University of California-Irvine School of Law
National
68 page(s)
7/8/2013
Abstract:
Part I briefly describes the background of the Shelby County case, and in particular the questions left open in NAMUDNO. Part II analyzes the majority opinion, and explains the opinion as an act of false minimalism. Part III analyzes the dissenting opinion, and explains the dissent as one willfully silent about difficult constitutional questions. In the end, the dissenters had the better argument about the Act’s constitutionality, but the dissent would have been stronger had it described and grappled more forthrightly with the struggles over the VRA’s renewal and the dangers of political avoidance. Shelby County is important not just for the loss of preclearance, but the diminution of congressional power over voting rights in the future.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Litigation
Martha Kropf
Missouri Legislative Academy, University of Missouri
Missouri
5 page(s)
5/1/2006
Abstract:
Early or advance voting differs from absentee voting in that for those voting absentee, the choice is to vote absentee or not vote. Early voting is more of a convenience than a need. In addition, early voting may have unintended effects upon the campaign strategies and voter mobilization strategies of political parties, candidate campaigns and interest groups. Under these circumstances, there is little harm and may be great benefit to observing how early voting works in other states before adopting it in Missouri.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Voter information & outreach; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Lisa Schur; Meera Adya
Social Science Quarterly
National
26 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
We examine whether people with disabilities are part of the political mainstream, or remain outsiders in important respects, by studying political participation and the underexplored topic of how disability relates to attitudes toward politics.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Low-income voters; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Turnout
Joshua Benaloh
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology Workshop
National
10 page(s)
6/14/2006
Abstract:
Much work has been done in recent decades to apply sophisticated cryptographic techniques to achieve strong end-to-end verifiability in election protocols. The properties of these protocols are much stronger than in any system in general use; however, the complexity of these systems has retarded their adoption. This paper describes a relatively simple but still effective approach to cryptographic elections. Although not as computationally efficient as previously proposed cryptographic approaches, the work presented herein is intended to be more accessible and therefore more suitable for comparison with other voting systems.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Election administrators; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Brady Baybeck; David Kimball
HAVA at 10 Conference
National
30 page(s)
5/10/2012
Abstract:
The interaction of local autonomy and size disparities leads to real differences in how elections are administered - in the experiences voters have, in the personnel managing elections, and in the adoption and use of innovative practices. The passage of HAVA, and the reaction to it from state and local election officials, has exacerbated these differences. Despite some measurable improvements in election administration that can be attributed to HAVA, the law has likely hardened opposition to further election reforms among officials in the more numerous small and medium-sized local jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker recruitment; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud
Emma Stokking; Laura Rokoff
Iowa; South Carolina
7 page(s)
2/1/2012
Abstract:
Nine states (Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia allow eligible voters to register to vote and cast a ballot after the close of the regular voter registration period, on Election Day and/or during the early voting period. Same Day Registration (SDR) (also known as Election Day Registration) states have historically led the nation in voter turnout, with average turnout rates 10 to 12 percentage points higher than non-SDR states. In the high-turnout 2008 presidential election, SDR states led the nation in turnout by 7 percentage points1 and by nearly 6 percentage points in the 2010 midterm elections.2 While the benefits to voter turnout are well-documented, information on the cost of administering SDR is less readily available. Demos therefore conducted a telephone and email survey of county election officials in Iowa and North Carolina over a seven month period in 2011-2012 to collect specific cost data associated with Same Day Registration. Information was also gathered on provisional balloting, an issue that is commonly raised in policy debates about Same Day Registration.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Aditya Mathew; Graham Pierce; James Jackson; Jennifer Ismirle; Robert Decloniemaclennan; Sarah Swierenga; Stephen Blosser
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
National
53 page(s)
12/30/2013
Abstract:
This report describes the development and usability testing of the Smart Voting Joystick prototype, a dual-axis joystick with auditory and haptic feedback, designed to improve access to private and independent voting for individuals with motor- and dexterity-related disabilities.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Douglas Jones; Eric Lazarus; Joshua Benaloh; Mark Lindeman; Philip Stark
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology/Workshop on Trustworthy Elections
National
13 page(s)
8/9/2011
Abstract:
SOBA is an approach to election verification that provides observers with justifiably high confidence that the reported results of an election are consistent with an audit trail (“ballots”), which can be paper or electronic. SOBA combines three ideas: (1) publishing cast vote records (CVRs) separately for each contest, so that anyone can verify that each reported contest outcome is correct, if the CVRs reflect voters’ intentions with sufficient accuracy; (2) shrouding a mapping between ballots and the CVRs for those ballots to prevent the loss of privacy that could occur otherwise; (3) assessing the accuracy with which the CVRs reflect voters’ intentions for a collection of contests while simultaneously assessing the integrity of the shrouded mapping between ballots and CVRs by comparing randomly selected ballots to the CVRs that purport to represent them.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
Benjamin Reilly
International Political Science Review
American Samoa; Guam; Northern Mariana Islands
18 page(s)
10/1/2002
Abstract:
Many of the small island democracies of the South Pacific are natural laboratories for constitutional and electoral experimentation, but have tended to be ignored by comparative political science research. This article examines one apparently unknown case of electoral innovation from the region: the use of Borda count voting procedures for elections in the Pacific Island states of Nauru and Kiribati. It introduces the basic concept of the Borda count and its relation to other electoral systems, and surveys arguments about the virtues and drawbacks of Borda count electoral systems. It then discusses in some detail the way that the Borda count is used for elections in Nauru and Kiribati, including the political impact of the system, and empirical examples of different types of strategic behaviour at work. It concludes by examining the broader significance of these cases for comparative studies of democracy, elections, social choice, and voting theory.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; International election administration; Vote counting & recounting
Allyson Holbrook; Jon Krosnick
Public Opinion Quarterly
National
31 page(s)
Spring 2009
Abstract:
Surveys usually yield rates of voting in elections that are higher than official turnout figures, a phenomenon often attributed to intentional misrepresentation by respondents who did not vote and would be embarrassed to admit that. The experiments reported here tested the social desirability response bias hypothesis directly by implementing a technique that allowed respondents to report secretly whether they voted: the “item count technique.”
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
20 page(s)
3/1/2005
Abstract:
This 10th electionline.org Briefing investigates provisional ballots by analyzing the counting and rules for qualifying ballots in each state. Who received a provisional ballot and why? Where did they receive the ballot? Under what circumstances were their ballots counted or rejected? And overall, how many ballots ended up being included in the final tally?
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance
Dana DeBeauvoir
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Travis County Clerk
National
1 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Post-election audits; Security; Vote centers; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Daniel Smith; Michael Herron
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Florida
17 page(s)
9/6/2012
Abstract:
Over the past 30 years an increasing number of American states have made it more convenient for voters to cast early ballots. Despite the rapid diffusion of what is known as early in-person voting and praise for this practice by voting rights advocates and election administrators alike, a new Florida law in 2011 truncated the state's early voting period from a total of 14 days to eight, eliminated early voting on the Sunday immediately preceding Election Day, and reduced the total number of hours that early voting polling stations were required to be open. We assess the effects that these changes might have on Florida voting by analyzing early voting patterns from the 2008 General Election in this state.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting methods; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Ian Lind
Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaii
6 page(s)
7/10/2012
Abstract:
Voter turnout on Maui lags the rest of the state, and House District 11, which includes Wailea and most of Kihei, is next to last among the state’s 51 districts.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
10 page(s)
2/11/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Vote counting & recounting
Travis County Clerk
Texas
11 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Bryce Eakin; Dan Wallach; Dana DeBeauvoir; Gail Fisher; Joshua Benaloh; Julian Montoya; Michael Byrne; Michael Winn; Michelle Parker; Neal McBurnet; Olivier Pereira; Philip Kortum; Philip Stark; Susan Bell
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
20 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
STAR-Vote is a collaboration between a number of academics and the Travis County (Austin), Texas elections office, which currently uses a DRE voting system and previously used an optical scan voting system. STAR-Vote represents a rare opportunity for a variety of sophisticated technologies, such as end-to-end cryptography and risk limiting audits, to be designed into a new voting system, from scratch, with a variety of real world constraints, such as election-day vote centers that must support thousands of ballot styles and run all day in the event of a power failure. This paper describes the current design of STAR-Vote which is now largely settled and whose development will soon begin.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot length; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Vote centers
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Megan Dillon
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
17 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voting technology
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN)
National
2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Paper ballots; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Recounts
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
4 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
An emerging blueprint for the increased responsibility of states for election practices under the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 may help convince Congress to let states set the agenda on election reform but may be threatened by growing federal regulation.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Election administrators; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Melanie Springer
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
32 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
Expansive and restrictive state electoral institutions have been instrumental in structuring the vote throughout American history. Studies focused on a small number of reforms, years, or states lack the scope necessary to comprehensively evaluate the effects of institutional change over time. This work, however, places recent reforms in historical context and offers a long-term perspective. Using an original data set, it identifies the institutions that have generated the most substantial effects on state turnout rates during presidential elections from 1920 to 2000.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Evaluation & assessment; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Denise Merrill; Tom Schedler
National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS); Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS); The California Civic Engagement Project
National; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Florida; Illinois; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Montana; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Tennessee; Virginia; West Virginia
20 page(s)
1/1/2014
Abstract:
The NASS Task Force on Emergency Preparedness for Elections was formed in January 2013 in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which struck the East Coast just days before the November 2012 presidential election. Consisting of Secretaries of State and Election Directors from 24 states, the Task Force's mission is to support state election officials in their efforts to effectively establish/enhance sound administrative election practices in preparation for, and response to, emergency conditions. Task Force goals include: 1) identifying relevant laws and policies related to disaster and emergency planning; 2) sharing experiences and lessons learned from past emergencies situations; 3) engaging with relevant state and federal agencies and other stakeholders, and; 4) discussing ideas and strategies for effectively dealing with emergency scenarios that could impact future elections.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Voter education campaigns; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
139 page(s)
10/4/2012
Abstract:
This capping report draws on a considerable body of work recently done by GAO on election systems. We address three main issues that Congress may wish to keep in mind as it approaches election reform. First, we examine the division of federal and state authority to conduct elections and the resulting variation among election jurisdictions. Second, we describe the challenges that election officials face as they work with the people, processes, and technology involved in our administering our nation’s election systems. And third, we suggest four criteria that Congress could use as it weighs the merits of various reform proposals.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
LuAnn Piccard
Alaska Division of Elections; Alaska Lieutenant Governor ; University of Alaska-Anchorage
Alaska
67 page(s)
12/21/2007
Abstract:
Alaska voters depend on a chain of people and equipment to keep their votes secure—to count and report the votes accurately and protect the secrecy of individual ballots. How secure is Alaska’s voting system? That’s what Alaska’s lieutenant governor and the Division of Elections asked the University of Alaska Anchorage to find out. We’re reporting here on the first phase of what will be a multiphase study of Alaska’s election security. The last phase will be completed before the 2008 presidential election.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security
Combine With: Voter confidence
Alaska Division of Elections; Alaska Lieutenant Governor ; University of Alaska-Anchorage
Alaska; California; Connecticut; Florida
283 page(s)
12/14/2007
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Fraud
LuAnn Piccard
Alaska Division of Elections; Alaska Lieutenant Governor ; University of Alaska-Anchorage
Alaska
180 page(s)
5/16/2008
Abstract:
Alaska’s election system is among the most secure in the country, and it has a number of safeguards other states are now adopting. But the technology Alaska uses to record and count votes could be improved— and the state’s huge size, limited road system, and scattered communities also create special challenges for insuring the integrity of the vote. In this second phase of an ongoing study of Alaska’s election security, we recommend ways of strengthening the system—not only the technology but also the election procedures.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Al Davidson; Christi McElveen
Colorado Secretary of State ; National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems
Colorado
29 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot on demand; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Electronic pollbooks; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration; Voting technology
Elaine Manlove
State Election Commissioner, Delaware Department of Elections
Delaware
11 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Nyana Miller
Project Vote
Florida
73 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Mary Cramer Wagner; Nikki Trella
Project Vote
Maryland
12 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Teresa James
Ohio
41 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF); U.S. Vote Foundation
National
3 page(s)
12/6/2013
Abstract:
As part of our mission to improve access to the ballot for those citizens located abroad, Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) recently investigated the extent to which support for UOCAVA voters has been implemented through each individual state (including the District of Columbia) election website based on MOVE Act requirements. We wanted to explore the extent to which they were providing the necessary online support for UOCAVA voters to register to vote and request an absentee ballot, and importantly where they could improve on the delivery of these vital services.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
122 page(s)
5/1/2009
Abstract:
Participation in EAC’s Testing and Certification Program is strictly voluntary. However, some states, through legislation or administrative rules, mandate participation to varying degrees. Currently, 35 states mandate at least one element of the Testing and Certification Program. This document consists of a summary table, a fact sheet for each state, and an appendix of corresponding statutes and administrative regulations.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Election administrators; Voting technology
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Illinois; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; Nevada; New Mexico; Ohio; Oklahoma; South Dakota; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin
25 page(s)
8/4/2008
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Litigation
Jocelyn Benson
Ashgate Publishing
National
170 page(s)
3/1/2010
Abstract:
This book reveals how State Secretaries of State often play a pivotal role in properly administering elections and promoting the values of a healthy democracy, including accuracy, access, transparency, and participation. Nearly a decade after the 2000 Presidential elections invited a firestorm of questions about the sanctity of our democratic process, there continues to be a heightened interest in the role of statewide elections officials, typically the state's Secretary of State. Much of that interest has resulted in overly critical coverage that focuses nearly exclusively on election errors while ignoring much of the noble and tireless efforts that individuals exert on a daily basis to ensure that American citizens benefit from an electoral system that ensures that our elections are democratic, inclusive, and accountable to the people. Through a series of case studies, anecdotes, and interviews with current and recent secretaries, "State Secretaries of State" expands upon this premise of the primacy of the Secretary of State.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Frances Ulmer; Olene Walker
The National Academies Press
National
78 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
This report is an interim report to the Election Assistance Commission that outlines various challenges to the deployment of state voter registration databases and describes potential solutions to these challenges. Some of these solutions can be implemented prior to the November 2008 election; others will require a longer timeline for implementation and indeed some serious thought about how they might be implemented.
Subject(s):
Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Guy-Uriel Charles ; Luis Fuentes-Rohwer
Northwestern University Law Review
National
33 page(s)
1/10/2014
Abstract:
There are two ways to read the Court's decision in Shelby County, as a minimalist decision and as a decision that has undermined the basic infrastructure of voting rights policy, law, and jurisprudence. In this Essay, we present the case for reading Shelby County as deeply destabilizing. We argue that Shelby County has undermined three assumptions that are foundational to voting rights policy, law, and jurisprudence. First, the Court has generally granted primacy of the federal government over the states. Second, the Court has deferred to Congress particularly where Congress is regulating at the intersection of race and voting. Third, the Court and Congress have understood that racial discrimination is the problem and have operated from a similar conception of what racial discrimination means.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Elisabeth MacNamara
Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate; League of Women Voters of the United States
National
9 page(s)
9/12/2012
Abstract:
One of the things that makes our country great is that every citizen is included in our democracy. Voters make the decisions in our system of government and it is through voting that we, the people, control our country and control our own destinies. Today, however, we are facing two very significant challenges to our representative system of government and to the role of individual citizens in our democracy. We are experiencing an unprecedented attack on voting rights and we are seeing an explosion of special interest money in our elections.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Low-income voters; Military voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission)
National
5 page(s)
6/29/2005
Abstract:
The undersigned organizations submit this Statement to the Commission on Federal Election Reform to express our strong opposition to a national voter identification card system. For the reasons set out below, we believe that the adoption of a national voter ID card would likely result in the disfranchisement of many eligible voters. Implementation of such a system would also risk undermining the basic privacy protections that are a hallmark of American citizenship, and no doubt prove exceedingly complex, costly and burdensome. Indeed, a national voter ID card would only frustrate the advances that Congress sought to achieve with the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. We urge the Commission to foreswear consideration of a national voter identification card system.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Miles Rapoport
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
National; Missouri; Ohio
8 page(s)
3/19/2009
Abstract:
Demos submitted this testimony from Demos President Miles Rapoport to the House Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, highlighting the denial of voter registration opportunities for low-income voters and veterans, and underscoring the continued systemic problems with the voter registration in the U.S.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
American Statistical Association
National
2 page(s)
4/17/2010
Abstract:
The American Statistical Association (ASA) recommends that risk-limiting audits be routinely conducted and reported in all federal, most state-wide, and at least a sampling of other governmental election contests. The ASA urges state and local officials to seek statistical advice on how to sample and analyze data to efficiently attain the desired level of risk control.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
R. Michael Alvarez; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
1 page(s)
2/10/2004
Abstract:
Legislation before the US Congress and in several state legislatures requires that all new voting technologies have “voter verifiable paper trails” – a paper record of the vote that the voter can inspect and that can be used to check that the vote is accurately registered by the tabulation equipment. We agree with the general principle behind this legislation. Voters and election officers must have confidence in particular election results, and the ability to audit elections is critical for that goal.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Erin O’Brien; Keith Gunnar Bentele
The Monkey Cage, The Washington Post
National
5 page(s)
12/17/2013
Abstract:
On the left, voter identification laws are viewed as thinly veiled attempts by Republicans to depress turnout among Democratic-leaning constituencies, such as minorities, new immigrants, the elderly, disabled, and young. On the right, these laws are viewed as a bulwark against electoral fraud and a means of preserving electoral legitimacy. In a new article, we examined the dominant explanations (and accusations) advanced by both the right and left, as well as the factors political scientists know are important for understanding state legislative activity. We began with no assumptions about the veracity of any claim. What we found was that restrictions on voting derived from both race and class. The more that minorities and lower-income individuals in a state voted, the more likely such restrictions were to be proposed. Where minorities turned out at the polls at higher rates the legislation was more likely enacted.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Randolph Hite
Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
129 page(s)
9/1/2008
Abstract:
The GAO was asked to answer the following questions relative to states, territories, and the District: (1) what voting methods and systems are these entities using in federal elections and what changes are underway; (2) how do they certify or otherwise approve voting systems; (3) what other steps do they take to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and security of voting systems; (4) how do they identify, evaluate, and respond to voting system problems; and (5) how do they view federal voting system-related resources and services. To accomplish this, GAO conducted a Web-based survey of election officials in all 50 states, the four U.S. territories, and the District and received responses from all but three states; contacted the officials to better understand their approaches and issues; and reviewed documentation provided by survey respondents and other contacts.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Barbara Simons; Paula Hawthorn
Association for Computing Machinery
National
60 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
This study focuses on five areas that election officials should address when creating statewide voter registration databases (VRDs): accuracy, privacy, usability, security, and reliability. Each chapter contains detailed discussions and recommendations. The following are some of the overarching goals for VRDs and selected recommendations for achieving them.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Security; Voter list maintenance
Aggelos Kiayias ; Alex Russell; Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel
Connecticut Secretary of State; Voting Technology Research Center, University of Connecticut
Connecticut
18 page(s)
5/12/2009
Abstract:
This report presents the analysis of the post-election audit returns performed in the State of Connecticut following the November 2008 election. The audits involved the randomly selected 10% of the districts. The initial review of audit reports prepared by the towns revealed a number of returns with unacceptably high unexplained differences between hand and machine counts and also revealed substantial discrepancies in cases of cross-endorsed candidates (i.e., candidates whose names appear twice on the ballot because they are endorsed by a minor party). Follow up investigations were conducted by the Office of the Secretary of the State, resulting in several revisions to the audit data for the districts that were the subject of the follow up. This report presents the analysis of the analysis of the audit returns in three parts: (i) the analysis of the original audit records that did not involve cross-party endorsed candidates, (ii) the analysis of the audit records for cross-party endorsed candidates, including the returns that were revised based on the SOTS Office follow up, and (iii) the analysis of the non-cross party endorsed records that were revised based on the SOTS Office follow up investigation.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Aggelos Kiayias ; Alex Russell; Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel
Connecticut Secretary of State; Voting Technology Research Center, University of Connecticut
Connecticut
12 page(s)
6/7/2012
Abstract:
This report presents the analysis of the post-election audit returns performed in the State of Connecticut following the November 2011 election. The audit involved the randomly selected 10% of the districts. The total of 877 audit records were submitted for analysis. The initial review of audit reports prepared by the towns contained 45 records with differences between hand and machine count higher than 5. There were 7 records with discrepancies higher than 9, and only one record with a discrepancy higher than 15 votes between hand and machine counts. Follow up investigations were conducted by the Office of the Secretary of the State (SOTS) to determine the cause of discrepancies. This resulted in a revision of the audit data for the districts that were the subject of the follow up. This report presents the analysis of the audit returns in two parts: (i) the analysis of 887 records (100%) among which 45 records (5.1%) were revised based on the follow up investigation conducted by the SOTS Office, (ii) the analysis of the original 887 records (100%) prior to the follow up investigation. The second part is provided for completeness and comparison.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Aggelos Kiayias ; Alex Russell; Alexander Shvartsman; Laurent Michel
Connecticut Secretary of State; Voting Technology Research Center, University of Connecticut
Connecticut
8 page(s)
10/26/2010
Abstract:
This report presents the analysis of the submitted audit returns. No records were found to be incomplete, unusable, or obviously incorrect; this is a substantial improvement. Among 465 (100%) records there are 445 (95.7%) records showing no discrepancy, 18 records (3.9%) show discrepancy of 1 vote, and 2 records (0.4%) show discrepancy of 4 and 6 votes between the machine counts and audit hand counts. The maximum number of discrepancies is 6 votes.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits
Combine With: Errors
Peter Klimek; Rudolf Hanel; Stefan Thurner; Yuri Yegorov
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
National
5 page(s)
9/24/2012
Abstract:
Democratic societies are built around the principle of free and fair elections, and that each citizen’s vote should count equally. National elections can be regarded as large-scale social experiments, where people are grouped into usually large numbers of electoral districts and vote according to their preferences. The large number of samples implies statistical consequences for the polling results, which can be used to identify election irregularities. Using a suitable data representation, we find that vote distributions of elections with alleged fraud show a kurtosis substantially exceeding the kurtosis of normal elections, depending on the level of data aggregation. As an example, we show that reported irregularities in recent Russian elections are, indeed, well-explained by systematic ballot stuffing. We develop a parametric model quantifying the extent to which fraudulent mechanisms are present. We formulate a parametric test detecting these statistical properties in election results. Remarkably, this technique produces robust outcomes with respect to the resolution of the data and therefore, allows for cross-country comparisons.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; International election administration
Combine With: Fraud
Nabajyoti Barkakati
Task Force on Florida-13, Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Florida
9 page(s)
8/3/2007
Abstract:
In November 2006, about 18,000 undervotes were reported in Sarasota County in the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Following the contesting of the election results in the House of Representatives, the Task Force met and unanimously voted to seek GAO’s assistance in determining whether the voting systems contributed to the large undervote in Sarasota County. On June 14, 2007, we met with the Task Force and agreed upon an engagement plan, which included the following review objectives: (1) What voting systems and equipment were used in Sarasota County and what processes governed their use? (2) What was the scope of the undervote in Sarasota County in the general election? (3) To what extent were tests conducted on the voting systems in Sarasota County prior to the general election and what were the results of those tests? and (4) Considering the tests that were conducted on the voting systems from Sarasota County after the general election, are additional tests needed to determine whether the voting systems contributed to the undervote?
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines
Combine With: Errors
Spencer Overton
W.W. Norton & Company
National
240 page(s)
6/7/2006
Abstract:
Overton uses real-life stories to show how seemingly insignificant factors--such as how many booths are at polling sites and how district boundaries are drawn--channel political power and determine policies on war, schools, clean air, and other life-affecting issues.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Wait times
John Fund
Encounter Books
National
240 page(s)
7/21/2008
Abstract:
John Fund offers a guided tour of our error-prone election systems, which nearly half of Americans say they don’t trust. When some states have systems so flawed that you can’t tell where incompetence ends and possible fraud begins, it isn’t surprising that scandals have ranged from rural Texas to big cities such as Milwaukee and St. Louis. Fund dissects some anomalies of Florida 2000 and analyzes the bitterly protracted election for governor of Washington State in 2004. He spotlights the perils of “provisional ballots,” the flaws of the “Motor Voter” law that has allowed people to get absentee ballots for phantom voters, and the shady registration drives of the radical group ACORN. Meanwhile, the simple safeguard of a photo ID requirement is fiercely resisted on specious claims that it would disenfranchise poor and minority voters.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Jennifer Clark; Patrick Cawley
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
1 page(s)
7/12/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation
Daniel Castro
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
National
19 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
Americans trust computers to run critical applications in fields such as banking, medicine, and aviation, but a growing technophobic movement believes that no computer can be trusted for electronic voting. Members of this movement claim that in order to have secure elections, Americans must revert to paper ballots. Such claims are not only incorrect but attack the very foundation of our digital society, which is based on the knowledge that information can be reasonably secured. Clearly, no system with a human element—including electronic and nonelectronic voting machines—is error-proof, and specific versions of certain voting machines have security weaknesses. Neither of these facts, however, should be taken as a universal indictment of e-voting.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots; Security
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence
David Macewen; Verdar May
National
29 page(s)
12/9/2013
Abstract:
The enclosed action plan postures the Military Postal Service (MPS) to support the 2014 General election in compliance with the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), the Military Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, and DoD directives. As an extension of the United States Postal Service (USPS), the MPS provides expedited processing, shipment, and tracking of absentee ballots from overseas Military Post Offices to the state election offices. This plan also lists requirements for the Military Services to include implementing guidance on processing balloting material in accordance with MPSA's 2014 Strategic Postal Voting Action Plan.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters
Brian Hancock
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
14 page(s)
6/21/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Usability testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Steven Dean
Center for Election Systems, Kennesaw State University; State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
National
8 page(s)
7/15/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Election administrators; Voting technology
NBC News ; Wall Street Journal
National
23 page(s)
4/1/2006
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Florida
3 page(s)
2/1/2008
Abstract:
These studies conducted principally by MIT associate professor Ted Selker, MIT researcher Anna Pandolfo, and MIT students with subject pools taken from the Boston area show that the availability of sample ballots can explain the large voting irregularities in the November 7, 2006 Sarasota, Florida election. The studies suggest that improvements to ballot layout in general could save hundreds of thousands of votes across the country in future elections.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Usability testing; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Errors
Charles Stewart III; R. Michael Alvarez; Stephen Ansolabehere
Policy Studies Journal
National; Pennsylvania; Wyoming
10 page(s)
11/1/2004
Abstract:
As we have noted in two recent reports (Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project July 2004, October 2004) there is a disturbing lack of detailed election administration data available for studying elections. In past elections, some states have not reported the number of total ballots cast at the county level, others have not fully reported votes cast for all candidates (including write-in votes) in federal races, and in many situations we do not know what types of voting technologies have been used by voters. The situation is even more problematic when it comes to other aspects of the electoral process, as we rarely can find data on very important aspects of the process like the numbers of absentee and provisional ballots cast, and the numbers of absentee and provisional ballots rejected. More needs to be done to help state and local election officials understand the importance of collecting and making election data available to the public after each federal election.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Colorado; Florida; Iowa; Michigan; Missouri; New Mexico; Ohio; Rhode Island; Washington
9 page(s)
11/1/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Litigation
Rasmussen Reports
Indiana
1 page(s)
9/25/2007
Abstract:
The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will rule on whether or not photo identification can be required to vote.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion
Donna Cohen Ross; Leighton Ku; Matthew Broaddus
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)
National
9 page(s)
2/17/2006
Abstract:
Some 5.7 percent of all adults (not just adults with low incomes) reported they do not have a U.S. passport or birth certificate available at home. The percentage is greater for those with incomes of less than $25,000. Some 8.1 percent of U.S. born adults with incomes under $25,000 in 2005 reported they do not have these documents. Lack of documentation also appears to be more common among African Americans (8.9 percent), senior citizens (7.4 percent), people without a high school diploma (9.2 percent), and people living in rural areas (9.1 percent). Some groups may encounter more serious roadblocks, such as elderly African Americans with low incomes. A substantial number of elderly African Americans apparently were never issued birth certificates because they were born at home, in large measure as a result of racial discrimination or poverty that kept their mothers from delivering in hospitals (especially in the South). One earlier academic study estimated that one-fifth of African Americans born in 1939-40 lacked birth certificates. The new survey finds that both African American adults and senior citizens in general are less likely to have a birth certificate or a passport than adults in general; these results are consistent with the conclusion that elderly African Americans would encounter greater difficulty securing these documents.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter ID
Charles Stewart III
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
38 page(s)
12/3/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Wait times
Angela Knittle; Berwood Yost; G. Terry Madonna; Kay Huebner
Center for Opinion Research, Floyd Institute for Public Policy, Franklin & Marshall College
Pennsylvania
23 page(s)
9/26/2012
Abstract:
Most (87%) Pennsylvania voters accurately report that the state requires photo identification to vote; very few (2%) voters say they lack the identification they need to cast their ballot. Most (59%) registered voters favor the state’s photo identification requirement.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Jo-Anne Chasnow; Kerene Moore
Michigan
40 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Douglas Kruse; Lisa Schur; Meera Adya
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
16 page(s)
5/9/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Internet voting; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
G. Alan Tarr
International Conference on Federalism
National
26 page(s)
6/5/2006
Abstract:
This paper describes the current status of America's non-state component units, analyzes the factors that have prompted shifts in their status over time, and through a comparison of their status with that of the American states, highlights the implications of this asymmetry for American federalism. It also considers 3 problems that plague efforts to reconcile this diversity of federal arrangements with the federal Constitution and with prevailing political values in the society. To provide a baseline for comparison, this paper first reviews the constitutional status of the American states and of their citizens.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Aliza Organick; Steven Ramirez
Annual Midwestern People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference
National; Florida; Ohio
17 page(s)
5/2/2007
Abstract:
We examine the meaning of continued weaknesses in our nation’s election machinery given the manifest costs in terms of legitimacy to the current ruling coalition. Specifically, we use interest convergence theory to suggest that legitimate elections simply are not of interest to those with power. We conclude that this outcome, seemingly at odds with deeply embedded American values, can only be explained by reference to an equally powerful force – and we identify and test racial dynamics as a prime candidate for this apparent anomalous reality. Therefore, we posit that real reform will be difficult and likely will require more than electoral crises like Florida and Ohio.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Nonpartisan election administration; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Mike Matthews
Local Memphis
Tennessee
1 page(s)
11/5/2012
Abstract:
Wrong information put into a computer, people sent to the wrong places to vote, dead people voting. Then there were the primaries of last August-Shelby County elections folks outdid themselves in that one. So give a Memphis welcome to the Election Integrity Task Force. Needed? Oh yeah, says Assistant City Attorney Regina Newman. “There were five thousand people who got the wrong ballots in August, so this task force does have something to do with that. The city also has a referendum on the ballot. We have an issue on this ballot.”
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
Michael Sluss
The Roanoke Times
Virginia
1 page(s)
8/11/2009
Abstract:
A state board of elections task force has proposed regulations that will make it easier for college students to register to vote where they go to school, but the panel disagreed on another aspect of defining a voter's residence.
Subject(s):
Voter registration; Youth voters
John Carbone
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); The International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers (IACREOT)
National
15 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
IACREOT President Joanne Rajoppi appointed an IACREOT TASK FORCE to gather responses and produce a report for the Presidential Commission on Election Administration.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Online voter registration; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Voter confidence; Wait times
Daniel Tokaji
Saint Louis University Public Law Review
National
14 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This Article offers some suggestions for teaching election administration. It is meant for those teaching a course on Election Law, The Law of Democracy, or The Law of the Political Process, as well as for those teaching a seminar or other smaller course focusing specifically on election administration. I draw mainly on my own experience, having done both. The discussion that follows is organized in accordance with my preferred sequencing of material, though preferences will obviously vary among teachers. I start, as discussions of election administration so often do, with the dispute over Florida’s 2000 presidential election—including the litigation (Bush v. Gore) and legislation (the Help America Vote Act of 2002) that it spawned. I then discuss how one might go about teaching some of the areas of controversy to emerge since then, specifically voter technology, voter identification, and voter registration. I close with some suggestions on teaching some of the institutional issues at play in election administration, including the exceptionally decentralized and partisan character of American election administration, a useful point of departure for those interested in introducing a comparative perspective on the field.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Institutional arrangements; International election administration
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
National; Texas
1 page(s)
2/14/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Maintenance; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Brian Kavanagh; Lucy Mayo; Mike Slater; Steven Carbó
ACORN; Project Vote
Arizona; Connecticut; Iowa; Nevada; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Washington
24 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
This report offers both a review of the as yet unfulfilled promise of the NVRA in public assistance agencies in the statute’s first decade and a plan of action for recommitting ourselves to fulfilling the promise in the months and years ahead.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Krimm; Eric McGhee
Public Policy Institute of California
California
8 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
In the June 2012 primary, California tested two important electoral changes: new legislative and congressional districts drawn by an independent citizens commission and a “top two” primary system. The results suggest the reforms produced some changes — in particular, more open seats and more competition. However, there was also a great deal of continuity with recent elections: most candidates endorsed by a major party and all incumbents are advancing to the fall election and partisan outcomes were broadly in line with what might have been expected under the old primary system. Over time, the reforms may produce more radical change, but the first step on the road of reform has been a small one.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election administrators; Election types; Nonpartisan election administration; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
Miles Rapoport
Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rules, Oregon House of Representatives; Demos
National; Connecticut; Oregon
3 page(s)
3/28/2007
Abstract:
Miles Rapoport testifies before the Oregon State Legislature on the merits of fusion balloting.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Connie Schmidt
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; Kansas
15 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Don Palmer
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Virginia State Board of Elections
Virginia
8 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
One of the major issues that the Commission and Virginia is reviewing the what, how, and why’s of long lines in some precincts in Virginia. Lines are often the result of any attraction that a lot of citizens want to participate in, often at the same time. Voting is one of them. Every four years in presidential elections, there are lines. In many ways, the lines in 2012 were very similar to those in 2008. So while we expect some lines to some extent, we need to focus on our voters (our clients) with a laser beam to make the experience a positive one in which voters emerge more confident in the process and will return to vote another day. While we found lines were not widespread, there were problems in some of our high population and growing urban areas that need to be addressed.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Election Day polling place voting; Maintenance; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology; Women voters
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence; Wait times
R. Doug Lewis
National Association of Election Officials, Election Center; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
8 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Voter confidence; Wait times
Mark Wolosik
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
224 page(s)
7/27/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Wait times
Brenda Wright
Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, Judiciary Committee, U.S. House of Representatives
National; Georgia
8 page(s)
11/1/2005
Abstract:
Demos Democracy Program Director Brenda Wright testifies before the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution regarding protection against racial discrimination in the Voting Rights Act.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Brian Hancock
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
6 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
My testimony today will not focus on the mechanics of conformity assessment and product certification, but instead will focus on some of the value added functions of our program related to voting system certification and finish with an assessment of new voting system technology.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Committee on Elections, Michigan Senate; Common Cause; Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN); Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Michigan Center for Election Law and Administration; Project Vote
Michigan
7 page(s)
11/30/2011
Abstract:
Instead of addressing real problems with Michigan’s election system, these bills address phantom problems that will only serve to create further confusion and needlessly erect barriers to the ballot box. We urge this committee to reject these bills and work on bi-partisan reforms that will ensure all Michigan voters have true access to our most fundamental right, the right to vote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Donetta Davidson
Subcommittee on Elections, Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
10 page(s)
3/17/2011
Abstract:
Since my arrival at the EAC, I have been very involved in the work of our Voting System Testing and Certification division, and I serve as the designated officer to the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TDGC). The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) mandates that the TGDC help EAC develop voluntary voting system guidelines (VVSG). The VVSG set the standards against which voting systems are tested. The director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) serves as the chair of the TGDC and provides technical support to the Committee. In addition, NIST and the EAC jointly choose four members with specific technical expertise of the TGDC. The EAC uses the work product of the TGDC as the basis for all voluntary voting systems guidelines promulgated by the Commission as prescribed by HAVA. Additionally, HAVA specifies that NIST provide recommendations to EAC regarding voting system test laboratories. Since Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, EAC’s annual appropriations have included funds for NIST support. Today I will focus on my activities as the EAC’s most recent chair, as well as provide an overview of the Voting System Testing and Certification program.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks
Combine With: Voter confidence
Ian Vandewalker
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
New York
5 page(s)
12/5/2012
Abstract:
We are pleased that the Committee is evaluating the Board’s performance in the 2012 General Election. Understanding what happened on Election Day is crucial to making improvements going forward. The disruptions of Hurricane Sandy were unforeseen and greatly complicated the Board’s task on Election Day. The Board faced the enormous challenge of carrying out an election in the middle of a disaster, and its efforts were commendable.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter registration
Combine With: Wait times
Ingrid Reed
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University; State Government Committee, New Jersey Senate
New Jersey
3 page(s)
3/5/2003
Abstract:
New Jersey has an opportunity to serve the voters better by providing for clear administrative responsibilities at the state level to coordinate and streamline the voting process. This would include registration, voter information and education, and the management of casting and counting ballots.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Nonpartisan election administration
Justin Levitt
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; Elections Committee, Texas House of Representatives
Texas
16 page(s)
4/6/2009
Abstract:
Our research suggests that the incidence of fraud by those impersonating others at the polls is strikingly rare. Yet we have seen restrictions proposed to address this perceived or invented threat, often supported by stories about election fraud or abnormalities that the restrictions would not actually prevent. Further empirical research shows that the problems caused by some of these restrictions are more serious than the problems they allegedly resolve. As we stated in The Truth About Voter Fraud, “[t]he voter fraud phantom drives policy that disenfranchises actual legitimate voters, without a corresponding actual benefit.”
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Justin Levitt
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law; Committee on Elections and Campaign Reform, Wisconsin Assembly; Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Wisconsin Senate
Wisconsin
8 page(s)
3/31/2010
Abstract:
Today, I hope to briefly lay out an overview of our conclusions on the need for reform and the components that we believe an effective modernization program should incorporate, drawing from the publications that I mentioned above. In most respects, the bills before you today embrace the fundamental reforms we urge, and many Wisconsinites would benefit from their passage. Given our experience with the topic, however, we do have a few suggestions that we hope you consider as the bills move forward. Most of these recommendations are small, but a few are larger, scaled to the admirable ambition of the modernization project.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors
Kevin Kennedy
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
National; Wisconsin
9 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
I would like to share how my state and its more than 2,000 state and local election officials are drawing on data and using technology to fuel our commitment to enable our voters to exercise their constitutionally protected right to select our leaders and shape the future direction of Wisconsin, local government and the country.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Internet voting; Nonpartisan election administration; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Maggie Toulouse Oliver
Bernalillo County Clerk; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
New Mexico
3 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
Today, I plan to focus my testimony on the great success of the 2012 election cycle, in which my staff and I implemented Vote Centers to improve efficiency, streamline costs and vastly improve the overall voting experience for voters in my community. In short, we were able to consolidate over 400 individual precincts into 69 locations county - wide, reduce our Election Day poll - worker needs by 2/3, save $1m over the course of the election year and receive feedback that well over 90% of the voters were happy and satisfied with the new voting experience.
Subject(s):
Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Polling place locations; Polling places; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Wait times
Marci Andino
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); South Carolina Election Commission
South Carolina
4 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
So what are the causes of the long lines? In short, nearly everything CAN cause delays. Lengthy ballots, voters not being familiar with ballot questions, a shortage of resources – both poll workers and voting machines, and address changes were all identified as factors that contributed to long lines. High turnout and numerous voters showing up at approximately the same time were also identified as factors.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot length; Poll watchers; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout; Wait times
Rebecca Oyler
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
204 page(s)
7/26/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Paul Gronke
Early Voting Information Center, Reed College; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Alaska; Arizona; California; Colorado; Nevada; Oregon; Washington
9 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
I study early voting, but I do not always advocate for early voting. I agree with the Commission's charge to search for common sense, non-partisan solutions to identified problems with election administration - including administering early voting - solutions that are backed by solid empirical evidence and tailored to the conditions of the time and jurisdiction.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Costs
Committee on State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs, Ohio Senate; Project Vote
Ohio
2 page(s)
6/22/2011
Abstract:
Project Vote appreciates this opportunity to submit its testimony in opposition to HB 159, a bill requiring limited types of photographic identification for voters, which represents a significant barrier to the right to vote for Ohio citizens. We urge you to vote against this bill.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
Steven Carbó
Government Administration and Elections Committee, Connecticut General Assembly
Connecticut
9 page(s)
3/2/2012
Abstract:
I applaud Governor Dan Malloy, Secretary of State Denise Merrill, and members of this committee for championing H.B. 5024 and Same Day Registration (SDR) – a proven reform that can substantially increase voter turnout among eligible voters without compromising the integrity of elections or substantially increasing costs. By enacting H.B. 5024, Connecticut would become the 10th state to permit eligible citizens to both register and vote on Election Day and/or during the early voting period. The District of Columbia has also enacted Same Day Registration. I will primarily address Section 1 of H.B. 5024, the portion of the legislation that pertains to Same Day Registration. I also offer support for the online voter registration provisions provided for in Section 11 of the bill.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Todd Valentine
New York State Board of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
New York
3 page(s)
9/4/2013
Abstract:
This panel has been asked here to speak about disaster preparedness. Unfortunately, New York State has had its share of disasters that have impacted the election process. Most recent was the hurricane Sandy, but before that was the flooding from Irene that devastated sections of upstate New York and before that, of course, September 11th was on the day of our primary election. One of the critical things we've learned is that a key role for those outside of the disaster area is to help establish lines of communication between the elections officials themselves and whoever else they need to talk with - police and fire departments, power companies, highway departments - all depending on what hurdle they are facing at the moment. And the poll workers and of course, the voters.
Subject(s):
Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Polling place locations; Polling places
Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate
National
4 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
We designed a study to understand the ability of people to verify that what they voted on a ballot coincides with what they receive as verification. This study assesses some of the most important factors to voting and audit systems, general usability of the system, the time needed for voters to use the system, and the number of errors voters were able to catch in each audit trail.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Poll worker training; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Ken Detzner
Florida Secretary of State; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
6 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
Continuing to improve our election system is a critical task for our nation’s democracy and it’s a task we embrace year-round in Florida. I would like to spend my allotted time talking about the 2012 General Election and how we are continually working to make the voting experience in Florida better for voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Dean Logan
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
California
7 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
The reforms put in place by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 undoubtedly helped to provide standardized and federally mandated provisions for voters; from fail safe voting to accessible voting requirements. In addition, the Act mandated centralized statewide voter databases and provided unprecedented funding for the replacement of voting equipment. HAVA was an important reaction to addressing a number of administrative and infrastructure related deficiencies, inequalities and failures. The Act, however, has been quickly outpaced by demographic shifts and innovations in communications and technology – changes that are and will continue to affect voter expectations and behaviors going forward. More than ten years after the 2000 Presidential election the biggest lesson learned is that elections ought to be recognized as a profession of constant innovation.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling places; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
David Orr
Cook County Clerk ; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; Illinois
4 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
You have already heard testimony in favor of many policies we have in suburban Cook County -- Early Voting, no-fault Mail Voting and electronic pollbooks. Rather than repeat the benefits of those previous recommendations, I will endorse them. These practices take pressure off polling places on Election Day by giving voters more options or by making precincts more efficient. In my testimony I will explore the following: Weekend and holiday voting; Access to schools and optimal voting locations; Harvesting data through our Automated Call Form; Data-driven planning; Online mail ballot requests; Online voter registration; and A national online Voter Information Tool.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day holiday; Online voter registration; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Weekend voting
Dawn Williams
Election Center; Marshall County Auditor and Recorder/Commissioner of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; Iowa
4 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
As the Commission follows your mission “to seek to formulate best practices for the consideration of election administrators around the country,” I’d like to take this opportunity to describe The Election Center’s Professional Practices Program and how it serves the nation’s election administrators. This model best practices program is under the umbrella of the Professional Education Program and has been a part of the Election Center’s National Conference for 18 years. Through my experiences serving on this program committee, I testify before you with a firm belief that the sharing of best practices is one of the most effective ways to improve our profession and the service we deliver.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Poll worker training; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voters with disabilities
Kenneth Bennett
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National; California
12 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
On August 8, 2013, Dean Logan gave testimony before the Commission at the Denver, Colorado hearing, in which he maintained that the key to improving the voting experience is an innovative, voter-centered approach to designing and validating that experience. My testimony to you today seeks to further elaborate on this concept by highlighting technology-driven trends influencing the culture in which we conduct elections, and delving into some details about the design approach and methodologies of our Voting Systems Assessment Project (VSAP).
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion
Michael Traugott
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland; Human Factors Research on Voting Machines and Ballot Designs: An Exploratory Study
National
9 page(s)
3/15/2002
Abstract:
The focus of this paper is on possible designs for evaluating alternative hardware and ballot designs that could be used in contemporary elections. This work can be accomplished through a number of different approaches. The first would be a series of basic research studies involving a series of experimental designs in which subjects would be exposed to alternative voting devices and/or ballots and asked to evaluate them individually and in comparison to each other. This work could be complemented with focus groups, both as an antecedent to the experiments and as a follow-up discussion after systematic measures have been taken. A second possible activity would involve the development of a facility to evaluate proposed ballot-device pairings for election administration officials, based upon what has been learned from the experiments described here as well as from Parts 1 through 3 of the project. This would be an applied research function designed to provide practical assistance under real time conditions to people who are responsible for administering elections.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion
Merle King
Center for Election Systems, Kennesaw State University; State Certification Testing of Voting Systems National Conference
National
26 page(s)
6/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Christopher Culnane; James Heather; Morgan Llewellyn; Peter Ryan; Shriramkrishnan Srinivasan; Steven Schneider; Zhe Xia
USENIX Journal of Election Technology and Systems (JETS)
National
9 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
This paper describes an experiment designed to test voters’ understanding of the ‘split ballot’, a particular mechanism at the heart of the secure voting system Prêt à Voter, used to provide both vote secrecy and voter verifiability. We used a controlled laboratory experiment in which voter behaviour in the experiment is dependent on their understanding of the secrecy mechanism for ballots. We found that a two-thirds majority of the participants expressed a confident comprehension of the secrecy of their ballot; indicating an appropriate level of understanding. Among the remaining third of participants, most exhibited a behaviour indicating a comprehension of the security mechanism, but were less confident in their understanding. A small number did not comprehend the system. We discuss the implications of this finding for the deployment of such voting systems.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Ingrid Reed
The Century Foundation; The National Commission on Federal Election Reform (Ford-Carter Commission)
10/14/2002
Abstract:
In 2001, New Jersey held an election to replace a term-limited governor and select a new state legislature that was overshadowed by the World Trade Center attacks and the anthrax scare. These two unforeseen occurrences profoundly affected the election for a number of reasons, including communities preoccupied with mourning losses in the tragedy and mail disruptions that resulted from the recognition that anthrax-laced letters had been sent from central New Jersey post offices delayed the distribution of absentee and sample ballots. Those factors undoubtedly contributed to the lowest turnout on November 6 - 49 percent of registered voters - since the state's present constitution was adopted in 1947.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Donetta Davidson
Election Data Services; U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
101 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
This report is part of the Commission’s work in serving as a resource for information. The 2006 Election Administration and Voting Survey is the largest and most comprehensive survey on election administration conducted by a U.S. governmental organization.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
James Clark; Richard Mustion
Military Postal Service Agency
National
31 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA) conducted an online end of year survey for the Military Postal System’s (MPSs) absentee ballot handling procedures and performance during the 2010 General Election. This analysis identifies the results of our performance and assesses methods utilized to ensure compliance with the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Subtitle H - Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE). Chapters 2-8 of this report contain detailed information regarding the execution and outcome of each objective identified in our strategic plan.
Subject(s):
Military voters
Colorado Secretary of State ; Committee on House Administration, U.S. House of Representatives
Colorado
4 page(s)
3/31/2011
Abstract:
Chairman Lungren, Ranking Member Brady, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the results of a study my office conducted regarding the citizenship of registered voters in Colorado. The results of the study indicate Colorado has a problem. Individuals who have presented proof of non-citizenship during transactions with the Colorado Department of Revenue are also listed on the voter rolls. I intend to share with you today the methodology we used in conducting the study and the proposed solution we are working to pass in the Colorado legislature. Though I can speak only for our situation in Colorado, I know the evidence from our study may raise questions that this committee may see fit to investigate further. Additionally, there may be actions that can be taken on the federal level that would help states with this issue.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Election Protection Coalition; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National
150 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
This Election Protection report provides a snapshot of the endemic problems that continue to plague American elections and sets the stage for federal and state legislators, state executives, and election officials to finally address the enduring difficulties that infect the voting process of this country. Though long lines were the story of the day, the problems run deeper than what appeared in the news media; the lines were a visible symptom of institutional problems afflicting our system of elections. Every year, countless Americans across the country are blocked from voting—many having done everything they were supposed to do to exercise their civic right. For these eligible and qualified voters—who show up at the polls on Election Day to make their voices heard only to be turned away because they inexplicably do not appear on the voter rolls or encounter a poorly trained poll worker not following voting rules—our democracy is broken.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Wait times
Richard Hasen
The George Washington Law Review
National; Ohio
38 page(s)
11/29/2012
Abstract:
The story of the 2012 voting wars is a story of Republican legislative and to some extent administrative overreach to contract voting rights, followed by a judicial and public backlash. The public backlash was somewhat expected — Democrats predictably made “voter suppression” a key talking point of the campaign. The judicial backlash, and the resurrection of Bush v. Gore in the Sixth Circuit, was not. The judicial reaction, from liberal and conservative judges and often on a unanimous basis, suggests that courts may now be more willing to act as backstops to prevent egregious cutbacks in voting rights and perhaps to do even more to assure greater equality and fairness in voting. However, it is possible that this trend will reverse in future elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Weekend voting
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Casey Joe Carl
Minneapolis City Clerk; Standing Committee on Elections, Minneapolis City Council
Minnesota
37 page(s)
3/25/2014
Abstract:
This report summarizes experiences and lessons learned from the 2013 Municipal Election. Based on these experiences and lessons, staff proposes additional ordinance amendments to clarify certain terms and definitions, to amend the process of determining mathematical elimination and vote transfers using Ranked-Choice Voting, and to increase municipal filing fees. Additionally, this report highlights a series of process improvements staff recommends in preparation for the regularly-scheduled 2014 Gubernatorial Election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling places; Post-election audits; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Orange County Grand Jury
California
15 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
Because an ever larger number of Orange County residents are requesting to vote by AB rather than in person, the 2006-2007 Orange County Grand Jury decided to review the procedures used by the ROV to ascertain what safeguards are in place to protect these votes and to ensure that they are handled correctly.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security
Combine With: Turnout
Ludvig Beckman
Social Policy and Society
National
12 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
This article offers an extensive analysis of the accuracy of legal restrictions on the vote for people with cognitive impairments in all electoral democracies. The article argues that the prospect of ever regulating the vote accurately, in the sense of avoiding both misclassifications and arbitrary administration of restrictions, is difficult to envisage. In the face of the regulatory problems associated with the attempt to restrict the vote for people with cognitive impairment, it is concluded that enfranchisement of all adult citizens would constitute an improvement.
Subject(s):
Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Carol Aichele
Pennsylvania Department of State; Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania
42 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
In 2010, the Department of State (Department) worked closely with the public, each of the sixty-seven county voter registration offices Commonwealth agencies designated with voter registration responsibilities, and voter registration advocacy groups. This report represents a summary of initiatives and statistics that support voter registration administration in Pennsylvania.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology; Youth voters
Carol Silva; Donald Moynihan
Public Administration Review
National
12 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
Local election officials are the administrators of democracy, but we know little about their views. This paper draws from two national surveys of local election officials. The authors find that local election officials generally support the goals of the federal Help America Vote Act but are less enthusiastic about the actual impact of the legislation.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Betsy Sinclair; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
31 page(s)
9/1/2009
Abstract:
This paper uses nationally representative survey data from 2004-2008 to determine how the general public uses – or does not use – the Internet in their daily lives. We then consider whether the patterns of use for this technology appear different in the November 2008 General Election cycle. We focus our concerns in the context of increasing polarization of both some fraction of the American electorate and the policy platforms of elected officials.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Benjamin Ginsberg; Nathaniel Persily; Rob Richie
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
112 page(s)
1/1/2014
Abstract:
Our examination spanned six months of public hearings and included consultations with state and local election officials, academic experts, and organizations and associations involved in one form or another with voting or election administration. In connection with testimony provided to the Commission, the Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project also conducted a comprehensive survey of the views of thousands of local election officials around the country. As a result, the Commission presents its unanimous recommendations, together with an array of best practices in election administration, which will significantly improve the American voter’s experience and promote confidence in the administration of U.S. elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot marking tools; Ballot wording; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Wait times
Edward Foley
Stanford Law and Policy Review
Illinois; Michigan; Minnesota; Ohio; Wisconsin
32 page(s)
4/29/2007
Abstract:
An analysis of electoral errors, both conceptually and concretely, can lead to proposals that will help reduce their occurrence and their adverse consequences. This article contributes to this endeavor to minimize the incidence and impact of electoral errors by first defining theoretical methods to measure the extent to which a state’s voting process is tainted by error. Second, this article closely examines the way five different states would endeavor to redress four basic types of error that, based on recent experience, might arise. Finally, in light of this analysis, this article proposes specific procedural mechanisms that would tend to protect the legitimacy of an election even when its vote counting is irreversibly infected with error.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Canvassing & election certification; Election administrators; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation; Wait times
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Texas
87 page(s)
6/25/2012
Abstract:
Texas cannot meet its statutory burden to establish that its voter photo identification law (“SB 14”) neither has the purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority. Rather, the record before the Court proves that SB 14 violates both the purpose prong and the effect prong of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973c. Accordingly, the Court should deny Texas’s claim for declaratory relief.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Voter confidence
Bonnie Glaser; Karin Mac Donald
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; California Secretary of State
California
21 page(s)
4/12/2007
Abstract:
How are local election officials able to recruit hundreds of thousands of eligible workers to participate in this process during a time when civic participation among Americans is at an all-time low? Using survey responses from 15,000 poll workers in twenty-four California counties, we begin to answer this question. California’s June 2006 poll workers had a wide variety of motivations for serving on Election Day. Sixteen categories of reasons emerged, which then were consolidated into four categories for ease of analysis. Motivations surrounding a sense of duty or wanting to serve were the largest group followed by the social benefits that come from a day of intense team work, and less so by material gain. These results are enough to design a multi-faceted recruitment and retention plan which at the minimum involves an appeal to the sense of duty as well as to social needs of potential and returning poll workers.
Subject(s):
Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training
J. Andrew Sinclair; Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Indiana; Massachusetts; New Mexico; New York
32 page(s)
7/1/2011
Abstract:
This paper examines public opinion on the effectiveness and consequences of voter identification laws in New Mexico. In particular, it focuses on the attitudes central to the court reasoning in the 2008 Supreme Court case which upheld an Indiana photo - ID law, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board. Questions include whether or not voters think the ID laws protect against fraud and prevent legitimate participation, as well as which point of view voters find more compelling and whether or not attitudes towards voter identification are related to voter confidence. While most voters think that voter ID laws prevent fraud, many voters think that ensuring access to the polls is more important than preventing fraud. Among other variables that explain differences among individuals, partisanship plays an important role.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
Darren Burton; Mark Uslan
AFB Access World Magazine: Technology News for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
National
9 page(s)
7/1/2004
Abstract:
Now that the 2004 election is drawing closer, we wanted to get a better sense of what really may happen in the voting booth on election day. Will voters who are blind or have low vision be asked to vote on machines that are short on accessibility features and difficult to use? Will this be a banner year for accessible voting, or will we be moving from chads to worse? In this article, we report on our observations of users who tried out five voting machines, including one that was not part of the previous evaluation. Our objective was to get an idea of how much help users may or may not need to cast their votes.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
James Thomas Tucker
Ashgate Publishing
National; Puerto Rico
430 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
In recent years, few federal requirements have been as controversial as the mandate for what critics call 'bilingual ballots'. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a permanent requirement for language assistance for Puerto Rican voters educated in Spanish and ten years later Congress banned English-only elections in certain covered jurisdictions, expanding the support to include Alaska Natives, American Indians, Asian-language voters and Spanish-language voters. Some commentators have condemned the language assistance provisions, underlying many of their attacks with anti-immigrant rhetoric. Although the provisions have been in effect for over three decades, until now no comprehensive study of them has been published. This book describes the evolution of the provisions, examining the evidence of educational and voting discrimination against language minorities covered by the Act. Additional chapters discuss the debate over the 2006 amendments to the Voting Rights Act, analysis of objections raised by opponents of bilingual ballots and some of the most controversial components of these requirements, including their constitutionality, cost and effectiveness.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
National
44 page(s)
10/1/2001
Abstract:
This Article argues that the Baker majority and dissenters apparently failed to appreciate the benefits of judicial unmanageability for dealing with election cases under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Precisely because these cases require the Supreme Court to make (at least implicit) normative judgments about the meaning of democracy or the structure of representative government, the danger of manageable standards is that they ossify the new rules and enshrine the current Court majority's political theory. That enshrinement is precisely what happened in the one person, one vote cases.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation
Diane Mazur
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
Florida
27 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the factual and legal issues that gave rise to charges of military disenfranchisement in the aftermath of the 2000 presidential election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Jack Nagel
The Journal of Politics
National
15 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
Problems of multicandidate races in U.S. presidential elections motivated the modern invention and advocacy of approval voting; but it has not previously been recognized that the first four presidential elections (1788–1800) were conducted using a variant of approval voting. That experiment ended disastrously in 1800 with the infamous Electoral College tie between Jefferson and Burr. The tie, this paper shows, resulted less from miscalculation than from a strategic tension built into approval voting, which forces two leaders appealing to the same voters to play a game of Chicken. Because the Burr Dilemma poses a significant difficulty for approval voting, this paper urges that researchers give more attention to “instant runoff” reform options, especially the alternative vote and the Coombs rule.
Subject(s):
Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting
Thad Kousser
The Council of State Governments
California
9 page(s)
6/1/2004
Abstract:
California’s recall elections gave voice to voter dissatisfaction with the state’s direction and resulted in a return to the type of moderate Republican governor that had led the state throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s. While exciting, it does not represent a sea change in California politics.
Subject(s):
Election types
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
California
22 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
Far from “sucking,” the Bush v. Gore opinion had the salutary purpose of focusing the attention of the public, elections officials, and—as in the case of the recall—the courts, on some important yet neglected issues of the nuts-and-bolts of democracy. The debate the case has spawned, and the reforms it has started in motion, have thus far had a salutary effect on the Nation’s democracy, even if that may not have been the intent of the Supreme Court Justices who decided the case.
Subject(s):
Punch cards; Recounts; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Kim Alexander
California Forward; California Voter Foundation
California
43 page(s)
10/29/2008
Abstract:
This is the first, comprehensive look at voting in California from the voter’s perspective. In recent years and for many reasons California voters have been unhappy with their voting experience, from start to finish. There is also disappointment with the steps government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels have taken to facilitate voting. A thorough examination of what works in the voting process, what does not work, and where to go from here to develop and implement a reform consensus is long overdue. This paper is a first important step toward problem diagnosis and should lead down the road to change, from top to bottom of the system.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting methods
Harvard Law Review
National
22 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
This Note puts forth arguments in favor of adopting compulsory voting laws in the United States. It argues that compulsory voting is a legitimate infringement upon individual liberty for the purpose of ensuring that political outcomes reflect the preferences of the electorate. The remainder of this Note proceeds as follows: Part I discusses the problems with low voter turnout in America. Part II identifies the potential benefits of compulsory voting beyond simply increasing voter turnout. Part III responds to some of the legal and philosophical is- sues raised by compulsory voting in the United States, specifically whether compulsory voting would violate the freedom of speech or some right not to vote, and whether Congress could institute compulsory voting by statute. Part IV addresses some of the practical issues raised by compulsory voting, specifically the problem of uninformed and underinformed voters and how compulsory voting laws could be enforced. Part V briefly concludes.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; International election administration
Combine With: Turnout
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
7 page(s)
3/22/2011
Abstract:
In the current legislative session, eliminating EDR has been mentioned as part of a larger package of election reforms, including voter photo ID. Eliminating EDR would not provide any meaningful increase in ballot security, and would come at a significant financial cost to taxpayers and a loss of convenience cost to voters.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
Jim Lyons; Jonathan Brater; Lee Rowland; Michael Waldman; Poy Winichakul; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
28 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Voter Registration Modernization offers a common-sense, non-partisan opportunity to increase both civic participation and election integrity. It embodies the best of American values: choice, freedom, opportunity, and mutual responsibility. Citizens must take the responsibility to vote, but government should do its part by clearing bureaucratic obstacles to the ballot box. Voter Registration Modernization would vastly improve American democracy.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Jessica Ring Amunson; Sam Hirsch
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
Florida
27 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
Part I of this Article recounts what happened on Election Day in Florida's Thirteenth Congressional District. Part II describes and analyzes the state-court election contest, and Part III does the same for the election contest filed in the House of Representatives, which is the ultimate arbiter of all contested House elections. Because this Article's co-authors represented the plaintiff in those election contests, the discussion reflects first-hand experience litigating the cases. Building on the problems encountered in Part II and III, Part IV of this Article addresses several specific areas ripe for procedural reform. Enacting these reforms, some at the state level, others at the federal, would help ensure that the citizen of other states and congressional districts do not suffer the same mistreatment that befell the voters of Florida's Thirteenth District.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
California; Georgia; Maryland; Michigan; New Jersey; New Mexico; Pennsylvania
2 page(s)
2003
Abstract:
In the fall of 2003, the Eagleton Institute of Politics presented a series of three seminars designed to give New Jersey an opportunity to gain perspectives from six states – New Mexico, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia and California – on election reform and implementation of the new federal Help America Vote Act. Each seminar featured speakers from two states where election administration initiatives are underway who addressed one of three areas – state administration, statewide voter registration lists, or communication and education. The programs also included an extensive discussion periods with individuals from New Jersey’s state and county governments, from academic institutions and from non-profit organizations interested in election reform.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance
Keesha Gaskins; Sundeep Iyer
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Alabama; Georgia; Indiana; Kansas; Mississippi; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Wisconsin
40 page(s)
7/17/2012
Abstract:
Ten states now have unprecedented restrictive voter ID laws. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin all require citizens to produce specific types of government-issued photo identification before they can cast a vote that will count. Legal precedent requires these states to provide free photo ID to eligible voters who do not have one. Unfortunately, these free IDs are not equally accessible to all voters. This report is the first comprehensive assessment of the difficulties that eligible voters face in obtaining free photo ID.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
D. Roderick Kiewiet; Melanie Goodrich; R. Michael Alvarez; Sarah Sled; Thad Hall
PS: Political Science & Politics
California
4 page(s)
1/1/2004
Abstract:
In this paper, we concentrate on some of the problems produced by the complexity of the recall election, but we do not attempt an exhaustive presentation of these problems. We focus on polling place problems on Election Day, the problems associated with translating the complicated recall election ballot into six languages, how the long ballot influenced voter behavior, and voter difficulties with the ballot measured with survey data. We conclude with a short discussion of the possible impact of these problems on the recall election
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Election Day polling place voting; Election types; Military voters; Overseas voters; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Special elections; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arizona
2 page(s)
10/22/2013
Abstract:
Arizona election officials are planning to provide two types of ballots for the next election following an opinion by the state’s attorney general. In the most populous county, Maricopa, this change could cost an additional $250,000 per federal election cycle.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California
8 page(s)
3/1/2011
Abstract:
This case study, commissioned by the Pew Center on the States, examines the costs of disseminating voter information in California’s 58 counties. It identifies opportunities for counties to reduce spending, use technology and adopt state practices to save more than 10 percent of their total election costs.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Combine With: Costs
David Schultz; Kathy Bonnifield
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN)
Minnesota
24 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
In November, Minnesota’s voters will go to the polls and have their say in determining whether there should be changes to article seven of Minnesota’s constitution. This ballot question, if passed, would alter the state constitution to require a valid government - issued photo ID when voting in - person and to require all voters to have substantially equivalent identity and eligibility verification. The purpose of this report is to project the costs to state and local governments as well as to individuals to secure the documents required to obtain an ID. This report looks at several possible scenarios and estimates the cost of each.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electronic pollbooks; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Adam Skaggs; Vishal Agraharkar; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
15 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
Studies show that as many as 11 percent of United States citizens—mostly older, low-income, and minority citizens—do not have government-issued photo IDs. Under the federal and state Constitutions, states must ensure that there is an accessible and reasonable way for all citizens to vote, including the estimated 33 million citizens who do not have photo IDs. Based on a comprehensive review of every court case in which a photo ID law has been challenged, this paper examines some of the costs states must incur if they decide to implement photo ID requirements for voters.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Litigation
John LaPlante; Kent Kaiser; Peter Nelson
Center of the American Experiment
Minnesota
24 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
In November, Minnesota voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment that would require people to present a photo ID before voting. In light of Minnesota’s loose voting rules and disputes over recent elections decided by razor thin margins, the amendment offers a sensible solution to help prevent fraud and maintain voters’ confidence in Minnesota elections
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Henry Brady; John McNulty
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology
California
46 page(s)
4/7/2005
Abstract:
This paper uses the consolidation of polling places in Los Angeles County during the October 2003 gubernatorial recall election to study the costs of voting. The consolidation afforded an opportunity to observe a natural experiment: those whose polling places were changed in the consolidation should be statistically comparable to those whose polling places are not changed. Thus, we may observe both groups’ turnout rates and ascribe any differences to the treatment of the change in polling locus.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Voter demographics
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
James Snyder, Jr.; John Mark Hansen; Shigeo Hirano; Stephen Ansolabehere
Brookings Institution Press; The Marketplace of Democracy
National
35 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
To gain greater insight into the functioning of primaries, we have constructed a comprehensive data set of primary election returns. The data set covers all statewide executive and federal offices for all states and almost all years that primaries have been in operation. We find that primaries were an important source of electoral competition during the first 30-40 years following their introduction, both in open-seat contests and in incumbent-challenger races. This is no longer the case, however, except in open-seat contests, where competition remains robust.
Subject(s):
Election types
Heather Gerken
Princeton University Press
National
181 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
In this lucid and lively book, Heather Gerken diagnoses what is wrong with our elections and proposes a radically new and simple solution: a Democracy Index that would rate the performance of state and local election systems. A rough equivalent to the U.S. News and World Report ranking of colleges and universities, the Index would focus on problems that matter to all voters: How long does it take to vote? How many ballots get discarded? How often do voting machines break down? And it should work for a simple reason: no one wants to be at the bottom of the list. For a process that is supposed to be all about counting, U.S. elections yield few reliable numbers about anything--least of all how well the voting system is managed. The Democracy Index would change this with a blueprint for quantifying election performance and reform results, replacing anecdotes and rhetoric with hard data and verifiable outcomes.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
20 page(s)
12/14/2005
Abstract:
While DREs have been in use since the early 1990s, questions about their security and reliability were previously a relatively minor issue, even following the November 2000 presidential election and the subsequent congressional deliberations leading to the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA, P.L. 107-252). However, at least two factors led to a sharp increase in public concerns about DREs beginning in 2003. First, the voting accessibility provisions in HAVA promote the use of DREs, which have been the only kind of voting system that can meet the HAVA requirements to permit persons with disabilities, including blindness, to vote privately and independently. Second, potential security vulnerabilities with DREs were publicized as a result of several studies.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Recounts; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence; Wait times
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto; Stephen Nuño
Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity and Race
Indiana
31 page(s)
11/8/2007
Abstract:
In this study, we assess whether all eligible voters have equal access to valid photo identification, or if some segments of the population are being uniquely harmed by Indiana voter ID laws.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto; Stephen Nuño
Latino Decisions
National
5 page(s)
5/24/2011
Abstract:
In this post we draw from some of our recent academic research to address one specific point: Does access to required forms of identification vary by racial/ethnic group in the population. In 2007 we presented a paper at the American Political Science Association conference finding minorities would be disadvantaged by strict identification laws. In 2009 we published a research paper in PS: Political Science & Politics which found that under Indiana’s photo-ID law, African Americans were significantly less likely to have the proper credentials to register or vote. Here, we re-examine this question with a new national dataset of registered voters following the 2008 election, and find that minority and foreign-born voters are less likely to have a valid photo-ID. Therefore, these laws place a disproportionate and additional cost to voting for specific segments of the electorate.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter ID
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto; Stephen Nuño
PS: Political Science & Politics
Indiana
6 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
This article analyzes the impact that voter-identification laws may have on the electorate in the state of Indiana. Cross state comparisons are interesting, but they are insufficient if we are to investigate the disparate impact strict voter identification laws will have on unique sub-populations. The ability to analyze representative data for specific segments of the Indiana electorate allows for a direct test of whether photo identification laws negatively impact the poor, the elderly, and racial/ethnic minorities as the plaintiffs in Crawford v. Marion contend. Numerous claims have been made that voter identification laws do and do not have a discriminatory affect, however such claims have not been based on individual-level datasets. This analysis hopes to shed some light on the actual consequences of these laws.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
Thom File
U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Department of Commerce
National
13 page(s)
5/1/2013
Abstract:
This report provides analysis of the increasingly diverse American electorate, specifically for presidential elections since 1996, with particular focus given to the patterns of voter turnout by race and Hispanic origin. Overall voting rates have fluctuated in recent presidential races, from a low of 58.4 percent of the citizen population in 1996 to a high of about 64.0 percent in both 2004 and 2008. In 2012, the overall voting rate was 61.8 percent. By examining these overall changes by race and Hispanic origin, this report provides a better understanding of the social and demographic factors that have influenced recent American elections.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Heather Gerken
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
18 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Nonpartisan election administration
John Pawasarat
Employment and Training Institute. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wisconsin
23 page(s)
6/1/2005
Abstract:
This research report provides a first-time analysis of drivers license issues based on the racial/ethnicity of drivers and unlicensed adults in Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
Barry Burden
Shambaugh Conference on The American Voter Revisited
National
31 page(s)
2/9/2009
Abstract:
In this paper I investigate the dynamic relationship between formal education and voter turnout over the past half century. I reframe Brody’s puzzle about why rising education levels did not produce higher voter turnout using The American Voter’s “funnel of causality” to allow for a dynamic relationship between education and turnout. Analyzing survey data from 1952 to 2004, I show that the effect of college education increased starting in 1980s, thereby magnifying the ability of educational attainment to predict turnout. In contrast, education had a constant effect on political knowledge, another common measure of civic engagement. I conclude by evaluating several explanations for these divergent results.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Kenneth Mayer
Public Administration Review
Wisconsin
32 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This paper argues that the administrative burden - an individual’s experience of policy implementation as onerous, demanding a high commitment of resources - is an important consideration for administrators, and will contaminate their views on policy and governance options. We test this proposition in the policy area of election administration using a mixed-methods assessment of local election officials. We find that the perceived administrative burden of policies is associated with a preference to shift responsibilities to others, perceptions of greater flaws and lesser merit in policies that have created the burden (to the point that such judgments are demonstrably wrong), and opposition to related policy innovations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Justin Burchett; Priscilla Southwell
American Politics Research
Oregon
21 page(s)
1/1/2000
Abstract:
Proponents of all-mail elections argue that this type of election facilitates participation such that elevated levels of turnout occur. The research tests this assumption by analyzing 48 statewide elections from the state of Oregon. This analysis suggests that the all-mail format is a major stimulus to voter participation, second only to the impact of a presidential contest.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Kyle Saunders; Lonna Rae Atkeson
PS: Political Science & Politics
Colorado; New Mexico
7 page(s)
10/1/2003
Abstract:
The process by which we elect our leaders is at least as important as the trust we place in them once they take office. We show that citizen confidence in the election system is dependent on procedural consistency and perceived fairness and accountability. However, it is also affected by exogenous events in the political context. Without these legitimating forces, democracy, and faith in that democracy, suffers. Many of our conclusions assist in directing efforts toward remedying the problems voters face when they cast their ballots and ultimately toward improving voter confidence. Yet, there is still much work to be done and questions to be answered. Ours is only a first and very small step in this rich and important area of research.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Carlos Sanz
National
25 page(s)
11/7/2013
Abstract:
The paper presents four main findings. First, PR increases turnout by around 5 percentage points with respect to a plurality election. Second, switching from a closed list system to an open list system increases turnout by between 2 and 7 percentage points. Third, switching from a plurality election to a PR system reduces protest (blank) votes by around 2 percentage points. Fourth, the open list system is leading to large numbers of spoilt (null) votes: switching from the closed list to the open list system increases the share of spoilt votes by more than 30 percent.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; International election administration
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Ali Valenzuela; Allison Carnegie; Andrew Healy; Donald Green; Melissa Michelson; Neil Malhorta
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
12 page(s)
9/6/2011
Abstract:
In collaboration with local election officials, we conducted a randomized field experiment in which postage-paid envelopes were provided to a random sample of 10,000 permanent vote-by-mail (VBM) voters in San Mateo County, California, in advance of the November 2, 2010, general election. We find that the treatment generated statistically significant but unexpected effects: postage-paid envelopes increased the probability that voters cast their ballots in person and decreased the probability that they cast their ballots by mail. These offsetting effects meant that the intervention produced no net change in voter turnout. We find that this pattern of countervailing effects is strongest among voters who frequently voted by mail in the past, those potentially most susceptible to disruptions in routine. Post-election interviews support the idea that the postage-paid envelopes created confusion for some voters. The results suggest that reforms designed to increase turnout by decreasing voting costs may have the unintended effect of disrupting routines.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day polling place voting
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
John Beck; Kevin Henrickson
Social Science Quarterly
Washington
18 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
This study empirically examines the potential incentive under this top two primary system for each political party to discourage “excess” party candidates from entering primary contests. We examine this possibility by looking at the Washington State Legislative Primaries in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. With these data, we estimate the factors impacting the number of primary candidates in a race for each political party, including the change in the primary format in 2008.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election administrators; Election types; Open primaries; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
David Wilson; Jason Mycoff; Michael Wagner
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
25 page(s)
8/1/2007
Abstract:
President Bush signed the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) into law with the intention of bolstering confidence in the electoral system, ensuring that votes would be counted accurately, and preventing voter fraud. Political figures, however, have debated the effects of the law with some arguing tougher state voter identification laws may disenfranchise low socio-economic status voters who are less likely to have such identification or know that they must bring it to the polls, and others arguing the new laws would not only prevent voter fraud but prompt higher turnout. In this article we empirically explore these potential outcomes examining whether the institutional constraint of stricter voter identification laws decrease, increase or have no effect on voter turnout. Examining voting behavior data across four elections (2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006) at both the aggregate and individual levels, our results suggest that voter identification laws do not affect voting at either level.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
E. Frank Stephenson; Gary Roseman
Public Choice
Georgia
9 page(s)
4/1/2005
Abstract:
In the aftermath of the Florida debacle in the 2000 Presidential election, there has been an emphasis on replacing voting equipment perceived as inferior (e.g., punch card ballots) with more technologically advanced voting methods. It is possible, however, that not all voters will be comfortable with high-tech voting devices. Elderly voters, for example, might be familiar with the old voting machines but apprehensive about computerized voting. If this is the case, the fear of new voting technology might cause the turnout of elderly voters to decrease. We test for this effect by analyzing the change in voter turnout across Georgia counties in the two most recent gubernatorial elections, as it relates to the share of the counties’ populations that is over the age of 65 years.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Senior voters; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Kenneth Mayer
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National; Wisconsin
36 page(s)
12/21/2009
Abstract:
Here we challenge the common view that any change making it easier to vote will increase turnout. We show that while some practices increase turnout, others have little effect, and the most popular single approach – early voting – actually decreases turnout. In addition, previous research has not fully considered the costs of reform, the effects of different types of reforms, and willingness of election officials to implement them. Our findings suggest that certain combinations of reforms can significantly increase turnout, but that these reforms create an administrative burden that will result in opposition from election officials.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Jennifer Steen; Jonathan Koppell
The Journal of Politics
New York
14 page(s)
2/1/2004
Abstract:
This article presents evidence of name-order effects in balloting from a study of the 1998 Democratic primary in New York City, in which the order of candidates' names was rotated by precinct. In 71 of 79 individual nominating contests, candidates received a greater proportion of the vote when listed first than when listed in any other position. In seven of those 71 contests the advantage to first position exceeded the winner's margin of victory, suggesting that ballot position would have determined the election outcomes if one candidate had held the top spot in all precincts.
Subject(s):
Ballot design
Greg Vonnahme; Robert Stein
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
50 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
In this paper we examine how the attributes of Election Day vote centers shape the voting experience. Our focus is on how different voting systems affect voter satisfaction with voting technology; paper versus direct recorded electronic (DRE) voting machine, the places at which voters vote, the number of races voters ballot in, voter confidence that their ballot will be counted accurately and the time voters spend waiting to vote and to cast their vote. Our central thesis is that voting, especially for the first time and infrequent voters is an ‘acquired taste.” Voters rely on a learning mechanism for determining the likely costs and benefits of voting when deciding whether or not to vote. Positive voting experiences reinforce and increase the likelihood that the satisfied voter will vote again.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place locations; Vote centers
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Jan Leighley; Jonathan Nagler
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
29 page(s)
1/15/2009
Abstract:
This report examines voter turnout in the United States from 1972-2008 and addresses two questions about the effects of non-precinct voting reforms on voter turnout: First, has the adoption of no-excuse early voting and no-fault absentee voting led to a net increase in turnout in states which have adopted these reforms? And, second, if so, have the increases in turnout occurred among particular socio-demographics groups?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Jeffrey Milyo
Institute of Public Policy, Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri
Indiana
14 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
I examine the change in voter turnout across Indiana counties before and after the implementation of photo ID requirements. Overall, statewide turnout increased by about two percentage points after photo ID; further, there is no consistent evidence that counties that have higher percentages of minority, poor, elderly or less-educated population suffer any reduction in voter turnout relative to other counties. In fact, the estimated effect of photo ID on turnout is positive for counties with a greater percentage of minorities or families in poverty. The only consistent and frequently statistically significant impact of photo ID in Indiana is to increase voter turnout in counties with a greater percentage of Democrats relative to other counties. These findings run counter to some recent and prominent concerns that have been raised about voter identification reforms; however, these results are consistent with both existing theory on voter behavior and the most recent and reliable empirical evidence on the effects of voter identification requirements on turnout.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter ID
Combine With: Turnout
Caroline van Ham; Kaat Smets
Electoral Studies
National
16 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
Voter turnout has puzzled political scientists ever since Anthony Downs postulated the paradox of voting. Despite decades of research aiming to understand what drives citizens to the polls, the jury is still out on what the foundations of micro-level turnout are. This paper aims to provide a modest yet important contribution by taking a step back and summarizing where we stand and what we know. To this end, we review 90 empirical studies of individual level voter turnout in national elections published in ten top-journals during the past decade (2000–2010). Through a meta-analysis of the results reported in these studies, this paper identifies those factors that are consistently linked to individual level turnout.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Turnout
David Wilson; Jason Mycoff; Michael Wagner
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
6 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
While there are many examples of anecdotal evidence in the debate over disenfranchisement and voter-identification laws, like the one with which we open this article, we chose to put the question of the impact of voter-ID laws to an empirical test. Using multiple data sources, we explored whether strict voter-identification laws affect voter turnout at both the aggregate (state) and individual level. We find that voter identification laws do not affect voter turnout, and as a result we fail to reject the null hypothesis of no effects. In the sections below we review our reasoning, data, and findings, and provide discussion and conclusions regarding the impact of voter-ID laws on turnout.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Christopher Dodd
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
2 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
The Dodd-Conyers bill has three primary provisions: (1) it creates a temporary commission to study election reform issues and submit a report with recommendations in those areas; (2) it creates a grant program to States and localities for Federal funds to acquire updated voting systems, improve voter registraton systems and educate voters and poll workers; and (3) it establishes minimum Federal requirements for Federal elections.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; Provisional ballots; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Democracy North Carolina
North Carolina
2 page(s)
6/6/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Women voters
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Craig Donsanto
Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice
National
7 page(s)
1/1/1999
Abstract:
This paper seeks to answer the most frequently asked questions concerning the federal law enforcement role in election matters. Particularly, what sort of election-related conduct is potentially actionable as a federal crime, what specific statutory theories apply to frauds occurring in elections lacking federal candidates on the ballot, what federalism, procedural, and policy considerations impact on the federalization of this type of case, and how Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) should respond to this type of complaint.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
4 page(s)
2/1/2013
Abstract:
A number of government agencies gather data on aspects of election administration, but never before has this information been collected and analyzed comprehensively to measure the performance of election administration systems across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. To fill this need, the Pew Center on the States developed the first Elections Performance Index (EPI). This online, interactive tool uses 17 indicators to summarize election administration policies and practices across all states and over time.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Bonnie Glaser; Bruce Cain; Iris Hui; Karin Mac Donald
Election Administration Research Center, University of California-Berkeley
California
33 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
This paper evaluates data from a survey of 15,000 poll workers during California’s 2006 Primary Election. We find that the type and quality of training that individuals receive, along with the availability of adequate reference materials ne gates any effects in age and background. We conclude by extrapolating our results to make recommendations for more effective training, recruitment and retention of poll workers.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places
Combine With: Voter confidence
Edward Foley
Ohio State Law Journal
National
82 page(s)
4/1/2007
Abstract:
At the beginning of the Roberts Court, this Article considers three dimensions of the Rehnquist Court’s most famous precedent, examining the precedent’s potential for influencing the development of the law along each of these dimensions. First, to what extent will the Equal Protection holding of the Court’s opinion in Bush v. Gore generate a new domain of meritorious Equal Protection challenges to voting inequalities? Second, to what extent will the Supreme Court’s willingness to stop the Florida recount in 2000 result in greater judicial intervention into voting procedures while they are underway? And third, to what extent will the intense media and academic criticism of Bush v. Gore affect the Court’s role in constitutional cases generally?
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation
Daniel Tokaji
Yale Law & Policy Review
National
30 page(s)
10/1/2009
Abstract:
With the 2000 election an increasingly distant memory, there is a great risk that election reform will fade from the public agenda. This concern is particularly true in an era of budget constraints, which hinder governments’ abilities to fund significant improvements to our democratic infrastructure. Yet the institutional deficiencies that fueled the firestorm of 2000 remain. American election administration is as decentralized and partisan today as it was then. These deficiencies are partly to blame for smaller-scale conflagrations that arise in every election cycle. The new institutionalism in election law reminds us of the need to consider nonjudicial solutions for these problems. Courts should not be at the center of our efforts to improve the way that we run elections, but they cannot be left out either. Until the United States develops independent electoral management bodies, as so many other countries have, federal courts have a vital role to play in policing election administration.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Institutional arrangements
Edward Perez
Hart InterCivic
National
19 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Internet voting; Poll worker training; Voting technology
Charles Ashby
The Daily Sentinel
Colorado
10 page(s)
11/16/2013
Abstract:
After years of critics demanding that Gessler forward names of suspected non-citizens whom he said were on the voter rolls, his office referred a list of 155 suspected non-citizen voters in July to 15 district attorneys across the state, recommending prosecution and issuing a strongly worded statement saying the list was proof the state’s election system is “vulnerable.”A check by The Daily Sentinel with those district attorneys over the past two weeks, however, revealed that none of the referrals led to criminal prosecutions, though some still are under investigation. The analysis also showed that although some of the non-citizen voters did cast ballots in at least one election going as far back as 2004, the preponderance of the other voters actually were citizens who legally had the right to vote.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
17 page(s)
10/21/2013
Abstract:
This report provides background information about HAVA and its provisions, the EAC, funding for the agency and for state programs to improve elections, and a number of enduring election administration issues.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Maintenance; Military voters; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Frederic Schaffer
Cornell University Press
National
264 page(s)
5/29/2008
Abstract:
In The Hidden Costs of Clean Election Reform, Frederic Charles Schaffer reveals how tinkering with the electoral process can easily damage democratic ideals. Drawing on both recent and historical evidence from the United States and countries around the world, including the Philippines (where Schaffer has served as an election observer), Venezuela, South Africa, and Taiwan, The Hidden Costs of Clean Election Reform investigates why citizens sometimes find themselves abruptly disenfranchised. Schaffer examines numerous incidents in which election reforms have, whether intentionally or accidentally, harmed the quality and experience of democracy.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electioneering & voter intimidation; International election administration; Security; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota (CEIMN); Minnesota Common Cause
Minnesota
11 page(s)
3/1/2011
Abstract:
The Minnesota House and Senate are considering legislation to mandate that every voter present a government issued photo identification before they are allowed to vote (referred to hereafter as “voter ID”). While at first glance it may seem like a simple mandate, the implementation of this mandate will require significant changes to the state’s election system. It would cost over $84 million over 3 years for H.F 210 and over $25 million for H.F. 89. This comes at the same time that the legislature is struggling with a $5 billion budget deficit. Common Cause Minnesota and Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota have conducted a review of the fiscal notes for H.F. 2101 and H.F. 892. The constitutional mandates constraining such legislation and the fiscal estimates from other states suggest that the Minnesota fiscal notes underestimate some of the costs.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
1 page(s)
11/26/2013
Abstract:
Local and state laws can result in costly uncontested elections for jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Costs
Roy Saltman
Palgrave Macmillan
National
256 page(s)
9/16/2008
Abstract:
Roy G. Saltman traces the evolution of voting technology, highlighting how the antiquated systems in use today are a legacy of the industrial revolution and the early computer revolution of the 1950s. He also examines the tangled responsibilities of federal, state, and local authorities in facilitating, monitoring, and counting the votes, creating a disturbing picture of this elemental civic duty.
Subject(s):
Voting technology
J. Quin Monson; Kelly Patterson; Thad Hall
Political Research Quarterly
National
18 page(s)
12/1/2011
Abstract:
The authors examine the relationship between voters’ perceptions of the poll worker job per formance and measures of voter confidence. In an ordered logit model, the perception of poll workers is a significant predictor of voter confidence even in the presence of numerous controls. The results suggest that overlooking the recruitment and training of competent poll workers can have a detrimental effect on voter confidence.
Subject(s):
Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Michael Hanmer; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi
American Journal of Political Science
National
33 page(s)
2/21/2012
Abstract:
Studies of ballots have traditionally focused on roll-off, candidate order, and partisan advantage. This study is among the first to assess the impact of ballots on individual-level voter errors. We develop new hypotheses by bringing together theoretical insights from usability research and political science about the effects of ballots with and without a straight-party voting option. By comparing voters’ intentions to the votes they cast, we are able to create two measures of voter errors: votes unintentionally cast for the wrong candidate and unintentional undervotes. Voters generally make fewer errors of both types when using a standard office-bloc ballot than when using an office-bloc ballot with a straight-party option, with the number of wrong-candidate errors substantially exceeding the number of unintentional undervotes. Voters’ background characteristics have a significant impact on their ability to vote without error. Our results offer a new perspective for evaluating the use of the straight-party option.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors
Barry Burden; Jacob Neiheisel
American Politics Research
Wisconsin
37 page(s)
2/8/2012
Abstract:
Voter registration is widely viewed as a barrier to voter participation in general, and especially so for likely Democratic voters. A popular remedy for both turnout effects is election day registration (EDR), which eliminates the closing date by permitting registration at the polls. Following earlier research we posit a small positive effect of EDR on turnout. But contrary to conventional wisdom we theorize that individuals most likely to take advantage of EDR are in fact Republican voters. To investigate these causal effects we make use of a natural experiment in Wisconsin. When EDR was implemented in Wisconsin in 1976 only municipalities that already required registration were affected by the change in the law. Analysis of this intervention shows that EDR did increase turnout in Wisconsin but actually decreased the Democratic share of the two-party vote for president.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Scott Desposato
The Journal of Politics
National
43 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
In this paper, I reexamine the impact of electoral institutions on legislative party organization. A long-running theme in comparative politics is that Brazil's political party system is weakened by the structure of its electoral institutions. I revisit this research by comparing legislative parties in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies with those in the Brazilian Senate. This comparison allows me to control for political history, constituents, and even the legislative agenda, while providing variance on the key explanatory variable - the electoral system. The Senate is very similar to the Chamber of Deputies - but does not use the much-maligned OLPR rules. The result is a powerful opportunity for testing and inference. The comparisons reveal no consistent or significant differences between institutions.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Gracia Hillman
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
57 page(s)
6/30/2005
Abstract:
This is a report to the United States Congress on the impact of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) on the administration of elections for federal office during the two-year period from the November 2002 to the November 2004 general elections. This is the sixth report to the Congress under NVRA, but the first report submitted by the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The previous five reports were submitted by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The 2004 report is based on survey results from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and three of the four territories: American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other states and territories are not included because they either are exempt from the provisions of NVRA or did not respond to the survey.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Donetta Davidson; Gineen Bresso Beach
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
80 page(s)
6/30/2011
Abstract:
This report to the United States Congress addresses the impact of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 on the administration of elections for Federal office during the two-year period following the November 2008 elections through the November 2010 elections. The 2010 report is based on the results of a survey of all States, the District of Columbia, and two territories—American Samoa and Guam. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands did not respond to the survey. As with past reports, responses from many States and territories varied significantly; six States and all territories are exempt from the provisions of the NVRA and other States did not collect voter registration data in a way that was compatible with a few of the survey questions. Jurisdictions in a few States faced challenges in collecting the data, hampering the States’ abilities to provide complete data for all jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
85 page(s)
6/30/2013
Abstract:
This report to the United States Congress addresses the impact of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 on the administration of elections for Federal office for the 2012 election cycle, i.e., the two-year period following the November 2010 elections through the November 2012 presidential election. The 2012 report is based on the results of a survey of all States, the District of Columbia, and three territories—American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico—conducted by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC).The U.S. Virgin Islands did not respond to the 2012 survey.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors
Joseph Losco; Raymond Scheele; Steven Hall
Annual Meeting of the Western Political Science Association; Bowen Center for Public Affairs, Ball State University; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Indiana
26 page(s)
4/20/2010
Abstract:
In this paper, we examine the impact of early voting and Vote Centers on voter behavior. Both aggregate and individual level data are analyzed for the impact of early voting and vote centers on turnout. We find that vote centers tend to 1) greatly increase the likelihood of early voting; 2) are somewhat more successful in attracting both new and infrequent voters than traditional precincts; and 3) are most successful in attracting infrequent voters in the age range from 30 to 64.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Vote centers
Combine With: Turnout
Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott
American Politics Research
Oregon
22 page(s)
7/1/2004
Abstract:
Most of the studies of voter behavior have dealt with voter turnout, but few have looked at other aspects of voting behavior that could be linked to balloting method. A reasonable amount of information has now accumulated about the impact of the shift from polling place elections to voting by mail on turnout, rolloff, drop-off, differences in voting for partisan offices and referenda, and differences in straight-ticket voting. This article analyzes recent time series of voting data in Oregon to assess the impact of the shift in voting method on these issues. The analysis includes data at the state, county, precinct, and individual levels, including individual ballots. The results suggest new criteria for evaluating shifts from one voting method to another that may be applied to other electoral reforms, such as those that will result from the Help America Vote Act.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Ben Bederson; Frederick Conrad; Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi; Won-Ho Park
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National; Florida
38 page(s)
4/7/2005
Abstract:
This paper is organized as follows. In the next section, we discuss the general approach of “natural” experiments as an effective research design for the study of the effects of the adoption of new voting technology. Our analysis focuses on the state of Florida because it experienced particularly severe election administration problems in 2000, adopted extensive reforms including the adoption of new technology in many counties, and has available data for 6 appropriate units of analysis for many of these counties. We also discuss an appropriate statistical technique for ecological analysis that was employed successfully in other analyses of shifts in election administration using similar data resources. The results of using this design and statistical approach in Florida illuminate interesting impacts of the adoption of new voting technology, and they suggest a number of additional possibilities for subsequent analyses in other jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Ludvig Beckman
The Importance of Constitutions: Parliamentarism, Representation, and Voting Rights
National
20 page(s)
10/23/2013
Abstract:
A variety of exclusions from the vote remain in place despite the declared victory for the idea of universal suffrage. Age, citizenship, residence, mental status and criminal record are among the most commonly enforced conditions for the vote practiced today. The existing grounds for exclusions are well documented (Katz, 1997; Massicotte et al. 2004; Blais and Yoshinaka, 2001; Paxton, 2003). Yet, the significance of remaining exclusions to the measurement of democracy is uncertain. Though many would agree that the extension of political rights among citizens is relevant from a democratic perspective, it is less clear whether each and every restriction subtracts from the democracy score of political systems.
Subject(s):
Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Benjamin Bederson; Frederick Conrad; Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology Workshop
National
6 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Expert reviews, laboratory tests, and a large-scale field study of one paper/optical scan and five electronic voting systems suggested numerous possible improvements. Changes could be made in all aspects of the process—signing-on, navigating across the ballot, checking and changing votes, casting write-in votes, and reviewing and casting the ballot. A paper trail was largely ignored by voters. Voters generally cast votes as intended, but complexities, such as changing votes and using a ballot with a straight-party feature, reduced voting accuracy. We call for additional usability research to examine new and altered systems, especially considering add-ons such as voter verifiable paper trails.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Frederick Boehmke; R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
31 page(s)
12/1/2005
Abstract:
Rather than focus on state-level effects of the initiative process, this paper studies the direct effect of signature gathering campaigns on participation within a state. We test whether parts of the state that are subject to more intense signature gathering campaigns, measured by the number of signatures gathered per capita, experience greater levels of political participation. We examine three measures of participation: registration, turnout, and ballot rolloff. Our key variable is the intensity of the signature gathering campaign across eight specific ballot measures or across measures for four specific elections. Grouped logit analysis demonstrates that the intensity of signature gathering campaigns is strongly related to these measures of political participation. In addition, we also study how signature gathering intensity influences vote choice on associated measures, finding that on average increased signature gathering intensity increases support for a measure.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
David Konisky; Stephen Ansolabehere
Political Analysis
New York; Ohio
28 page(s)
2/1/2004
Abstract:
Voter registration, it is widely argued, raises the costs of voting, thereby decreasing turnout. Studies of turnout across states find that states with later registration dates or election day registration have much higher turnout rates. Eliminating registration barriers altogether is estimated to raise voter participation rates by 5 to 10 percentage points. This paper presents panel estimates of the effects of the introduction of registration that exploits changes in registration laws and turnout within counties. New York imposed registration on all of its counties in 1965; Ohio imposed registration in all of its counties in 1977. We estimate that the imposition of registration on counties that did not have registration in these states decreased participation over the long-term by 3 to 4 percentage points. Though significant, this is lower than estimates of the effects of registration from cross-sectional studies.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Nagler; R. Michael Alvarez
Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review
Arizona; California; Oregon
38 page(s)
4/1/2001
Abstract:
One of the most important political and legal issues surrounding the debates about electronic balloting fundamentally concerns what political scientists call “political representation.” A critical political question about electronic balloting is whether it will have an impact on political representation, broadly defined. A critical legal question about electronic balloting is whether it will violate the Voting Rights Act, which is a narrowly defined way to look at political representation by focusing only on minority voting rights. The purpose of our research reported in this paper is to shed some light on both the political and legal aspects of electronic balloting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Internet voting; Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology; Women voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Lawrence Norden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
190 page(s)
10/10/2006
Abstract:
This report is the final product of the first comprehensive, empirical analysis of electronic voting systems in the United States. It comes after nearly two years of study with many of the nations leading academics, election officials, economists, and security, usability and accessibility experts. Up until this point, there has been surprisingly little empirical study of voting systems in the areas of security, accessibility, usability, and cost. The result is that jurisdictions make purchasing decisions and adopt laws and procedures that have little to do with their overall goals. The Brennan Center analysis finds that there is not yet any perfect voting system or set of procedures. One system might be more affordable, but less accessible to members of the disabled community; certain election procedures might make the systems easier to use, but they compromise security. Election officials and community members should be aware of the trade-offs when choosing one voting system or set of procedures over another, and they should know how to improve the system they choose.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs
Ana Muñoz; Jeremy Creelan; Lawrence Norden; Whitney Quesenbery
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
54 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
This report is designed to help state and local jurisdictions improve the accessibility of their voting systems. We have not conducted any direct accessibility testing of existent technologies. Rather, we set forth a set of critical questions for election officials and voters to use when assessing available voting systems, indicate whether vendors have provided any standard or custom features designed to answer these accessibility concerns, and offer an evaluation of each architecture’s limitations in providing an accessible voting experience to all voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot marking tools; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place accessibility; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Lawrence Norden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
162 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
In this report, the Task Force reviews several categories of threats to the technologies of three electronic voting systems. Direct Recording Electronic voting systems (“DREs”), DREs with a voter-verified auditable paper trail (“DREs w/ VVPT”) and Precinct Count Optical Scan (“PCOS”) systems. We then identify, as against each system, the least difficult way for an attacker to change the outcome of a statewide election. And finally, we examine how much more difficult different sets of countermeasures would make these least difficult attacks. We believe that this analysis, together with the concurrent findings and recommended countermeasures, should assist jurisdictions decide which voting systems to certify or purchase, and how to protect those systems from security threats after they have been purchased.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Fraud
David Kimball ; Jeremy Creelan; Lawrence Norden; Whitney Quesenbery
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
38 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
In this chapter, we examine the usability of various voting systems and discuss several ways that election officials can maximize the usability of these systems. By maximizing the usability of a system, we mean ensuring, to as great a degree as possible, that voting systems: (a) effectively (correctly) record voters’ intended selections, (b) complete the voting process in an efficient and timely manner, and (c) provide voters with confidence and satisfaction in the voting process.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Lawrence Norden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
190 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
In an effort to address the most serious concerns about new voting technology, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law assembled four Task Forces of the nation’s leading experts in the areas of security, accessibility, usability and cost, to perform the first ever comprehensive and empirical analysis of electronic voting systems. The analysis focused on the three principal types of voting systems being purchased today: Direct Recording Electronic (“DRE”) systems, DREs with voter-verified auditable paper trails (“DREs w/VVPT”), and Precinct Count Optical Scan (“PCOS”) systems. To support Task Force analyses, the Center researched state and local election laws, reviewed voting system contracts, and conducted interviews with hundreds of election officials. The result of this work is a four-chapter report that offers policy makers, election administrators, and members of the public a more nuanced and complete understanding of new voting systems than ever before.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot layout; Ballot marking tools; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Security; Usability testing; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud
Daniel Lowenstein
Ohio State Law Journal
National
27 page(s)
6/1/2007
Abstract:
This Article comments on a paper by Edward B. Foley, in which Professor Foley proposes a taxonomy for analyzing and evaluating actual and potential challenges to electoral practices under Bush v. Gore. Part III, which is the core of the Article, proposes an interpretation of Bush v. Gore based on a close reading that treats the per curiam opinion as an integrated explanation of a result, in contrast to interpretations that rely on isolated statements out of context. The opinion is shown to be coherent. It is not “limited to its facts” and it does not attempt to negate any precedential effect, as some scholars have claimed. Two factors are crucial to the holding: (1) There was a disparate treatment of identical items of evidence in a judicial proceeding, and (2) the evidence treated inconsistently bore on the fundamental right to vote. The holding of the case is applicable only when those factors are present. However, Part IV of the Article proposes a taxonomy, different from Foley’s, for determining Bush v. Gore’s possible influence in cases that are analogous but not within the holding.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Election administrators; Institutional arrangements; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Litigation
Scott Konopasek
Election Administration Theories and Praxis
National
2 page(s)
11/17/2013
Abstract:
Seldom does a week goes by that I am not asked by a jurisdiction to provide estimates of election costs for a series of hypothetical scenarios under consideration. In the US there is a wide range of costs for an election depending upon the county, the date, the number of participants and the accounting and billing methods used by a county. Providing an estimate is not a science- it is an art form. An estimate must not understate the actual costs that will be billed nor should it greatly overstate the costs. Estimates which are not in-line with the actual costs undermine the credibility of election officials and invites accountants and financial managers to scrutinize the way election costs are calculated, often opening up a window into the bizarre and byzantine.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Combine With: Costs
Michael McDonald; Samuel Popkin
American Political Science Review
National
12 page(s)
12/1/2001
Abstract:
The apparent decline in voter participation in national elections since 1972 is an illusion created by using the Bureau of the Census estimate of the voting-age population as the denominator of the turnout rate. We construct a more accurate estimate of those eligible to vote, from 1948–2000, using government statistical series to adjust for ineligible but included groups, such as noncitizens and felons, and eligible but excluded groups, such as overseas citizens. We show that the ineligible population, not the nonvoting, has been increasing since 1972.
Subject(s):
Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Turnout
Lorraine Minnite
Cornell University Press
National
312 page(s)
6/10/2010
Abstract:
In The Myth of Voter Fraud, Lorraine C. Minnite presents the results of her meticulous search for evidence of voter fraud. She concludes that while voting irregularities produced by the fragmented and complex nature of the electoral process in the United States are common, incidents of deliberate voter fraud are actually quite rare. Based on painstaking research aggregating and sifting through data from a variety of sources, including public records requests to all fifty state governments and the U.S. Justice Department, Minnite contends that voter fraud is in reality a politically constructed myth intended to further complicate the voting process and reduce voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
David Walker
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
534 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
This report focuses on the changing election processes in the United States and the November 2004 general election. Specifically, for each major stage of the election process—voter registration, absentee and early voting, preparing for and conducting elections, provisional voting, and counting the votes—plus voting methods, this report discusses (1) changes to election systems since the 2000 election, including steps taken to implement the Help America Vote Act, and (2) challenges encountered by election officials in the November 2004 election.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Wait times
Estelle Rogers
Project Vote
National
41 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
This report summarizes both the triumphs and failings of the 15–year old NVRA, and makes recommendations for finally and fully realizing its promise, with a focus on four key sections of the law.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Estelle Rogers
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
National
18 page(s)
11/1/2009
Abstract:
This Issue Brief surveys, at the 15-year mark, the NVRA‘s successes and failures as a statutory scheme designed to create a national policy on voter registration. There have been both, and it is important to assess what has been accomplished and to suggest what might be done to achieve the level of civic participation envisioned by the statute‘s drafters in 1993. After a brief treatment of the historical context of the NVRA, this Issue Brief focuses on two of its most important provisions – voter registration at public agencies, and administration and voter list maintenance – where remedial action could significantly improve voter participation and election administration. The Issue Brief also discusses how increased enforcement could further the aims of the NVRA.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah; New Mexico Bernalillo County Clerk; New Mexico Secretary of State; Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts; University of New Mexico
New Mexico
132 page(s)
9/22/2008
Abstract:
In the spring of 2008, we had the opportunity to develop and test audit procedures in Bernalillo County, New Mexico for the purpose of recommending specific recommendations and guidelines to the New Mexico Secretary of State in preparation for the 2008 post election audit and more broadly to consider and test methods that would be effective for other states and localities as they grapple with this issue. At the same time, our study is also meant to inform the public debate on the accuracy and integrity of the new optical scan voting systems deployed for the first time in the 2006 election.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll watchers; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
Lonna Rae Atkeson; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah; University of New Mexico
New Mexico
74 page(s)
8/2/2007
Abstract:
The New Mexico Election Administration Report on the 2006 November General Election is the product of three independent research projects focused on New Mexico’s election administration efforts in the 2006 election. New Mexico has recently implemented a number of significant election reforms intended to create fair, accurate and voter-verifiable election administration systems. New Mexico, for example, is the first state that moved from a predominantly electronic voting system to one that mandated optical scan paper ballots statewide, with the intent of providing a paper trail so that elections could be audited for accuracy and to provide an environment that would promote greater voter confidence. The statewide implementation of this program and the use of ES&S M-100 and M-650 occurred in the fall 2006 general election. Prior to that there were at least six different voting technologies used throughout the state. Each of the three research studies summarized here examine a different aspect of the election process, each providing a very important look at the election administration question and an overall look at the 2006 election experience and environment in New Mexico.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Justin Levitt
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
Florida
21 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
This Issue Brief first focuses on provisions in a new Florida law that exemplify new restrictions on registration and on voting before Election Day. It then evaluates the landscape of voter identification laws across the country, critically analyzing the laws’ purported justifications and benefits.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement
CBS News; The New York Times
National
34 page(s)
9/14/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Public opinion
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
E-Government Series, IBM Center for The Business of Government
National
48 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
All aspects of election management—from managing voter registration to preparing ballots, managing precinct information, and counting and auditing election data—are moving toward complete automation. As this transition occurs, standards are necessary to ensure election data outputs are uniform, so that election management systems can communicate with each other seamlessly and various election management and voting technologies can interface automatically. This seamless communication also will allow election officials to share data—such as voter registration information—that will help produce a more accurate, cost-effective, and accessible election process and voting experience. In Appendix II, we explore the benefits that came to the healthcare industry when ETS protocols were required. This report shows how ETS protocols will improve voting and elections.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter list maintenance; Voting technology
Hans Hassell
State Politics & Policy Conference
National
22 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Although states have a wide variety of restrictions governing who is allowed to vote in primary elections, studies of the influence of primary rules on the ideology of legislators do not match theoretical results. Studies that use data of legislator ideology in recent decades have not have found a relationship between primary rules and ideology. I argue that these findings are motivated in part by the fact that parties have been most effective at clearing the field in primaries for the U.S. House. Using a measure of party support derived from public information on campaign fundraising, I find that the party is influential in all types of primaries in competitive districts and that the party focuses most of its effort in non-competitive races on races with rules that encourage extremism among partisans and leave outcomes more susceptible to variations in turnout.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Open primaries
Benjamin Bederson; Frederick Conrad; Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
44 page(s)
4/20/2006
Abstract:
Using data from a unique field experiment, we investigated the extent to which voters cast their votes as intended on six different voting systems. For a single office, in straightforward situations, roughly 97 percent voted the way they intended. However, about 20 percent of the voters made at least one error on their ballot. The most common error was inadvertently selecting the wrong candidate, not casting an overvote or an undervote. The characteristics of the voting systems and ballots had a significant impact on accuracy levels, especially when the voting task became more complex, as when voters chose two candidates for a given office or changed their vote. Finally, characteristics related to the digital divide strongly influenced individual accuracy rates. The results have implications for scholars, manufacturers of voting systems, election officials, and voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Senior voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors
Jessie Cleveland
Nebraskans for Civic Reform
Nebraska
2 page(s)
1/10/2011
Abstract:
Provisional ballots may be cast for a plethora of reasons, including if a voter has registered in the wrong jurisdiction or if the voter may have already submitted an absentee ballot. Provisional ballots are verified before counting, and therefore, not all provisional ballots are necessarily counted during each election cycle. Still, the provisional ballot remains a critical means by which a voter may still have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process. Such a process, however, appears nebulous to many citizens who may not know if their votes have been counted or other details about the practice. Is provisional balloting really a practice by the people for the people?
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns
Daniel Tokaji
Fordham Law Review
National
99 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
This article examines the debate over electronic voting, which raises fundamental questions about the democratic values that should guide the administration of elections. It frames the debate by defining four equality norms embodied in federal voting rights laws and the Constitution. Electronic voting has the potential to advance racial equality, disability access, and multilingual access. At the same time, there are legitimate concerns surrounding the implementation of present-generation technology. The proposed voter verified paper audit trail is unlikely to resolve these concerns, though other measures may be taken to promote security and transparency. The article concludes that legislatures and courts have important roles to play in the transformation of voting technology, but that the most important decisions lie in the hands of state and local election officials. It suggests a legal structure that will protect basic voting rights while allowing for innovation and experimentation. Most important, the article urges that election reform no longer be viewed as a once-in-a-generation occurrence, but as an ongoing process that should proceed for as long as voting technology continues to improve.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; African-American voters; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Recounts; Security; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence
Adam Berinsky
American Politics Research
Arizona; Kentucky; Oregon
21 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
In this essay, I review evidence from numerous studies of electoral practices to demonstrate that reforms designed to make it easier for registered voters to cast their ballots increase, rather than reduce, socioeconomic biases in the composition of the voting public. This article discusses only those reforms that make it easier to vote once registered.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Low-income voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Carrie Apfel
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
Indiana
16 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
Part I of this Issue Brief discusses the rise of voter photo identification regimes from the ashes of the unprecedented 2000 presidential election. Part II then turns to a discussion of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, where a divided Court upheld Indiana’s restrictive photo identification requirement against a facial attack brought prior to the implementation of the law, while still leaving the door open for future challenges. Part III discusses the many policy reasons why states should avoid adopting similar restrictive identification requirements, both in light of and in addition to the Court’s holding in Crawford.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence
Derek Muller
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
21 page(s)
4/18/2014
Abstract:
The Constitution delegates election administration to both the federal government and the state governments. But delineating the boundary between these sovereigns has not been a particularly easy task. The Supreme Court has not been inclined to offer precision regarding the proper scope of authority. This essay examines risk of overlapping roles in the Election Clauses among legislatures and executive officials, as litigation over those proper roles looms. It highlights the uncertainty in two recent Supreme Court opinions, Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and Shelby County v. Holder, and notes that the Court's jurisprudence has left considerable "play in the joints," not necessarily because the Election Clauses are in tension, but because of its unwillingness to explain how matters like voter identification and registration should probably be allocated. It identifies some initial solutions for categorizing certain types of election laws, and emphasizes the deep uncertainty in the existing jurisprudence.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Brady Baybeck; Carol Silva; David Kimball ; Donald Moynihan; Martha Kropf
University of California-Irvine School of Law
National
24 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
In the debate about partisan election administration, little attention has been focused on the views of local election officials. Election officials can be purveyors of partisanship as well as observers of the election administration environment. We use a series of national surveys of local election officials to examine the degree to which local officials of opposing parties have different policy preferences about election administration. We find that partisan differences are largely confined to officials serving heavily populated local jurisdictions. We also examine whether partisanship is related to the views of local officials toward state election administration. We find evaluations of state administrators have less to do with party affiliation and more to do with outside forces largely beyond their control.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Nonpartisan election administration; Same day/Election Day registration; Security; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Alan Renwick
Cambridge University Press
National
328 page(s)
5/19/2011
Abstract:
Elections lie at the heart of democracy, and this book seeks to understand how the rules governing those elections are chosen. Drawing on both broad comparisons and detailed case studies, it focuses upon the electoral rules that govern what sorts of preferences voters can express and how votes translate into seats in a legislature. Through detailed examination of electoral reform politics in four countries (France, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand), Alan Renwick shows how major electoral system changes in established democracies occur through two contrasting types of reform process. Renwick rejects the simple view that electoral systems always straightforwardly reflect the interests of the politicians in power. Politicians' motivations are complex; politicians are sometimes unable to pursue reforms they want; occasionally, they are forced to accept reforms they oppose. The Politics of Electoral Reform shows how voters and reform activists can have real power over electoral reform.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Lorraine Minnite
Project Vote
National; Connecticut; Florida; Michigan; Missouri; New Jersey; Wisconsin
44 page(s)
3/5/2007
Abstract:
The purpose of this report is to disentangle the myth from the reality and to separate the politics of voter fraud from legitimate administrative concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. To make the argument, we present a usable definition of voter fraud, discuss the problem of evidence, and explain how and why the dynamics of electoral competition drive the use of baseless fraud claims in American politics. We present several contemporary examples to illustrate how poor election administration and voter mistakes are misleadingly labeled “fraud.” Recent allegations against voter registration campaigns highlight the need for an analysis sensitive to the partisanship and race and class issues just beneath the surface of most voter fraud claims. The last section of the report makes policy recommendations for improving public understanding and removing the canard of voter fraud from the election reform debate. The appendix discusses what to look for in evaluating voter fraud allegations.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation
Tova Wang
Cornell University Press
National
200 page(s)
7/20/2012
Abstract:
Tova Andrea Wang examines the history of how U.S. election reforms have been manipulated for partisan advantage and establishes a new framework for analyzing current laws and policies. The tactics that have been employed to suppress voting in recent elections are not novel, she finds, but rather build upon the strategies used by a variety of actors going back nearly a century and a half. This continuity, along with the shift to a Republican domination of voter suppression efforts for the past fifty years, should inform what we think about reform policy today.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Cynthia Duncan
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
North Carolina
34 page(s)
4/10/2014
Abstract:
In late December 2013 the Southern Coalition for Social Justice asked me to research and write a report on poverty i n North Carolina. Working with two graduate students in sociology at UNH, the current director of the vulnerable children and families program at the Carsey Institute at UNH, and the George Autry Fellow at MDC in Durham, North Carolina, I analyzed data from the U.S. Census and conducted 47 interviews with poor men and women in North Carolina. The qualitative work was conducted using the same protocol approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board f or my book update in 2013. Because of the compressed time frame in which this report was produced I reserve the right to expand the scope if requested by counsel.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics
Jody Herman
The Williams Institute
National
10 page(s)
4/1/2012
Abstract:
Transgender people who have transitioned to live in a gender different from the gender assigned to them at birth face unique obstacles to obtaining identification documents that reflect their correct gender. Having identification that does not accurately reflect one’s gender can cause problems for transgender people during a variety of activities, from applying for employment or housing to interactions with police officers and government officials. Transgender citizens with inaccurate identification may also encounter obstacles to voting. An increasing number of U.S. states have adopted voter identification laws (voter ID laws), which require voters to prove their identity by providing an acceptable form of identification to poll workers before voting in an election. The strictest voter ID laws require voters to present government-issued photo ID at the polls. In the November 2012 election, strict photo ID laws may create substantial barriers to voting and possible disenfranchisement for over 25,000 transgender people in nine states.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions
David Collins
University of La Verne Law Review
Texas
4 page(s)
2/1/2010
Abstract:
Part I of this Comment gives historical information concerning the legislation and case law surrounding § 5 of the VRA. Part II examines the Supreme Court’s decision in Northwest Austin and § 5’s vulnerability to a constitutional challenge. Part III discusses current voting discrimination and then proposes suggestions for tailoring the coverage formula, preclearance requirement, and bailout standards so that § 5 may withstand a future constitutional challenge.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Bill Cowles
Orange County Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
5 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
I have worked in the Orange County Elections Office for the past 24 years, first as the Chief Deputy until my election as Supervisor in 1996. Following the 2000 Elections, I believe that the Election Reforms recommended by Governor Jeb Bush’s Task Force and the changes enacted by the Florida Legislature in 2001 were positive steps for both this State and for the nation. These reforms were held up as a model for other states and had an impact on the creation of the Help America Vote Act in 2002.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot length; Ballot on demand; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Paul Lux
Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
5 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
There are a myriad of problems that can cause a ballot to not be counted; I would like to highlight the most prevalent. Many voters send in Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots—FWABs in our vernacular—without first having a request on file. These ballots cannot be counted in many jurisdictions. Ballots received after election day for stateside voters and after the 10-day period for overseas voters cannot be counted in many jurisdictions.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voting technology
Sarah Ball Johnson
Colorado Springs City Clerk; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Colorado
2 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
During my one year as City Clerk, I conducted two mail ballot elections, and conducted council redistricting to develop a new council district map. I worked at the Kentucky Board of Elections for 17 years and spent 8 of those years as Executive Director. My extensive background in election administration has provided me with many first hand experiences in drafting/implementing election legislation, and conducting elections. I appreciate the opportunity to mention several pertinent items relating to your mission topics.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Ballot layout; Ballot length; Ballot wording; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Wait times
Brenda Snipes
Broward County Supervisor of Elections; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
Florida
8 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
I applaud the Commission on your efforts to thoroughly review the elements of the past presidential election. I hope your work will lead you to conclusions that will benefit the overall election process in a fair and objective manner. As one of the Florida senators remarked at the opening of the Senate hearing on Elections and Ethics, “There is enough blame to go around”. I hope you will balance your findings with a thorough evaluation of all elements that make for and support successful elections for all voters.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Electronic pollbooks; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Daniel Tokaji
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
Florida
2 page(s)
3/12/2008
Abstract:
With the Clinton and Obama camps at odds over whether to seat Florida and Michigan delegates, the idea of holding an all-mail election has emerged as a possible solution. The New York Times reports today that Democratic Party officials are "close to completing a draft plan" for a mail-in primary in Florida that would take place in early June. Proponents of all-mail voting often cite Oregon's experience in support of their arguments. If they can do it, the argument goes, why can't we? Given that Democratic Party rules set clear standards for having delegates recognized, which Florida and Michigan just as clearly failed to abide by, it seems obvious that the delegates selected through those states' prior primaries shouldn't be recognized. At the same time, there are reasons to be very cautious about exporting all-mail elections to these states, especially in a hotly contested and undeniably important race like this one. Here are a few of those reasons.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voter demographics
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Benjamin Bederson; Fred Conrad; Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott; Paul Herrnson; Peter Francia; Richard Niemi
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
51 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
This study reports on a large-scale field experiment in which we investigated the usability of six voting systems representing a variety of interfaces (optical scan, touch screen, buttons and dials, membrane buttons) and other characteristics (including portion of ballot visible, advancing mechanism, paper trail). The subject pool included demographic variation and over-represented the elderly and others who were inexperienced with computers. The ballot included a variety of tasks required of voters (including voting in partisan and non-partisan races and in offices with more than one winner, casting a write-in vote, and making a change). The findings demonstrate that these systems are viewed favorably, though with substantial variations across machine characteristics and tasks required. They are also more or less challenging for different types of voters. Our results suggest numerous possibilities for improvements in electronic voting systems as well as suggest the need for continued usability testing.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Senior voters; Usability testing; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Voter confidence
Nathaniel Persily
The Yale Law Journal
National
80 page(s)
12/1/2007
Abstract:
This Article describes the unprecedented legislative history of this law, and the political and constitutional constraints that led the law to take the form that it did. It also presents an interpretation of the new retrogression standard that avoids the partisan bias of alternatives while emphasizing the importance of racially polarized voting to the constitutionality and meaning of this new law. It urges that the new law be read as preventing redistricting plans that reduce the aggregated probability across districts of the election of candidates preferred by the minority community and disfavored by whites.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Turnout
Edward Foley
The George Washington Law Review
National
16 page(s)
12/1/2005
Abstract:
This piece examines the first major test of provisional voting after the enactment of the Help American Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The 2004 presidential election demonstrated the HAVA system of provisional voting is seriously underdeveloped, in large part because of ambiguities and gaps in HAVA itself. These deficiencies prevent provisional voting from serving as the "insurance policy" HAVA intended it to be. The article recommends that, before the 2008 presidential election, new legislation should be enacted that would establish preelection mechanisms for verifying voter eligibility and that these preelection verification procedures be used to streamline postelection disputes over provisional ballots.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Litigation
Edward Foley
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
3 page(s)
4/5/2005
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Constitution Project; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
12 page(s)
12/1/2001
Abstract:
For this briefing, the first of a series examining election reform issues, electionline.org and The Constitution Project surveyed election administrators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia regarding provisional voting. The research revealed no national standard; indeed, no two states implement this safeguard in exactly the same way. The survey discovered a collection of practices as varied as the states themselves.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Daniel Krantz Toffey; Paul Gronke
Journal of Social Issues
National
36 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
This paper examines early voting, an institutional innovation whereby citizens can cast their ballots a time and place other than on Election Day and at the precinct place. The paper draws on models of voter decision-making that conceptualize voting as a choice reached under uncertainty. Voters vary by a) their willingness to accept uncertainty, b) their cognitive engagement with the campaign, and c) their location in an institutional environment that makes early voting possible. We propose a multivariate model of early voting, contingent on a voter’s prior levels of political information, level of fixed political beliefs, and political information activity. These are also interacted with the institutional context (laws and procedures that allow early voting).
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Election types; Overseas voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Robert Montjoy
Public Administration Review
National
12 page(s)
8/5/2008
Abstract:
The performance of election systems in the United States depends heavily on complex networks of people, tasks, organizations, and relationships, as well as the voting technology that has received so much attention since the presidential election of 2000. Public administration has much to contribute to our understanding of these systems. This article provides an overview of the field, highlighting linkages to theoretical approaches in public administration and emphasizing the importance of management in a brief case study.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Post-election audits; Vote centers; Voting technology
Eitan Hersh; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University
National
28 page(s)
7/14/2010
Abstract:
The report presents the first comprehensive, nation-wide analysis of the quality of information stored on voter registration lists.
Subject(s):
Post-election audits; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Mark DiCamillo
Survey Practice: Practical Information for Survey Researchers
California
9 page(s)
10/17/2009
Abstract:
The growth of mail ballot voting in California has been a long-term trend that began in the late 1970’s after restrictions to this voting method were lifted allowing any voter the right to vote in this manner. However, the number of Californians choosing to vote by mail has been increasing at an accelerated rate in recent years.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Permanent absentee voting; Voter demographics; Women voters
Combine With: Turnout
Impact Information; Plain Language at Work Newsletter
National
4 page(s)
10/29/2011
Abstract:
In this issue, we take a look at the readability of the online voter information offered on the Websites of the various U.S. states and territories. We applied Gunning's Fog formula to samples of least 500 words from complete sentences in each of the Websites. As you can see from the chart below, the results are very uneven, going from the 9th to the 25th grade.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Democratic National Committee; Voting Rights Institute
National
11 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
In 2011, state legislatures in 35 states have considered legislation requiring voters to present specified government-issued photo identification as a prerequisite to voting. By April 15, 2011, 17 of these states had issued fiscal notes estimating the cost of the legislation. These estimates, however, often fail to consider well-established costs of implementing photo id in a constitutionally permissible manner. Our analysis demonstrates that nearly all state estimates significantly undervalue the true cost of implementing photo ID requirements. On average, a state implementing a photo id law will incur a cost of $14.77 million over the first four fiscal years of implementation.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Barry Burden; Jeffrey Milyo
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
17 page(s)
9/6/2013
Abstract:
Our report focuses mostly on descriptive information about poll worker characteristics, recruitment and training, and identifies robust correlations among these factors and several important outcomes.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter demographics
Combine With: Voter confidence; Wait times
John Anthony Phillips
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
National
8 page(s)
5/1/2004
Abstract:
Recently, scholars and educators have suggested that practical lessons about local politics and participation in extracurricular activities – collectively referred to as service learning – are the most promising educational tools for enhancing civic development. I use two field experiments with inner city high school students to test whether these activities actually affect civic knowledge, attitudes and behavior. The primary advantage of an experimental approach is that it creates the conditions necessary for unbiased causal inference. Accordingly, my results speak to certain issues of cause and effect in civic education with greater certainty than previous research.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Charles Stewart III
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Georgia
36 page(s)
10/1/2004
Abstract:
Georgia's use of the AccuVote-TS machines has enfolded the state, and Cox particularly, in a controversy over the security and accuracy of electronic voting. In the midst of implementing the new machines, computer scientists came upon versions of the Diebold computer code, analyzed it, and concluded that it was riddled with programming lapses, especially security vulnerabilities. The implementation in Georgia was further clouded by difficulties encountered with the machines that were delivered, and the necessity to apply an uncertified software patch to the equipment as the election was imminent. If this was not enough, the actual results of the election excited the more conspiracy minded to wonder whether the machines had been tampered with to produce the “surprise” defeat of Governor Roy Barnes and Senator Max Cleland. In the midst of this controversy, one important question has been left unaddressed by the scientific community: Did the Diebold machines perform better than the collection of older voting technologies that Georgia had used before? The purpose of this research is to answer this question. The answer is yes.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
Barry Weinberg
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
National
500 page(s)
1/11/2008
Abstract:
The Resolution of Election Disputes, 2nd Edition is the most up-to-date centralized information source for understanding, responding to, and preventing election disputes and irregularities in the United States of America. The 2nd edition of this groundbreaking publication features updates and additional cases that highlight the legal principles that courts in the United States use to resolve election disputes, as well as a new section on substantial compliance.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Voter ID
Combine With: Litigation
Kyle Dodson
Department of Sociology, Indiana University-Bloomington
National
42 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
A frequent concern voiced by social commentators has been the persistence of mass disengagement over the past two decades — despite evidence of improving democratic involvement. In particular, since 1988, voter turnout in presidential elections has dramatic ally rebounded, to the point that they now rival the turnout rates of the 1960s. Yet little is known about the cause of this trend. The primary theoretical focus of the following study is to examine what factors were behind this increase in turnout paying particular attention to the electoral relevance of increasing party polarization. Results indicate that the rise in polarization was a central driver behind the turnout boom. Changes in the electoral environment account for almost 80% of the total increase in voter turnout. The analysis suggests that party polarization represents a key mechanism that links citizens to the larger political process. Implications for the current state of mass engagement generally and political behavior specifically are discussed in conclusion.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Joshua Douglas
Vanderbilt Law Review
National
61 page(s)
1/22/2014
Abstract:
This Article provides the first comprehensive look at state constitutional provisions explicitly granting the right to vote. We hear that the right to vote is “fundamental,” the “essence of a democratic society,” and “preservative of all rights.” Yet courts and scholars are still searching for a solution to the puzzle of how best to protect voting rights, especially because the U.S. Supreme Court has underenforced the right to vote. The answer, however, is right in front of us: state constitutions. Virtually every state constitution includes direct, explicit language granting the right to vote, as contrasted with the federal constitution, which mentions voting rights only implicitly. And yet those seeking to protect the right to vote have largely ignored this state constitutional source.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Alexander Keyssar
Basic Books
National
494 page(s)
6/30/2009
Abstract:
Originally published in 2000, The Right to Vote was widely hailed as a magisterial account of the evolution of suffrage from the American Revolution to the end of the twentieth century. In this revised and updated edition, Keyssar carries the story forward, from the disputed presidential contest of 2000 through the 2008 campaign and the election of Barack Obama. The Right to Vote is a sweeping reinterpretation of American political history as well as a meditation on the meaning of democracy in contemporary American life.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions; Women voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Project Vote
National
26 page(s)
1/3/2008
Abstract:
This brief clarifies the role of a challenger, discusses the impact of challengers in recent elections, details state-specific challenger activity, provides an overview of challenge statutes nationwide, and concludes with policy recommendations.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll watchers; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Christopher Mann; Rachel Sondheimer
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Colorado
101 page(s)
12/28/2009
Abstract:
The use of voting by mail is growing rapidly across the country. In searching for the causes of this growth, researchers have looked at the influence of statutory changes and strategic intervention by civic engagement groups and political parties. Prior to this report, little attention has been paid to the various activities of local election officials to promote the use of voting by mail. The central role and significant discretion of local election officials in administering elections positions them to be major actors in the growth of voting by mail.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Goler; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
14 page(s)
1/4/2004
Abstract:
Existing technology is capable of yielding secure, reliable, and auditable voting systems. This system outlines an architecture based on redundancy at each stage of the ballot submission process that is resistant to external hacking and internal insertion of malicious code. The proposed architecture addresses all layers of the system beyond the point when a voter commits the ballot.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Security; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Anthony Gamboa
U.S. Congress; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
33 page(s)
3/13/2001
Abstract:
In order to address the federal role in election administration, we reviewed: (1) the constitutional framework for the administration of elections, focusing on Congress’ authority to regulate congressional, presidential, and state and local elections, as well as its authority to provide grants to support election processes; and (2) major federal statutes enacted in the area of election administration. In summary, the constitutional framework for elections contemplates both state and federal roles. States are responsible for the administration of both their own elections and federal elections. States regulate various phases of the elections process and in turn incur the costs associated with these activities.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Institutional arrangements; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling place accessibility; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Sharon Priest
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
3 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
Generally, there are three entities involved in the performance of an election. Secretaries of State are responsible for the administration of election laws. County level Election Commissioners/Boards of Canvassers are responsible for Election Day activities; in other words, poll workers, ballot configuration, getting equipement and ballots to their precincts. County Clerks/Auditors are responsible for voter registration, absentee, and, if applicable, early voting. It is my intention to address the resolution adopted by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) regarding ways of improving elections, although the reader should be aware there are many associations who are studying every aspect of elections including but not limited to elections law, voting systems standards (including both technical and operational standards), and the role of the federal government.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Military voters; Overseas voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Recounts; Senior voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Robert Pastor
Center for Democracy & Election Management, School of Public Affairs, American University
National
84 page(s)
7/15/2009
Abstract:
Previous reports by the Center for Democracy and Election Management have focused on national electoral issues. In this report, our focus is on the states because the states – and localities – remain the principal government responsible for elections. In this report, we will analyze the current state of state election management with reference to the recommendations offered in the Carter-Baker report of 2005.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
David Kimball ; Martha Kropf
Review of Policy Research
National
12 page(s)
11/1/2006
Abstract:
Recently, several election reform advocates have argued for shifting to nonpartisan election administrators in the United States. Others, particularly associations representing election officials, have not endorsed that position. To inform this debate, we provide data on the selection methods and party affiliations for all local election officials in the United States (more than 4,500 individuals or commissions). We find considerable variation in the methods used to select state and local election officials in the United States.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Institutional arrangements; Nonpartisan election administration
Jennifer Darrah; John Logan
American Communities Project, Brown University
National
12 page(s)
1/2/2008
Abstract:
The purpose of this report is to provide new evidence on the effects of voter ID requirements. We extend previous studies to include not only voter turnout but also registration and – the key prior step for immigrants – the decision to become a citizen. We show that voter ID depresses participation in both naturalization and voting, a finding that has important implications for the political representation of members of every major racial and ethnic group.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Turnout
Reva Siegel
Harvard Law Review
National
94 page(s)
11/1/2013
Abstract:
This Foreword demonstrates how a body of constitutional law that began in the aspiration to protect “discrete and insular minorities” has been profoundly transformed by the conflict that enforcing equal protection provokes. It shows that modern discriminatory purpose and strict scrutiny law emerged, not in the era of Brown, but decades later, in the desegregation and affirmative action debates of the late twentieth century, as the Court changed constitutional law in response to resistance the civil rights project aroused. As importantly, I show how these changes divided equal protection into two branches of doctrine: one branch of equal protection ignores citizens’ experience of law and the other is deeply concerned about it.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Hasen
Journal of Legislation
National
16 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
The Journal of Legislation and Notre Dame Law School invited three distinguished scholars to comment on my recent book, The Supreme Court and Election Law, and have kindly given me this chance to reply. The commentators’ arguments are interesting and provocative. After a brief summary of the main points of my book, I focus on what I consider to be the central critical claim of each commentator.
Subject(s):
Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Richard Hasen
NYU Press
National
227 page(s)
3/1/2006
Abstract:
In the first comprehensive study of election law since the Supreme Court decided Bush v. Gore, Richard L. Hasen rethinks the Court's role in regulating elections. Drawing on the case files of the Warren, Burger, and Rehnquist courts, Hasen roots the Court's intervention in political process cases to the landmark 1962 case, Baker v. Carr. The case opened the courts to a variety of election law disputes, to the point that the courts now control and direct major aspects of the American electoral process. The Supreme Court does have a crucial role to play in protecting a socially constructed 'core' of political equality principles, contends Hasen, but it should leave contested questions of political equality to the political process itself. Under this standard, many of the Court's most important election law cases from Baker to Bush have been wrongly decided.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Litigation
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles; University of California-Irvine School of Law
National
13 page(s)
4/1/2011
Abstract:
This brief Article describes the drop in Supreme Court election law cases in the first decade of the twenty-first century, and offers at least a partial explanation as to the reasons for the drop. Although the general amount of election law litigation has risen dramatically since 2000, the number of cases in which parties sought Supreme Court review declined by more than 36 percent from the 1991-2000 decade compared to the 2001-2010 decade. The decline appears particularly steep after Justice O’Connor left the Court, replaced by Justice Alito.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Litigation
Paul Herrnson; Peter Francia
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
19 page(s)
3/20/2004
Abstract:
This study assesses the impact of campaign effort and election reform on voter turnout in state legislative elections. It uses a nationwide survey of state legislative candidates to measure various campaign activities and combines this information with data on election laws, political conditions, and district-level demographics. The primary finding is that candidate expenditures, party get-out-the-vote efforts, and Election Day registration laws have a synergistic effect on turnout. Campaign efforts heighten citizen interest in politics close to the election, often after registration deadlines have passed. Unlike other election reforms, Election Day registration allows citizens' late-campaign interest to be translated into increased voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Same day/Election Day registration
Combine With: Turnout
Ted Selker
McGeorge Law Review
National
25 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
This article examines several evolving voting technologies and their impact on persons with cognitive and physical disabilities. The research described shows how many accessibility technologies designed for people of age could also improve the performance of the general voting population. The number of people who make mistakes in the voting population varies dramatically. One study showed that—depending on the technology used—between one-half and three percent of voter selections on a typical ballot are actually for an adjacent selection.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Punch cards; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Ronald Rivest
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
16 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
We present a new paper-based voting method with interesting security properties. The attempt here is to see if one can achieve the same security properties of recently proposed cryptographic voting protocols, but without using any cryptography, using only paper ballots. We partially succeed.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Recounts; Security
Combine With: Fraud
Caroline Allen; Katherine Culliton-González; Marian Schneider
Advancement Project; OurTime.org
Florida; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Virginia
31 page(s)
11/16/2013
Abstract:
Our report takes an in-depth look at long lines in Florida and Virginia, the two states with the longest wait times in 2012, demonstrating how young people waited disproportionately longer than the general population in both states. It also highlights other instances of disenfranchisement of young voters of color during the 2012 election, as well as staggering concerns about increasing voter suppression in 2013 and the foreseeable future. We believe that our country not only needs to, but can, fix all that. We therefore recommend seven common sense election reforms that will make it easier, rather than harder, for younger voters to fully participate in our democracy.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Online voter registration; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout; Wait times
Drew Spencer
FairVote
Washington
14 page(s)
10/1/2012
Abstract:
This report analyzes the election results of the three cycles conducted under Top Two, finding that Top Two generally limits voter choice with little corollary benefit, including limiting nearly every general election to one member each of the major parties who easily advanced from the preliminary. The system also suffers from vulnerability to split vote or “spoiler” outcomes, as well as variable turnout issues common in systems based on multiple rounds of elections. Fortunately, these issues can be easily resolved while retaining Top Two’s essential characteristic (every voter being able to vote for every candidate in every election) by simply advancing four candidates to the general election instead of two and then conducting the general election by ranked choice voting.
Subject(s):
Election types; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
Justin Levitt
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Missouri; New Jersey; Wisconsin
50 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law carefully examines allegations of fraud to get at the truth behind the claims. The Brennan Center has analyzed purported fraud cited by state and federal courts; multipartisan and bipartisan federal commissions; political party entities; state and local election officials; and authors, journalists, and bloggers. Usually, only a tiny portion of the claimed illegality is substantiated — and most of the remainder is either nothing more than speculation or has been conclusively debunked. This paper seeks to distill our findings: the truth about voter fraud. It first offers a straightforward definition to avoid the common trap of discussing election irregularities that involve neither voters nor fraud as if they showed voter fraud. It then discusses different alternative reasons more credible than voter fraud to explain many of the recurring allegations. The paper then analyzes, scenario by scenario, some of the more common types of alleged voter fraud and their more likely causes and policy solutions. Finally, the paper presents individual case studies of notorious instances of alleged voter fraud, and finds those allegations to be grossly inflated.
Subject(s):
Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Michael McDonald
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
14 page(s)
6/20/2002
Abstract:
Aggregate voter turnout rates in the United States have been used in many political science studies, as both a dependent and an independent variable. Most of these studies use the voting-age population as the denominator in their turnout rate measure. However, the voting-age population is not the same as the population of eligible voters. I demonstrate why this distinction matters and outline the steps to construct the voting-eligible population for each of the states from 1980–2000 to provide more accurate measures of state-level voter turnout rates.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Richard Hasen
Howard Law Journal
National
22 page(s)
2005
Abstract:
If many states will not repeal their felon disenfranchisement laws, could Congress impose a national ban on state felon disenfranchisement laws? This article considers this question, and particularly whether the Supreme Court would uphold such a ban as a permissible exercise of congressional power. I conclude that in light of the Supreme Court’s new federalism jurisprudence it is uncertain whether the Supreme Court would uphold such a law as a permissible exercise of congressional power, leaving state legislatures as the prime locus for changes to felon disenfranchisement laws.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Public opinion
Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
21 page(s)
10/4/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Security; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Stanford Law Review
National
41 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
By stating Bush v. Gore is “dead,” I am not making the claim that the Supreme Court will never rely on the case as precedent in an election administration dispute. I mean instead that the promise of election reform inspired by the case is now dead. Indeed, a case could come along some day reviving Bush v. Gore as precedent. Perhaps it is better to think of the case as dormant as a constitutional precedent. My main point is that we should abandon any hope created by the case that the judiciary would serve as an engine of election administration reform.
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration
Combine With: Litigation
Michael Cardozo
Election Modernization Task Force, New York City Mayor
New York
18 page(s)
3/18/2005
Abstract:
The Task Force is issuing this report to educate the public about the real risk that, absent quick action by the State Legislature, the 2006 elections in this City will be more chaotic than the 2000 elections in Florida, and to urge the Legislature to enact this urgently needed legislation immediately. The Task Force, composed of Republicans and Democrats, emphasizes that the need to comply with federal law and to protect the right to vote is not a partisan issue. Future reports of the Task Force will address other issues concerning the implementation of HAVA and potential improvements to the administration of elections by the Board of Elections.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Security; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Errors
Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
5 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
This paper describes a new approach for a verification audit trail, the Voter Verifiable Audio Audit Transcript Trail (VVAATT), which improves the recount process because it produces a transcript of ballots that can be counted either by hand or by computer (or by both methods). Because it allows voters to confirm selections as they proceed, rather than after the fact, it simultaneously reduces adjacency errors (i.e. inadvertent selections of candidates whose names appear next to the desired choices). The audio transcript format makes it beneficially difficult for individual votes to be accidentally or maliciously separated out from the larger group. The system is also inexpensive and easy to implement using current technologies.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Voter confidence
Carol Hardy-Fanta; Christine Sierra; Dianne Pinderhughes; Pei-te Lien
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
6 page(s)
7/1/2007
Abstract:
This essay assesses the present-day significance of the VRA for the political representation of communities of color by examining the implications of majority-minority districts and other key provisions in the VRA for the election of nonwhite officials in the beginning years of the twenty-first century.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Litigation
David Gans; Elizabeth Wydra
American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
Alabama; Georgia; Mississippi; Texas
18 page(s)
2/1/2013
Abstract:
The Court should reject Shelby County’s argument. In this Issue Brief, we show that the constitutionality of the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act should not be in serious doubt.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Joshua Field
Center for American Progress
National
43 page(s)
1/1/2014
Abstract:
In addition to addressing the aggressive tactics that states have taken post-Shelby County, this report will detail the following: the importance and power of Section 5 preclearance; the tools that remain to combat voting-related discrimination; the significant role our nation’s federal courts and judges will play in defining which protections the VRA will now provide; suggestions on what Congress can do to strengthen to the VRA, given the recent bipartisan proposal to legislatively revive Section 5 of the VRA.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election administrators; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Richard Hasen
Yale University Press
National
256 page(s)
7/16/2012
Abstract:
Richard L. Hasen, a respected authority on election law, chronicles and analyzes the battles over election rules from 2000 to the present. From a nonpartisan standpoint he explores the rising number of election-related lawsuits and charges of voter fraud as well as the decline of public confidence in fair results. He explains why future election disputes will be worse than previous ones—more acrimonious, more distorted by unsubstantiated allegations, and amplified by social media. No reader will fail to conclude with Hasen that election reform is an urgent priority, one that demands the attention of conscientious citizens and their elected representatives.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Litigation; Voter confidence
Alec Ewald
Vanderbilt University Press
National
256 page(s)
7/17/2009
Abstract:
The Way We Vote explores the causes and consequences of America's localized voting system, explaining its historical development and its impact on American popular sovereignty and democratic equality. The book shows that local electoral variation has endured through dramatic changes in American political and constitutional structure, and that such variation is the product of a clear, repeated developmental pattern, not simple neglect or public ignorance.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Ballot design; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Institutional arrangements; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Daniel Smith
ElectionSmith
Florida
3 page(s)
2/15/2012
Abstract:
The dirty little secret in the Sunshine State is that provisional ballots often don’t count. Or at least they don’t count as frequently in some counties as in others. There are innumerable reasons for the disparity, but the disparity exists. For whatever reason, provisional ballots cast by registered voters don’t have an equal shot of being accepted by local canvassing boards. The assault on voting rights by the Florida legislature in 2011, with the passage of HB1355, will likely increase the proportion of provisional ballots cast in the 2012 general election, and could very well lead to an even lower likelihood that provisional ballots will be validated.
Subject(s):
Canvassing & election certification; Provisional ballots
Francisco Pardo
Miami-Dade Election Reform Commission
Florida
31 page(s)
1/15/2009
Abstract:
The project was designed to observe the August 2008 Primary Election and was implemented to cover both Early Voting and Election Day. Upon reflecting on this choice, it is important to note that this was the best way to observe the election in light of the tremendous lines and turnout that were experienced for the November General Election. The project was able to observe how minor problems and variables in the election system affected voters and voting times at different precincts. This would not have been the case in November.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Wait times
E. Kent Moore; Linda Phillips; Robert Reiling
Tippecanoe County Board of Elections and Registration
Indiana
24 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
This report is divided into three sections. The first section details the statistics from the 2008 General Election and compares them to earlier elections. The second section deals with some of the issues raised in doing a recount of the State Representative District 26 race. The final section is a discussion of some of the things we learned in this elec tion that we will want to apply to future Vote Center elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote centers; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
Gerald Ford; Jimmy Carter; Lloyd Cutler; Robert Michel
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia; The Century Foundation; The National Commission on Federal Election Reform (Ford-Carter Commission)
National
114 page(s)
8/1/2001
Abstract:
In the near-term, the next three to five years for instance, we envision a country where each state maintains accurate, computerized lists of who can vote, networked with local administrators. Using that system, qualified voters in our mobile society would be able to vote throughout their state without being turned away because of the vagaries of local administration. Using the system we recommend here, millions of military and other overseas voters would find it easier to get and return their ballots. Election Day would be held on a national holiday, freeing up more people to serve as poll workers and making polling places more accessible. Voting machines would meet a common standard of excellent performance. Each state would have its uniform, objective definitions of what constitutes a vote. News organizations would exert necessary restraint in predicting election outcomes. Every jurisdiction and every official would obey the Voting Rights Act and other statutes that secure the franchise and prohibit discrimination. In all of this there would be a delicate balance of shared responsibilities between levels of government, and between officials and the voters they serve. This report sets forth our recommendations for the next, immediate steps on the road to attainment of these goals.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Early/Advance in-person voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Turnout
Mark Hansen
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia; The Century Foundation; The National Commission on Federal Election Reform (Ford-Carter Commission)
National
251 page(s)
8/1/2001
Abstract:
The National Commission on Federal Election Reform charged the Task Force on the Federal Election System with two responsibilities, first to provide information about current practices in federal elections and second to analyze the effects of current practices and the possibilities for reform. With a substantive mandate that ranged from voter registration to polling hours, the work of the Task Force seemed best divided into a series of reports on discrete topics. Accordingly, the final product of the Task Force comprises nine reports. The longest address voter registration and early, mail, and unrestricted absentee voting; the shortest consider felony disfranchisement and verification of voter identity in polling places. All of the reports combine a description of current practice with an overview of the best scholarly research into election systems and voter behavior.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Civic education; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Harvard Law Review
National
22 page(s)
5/1/2005
Abstract:
Election administration reformers should shift their focus to the structures of state election administration. They should seek centralization of election administration at the state, not federal, level and the corresponding removal of election administration from the exclusive control of partisan county politicians.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Fraud; Voter confidence
Scott Novakowski
Michigan; Missouri; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Virginia
8 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
This report documents the dramatic successes experienced by five states that have taken steps—most cooperatively, one under court order—to ensure that their low-income citizens have adequate access to voter registration services.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Chenwei Zhang
Ohio State Law Journal
Alaska; California; Louisiana; Oregon; Washington
36 page(s)
5/1/2012
Abstract:
This Note does not seek to undertake the daunting task of creating a clear and uniform framework of analysis for primary election law; rather, it presents a three-part framework of the top-two primary for states to adopt, which will (1) fit within the jurisprudence currently established by the Supreme Court and (2) alleviate the legal uncertainties present in current top-two models. Part II of this Note provides background information on primaries in general and traces the development of the top-two primary. Part III discusses the pros and cons of the top-two primary. Part IV proposes and analyzes a three-part framework that incorporates a model statute of the top-two primary for states to adopt.
Subject(s):
Closed primaries; Election administrators; Election types; Open primaries; Top two primaries
Combine With: Turnout
Paul Gronke
Early Voting Information Center, Reed College
National
5 page(s)
6/17/2013
Abstract:
There are three separate sources of information on the early vote. The good news is that the sources correlate highly, both across states and over time. The bad news is there is a persistent gap on the low-end, using the Current Population Survey’s Voting and Registration Supplement (VRS) and on the high end using data drawn from the Associated Press’s Election Services Unit.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Evaluation & assessment; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Hopkins
American Journal of Political Science
National
18 page(s)
10/1/2011
Abstract:
This article investigates the impact of one election procedure designed to enfranchise immigrants: foreign-language election materials. Specifically, it uses regression discontinuity design to estimate the turnout and election impacts of Spanish language assistance provided under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. Analyses of two different data sets—the Latino National Survey and California 1998 primary election returns—show that Spanish-language assistance increased turnout for citizens who speak little English. The California results also demonstrate that election procedures can influence outcomes, as support for ending bilingual education dropped markedly in heavily Spanish-speaking neighborhoods with Spanish language assistance. Small changes in election procedures can influence who votes as well as what wins.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Turnout
Sean Greene
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
16 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
In this, the 14th Election Reform Briefing, electionline.org explores the impact of the Language Minority Provision, not only on the growing electorate, but also on the administration of elections.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Hispanic voters; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Litigation; Turnout
Joseph Lorenzo Hall
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology Workshop
National
14 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
We examine the potential role of source code disclosure and open source code requirements in promoting technical improvements and increasing transparency of voting systems. We describe the “enclosure of transparency” of voting technology that has occurred over the course of United States’ electoral history, the implications that source code disclosure has for transparency, the negative effects that enclosing transparency has had at different levels and the regulatory and legislative efforts to increase access to source code. We then look at the benefits and risks of open and disclosed source code regimes for voting systems, efforts to provide open source voting systems, existing open source business models that might translate to the voting systems context, regulatory and market barriers to disclosed or open source code in voting systems and alternatives that might exist outside of public disclosure of source code. We conclude that disclosure of full system source code to qualified individuals will promote technical improvements in voting systems while limiting some of the potential risks associated with full public disclosure.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; International election administration; Security; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Keith Abouchar; Leonard Shambon
New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy
National
44 page(s)
2006
Abstract:
In Part II, we discuss the relationship between the three geographical building blocks: polling places, precincts, and jurisdictions. We focus on the historical development of precincts, their current structure, and criticisms of precincts as structures. Part III discusses the call for provisional voting, the legislative history of the HAVA provision, and the litigation surrounding the provision in the months before the 2004 election. This part also summarizes the United States Election Assistance Commission's survey analysis of the effectiveness of provisional ballots in that election. And in Part IV, we suggest a variety of solutions for the structural friction. We conclude with final thoughts in Part V.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
1 page(s)
9/19/2013
Abstract:
Unhappy with the standard voting systems currently on the market, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir began working with nationally-recognized computer and usability experts to write specifications for a new voting system that offers voters an electronically generated paper ballot. These specifications imagine a system with improved Security, Transparency, Auditability, and Reliability (STAR). The new system resolves common issues related to determining the intent-of-the-voter and managing early voting, mega voting, and election day centers. Lower costs and more flexible scalability are added by maximizing the use of commercial-off-the-shelf hardware.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Voting technology
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
1 page(s)
2/15/2013
Abstract:
Unhappy with the standard voting systems currently on the market, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir began working with nationally- recognized computer and usability experts to write specifications for a new voting system that offers voters an electronically generated paper ballot.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Paper ballots; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
Texas
2 page(s)
2/11/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Matthew Cardinale
The Sentencing Project
California
19 page(s)
11/1/2004
Abstract:
This study is based on 50 in-depth interviews (n=50) with probationers, parolees, and formerly incarcerated persons in Los Angeles, California, with a current or prior felony conviction. Topics of the interviews included respondents’ past and present political behaviors, their experiences in having lost the right to vote, current levels of understanding of voting laws, and political beliefs and party preferences. Interviews were completely confidential and participants were asked to use a fake name or alias so as not to disclose any personal identifying information.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Harry Green; Reem Abdelrazek; Rose Naccarato
Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
Tennessee
2 page(s)
2007
Abstract:
In December 2006, the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations voted to review the entire election process, including an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of voting machines currently used in Tennessee. This, the first report to result from that review, focuses on issues related to voting machines because any changes to voting systems will take time to implement. Subsequent reports will examine other aspects of the electoral process, including ensuring voter eligibility and regularly auditing compliance with election rules and procedures.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Post-election audits
Combine With: Voter confidence
Cathy Cohen; Jon Rogowski
Black Youth Project
National
24 page(s)
9/1/2012
Abstract:
Since the 2008 presidential election, in which youth of color turned out to vote at historic rates, many state legislatures have passed new voting laws that require voters to show state - issued photo identification before being allowed to cast a valid ballot. This essay evaluates the potential effects of these laws on young people (ages 18 - 29) of color, including Blacks, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Elaine Ginnold; Elizabeth Bergman
Annual Conference of the Western Political Science Association; Marin County Registrar of Voters
National; California; Wisconsin
27 page(s)
3/20/2014
Abstract:
In this paper, we examine the impact of previously unexamined factors on citizens with disabilities and their likelihood to vote; whether they face obstacles to voting, and if so, the type and nature of those obstacles. We also explore preferences for casting a ballot among people with disabilities, as well as perceptions about current and future methods of voting. Using original survey data gathered utilizing a blended sampling methodology, we find that the mode of voting is a more significant explicator of turnout than disability.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
Henry Brady; John McNulty
American Political Science Review
National
19 page(s)
2/1/2011
Abstract:
Could changing the locations of polling places affect the outcome of an election by increasing the costs of voting for some and decreasing them for others? The consolidation of voting precincts in Los Angeles County during California's 2003 gubernatorial recall election provides a natural experiment for studying how changing polling places influences voter turnout. Overall turnout decreased by a substantial 1.85 percentage points: A drop in polling place turnout of 3.03 percentage points was partially offset by an increase in absentee voting of 1.18 percentage points. Both transportation and search costs caused these changes. Although there is no evidence that the Los Angeles Registrar of Voters changed more polling locations for those registered with one party than for those registered with another, the changing of polling places still had a small partisan effect because those registered as Democrats were more sensitive to changes in costs than those registered as Republicans. The effects were small enough to allay worries about significant electoral consequences in this instance (e.g., the partisan effect might be decisive in only about one in two hundred contested House elections), but large enough to make it possible for someone to affect outcomes by more extensive manipulation of polling place locations.
Subject(s):
Polling place locations
Combine With: Turnout
Curtis Gans
Committee for the Study of the American Electorate
National
96 page(s)
1/14/2005
Abstract:
Propelled by a deeply emotional political polarization fostered by the policies of the Bush Administration, unprecedentedly extensive and expensive voter mobilization efforts, particularly in battleground states, and a perceived very close election, voter turnout reached its highest level since 1968, exceeding most experts' prognostications. Based on final and official tallies from 50 states and the District of Columbia, 122,265,430 citizens voted for President, a turnout rate of 60.7 percent of those eligible to vote and the highest turnout since 1968 when 61.9 percent of eligibles voted. Voter turnout increased by nearly 17 million votes and by 6.4 percentage points from the election of 2000, the largest percentage point increase since 1952 when voter turnout increased by 10.1 percentage points over the turnout in 1948.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
8/9/2013
Abstract:
Social media doesn’t have to be a mystery to local government agencies. It’s an effective and free outlet to educate your community about registration deadlines, polling place hours, candidate filing fees, etc. If you are a beginner and interested in setting up a Twitter account for your office, here’s your Twitter 101.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
8/20/2013
Abstract:
Twitter 101 gave you a handle on setting up your account. Now let’s take next steps to build out that profile.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
10/4/2013
Abstract:
A potential handful of haters should not keep reasonable people from receiving your important election information via social media. While you cannot disappear the trolls, you can prepare yourself to professionally engage in the ongoing public discourse as it relates to conducting fair and open elections.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
ELECTricity
National
3 page(s)
9/11/2013
Abstract:
Are you learning Twitter and curious about all the symbols and shortcuts? NP (no problem)! It is a wild world wide web out there, and as a messenger of official election information it is important to know the jargon so you can communicate clearly in 140 characters or less.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
ELECTricity
National
2 page(s)
10/17/2013
Abstract:
To get folks thinking in 140 characters or less, ELECTricty has compiled basic election administration Tweets.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach
John Klemanski; Roger Larocca
State Politics & Policy Quarterly
National
25 page(s)
3/1/2011
Abstract:
We explore the effects of state-level election reforms on voter turnout in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 presidential elections. Using a cost-benefit model of political participation, we develop a framework for analyzing the burdens imposed by the following: universal mail voting, permanent no-excuse absentee voting, nonpermanent no-excuse absentee voting, early in-person voting, Election Day registration, and voter identification requirements. We analyze turnout data from the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Current Population Surveys and show that implementation by states of both forms of no-excuse absentee voting and Election Day registration has a positive and significant affect on turnout in each election. We find positive but less consistent effects on turnout for universal mail voting and voter identification requirements. Our results also show that early in-person voting has a negative and statistically significant correlation with turnout in all three elections.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Permanent absentee voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID
Combine With: Turnout
Mikhail Myagkov; Peter Ordeshook
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
17 page(s)
3/1/2008
Abstract:
Election observers are commonly assumed to serve two purposes: To discourage the occurrence of fraud and to detect and report it when it in fact occurs. Our analysis here suggest that it is sufficient that they simply perform the first function and that a subsequent analysis of the data can substitute for the second. Of course, we should not preclude the possibility that those intent on committing fraud will not find ways to circumvent any effort to forestall their activities. This, though, is but an argument for finding ways to augment the efforts of observers with whatever statistical tools we can develop to assist them in their purpose. Put differently, a well-monitored election requires both direct observation and statistical analysis, where the combination of the two can act as a significant incentive to conduct elections that are free, fair and democratic.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Post-election audits; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence
Edward Foley
Praeger; Voting in America, Volume 3: American Voting Systems in Flux: Debacles, Dangers, and Brave New Designs
National
23 page(s)
10/30/2007
Abstract:
It is understandable—indeed desirable—that HAVA obligated states to permit voters whose eligibility is unclear to cast provisional ballots, rather than being turned away from the polls without any ability to cast a ballot at all. HAVA’s requirement of provisional voting, in other words, was a necessary response to the erroneous purging of registration rolls that disenfranchised many in the presidential election of 2000, when no recourse was available to correct this wrongful disenfranchisement. But the nation’s experience with provisional voting in both 2004 and 2006 suggests that this reform is yet complete.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration
Edward Foley
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
Ohio
2 page(s)
11/5/2009
Abstract:
Conceptually, the three biggest categories of uncounted ballots are: (1) late-arriving absentee ballots that are potentially still eligible(mostly military and overseas ballots); (2) rejected absentee ballots that may have been rejected in error; and (3) provisional ballots that still need to be evaluated. Together, these ballots form a rough measure of a state’s vulnerability to a post-voting dispute in the event of a close result on election night: the larger the number of these uncounted ballots, the greater the possibility that the candidate behind on election night might be able to convert the apparent defeat into a victory.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors
Stephanie Bosh
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arizona; California; Colorado; Indiana; Kansas; Louisiana; Maryland; Nevada; New York; Oregon; South Carolina; Utah; Washington
8 page(s)
1/8/2014
Abstract:
Despite the proven benefits and rapid expansion of online voter registration over the past five years, data on the design and operation of these systems are limited. To address this research gap, The Pew Charitable Trusts in June 2013 conducted a survey of the 13 states that had online registration at that time: Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New York, 4 Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, and Washington. This brief provides a summary of the survey’s major findings in five areas—cost, implementation, voter convenience, system management, and online security—and then examines ways in which these states would like to improve online voter registration. Overall, the responses indicate that the registration systems are cost- effective for states, convenient for voters, and secure because they reduce the potential for fraud while improving the accuracy of voter rolls.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud
Tova Wang
The Century Foundation
National
9 page(s)
5/25/2004
Abstract:
Prodded by the federal legislation enacted to prevent the 2000 presidential election debacle from happening again, jurisdictions across the country have been moving away from paper-based and mechanical methods of voting towards the use of so-called direct recording electronic (DRE) devices, computerized voting machines that work much like bank automated teller machines. But in the process of trying to solve problems associated with the old systems – hanging chads and the like – a whole new set of concerns have arisen. What began as a campaign a couple of years ago by a small group of computer scientists who believe that DRE systems are vulnerable to hacking and malfunction has become a national controversy.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Recounts; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
Aina Gallego
Electoral Studies
National
10 page(s)
6/1/2010
Abstract:
Well-educated citizens vote more frequently than the poorly educated in some countries, including the USA. However, in many countries, no such differences are observed. One classical explanation of the presence or absence of this inequality in voting is that the strength of left-wing forces sharpens or reduces it. An alternative explanation is that some institutional arrangements and contextual features disproportionately affect the voter participation of some individuals depending on their resources, thus shaping turnout inequality. These theories are tested using multilevel modeling with data from 28 advanced industrial democracies.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Low-income voters; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Andrew Baranak; Caroline Bell; Frances Harris; Hsiang-yu Yang; Jon Sanford; Laura Salisbury; Sarah Endicott
Accessible Voting Technology Initiative, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
Georgia; Missouri
39 page(s)
6/14/2013
Abstract:
The goal of this project was to gain an in-depth understanding of the complexities and interrelationships of the barriers and facilitators surrounding the voting process as experienced by persons with disabilities. Methods included semi-structured interviews and structured observations of polling sites, conducted both independently and while accompanying voters to the polls. We interviewed 41 persons who voted in-person, 4 persons who voted absentee, and 4 persons who had not voted in at least 5 years.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Voter confidence
Douglas Hess; Scott Novakowski
Project Vote
National; Iowa; Maryland; North Carolina; Tennessee
23 page(s)
2/1/2008
Abstract:
Recognizing that burdensome and discriminatory voter registration laws have a damaging impact on American democracy, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) in 1993 to make voter registration more accessible, with the hope of reducing disparities in voting among various populations. The NVRA remains one of the nation's most important voting rights laws. Although millions of citizens have taken advantage of voter registration opportunities created by the NVRA, key provisions of the law meant to reach populations with low voter registration rates have been poorly and inconsistently administered in many states. Specifically, states have failed to adequately implement - and the Department of Justice has in recent years failed in their duty to enforce - NVRA provisions that require states to offer voter registration in government agencies providing public assistance benefits.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Brad Gomez
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
National
30 page(s)
4/3/2007
Abstract:
Using county-level data from the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, I reexamine the relationship between statewide adoptions of voter ID requirements on rates of turnout. I also examine the extent to which these laws disproportionately affect turnout in counties with sizeable African-American, Latino, and lower-income populations. I then examine the effect of voter identification laws on Republican Party vote share within these counties, providing what I believe to be the first test of the potential partisan bias brought about by these laws. In the end, the evidence presented here suggests that voter identification laws—both less exacting requirements to present some form of government-issued identification (hereafter, “Voter ID” requirements) and stricter mandates to present photographic identification (hereafter, “Photo ID” requirements)—are associated with lower levels of county turnout, though these effects are quite small. Moreover, the evidence indicates that minority and poor communities are more disproportionately affected by these suffrage requirements. The evidence also indicates, as the partisan conjecture suggests, that identification requirements have little effect on the vote shares for the Republican Party—a finding that should allay the fears of many Democrats.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
David Damore; Mallory Waters; Shaun Bowler
Political Research Quarterly
National
13 page(s)
11/5/2012
Abstract:
Elections send ambiguous signals to the political system, particularly when interpreting the meaning of various “nonvotes” (e.g., abstention, ballot spoiling, and roll-off). While a “none of the above” (NOTA) option may allow voters to better signal discontent, how NOTA voting is used is not well understood. The authors’ analysis of all races in Nevada, which has allowed for NOTA voting since 1976, suggests that NOTA voting is consistent with protest voting and limited information. Thus, while NOTA voting can be a less ambiguous signal of discontent than other nonvotes, the practice of NOTA voting is less clear.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voting methods
Merle King
Center for Election Systems, Kennesaw State University; National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems
National
29 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration; Voting technology
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
143 page(s)
8/25/2010
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Military voters; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Security; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voting methods
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Donetta Davidson; Gineen Bresso Beach
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
95 page(s)
10/1/2011
Abstract:
EAC’s EAVS remains one of the primary tools by which Congress, Federal agencies, and the public can monitor compliance with UOCAVA. Among the highlights of the 2010 survey findings are: 1. States transmitted 611,058 ballots to UOCAVA-covered voters for the 2010 election, with just over half (54.9 percent) going to uniformed services members. Another 39.5 percent went to civilian citizens living overseas. 2. Of the ballots transmitted, 34.7 percent (211,749) were returned and submitted for counting by military and overseas voters. 3. States reported counting 197,390 UOCAVA ballots, or 93.2 percent of the total submitted for counting. 4. States reported rejecting 14,824 ballots. The most common reason given for rejecting a UOCAVA ballot was that the ballot was not received on time or missed a deadline; States reported that 32.4 percent of rejected ballots were rejected for this reason. 5. States reported that 4,294 voters submitted a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB).
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter information & outreach; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Adam Fogel; Allison McNeely; Daniel Weaver
FairVote
Colorado
7 page(s)
10/6/2008
Abstract:
The Democracy SOS Project aims to increase transparency in election administration and to monitor the actions of election officials, starting with Secretaries of State. This series reports the results of surveys of county clerks in 10 “swing states” during the 2008 presidential election. FairVote staff and interns surveyed nearly every county clerk in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as election officials in counties with at least 500,000 residents in Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Adam Fogel; Allison McNeely
FairVote
Missouri
7 page(s)
8/28/2008
Abstract:
The Democracy SOS Project aims to increase transparency in election administration and to monitor the actions of election officials, starting with Secretaries of State. This series reports the results of surveys of county clerks in 10 “swing states” during the 2008 presidential election. FairVote staff and interns surveyed nearly every county clerk in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as election officials in counties with at least 500,000 residents in Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Adam Fogel; Allison McNeely
FairVote
Colorado; Florida; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; New Mexico; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Virginia; Wisconsin
9 page(s)
10/27/2008
Abstract:
The Democracy SOS Project aims to increase transparency in election administration and to monitor the actions of election officials, starting with Secretaries of State. This series reports the results of surveys of county clerks in 10 “swing states” during the 2008 presidential election. FairVote staff and interns surveyed nearly every county clerk in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as election officials in counties with at least 500,000 residents in Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Adam Fogel; Allison McNeely; Daniel Weaver
FairVote
New Mexico
7 page(s)
9/4/2008
Abstract:
The Democracy SOS Project aims to increase transparency in election administration and to monitor the actions of election officials, starting with Secretaries of State. This series reports the results of surveys of county clerks in 10 “swing states” during the 2008 presidential election. FairVote staff and interns surveyed nearly every county clerk in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as election officials in counties with at least 500,000 residents in Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Adam Fogel; Allison McNeely; Daniel Weaver
FairVote
Virginia
7 page(s)
10/20/2008
Abstract:
The Democracy SOS Project aims to increase transparency in election administration and to monitor the actions of election officials, starting with Secretaries of State. This series reports the results of surveys of county clerks in 10 “swing states” during the 2008 presidential election. FairVote staff and interns surveyed nearly every county clerk in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as election officials in counties with at least 500,000 residents in Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Wait times
Spencer Overton
Demos
National
3 page(s)
7/18/2013
Abstract:
In the last 50 years we have made significant progress on voting rights. Unfortunately, after Shelby County v. Holder political operatives have more opportunity to unfairly manipulate election rules based on race. The Court in Shelby County stated that the purpose of the Fifteenth Amendment is “to ensure a better future,” but the future will be worse if Congress fails to act. Fortunately, Congress has the power to prevent discrimination and update the Voting Rights Act. An updated Voting Rights Act will help not just voters of color, but our nation as a whole. Protecting voting rights provides legitimacy to our nation's efforts to promote democracy and prevent corruption around the world. We all agree that racial discrimination in voting is wrong, and Congress should update the Voting Rights Act to ensure voting is free, fair, and accessible for all Americans.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
National
28 page(s)
12/23/2010
Abstract:
Following an invitation from the Mission of the United States (US) to the OSCE in Vienna and based on the recommendations of a Needs Assessment Mission, the OSCE/ODIHR deployed an EAM for the 2 November 2010 mid-term congressional elections. The OSCE/ODIHR EAM was deployed from 11 October to 5 November 2010. It was led by Mr. Miklós Haraszti and consisted of 13 experts from 13 participating States. Since 2002, the OSCE/ODIHR has deployed five election observation and assessment missions to US elections. Previous OSCE/ODIHR reports offered a number of recommendations to bring the electoral process fully in line with OSCE commitments. This report should be read in conjunction with past OSCE/ODIHR reports, which provide additional details on US elections and whose recommendations remain applicable.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Institutional arrangements; International election administration; Internet voting; Military voters; Security; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting technology
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
South Carolina
33 page(s)
9/19/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Michael Waldman; Renée Paradis; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
12 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Today we have the opportunity for a major breakthrough for effective democracy. The 2008 election saw a record number of new voters. New technology and the implementation of new federal laws make it possible to vault over existing voter registration challenges. The United States can move to a system of universal voter registration – a system where every eligible citizen is able to vote because the government has taken the steps to make it possible for them to be on the voter rolls, permanently. Citizens must take responsibility to vote – but government should do its part by clearing away obstacles to their full participation. Today’s voter registration system is one such obstacle.
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Jonathan Fox; Mindy Romero
Center for Regional Change, University of California-Davis
California
46 page(s)
12/1/2012
Abstract:
These data document how inequality in voter participation rates varies geographically within California. This will allow practitioners to identify leading and lagging counties.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Marjorie Hershey
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
8/28/2008
Abstract:
The paper is a meta-analysis of existing research on the costs of voting and their disparate effects on groups including lower-income and less-educated people, blacks and other racial, ethnic, and language minorities, younger and older people, persons with disabilities, and the residentially mobile, under a variety of conditions.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Native American voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs; Litigation; Turnout
Nick Taylor; Patrick Olivier; Paul Dunphy; Rob Comber; Vasilis Vlachokyriakos
Conference for Democracy & Open Government
National
5 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
The use of technology either for providing additional voting channels or facilitating conventional election settings has been proposed to increase dwindling participation in national elections. Whether technology can provoke participation is still questionable, with current e-voting systems allowing easy access to the voting mechanisms but failing to motivate participation effectively. The inevitable shift from conventional voting methods to digital ones gives us the opportunity to re-envision voting as a social tool that better serves democracy. In this paper we re-envision the design space of electronic voting by critically unpicking the potential of digital technologies to support voting.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; International election administration; Internet voting; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
David Kimball ; Edward Foley
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
13 page(s)
9/21/2012
Abstract:
We examine data on provisional voting in the 2008 general election provided by the Pew Center on the States (Pew Center on the States, 2009). These include state-level data from 44 states and county-level data from three states. We examine which states and counties have high rates of provisional voting and we compare them to similar data from the 2004 election, provided by the states and the EAC Election Day Survey (U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 2005).
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots
Kareem Crayton; Terry Smith
Social Science Research Network
National
79 page(s)
11/29/2013
Abstract:
In this paper, we analyze the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, which declared unconstitutional the coverage formula for Section 5 preclearance. We conclude that Shelby County is a radical departure not only from the Supreme Court's Voting Rights Act jurisprudence but also from canons of statutory construction more generally. While the Court's decision has adverse implications for both separation of powers doctrine and minority voting rights, the authors propose an expeditious fix to the coverage formula that would likely pass constitutional muster.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Turnout
Donetta Davidson
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
Florida; Illinois; Montana; South Carolina
56 page(s)
10/1/2007
Abstract:
This report documents election officials’ experiences and impressions of the ET process, implementation challenges, recommendations for improvements to the system, and possible methods of replicating the process in other States and/or jurisdictions. Appendix A shows the degree of ET allowed in the States chosen for inclusion in this research, appendix B displays each State’s election administration structure and ballot statistics for 2006, appendix C summarizes the law for the four States, and appendix D lists key implementation findings.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting; Voter education campaigns
Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
41 page(s)
9/15/2008
Abstract:
Unfortunately, there is little high quality research today on UOCAVA voters generally, or military voters in particular. There are fewer than five academic articles that directly address the problems with these voters. These studies are all limited by the lack of quality data that would allow scholars and policy makers to systematically understand the types of problems faced by UOCAVA voters and the scope of these problems. Although there are data on the general issues faced by these voters, such as the issue of ballot transit for by-mail voting, there are not good data that carefully define these policy problems and attempt to identify policy solutions for these issues. The current data collection regimes need to be improved so that they are more useful to policy makers and policy analysts.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Turnout
Michael McDonald
The Forum
National
12/1/2004
Abstract:
A record 122.3 million people, or 60.0% of those eligible, cast a vote for president in 2004. In this essay, I examine variation in voter participation among the states. I find that electoral competition in the battleground states was associated with higher turnout rates, and that where competition at the presidential level was not present, an amendment banning gay marriage or an interesting Senate election is related to higher voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Turnout
David Becker; John Lindback; Samuel Derheimer; Stacie Temple
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
37 page(s)
11/1/2010
Abstract:
In 2008, Pew hosted a pair of summits—Democracy at a Distance, which examined military and overseas voting, and Voting in America: The Road Ahead, a look at the future of election reform. At both meetings, election officials, policy makers and academics from across the ideological spectrum and all levels of government, as well as professionals from the private and the nonprofit sectors, identified voter registration as the area where reform was both necessary and attainable. The consensus was that Americans deserve a more cost-effective, accurate and efficient registration system that protects the integrity of the process and ensures that more eligible voters—and only eligible voters—are on the rolls. In response, Pew worked with election officials, researchers and technology experts to engage in a far-reaching exploration of how states might modernize voter registration. We identified significant process improvements and new technology that could help states develop more accurate voter rolls and improve their election systems management before, during and after Election Day.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Wait times
Frederick Conrad
Center for American Politics and Citizenship, University of Maryland; Human Factors Research on Voting Machines and Ballot Designs: An Exploratory Study
National
8 page(s)
7/31/2002
Abstract:
The costs associated with systems that are hard and frustrating to use are increasingly (though not universally) recognized by the software development community and, in response, a collection of techniques and activities known as usability engineering or user centered system design is becoming a standard part of the development process. This white paper explores the application of these usability ideas and techniques to voting technology. The next section introduces basic usability concepts. This is followed by a section on the mechanics of evaluating a system’s usability – usability testing. The final section considers the kinds of usability issues that are specific to voting technology and considers how one might detect such usability problems early enough to fix them.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Election administrators; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Public opinion
Andrea Fineman; Cyd Harrell; Dana Chisnell; Ethan Newby; Whitney Quesenbery
Proceedings of the Human-Computer Interaction International Conference
National
10 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
How well do counties answer voters’ questions about upcoming elections? Other studies have reviewed state election department websites, but voters vote at the county or town level. How do they get their questions answered? Assuming that one source of election information might be local —the website for the county clerk or registrar—we cataloged 147 county websites, and then conducted a large-scale, distributed usability test with 41 voters from across the U.S. using their own county’s website. We sought to learn about what local election jurisdictions were offering for content, what terminology they used to describe it, and how useful and usable that content was to voters —just in time for the 2012 U.S. Presidential election.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting technology
Benjamin Bederson; Paul Herrnson
Allegany County; Dorchester County; Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory, University of Maryland; Montgomery County; Prince George County
Maryland
11 page(s)
12/1/2002
Abstract:
At the request of election officials from Allegany, Dorchester, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties, we evaluated the Diebold AccuVote-TS voting system using three commonly used techniques: expert review, close-up observation, and field testing. The result of each technique suggests the voting has some shortcomings that election officials may wish to have addressed.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot layout; Ballot wording; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Usability testing
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Anne-Marie Oostveen; Peter van den Besselaar
International Journal of Electronic Governance
National
18 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
A system for e-voting was developed and tested in fourteen field studies. This enabled us to investigate the actual experiences of users when deploying this type of e-governance technology. In this paper we describe the set-up of the field studies, and discuss the main results. Are users satisfied with e-voting technology and its usability? Do different user groups differ in their uses of the technology, and in their opinions about it? If so, which groups can be discerned? Does this point at a digital divide? Will users be extra motivated to use new egovernance technologies thereby increasing voter turnout? Our empirical study found that there is a serious risk that if e-voting systems replace the traditional voting systems in the future, it may have the unintended effect that it will exclude large groups of citizens from participating in the democratic process. Moreover, the assumption by many policy makers that e-voting will increase overall voter turnout is not supported by our research.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; International election administration; Internet voting; Security; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Turnout
Stephen Tierney
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
21 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
This paper argues electoral law can be used to help construct a ‘deliberative referendum’. This can be done by legal controls in areas such as independent oversight of question-setting, citizen engagement in question formation, guidelines on referendum timing and campaign length, franchise rules, the provision of information to citizens, and laws regulating funding, expenditure and advertising. Two case studies will be cited: the United Kingdom Political Parties and Referendums Act 2000 and the on-going process of designing a referendum to be held in Scotland on independence in 2014, which each offer strong evidence to suggest that referendums can be meaningfully regulated by law and that a deliberative referendum process can be constructed.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Andrew Reeves; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
New Hampshire
10 page(s)
1/1/2004
Abstract:
When there is a legal challenge to an election or a mandated recount, state or local election offices conduct an audit of votes cast. For paper ballot systems, election officials reexamine the ballots to determine voter intention. Tabulations may change from the initial count to the recount for a variety of reasons: ballots may be mishandled; machines may have difficulty reading markings; people and machines may make tabulation errors. Because recounts are used to certify the vote, greater effort is taken to arrive at the most accurate accounting of ballots cast. The initial count of ballots, then, is treated as a preliminary count, and the recount as the official count. The recount, then, validates the initial tabulation. Recounts allow us to see more precisely whether the introduction of voting machines has improved the tabulation of votes. Do machines have higher validation rates (and lower invalidation rates) than hand-counts?
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Recounts; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Iris Hui
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
California
15 page(s)
9/3/2013
Abstract:
This article proposes an alternative research design using geographic discontinuity to assess the performance of voting systems, focusing on InkaVote, a voting system employed in Los Angeles County, California. It also demonstrates how a geographic information system (GIS) can be integrated with statistical analyses to improve causal inference. With this new methodology, the article compares the performance of the InkaVote system in the 2004 and 2006 elections and examines whether the introduction of a paper ballot reader (PBR) in 2006 improved the performance of the system. The findings show that the PBR implementation was effective, as it reduced the residual vote rate by about one percentage point.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Blake Hulnick; Daniel O’Brien
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National
3 page(s)
11/7/2007
Abstract:
News stories seem to proliferate after every election about the alarmingly low turnout rates among American voters. A story that frequently goes unreported, however, concerns the sizable chunk of our population living abroad. In the 2006 general election, some 41% of all eligible voters participated, but among voters covered by Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), that figure was just 5.5%. The explanation is almost certainly not that only one in twenty Americans living abroad saw fit to vote. Instead, this low turnout is attributable to shortcomings in the UOCAVA, the 1986 federal law that governs voting rights for overseas citizens, including military voters. The law has improved the ability of overseas citizens to cast absentee ballots, but it is now outdated and requires modification to secure enfranchisement for the people it is designed to protect.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Combine With: Turnout
Eitan Hersh; Stephen Ansolabehere
Political Analysis
National
49 page(s)
1/1/2012
Abstract:
Leveraging developments in technology and improvements in public records, we conduct the first ever fifty-state vote validation. We parse over-reporting due to response bias from over- reporting due to inaccurate respondents. We find that non-voters who are politically engaged and equipped with politically relevant resources consistently misreport that they voted. This finding cannot be explained by faulty registration records, which we measure with new indicators of election administration quality. Respondents are found to misreport only on survey items associated with socially desirable outcomes, which we find by validating items beyond voting, like race and party. We show that studies of representation and participation based on survey reports dramatically mis-estimate the differences between voters and non-voters
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Ebonya Washington; Elizabeth Cascio
The Quarterly Journal of Economics
National
57 page(s)
7/20/2013
Abstract:
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, called one of the most effective pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history, generated dramatic increases in black voter registration across the South. We ask whether the increase in black voting rights was accompanied by an increase in blacks’ share of public spending. We exploit a key provision of the Act— removal of literacy tests at registration—for identification. Employing a triple-difference framework over a twenty-year period, we find that counties with higher black population shares in former literacy test states saw greater increases in both voter turnout and state transfers than comparison counties in non-literacy test states, a finding that is consistent with models of distributive politics.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
David Braunger
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota
1 page(s)
5/12/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Public opinion
Sarah Sled
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
7 page(s)
10/27/2003
Abstract:
Analysis of the results of the California Recall election demonstrates that candidates who were vertically adjacent to the top three vote getters received “extra” votes in the recall election – a vertical proximity effect. Combined, these ‘neighbor’ candidates received approximately 4 votes per thousand votes the top candidate received. The pattern is consistent across the candidates neighboring Schwarzenegger, Bustamante, and McClintock, and is noticeably higher for punch cards than for optical scan or touch screen voting technologies.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards
Combine With: Errors
Clinton Reeder; Jennifer Marsico; Jessica Leval
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National; Utah
4 page(s)
12/3/2008
Abstract:
The controversy surrounding the 2000 election highlighted the need for reliable methods of vote transmission. In 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requiring changes in voting technology. Many states responded by adopting direct recording electronic voting machines (DREs). Though DREs have eased the voting process in some ways, they have also created controversies of their own.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Poll worker training; Security; Voters with disabilities
Jennifer Marsico
AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
National; New Jersey
4 page(s)
11/5/2008
Abstract:
Passed in 2002, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) sought to improve the administration of federal elections, and, in turn, to ensure that each person who casts a vote has that vote counted accurately. But in the state of New Jersey, though HAVA has fueled a push towards this goal, reality has fallen short of the ideal. HAVA's own requirements are partially to blame; as a December 2005 Congressional Research Service report points out, the law's requirement that individuals with disabilities be able to cast an ballot independently has encouraged greater use of direct-recording electronic voting machines, or DREs.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines
Combine With: Costs; Errors
William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
120 page(s)
9/1/2005
Abstract:
This report discusses election officials’ characterization of (1) challenges receiving voter registration applications, including checking them for completeness; (2) removing voters’ names from voter registration lists and ensuring that names were not inadvertently removed; and (3) implementing HAVA’s provisional voting and identification requirements.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Public opinion
William Jenkins, Jr.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
71 page(s)
1/1/2012
Abstract:
The committees on appropriations directed GAO to study and report on costs and benefits of implementing H.R. 254—the Weekend Voting Act—including issues associated with conducting a weekend election. Specifically, this report addresses: (1) alternatives to voting on Tuesday that states provided for the November 2010 general election, (2) how election officials anticipate election administration and costs would be affected if the day for federal elections were moved to a weekend, and (3) what research and available data suggest about the potential effect of a weekend election on voter turnout.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Voter demographics; Voting technology; Weekend voting
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Turnout
Jonathan Brater
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
Virginia
4 page(s)
11/25/2013
Abstract:
Everyone benefits from accurate and up-to-date voter rolls. At the same time, any effort to clean up voter lists must not prevent eligible voters from casting a ballot that will count. Virginia’s experiences emphasize the importance of certain sound list maintenance practices.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Jack Cobb
National Conference on State Certification Testing of Voting Systems; Pro V&V
National
15 page(s)
6/20/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Software-based systems; Voting technology
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
We know now from several years of testing ballots all over the U.S. that implementing simple principles of design make it much more likely that voters are able to vote the way they intend. In research conducted by AIGA's Design for Democracy Project for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), Mary Quandt and Drew Davies and their team learned the nitty-gritty of what makes design in election signage, posters, ballots, and other print materials effective for all kinds of voters. This Field Guide pulls 10 key guidelines from the research for the EAC.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Usability testing
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
1/1/2013
Abstract:
It’s amazing the difference simple language can make for voters. In research conducted for the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Ginny Redish and Dana Chisnell found that when instructions on ballots were in plain language, voters made fewer mistakes and were more likely to vote the way they intended. The 10 guidelines in this Field Guide come mainly from that NIST research.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Usability testing
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Top 10 guidelines for conducting usability tests of ballots comes from two main sources. The first is a group of documents put together into the LEO Usability Testing Kit developed by the Usability and Voting Project of the Usability Professionals’ Association. (LEO stands for local election official.) The second source is the years of experience the team behind the Field Guides has conducting usability tests and working with counties and states to help them make ballots, forms, and web sites work better for all citizens.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Usability testing
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
One way to ensure voter intent is to make sure poll workers know what to do when. The clearer their training before Election Day and the job aids they have at hand on Election Day, the more likely everything will go smoothly. In research conducted for the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Dana Chisnell and Susan Becker learned that following some basic rules in writing procedures can help poll workers be efficient and effective. The 10 guidelines in this Field Guide come mainly from that NIST research.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Polling places
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Election officials have more ways to communicate with voters than ever before, from traditional printed booklets, to the web, radio and TV, and social media. During Superstorm Sandy, officials even used emergency service announcements to let voters know that the election would go on. This Field Guide gives an overview of how to use each communications channel effectively. These tips are intended to help you think about how to coordinate election information across many different media.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
With each election, voters receive flyers and booklets to help them understand the election process, register, find their polling places, and learn what’s on ballot for each election. But do they find the information they need? The 10 guidelines in this Field Guide come from research with young voters and new citizens, trying to find answers in a collection of real brochures from the 2012 election.
Subject(s):
Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Voters increasingly rely on online sources for information about where to vote, what’s on the ballot, and when they can vote. But some voters are unaware that their county, parish, or town even has a website about elections. The 10 guidelines in this Field Guide come from research done in 2012 by 32 amazing volunteer researchers. We cataloged 147 county or town websites and then conducted 40 usability test sessions in which we observed voters trying to find answers to their questions about the upcoming election.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Dana Chisnell
Civicdesigning.org; Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
National
19 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Hurricane Sandy, which struck the East Coast just before Election Day in 2012, delivered lessons and opportunities. Election officials proved just how resourceful they could be as polling places disappeared under water or were without power. The many success stories that came out of that election pointed to a few themes, one of which was about helping voters find their polling places and then make their way to voting within them. The guidelines in this Field Guide come from AIGA Design For Democracy’s excellent work in Effective Designs for the Administration of Federal Elections.
Subject(s):
Polling place management; Polling places; Usability testing
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
19 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
The following interpretative guidance clarifies the meaning of certain portions of Section 303(a) of HAVA (42 U. S.C. 15483(a)). Specifically, this guidance serves to assist States in their efforts to develop and implement a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration list. Moreover, the guidance also serves to encourage State and local election officials to work together to define and assume their appropriate responsibilities for meeting this HAVA requirement, and engage other relevant stakeholders in this process.
Subject(s):
Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Registration/Ballot status updates; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Best Practices and Vision Commission, Colorado Secretary of State
Colorado
14 page(s)
5/19/2010
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Portable registration; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Dana DeBeauvoir
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission); Travis County Clerk
Texas
2 page(s)
8/8/2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Wait times
John Ketzenberger
GrowthEconomics Inc. ; Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute ; Indiana Secretary of State
Indiana
32 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
This study, sponsored by the Indiana Secretary of State, seeks to understand the fiscal impact of vote centers in their pilot counties. A fiscal model was developed to identify possible cost savings associated with vote centers and to estimate the fiscal impact of those centers in each county. A previous study, “Assessing and Evaluating Indiana Vote Centers: the Development of a National Model,” published by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University, March 2009, studied the implementation and administration of the pilot vote centers in Indiana.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place locations; Vote centers; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Scott Doyle
Larimer County Clerk & Recorder; National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials & Clerks (NACRC) Annual Conference
Colorado
32 page(s)
7/1/2012
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Vote centers; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Michael Carrier
St. John's Law Review
National
43 page(s)
10/24/2005
Abstract:
To be sure, DREs promise to reduce certain errors, increase access for voters with disabilities, and relieve election officials of the challenge of ascertaining the voters' intent. But the full panoply of dangers from such systems have largely avoided scrutiny. This Article attempts to remedy this deficiency. In particular, it underscores several disturbing characteristics of electronic voting, including reduced transparency, increased magnitude of error and fraud, and lack of security controls.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Nathaniel Persily; Stephen Ansolabehere
Harvard Law Review
National
38 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
In the current debate over the constitutionality of voter identification laws, both the Supreme Court and defenders of such laws have justified them, in part, as counteracting a widespread fear of vote fraud that leads citizens to disengage from the democracy. Because actual evidence of voter impersonation fraud is rare and difficult to come by if fraud is successful, reliance on public opinion as to the prevalence of fraud threatens to allow courts to evade the difficult task of balancing the actual constitutional risks involved. In this Essay we employ a unique survey to evaluate the causes and effects of public opinion regarding vote fraud. We find that perceptions of fraud have no relationship to an individual’s likelihood of turning out to vote. We also find that voters who were subject to stricter identification requirements believe fraud is just as widespread as do voters subject to less restrictive identification requirements.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion
Republican National Lawyers Association
National
8 page(s)
11/1/2011
Abstract:
The RNLA conducted a limited survey to indicate whether vote fraud charges have been filed in states across the country since 2000. We looked for at least one example in each state.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
Brian Lunde; Mark Hearne
American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund
National
74 page(s)
7/21/2005
Abstract:
ACVR Legislative Fund presents the following report as the most comprehensive and authoritative look at the facts surrounding allegations of vote fraud, intimidation and suppression leveled by both parties during the 2004 election.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Polling places; Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
Jennifer Mathis; Lewis Bossing
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; National Disability Rights Network
National
72 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
This booklet explains the rights of voters with mental disabilities. It can be a resource for people with mental disabilities, advocates, family members, service providers, election officials, state and local mental health and aging authorities, state legislators and others. The text focuses on four areas of concern to voters with mental disabilities: (1) voter-competence requirements imposed by state laws or by election officials or service providers, (2) state photo-ID laws, (3) voter challenges and (4) providing help to voters with disabilities. A final section describes the relationship between federal and state laws in this area. To help readers learn specifics about their state, we include a chart listing each state’s laws on voter-competence requirements.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Litigation
Eugene Spafford
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
National
7 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
The changes triggered by the 2000 election and signaled by HAVA will not happen overnight, and even those changes will not completely solve all of the problems. However, voting system assurance is possible through the rigorous application of engineering practices in the development, certification, and operation of voting machines, coupled with the appropriate use of audits and operational care. We must remain involved and diligent. It is our voting system, and it will only be trustworthy if we demand that it is.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
28 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
Poll workers are the street level bureaucrats of elections. They implement election laws for those voters who vote in person and establish the overall environment for the voting experience, be it by putting up signage or managing the lines at the polls. The poll worker is the public face of the election and for election officials, giving voters a positive experience is important for a variety of reasons. First, it is a sign of good management on the part of the election officials, signaling that they take this aspect of their job seriously and recognize that there is a customer service aspect to voting (see Price and Aronould 1995). Second, having a good experience has been shown to increase overall voter confidence in the electoral process. As the data presented here show, voters are responsive to these environmental factors.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion; Voter confidence
Charles Stewart III; Thad Hall
Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
30 page(s)
4/11/2013
Abstract:
This paper examines how voters evaluated the performance of poll workers in the 2012 general election. Using data collected from surveys in the 48 states with in-person voting, we find that voters evaluate poll workers based on several key dimensions, especially related to the quality of the voting experience they encounter. We also find that voters are not generally sensitive to the effects of descriptive representation in the voter/poll worker dyad in their evaluation of the poll worker. In part, these findings are sensitive to the mode of voting, with early and Election Day voting experiences having some differences. These findings have important implications for the management and administration of elections at the local level.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Senior voters; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
38 page(s)
11/30/2008
Abstract:
Using a panel dataset containing self-reported confidence levels before and after the 2006 election, we find empirical evidence that voter confidence is influenced by the context of the election. First, we find a positive and significant winner's effect; voter confidence is higher for individuals who voted for the winning candidate. Second, we find that voters who cast ballots on an electronic voting machine with a VVPAT device exhibit higher rates of confidence following the 2006 election when compared to electronic voters who do not have access to VVPAT devices. Finally, in measuring the change in confidence rates before and after the election we find no significant difference in the change in the confidence rates between electronic voters with access to a VVPAT device and voters who cast a paper ballot.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Evaluation & assessment; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Erin O'Harra; Qingwen Dong
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
California
50 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
One of the major objectives of this study is to examine the types of errors people tend to make on their VBM and Vote in Person (VIP) ballots, and the best means by which to reduce or eliminate those voting errors. The study examines data collected for the Vote Smart project in San Joaquin County to measure effectiveness of the voter education effects by tracking voter errors in elections before and after implementation. Examining differences in voter errors by election type may also provide insight to unique voter habits and errors, as the primary, general and special election were used as data sources.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns
Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud
Elizabeth White; Mark Sullivan; Patrick Dietrick
Marion County Election Board
Indiana
154 page(s)
12/12/2013
Abstract:
The essential challenge facing the Marion County Election Board in the coming months is the expiration of critical long-term software and vendor contracts at the end of 2014. Resolving this challenge must also involve careful consideration of the Election Board’s aging current IT infrastructure and voting machines. The Board’s two options are to (1) attempt to extend the current contracts and continue with the current, aging system for as long as the system remains viable and vendors continue to support it; or (2) procure a new, updated voting system in 2014. Notwithstanding the Election Board’s ultimate choice in 2014, the Board will undeniably have to purchase a new voting system at some point in the future.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; African-American voters; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Voter confidence
Tova Wang; Youjin Kim
Demos
Missouri
5 page(s)
2/1/2011
Abstract:
Strong voter participation and engagement are fundamental to a healthy democracy. Efforts to restrict access to voting fly in the face of this important goal. Alarmingly, despite another midterm election in which nationally only 41 percent of eligible persons voted, many states are now renewing efforts to restrict, rather than expand, the franchise. The timing could not be more inappropriate. Incoming legislators and governors are pushing the passage of strict voter identification laws while their states face critical budget crises. Instead of focusing on job creation and providing relief for millions of unemployed and underemployed residents, legislators have placed a law that would disenfranchise tens of thousands at the top of their agendas.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion
Liz Kennedy; Tova Wang
Demos
Virginia
6 page(s)
2/2/2012
Abstract:
While requirements for voter ID may sound reasonable at first glance, the bills being pushed in Virginia go beyond any reasonable requirements and are far too restrictive and expensive to deserve support.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Christopher Kromm
Facing South; The Institute for Southern Studies
National
4 page(s)
1/27/2011
Abstract:
GOP leaders have introduced voter ID bills or plan to in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. In Texas -- which faces a budget shortfall of over $10 billion -- Gov. Rick Perry (R) went so far as to declare voter ID a legislative "emergency" to fast-track the bill. All the bills have sparked controversy. For one, there's scant evidence that voter impersonation at the polls -- the one kind of fraud that ID laws address -- is a big problem. The bills are also viewed by Democrats and voting rights advocates as deeply partisan, given studies that show the elderly, African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and other constituencies are most likely to not have the needed ID cards. But at a time when states face staggering budget shortfalls, the biggest problem facing voter ID bills may be that states simply can't afford them. An effective, full-scale voter ID program can easily end up costing state taxpayers $20 million or more -- the three-year price tag officials estimated in 2010 for a program in Missouri. For most states, such a costly program would be a suspect luxury in ordinary times; it's nearly impossible to justify in today's economic crisis.
Subject(s):
Poll worker training; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
John Robinson
Elon University
North Carolina
1 page(s)
11/23/2013
Abstract:
In every poll we’ve done for a few years, North Carolinians have supported a law requiring photo ID to vote. In the latest Elon University Poll, 65% of registered voters support it, a drop from 70% in September. Republicans are lock-step in their support — 96%. Democrats, however, are not — only 36% support the voter ID law. Independents are at 68%. For Democrats and Independents, that’s a decline of 6 points. (Republican support has increased 2 points, but frankly, it can’t get much higher.) While we’re at it, 69% of African Americans oppose the law.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Voter ID
Gabriel Sanchez; Matt Barreto; Stephen Nuño
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
California; New Mexico; Washington
32 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
Our manuscript analyzes the impact that new voter identification laws may have on both the participation rates of particular segments of the electorate, as well as on election outcomes in the United States. Specifically, through the use of a unique dataset from the 2006 elections, we analyze the impact that voter identification laws have on immigrant and minority voters in California, New Mexico and Washington.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
State of Texas
Texas
8 page(s)
7/12/2012
Abstract:
Evidence presented at trial by the State of Texas shows that Attorney General Holder’s list of voters who lack government-issued photo identification is fatally flawed because DOJ’s list includes dead voters, failed to exclude non-Texas residents, and did not attempt to match voters with photo ID databases maintained by the federal government—such as the State Department’s passport database or the Department of Defense’s military identification database.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Spencer Overton
Michigan Law Review
National
52 page(s)
2/1/2007
Abstract:
This Article explains the analytical shortcomings of anecdote, analogy, and intuition, and applies a cost-benefit approach generally overlooked in election law scholarship. Rather than rushing to impose a photo-identification requirement for voting, policymakers should instead examine empirical data to weigh the costs and benefits of such a requirement. Existing data suggest that the number of legitimate voters who would fail to bring photo identification to the polls is several times higher than the number of fraudulent voters, and that a photo-identification requirement would produce political outcomes that are less reflective of the electorate as a whole.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion
Jennifer Lohr; Tova Wang
Demos
Kansas
6 page(s)
2/28/2011
Abstract:
Instead of focusing on job creation and providing relief for millions of unemployed and underemployed residents, legislators have placed a law that would disenfranchise tens of thousands at the top of their agendas.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud
Alison Prevost; Kim Hilsenbeck; Sarah Park; Vassia Gueorguieva
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Public Opinion Researchers
Indiana
22 page(s)
5/1/2008
Abstract:
We compare and contrast the methodological aspects of two research efforts of registered voters in Indiana – both aimed to provide input to the public debate over the hotly contested requirement to present photo identification before being allowed to vote.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Tova Wang
Demos
National
4 page(s)
1/5/2010
Abstract:
Strong voter participation and engagement are fundamental to a healthy democracy. Efforts to restrict access to voting fly in the face of this important goal. Alarmingly, despite another midterm election in which nationally only 41 percent of eligible persons voted, many states are now renewing efforts to restrict, rather than expand, the franchise. The timing could not be more inappropriate. Incoming legislators and governors are pushing the passage of strict voter identification laws while their states face critical budget crises. Instead of focusing on job creation and providing relief for millions of unemployed and underemployed residents, legislators have placed a law that would disenfranchise tens of thousands at the top of their agendas.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Melissa Young; Nicholas Anhut; Nina Huntington
Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Minnesota
58 page(s)
4/20/2012
Abstract:
The proposed voter identification ballot measure to amend Article VII, Section 1 of the Minnesota Constitution will fundamentally change the state’s election system. Few states, notably Georgia and Indiana, have implemented equally stringent identification requirements. Executing voter photo identification in Minnesota poses an unprecedented challenge in accommodating Election Day registration. In addition, state and local officials will face monumental tasks: influencing enabling legislation, drafting sound election rules and procedures, and effectively managing election costs. Lastly, with an implementation date of November 2013, time and resources will be extremely limited for effectively addressing all challenges.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Electronic pollbooks; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Voter confidence
Alison Prevost; Robert Pastor; Robert Santos; Vassia Gueorguieva
Center for Democracy and Election Management, American University
Indiana; Maryland; Mississippi
68 page(s)
1/9/2008
Abstract:
This paper is based on a survey of registered voters in three states—Indiana, Maryland, and Mississippi. In trying to determine whether ID requirements are a problem and, if so, how serious, the survey first asked whether registered voters had a photo ID. Surprisingly, only about one percent of registered voters in all three states lack a photo ID, and in Indiana, which has the most stringent requirements, only 0.3 lacked an ID. More than two-thirds of respondents believe the U.S. electoral system would be trusted more if voters were required to show a photo ID. This is significant because the perception of fraud among the voters is high and the confidence in the electoral system is low. Still, there are serious problems in the way in which the ID laws have been drafted or applied that might have the effect of reducing voter participation, particularly of certain groups. The paper proposes ways to construct an ID system that will assure ballot integrity while attracting new and more voters.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Proof of citizenship requirement; Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Voter confidence
Elizabeth Bergman
California State University - East Bay
National
157 page(s)
12/1/2013
Abstract:
State-by-state review of laws concerning the provision of “official” voter information; includes data for all 50 states. Specifically, “official” pertains to laws affecting a state’s legal duty to supply the voting public with information about election ballot content, is such information that is not produced by parties, candidates or interest groups, and is therefore ostensibly unbiased. For the purposes of this research, the terms under examination were “voter pamphlets,” “voter information guides,” and “sample ballots.” Information regarding voter registration and voter ID requirements are omitted. All statutes were obtained from Lexis-Nexis.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Provisional ballots; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting technology
Ava Alexandar; Robert Stern; Tracy Westen
Center for Governmental Studies
National
75 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Although the Center for Governmental Studies and California Voter Foundation, in collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts, have carefully evaluated the process information provided by state websites,to our knowledge no one has systematically evaluated the substantive candidate and ballot measure information provided by these state websites. This report seeks to fill that void. It also recommends the use of new Internet-based techniques, including video-on-demand, to enhance voter information.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials
Vincent Keenan
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
National
42 page(s)
4/1/2008
Abstract:
This study is based on a review of active voter information websites in the fall of 2005 through 2006, from which 71 sites were identified as voter information websites and selected for in-depth analysis. Common functions of these websites were cataloged and quantified and presented to a panel of experts for discussion and review. The EAC’s goal in undertaking this study is to provide guidelines that will assist election administrators in developing Voter Information websites that best serve voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Polling place locations; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter education campaigns; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Project Vote
National
2/1/2010
Abstract:
The right to vote has been one of the most challenged individual rights in the history of this country. Unfortunately, illegal and cynical attempts to suppress the vote and manipulate voters persist to this day. Among the strategies used are voter intimidation and caging.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll watchers; Voter demographics
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
Pennsylvania
2 page(s)
5/10/2011
Abstract:
A survey of state implementation reports and estimates from legislative fiscal notes provides an indication of the likely cost to Pennsylvania of a state voter ID program. In order to meet the requirements set forth in the legislation and avoid potential litigation, PBPC estimates first-year costs for a voter identification program of approximately $11 million.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID
Combine With: Costs
Charles Stewart III; Inés Levin; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
15 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
We study public opinions about convenience voting reforms, using a unique state-by-state survey conducted in the 2008 presidential election. Our analysis of the American voting public's support for convenience voting reforms provides a variety of important insights into the potential direction of innovations in the electoral process in the near future. First, we find that the most prominent convenience voting reforms have mixed support. These include attitudes toward automatic voter registration, Election Day voter registration, and moving Election Day to a weekend. These reforms do not have majority support among all voters nationwide, but some enjoy majority support within some states. Second, we find that Internet voting and voting by mail do not receive a great deal of support from American voters. There is no state in which a majority of voters supports Internet voting, nor are there states where expanded vote-by-mail has majority support (other than states which have already implemented these reforms). Finally, we find that an overwhelming majority of Americans support requiring showing photo identification and a bare majority support making Election Day a holiday. Support for reform is highly correlated with political affiliations and attitudes, and especially correlated with support for Barack Obama.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Internet voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting methods; Weekend voting
Combine With: Public opinion
Patricia Hart; Rais Akbar
FairVote
Maryland
22 page(s)
10/4/2013
Abstract:
Implementation of policies designed to increase voter turnout – such as access to apartment buildings, and the creation of a Right to Vote task force focusing on increasing minority participation – will likely increase participation overall and equity in participation. No single change would increase turnout as much as shifting elections to take place in even years in coordination with state and federal elections, although we recognize some cities prefer to hold elections where voters are solely focused on city issues.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Election consolidation; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Florida; Hawaii
51 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
This report is an examination of Florida’s and Hawaii’s ‘preregistration’ programs, which permit eligible persons as young as sixteen years old to register to vote so that they are registered when they attain voting age. Thousands of young people in these states take advantage of preregistration, and preregistration appears to have positive and persisting long-term effects on their voting propensities. Based on interviews with election administrators and data analysis, preregistration is recommended to be best implemented as a component of a broader program of student civic education and student poll worker recruitment. Success of preregistration is maximized when election officials and educators act as partners. A major impediment to the success of these programs is that participation by educators is voluntary. As policy makers consider how to implement preregistration programs elsewhere, providing for means of ensuring participation by educators, such as requiring preregistration as a component of a mandatory high school civics curriculum, will likely result in the most robust implementation.
Subject(s):
Preregistration for teens; Youth voters
Myrna Pérez
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
52 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Voter registration lists, also called voter rolls, are the gateway to voting. A citizen typically cannot cast a vote that will count unless her name appears on the voter registration rolls. Yet state and local officials regularly remove — or “purge” — citizens from voter rolls. In fact, thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia reported purging more than 13 million voters from registration rolls between 2004 and 2006. Purges, if done properly, are an important way to ensure that voter rolls are dependable, accurate, and up-to-date. Precise and carefully conducted purges can remove duplicate names, and people who have moved, died, or are otherwise ineligible. Far too frequently, however, eligible, registered citizens show up to vote and discover their names have been removed from the voter lists.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Jacob Shelly
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
11 page(s)
6/14/2013
Abstract:
This memo reviews how these and other voter registration problems are caused, exacerbated, or ameliorated by state and federal registration laws. I review recent studies analyzing the effect of registration laws on the rates of registration and Election Day turnout, paying particular attention to variances among different demographic groups. I then examine the relationship between voter registration systems and other signs of electoral dysfunction.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
Neal Kelley
Orange County Registrar of Voters
California
36 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
Recent research has shown that many voters believe their voter registration is automatically updated when they move. Worse yet, a large majority of voters never think about updating their registration. Think about this fact – the first thing most people do when they move is to notify their family, banks and schools – as you can see voter registration is often the last thing on their mind. This presents an ongoing challenge as our office strives to maintain an accurate and up-to-date voter registration list, which is imperative to providing voters the opportunity to participate in elections. In order to meet this challenge our office has been improving the process of maintaining our voter registration list, and will continue to seek opportunities to improve this process. We are in the implementation phase of incorporating into our operation cutting edge technology and procedures – a first for any election jurisdiction in California – to increase the quality of our voter registration data.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Daniel Tokaji
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
National
56 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Even within the generally underexamined election law sub-field of election administration, voter registration is an especially underexamined topic. The purpose of this article is to help fill that breach. It examines legislation and litigation surrounding the voter registration process, including the requirements with which voters must comply to register, the public and private entities that assist voters in registering, and the systems used to maintain registration rolls. Part I looks backward, providing historical background on the uses and abuses of registration, while Part II describes the patchwork of state and federal statutes governing registration today. Part III discusses recent litigation over voter registration, including the maintenance of registration lists, state agency registration, registration drives, and proof of eligibility. Part IV looks forward, considering the possibilities for future registration reform. It argues that the reforms should focus on expanding the electorate and discusses reform proposals that might lead to a more representative electorate.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Daniel Tokaji
Harvard Law and Policy Review
National
16 page(s)
1/22/2009
Abstract:
This article attempts to contextualize and disentangle the current debate over voter registration, suggesting a framework for federal reform. Part I provides historical background on voter registration, from its manipulation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (“HAVA”). Part II assesses the debate in the 2008 election season, which pitted advocates of broader access against those worried about fraud, with the former urging rules designed to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded and the latter urging stricter measures to ensure that no ineligible person can vote. The focal point of this dispute was the process of “matching” voter registration records against other state records, an issue that found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in Ohio Republican Party v. Brunner. Part III addresses some underlying institutional weaknesses in American election administration that the 2008 election reveals and that Congress must account for when it turns to voter registration reform.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Universal registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
Sarah Brannon
Project Vote
Arizona; California; Colorado; Georgia; Indiana; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Missouri; Nevada; New Mexico; Ohio; Pennsylvania
18 page(s)
2/1/2014
Abstract:
The first few years following the implementation of the NVRA, millions of Americans applied to become registered voters through public assistance agencies. In recent years, however, agencies have been neglecting their obligations under the law. As a result, the number of voter registrations originating from public assistance agencies in many states have dwindled to a fraction of what they should be, revealing a nationwide, colossal failure to fulfill the promise of the NVRA. This widespread lack of compliance in states across the country means that millions of Americans are being denied the right to register to vote in violation of both the spirit and the letter of the NVRA. What went wrong, and what can be done to fix it? By implementing the best practices developed by both advocates and state officials, state governments can improve compliance with the NVRA and regain the trust of those who believe in the law’s purpose: to provide our most vulnerable citizens a chance to participate in American democracy.
Subject(s):
National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Litigation
Demos
National
4 page(s)
12/5/2011
Abstract:
In October of 2011, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) revised its guidelines regarding the provision of voter registration applications at naturalization ceremonies; and for the first time ever, the USCIS has committed to providing the opportunity to apply to register at every single administrative naturalization ceremony in the country. Voter Registration for New Americans outlines what this milestone means for new citizens, election administrators, voter registration groups, and USCIS officials.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Lisa Danetz
Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate; Demos
National
9 page(s)
9/15/2008
Abstract:
On September 15, 2008, Demos Senior Counsel Lisa J. Danetz testified before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee in support of S.3308, the Veterans Voting Support Act. S.3308 required that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agree to state designations of its facilities as voter registration agencies under Section 7 of the NVRA, provide assistance with absentee ballots at such facilities, allow nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance at facilities, and allow elections officials to provide voting information and voter registration services at facilities.
Subject(s):
Military voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with disabilities
Christopher Ponoroff; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
34 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
In the past two years alone, eleven states have developed paperless systems, and many others have begun to consider reform. This report is the first in-depth survey of these registration innovations—“automated” voter registration, in which government offices like DMVs collect and transfer voter registrations electronically, and online voter registration, in which citizens submit voter registration applications over the Internet. Based on documentary research and interviews with election officials in fifteen states, this report explains how paperless voter registration works, reviews its development, and assesses its impact.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs
Lisa Danetz; Michael Slater
Demos
Oregon
10 page(s)
5/19/2009
Abstract:
This report focuses attention on the state of Oregon, an early leader with respect to public assistance agency-based voter registration but whose policies and level of compliance have varied over the years.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration
Diane Nguyen; Ingrid Reed; Malissa Pansa-ad
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University
New Jersey
6 page(s)
3/1/2009
Abstract:
The experience of finding voter registration information on New Jersey’s state web site and on the 21 county web sites improved significantly since a similar study was first conducted in 2006, according to an October 2008 study conducted by the New Jersey Project of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. The goal of both studies was to provide useful feedback to county administrations that could be incorporated in efforts to improve the content of election information and accessibility to it on their sites. Because counties are responsible for managing elections, their web sites should be useful sources of information about registration and voting. As dependence on the internet grows and reliance on newspapers for information wanes, the need for easy-to-use web sites increases. Eagleton’s first study in 2006 revealed that finding information about voter registration on county web sites was challenging, requiring multiple clicks with no clear connection to elections or voting, since those words did not appear without searching. That changed in 2008.
Subject(s):
Registration/Ballot status updates; Voter education campaigns
Alan Gerber; David Doherty; Eitan Hersh; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); The Pew Charitable Trusts
California; Florida
31 page(s)
6/8/2010
Abstract:
According the National Commission on Federal Election Reform, inaccurate voting lists present a significant obstacle to the integrity of U.S. elections, adding to costs of election administration, exposing elections to the possibility of fraud, and penalizing poor and less educated citizens (2001). This pilot study offers a first look at the quality of registration lists in two jurisdictions and develops a methodology for assessing list quality generally. Findings from this study are described in two reports. In this first report, we focus on the key results of the list audits. We describe the several reasons why voter lists might become inaccurate and we measure the degree of inaccuracy identified through the audits.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Alan Gerber; David Doherty; Eitan Hersh; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); The Pew Charitable Trusts
California; Florida
41 page(s)
6/8/2010
Abstract:
This memo serves to describe, in detail, the methodology for conducting audits of voter lists. To begin, we will review the specific goals of our approach. Second, we will describe the sampling procedure. Third, we will share some problems and surprises we encountered in our research. Fourth, we will review statistics on the undeliverable rate and response rate of mailed surveys. Finally, we will explain how to measure overall list quality based on the undeliverable mail rate and registrant-reported list inaccuracies. An accompanying report provides a detailed analysis of data gathered in the two pilot audits.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Costs
Steven Rosenfeld
National
36 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
This report discusses how voter registration modernization—or replacing paper-based election administration with electronic systems and procedures—can help states to better implement the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) The NVRA, among other things, requires a range of state agencies to offer voter registration services to eligible residents—including historically underrepresented populations—and codifies voter list maintenance procedures to ensure official rolls are correct and current.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Online voter registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Michael Waldman; Renée Paradis; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
15 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
Today we have the opportunity for a major breakthrough for effective democracy. !e 2008 election saw a record number of new voters. New election technology and the implementation of a recent federal law in the states make it possible to overcome the challenges with our voter registration system – the single greatest cause of voting problems in the United States. We can now truly modernize the voter registration process by upgrading to a system of universal voter registration – a system where all eligible citizens are able to vote because the government has taken the steps to make it possible for them to be on the voter rolls, permanently. Citizens must take responsibility to vote, but government should do its part by clearing away obstacles to their full participation. !e current voter registration system – which is governed by a dizzying array of rules and is susceptible to error and manipulation – is the largest source of such obstacles.
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Universal registration; Voter registration
Nicole Kovite
Project Vote
National; Missouri; Ohio
10 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This paper provides information to legislators, government officials, journalists, and interested citizens about voter registration services at state public assistance agencies and offices that serve persons with disabilities, which are required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Litigation
Project Vote
National
14 page(s)
4/1/2010
Abstract:
This policy paper explores the history of the NVRA and its oft-forgotten Section 7, providing answers for those who want to see the promise of the NVRA fulfilled, and offering guidance to those who are tasked with making it happen. By implementing the best practices developed by both advocates and state officials, state governments can improve compliance with the NVRA and regain the trust of those who believe in the law’s purpose: to provide our most vulnerable citizens a chance to participate in American society.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Voter registration
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Are U.S. Elections Getting Better or Worse? Is the Help America Vote Act Working?; Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission)
National
12 page(s)
3/22/2006
Abstract:
With the passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L. 107-252) in 2002, Congress attempted to address voter registration problems by requiring computerization and integration of voter registration systems and placing primary responsibility at the state level of government. That requirement went into effect in January of this year, and its impact on reducing error and the risk of fraud is not likely to be clear before the 2006 midterm elections or even later. At this point, it may be more useful to examine the topic from a somewhat broader perspective: What are desirable characteristics for an effective voter-registration system, what are the current federal requirements, and how likely is it that the current path states are taking will lead to effective systems?
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Security; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Errors
Clifton Gunderson LLP; Colorado Department of State; Colorado Legislative Audit Committee
Colorado
62 page(s)
11/1/2007
Abstract:
This performance audit was conducted pursuant to Section 2-3-103, C.R.S., which authorizes the Office of the State Auditor to conduct performance audits of all departments, institutions, and agencies of state government. The audit work was conducted from March to October 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. The audit scope focused on Colorado’s implementation of the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and voter registration activities administered by the Department of State.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Evaluation & assessment; Provisional ballots; Security; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology
R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Commission on Federal Election Reform (Carter-Baker Commission)
National
10 page(s)
6/17/2005
Abstract:
There have been two major efforts to reform voter registration practices at the federal level in recent decades, and despite those reforms there are still significant short and long term issues regarding voter registration practices in the United States. These issues include: continuing to find new ways to make the voter registration process easier for eligible citizens while also ma king the process more secure; fixing provisional balloting; scrutinizing computerized statewide voter registration files; carefully studying HAVA voter registration requirements and how they work. These issues are discussed in more detail in the remainder of this written testimony.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Wait times
Alexandre Buer; Ted Selker
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Florida
8 page(s)
4/7/2006
Abstract:
The voter registration list is the information backbone for the administration of elections. Keeping it up-to-date is a difficult task that can expose officials to accusations of voter disenfranchisement. We review here some of the problems that affected Florida elections, explore some solutions proposed with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 in regards to voter registration maintenance, and illustrate these with an experiment on the actual voter rolls from Florida.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Hispanic voters; Voter list maintenance; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Disenfranchisement
Michael Hanmer; Richard Niemi
American Politics Workshop
National
43 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
We offer a new theoretical perspective for understanding college student turnout and test it with a post-election survey of students at four- year colleges from November, 2004. We find that the usual demographic factors are of little relevance. Turnout is, however, related to the same motivational factors that stimulate older voters, as well as to mobilization by parties. College-specific factors, such as distance between home and college, are also relevant. Turnout was also higher for students whose hometown or college town was in a battleground state.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Barry Burden
Political Analysis
National
10 page(s)
2000
Abstract:
Though the overreporting of voter turnout in the National Election Study (NES) is widely known, this article shows that the problem has become increasingly severe. The gap between NES and official estimates of presidential election turnout has more than doubled in a nearly linear fashion, from 11 points in 1952 to 24 points in 1996. This occurred because official voter turnout fell steadily from 1960 onward, while NES turnout did not. In contrast, the bias in House election turnout is always smaller and has increased only marginally. Using simple bivariate statistics, I find that worsening presidential turnout estimates are the result mostly of declining response rates rather than instrumentation, question wording changes, or other factors. As more peripheral voters have eluded interviewers in recent years, the sample became more saturated with self-reported voters, thus inflating reported turnout.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Eric McGhee
Public Policy Institute of California
California
21 page(s)
5/1/2014
Abstract:
In this report, we examine voter turnout in California’s primary elections, both over time and in relation to other states. We discuss the factors influencing voter participation, policies that might improve turnout, and the ramifications of voter participation in primary elections, both generally and more specifically in the case of the new top-two primary system.
Subject(s):
Asian-American voters; Election types; Hispanic voters; Online voter registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Top two primaries; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
The Forum
National
10 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
I place national turnout rates in historical perspective and investigate what state turnout rates may tell us about what factors are related to higher levels of voter participation. In midterm elections compared to presidential elections, voter turnout is lower among all groups, but more so for young people. I discuss the implications of younger citizens' disengagement in midterm elections in light of an increasing gap in support for the political parties’ candidates among the young and the old.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
Maria Gratschew; Rafael López-Pintor
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
National
92 page(s)
2004
Abstract:
The Report brings together information and analysis of electoral turnout in Western Europe. Is there a general problem of participation in Western European elections? Is the `EuroGap' - the lower level of turnout evident in elections for the European Parliament - a problem specific to the European Union as an institution or is it symptomatic of a wider decline in participation? Are there practical measures that can be taken to increase electoral turnout? Who should be responsible for doing this? Legislators, election administrators, commentators, civil society organisations and the media may all be involved in seeking the answers to these questions.
Subject(s):
Election Day polling place voting; International election administration; Polling places; Voting technology; Women voters
Combine With: Turnout
Maria Gratschew; Rafael López-Pintor
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
National
182 page(s)
2002
Abstract:
This report includes statistics from more than 1,600 parliamentary and presidential elections in over 170 countries until the year 2002. Easy-to-use colour-coded tables give ready access to election turnout percentages from almost every contested national election that has taken place since the end of the Second World War. Graphs, charts and tables highlight trends in voter turnout and compare turnout between old and new democracies. Political participation in different regions is analyzed and corresponding information is presented on the potential impact of literacy, a country's wealth and civil liberties on voter turnout. A color-coded world map, showing turnout percentages from the most recent national elections, is also enclosed. In addition to the voter turnout statistics and analyses, this publication contains a thematic focus on voter registration.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Filip Palda; John Matsusaka
Public Choice
National
15 page(s)
3/11/1997
Abstract:
This paper evaluates the ability of common explanatory variables to predict who votes. Logit voting regressions are estimated with more than three dozen explanatory variables using survey and aggregate data for the 1979, 1980, 1984, and 1988 Canadian national elections. The authors find that the usual demographic variables such as age and education, and contextual variables such as campaign spending have significant effects on the probability of voting, but the models have low R-square's and cannot predict who votes more accurately than random guessing. They also estimate regressions using past voting behavior as a predictor of current behavior, and find that although the explanatory power rises it remains low. This suggests that the difficulty in explaining turnout arises primarily from omitted time-varying variables. In some sense, then, it appears that whether or not a person votes is to a large degree random. The evidence provides support for the rational voter theory, and is problematic for psycho/sociological approaches.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment
Combine With: Turnout
Elections Division, Georgia Secretary of State
Georgia
12 page(s)
4/1/2007
Abstract:
Senate Bill 500, “The 2006 Georgia Accuracy in Elections Act, was enacted by the Georgia General Assembly in March 2006, and signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue in April 2006.The purpose of SB500 was to set parameters for a pilot program to evaluate the use and subsequent audit feasibility of a voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) to be used in conjunction with touch screen voting machines. The legislation stipulated that one specific precinct in the counties of Bibb, Camden and Cobb would serve as the pilot precincts and set specific machine requirements. In addition, the legislation required that the pilot evaluations be conducted during the November 7, 2006, General Election and the December 5, 2006, Runoff Election.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Post-election audits; Usability testing
Combine With: Costs; Voter confidence
David Andersen; Timothy Vercellotti
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
4 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
Across all forms of identification laws, then, there could be segments of the electorate unable to meet the standard. This would be true for any election, but the effect on turnout may be greatest when requirements are new and even those who have the required identification, or could obtain it, are unaware of the new rules. Rules that have been in place for one or more election cycles may condition voters to bring the necessary identification, raising the possibility that, at least for some voters, there may be a learning curve regarding voter identification requirements.
Subject(s):
Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Robin Carnahan
Missouri Secretary of State
Missouri
173 page(s)
Winter 2007
Abstract:
Overall, the Office of Secretary of State and local election officials successfully implemented many changes and maintained the integrity, accuracy, and security of the election process in Missouri. However, there are areas in which Missouri election administration can still be improved to provide more confidence, convenience and privacy for voters. This report discusses themes and specific issues of the 2006 election and follows with recommendations.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
Robin Carnahan
Missouri Secretary of State
Missouri
205 page(s)
4/1/2009
Abstract:
This report, entitled Voters First: An Examination of the 2008 State and Federal Elections in Missouri, takes a closer look at the common themes that emerged during the February Presidential Preference Primary, the August Primary and the November General Election. It takes into account reports that my office received from voters, poll workers, local officials, and the media pertaining to the 2008 elections in Missouri.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Military voters; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker satisfaction; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud; Wait times
Regina Eaton
National
12 page(s)
1/1/2010
Abstract:
By counteracting arbitrary voter registration deadlines, SDR greatly enhances the opportunity for Americans to participate in the electoral process and cast a ballot that will be properly counted. States with SDR have historically boasted turnout rates 10 to 12 percentage points higher than states that do not offer Same Day Registration.
Subject(s):
Low-income voters; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Barbara Bovbjerg
National Council on Disability; U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
National
21 page(s)
4/23/2013
Abstract:
My statement today is based primarily on our findings from two 2009 GAO reports on polling place accessibility and voting in long-term care facilities, respectively. Specifically, my comments will focus on (1) progress made from 2000 to 2008 to improve voter accessibility in polling places, including relevancy to long-term care facilities and (2) steps the Department of Justice (Justice) has taken to enforce HAVA voting access provisions. In addition, we currently have work under way examining state voter identification laws and their impact on voting access.
Subject(s):
Polling place accessibility; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities
Steven Hertzberg; Susan Gabbard
Votewatch
New Mexico
49 page(s)
11/30/2004
Abstract:
This report accompanies the public release of data from Votewatch’s large scale pilot using exit polling to monitor Election Day experiences. The goal of the report is to provide transparency to Votewatch’s survey methods and allow readers to judge survey findings appropriately. The pilot was carried out in Bernalillo County, New Mexico during the Presidential Election of November, 2, 2004. Bernalillo County includes Albuquerque and contains roughly one-third of the voters in New Mexico.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Ballot design; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence; Wait times
Gregory Diaz
Nevada County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters; Nevada County Elections Office
California
28 page(s)
3/18/2013
Abstract:
Enclosed herein is a comprehensive report of the status and effectiveness of your Elections Office. Included is a 10-year analysis of the election process in our county, which highlights accomplishments and unmet needs.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Certification & testing; Electronic pollbooks; Internet voting; Military voters; Open primaries; Optical scan voting machines; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots
Combine With: Costs
Sarah Crissey; Thom File
U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Department of Commerce
National
20 page(s)
7/1/2012
Abstract:
This report examines levels of voting and registration in the November 2008 presidential election, the characteristics of citizens who reported either registering or voting in the election, and the reasons why some registered individuals did not vote.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors
Sarah Crissey; Thom File
U.S. Census Bureau
National
20 page(s)
7/1/2012
Abstract:
This report examines levels of voting and registration in the November 2008 presidential election, the characteristics of citizens who reported either registering or voting in the election, and the reasons why some registered individuals did not vote.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Public opinion
U.S. Census Bureau
National
9/28/2011
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Women voters; Youth voters
Ann Cotton; Bob Murphy; Dennis McGrath; Elise Major Whiteford; John Willis; Kathleen Ford; Mary Lovegrove; William Wells
Maryland State Board of Elections; Schaefer Center for Public Policy, University of Baltimore
Illinois; Maryland; New Mexico; Utah; West Virginia
118 page(s)
1/15/2014
Abstract:
For the 2012 presidential general election in Maryland, the factors identified by the research team as most likely affecting wait times were: (1) the length of the ballot in some jurisdictions; (2) the lack of sufficient voting machines in some precincts; and (3) the physical characteristics of some precinct polling place locations. Details about these findings are presented in this report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Ballot length; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Public opinion; Turnout
Jennifer Stromer-Galley
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
4 page(s)
10/1/2003
Abstract:
This essay attempts to give further evidence for the claim that there is a shift in U.S. society in which the public sphere has been largely replaced by a “private world of culture consumption” (Habernas [1962]1989, 160) and that as a result, U.S. citizens are private citizens uninterested in coming together to engage public issues. In order to provide this evidence, I address the notion of voting and what role it plays in the public sphere’s process of rational-critical debate. Then, I offer analysis of the three schools of thought on Internet voting in light of the public and private spheres.
Subject(s):
Internet voting
Combine With: Public opinion
Michael Ian Shamos
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
National; Florida
68 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
We know that government is capable of acting when it is properly motivated. After NASA’s Challenger disaster of 1986, President Reagan created a select scientific panel, the Rogers Commission, to determine the cause of the accident and even to review the culture at NASA that may have contributed to it. The outcome was a striking success, and the space program continued. Nothing of the kind is in sight for electronic voting, however, and we appear destined to repeat the paper manipulations of the nineteenth century that led to the development of voting machines in the first place.
Subject(s):
Ballot layout; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Evaluation & assessment; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Recounts; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
David Johann; Markus Wagner; Sylvia Kritzinger
Electoral Studies
National
12 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
Critics of giving citizens under 18 the right to vote argue that such teenagers lack the ability and motivation to participate effectively in elections. If this argument is true, lowering the voting age would have negative consequences for the quality of democracy. We test the argument using survey data from Austria, the only European country with a voting age of 16 in nation-wide elections. While the turnout levels of young people under 18 are relatively low, their failure to vote cannot be explained by a lower ability or motivation to participate. In addition, the quality of these citizens' choices is similar to that of older voters, so they do cast votes in ways that enable their interests to be represented equally well. These results are encouraging for supporters of a lower voting age.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Greg Vonnahme; Robert Stein
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
10 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
Where, when and how we vote has garnered only modest scholarly attention. Moreover, until recently (Cemenska, Leighley, Nagler & Tokaji, 2009) little was known about the variety of places, times and procedures Americans use to cast their ballots. This brief essay is intended to serve as a primer on non-precinct voting and a guide for future research on this mode of voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Permanent absentee voting; Vote centers
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Paul Gronke; Peter Miller
American Politics Research
National; Oregon
27 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
In the most widely cited result on the turnout effects of voting by mail, Southwell and Burchett report that Oregon’s system increased turnout by 10 percentage points. We attempt to replicate this finding and extend the analysis to additional years to test whether the originally reported effect is due to the novelty of the first three voting by mail elections in 1995 and 1996. We are unable to reproduce earlier findings, either via replication or extending the time series to include 2010 electoral data. We find evidence for a novelty effect when all elections between 1960 and 2010 are included in our analysis, and a consistent impact of voting by mail on turnout only in special elections.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail
Combine With: Turnout
Paul Gronke; Peter Miller
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
Oregon; Washington
23 page(s)
9/1/2007
Abstract:
In a widely cited result, Southwell and Burchett report that Oregon’s much noted innovation of fully vote by mail elections increased turnout by 10%. In this paper, we attempt to replicate this finding; extend the analysis to additional years in order to test whether the estimated effect is due to “novelty” effects of the first three voting by mail elections; and broaden the geographic scope of the study to include Washington state (a unique that has adopted voting by mail county by county over a decade long period). When relying on the analytical techniques suggested by the original authors, we find no discernible impact of voting by mail on turnout, although we can replicate their results using an alternative methodology. Extending the time series to include ten additional years of voting by mail elections decreases the size of the estimated impact substantially. We conclude that any findings of increased turnout in Oregon due to voting by mail is a result of the novelty of the new voting method and the unique circumstances surrounding the first three vote by mail elections. However, we do find a discernible impact of voting by mail on turnout in Washington state.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voter information & outreach; Voting methods
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Donald Inbody
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
12 page(s)
6/1/2013
Abstract:
Return of the marked ballot is the real problem that requires further work to enhance the convenience and speed. Many ballots returned from overseas or military voters are rejected for late arrival, lack of signature, or other administrative errors. Anecdotal evidence indicates that voters using the electronically provided blank ballot are often confused by the instructions. Local election officials report receiving returned ballots in various non-standard forms. Ballots returned in such condition increase the likelihood of error in transcribing the ballot for submission for counting. A related problem that has not been solved is how best to instruct overseas and military voters how to process the ballot and return it properly to the appropriate election jurisdiction in a timely manner. Additionally, the exceptionally low turnout rate by overseas voters is a problem that will likely require study beyond this report.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Paul Freedman; Richard Bonnie; Thomas Guterbock
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
12 page(s)
9/3/2013
Abstract:
This article investigates voting among residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We conducted a survey of Virginia long-term care facilities focused on voting in the 2006 midterm elections. The study reveals, first, that there are systematic differences in the voting experience of senior citizens who reside in nursing homes as compared with assisted living facilities. Second, we find considerable variance in how much attention is given to registration and voting by both types of long-term care facilities and in how much help residents receive to enable them to vote. Third and most important, facility policies and practices designed to facilitate registration and voting appear to increase voter turnout. Finally, it appears that many long-term care facilities may be disenfranchising residents who want to vote by incorrectly assuming that they lack the necessary capacity to do so. Overall, the study suggests that many seniors in long-term care facilities who are eligible to vote do not have a meaningful opportunity to do so.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Senior voters; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Ronald Rivest; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Voting: What Has Changed, What Hasn't, and What Needs Improvement
National
18 page(s)
9/1/2013
Abstract:
The voting machine challenge has four components. First, equipment must be reliable. Second, voting machines need to be secure. Third, there must be standards for performance in order to assist governments in making appropriate decisions. Fourth, and perhaps most important, there needs to be a sustainable business model for the voting machine industry.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Security
Claire Smith; Judith Ann Murray
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
30 page(s)
8/1/2013
Abstract:
We adapt the variables used in traditional voter studies to create hypotheses about the impact of public policy and the absentee voting process. We use data from the Overseas Vote Foundation 2012 Post-Election Voter Survey and U.S. Vote Foundation 2012 Post Election Voter surveys, as well as balloting statistics from the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to test the hypotheses. Differences in domestic and overseas absentee balloting are considered and, based on these results, recommendations to improve the administration of both domestic and overseas and military absentee balloting are presented.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times
Kay Stimson
The Council of State Governments
National
4 page(s)
7/1/2013
Abstract:
With more and more people relying on smartphones and tablet computers to conduct their everyday business, mobility is rapidly becoming a must-have capability for state government agencies, including election offices. State efforts to transform and modernize voting through mobile technology took center stage during the 2012 presidential election cycle, with the introduction of new smartphone apps, tablet voting programs and emergency texting options for voters displaced by Hurricane Sandy. This article outlines some of the key state mobile initiatives for the 2012 election cycle, along with some potential options that may enhance the voting experience in the future.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Online voter registration; Registration/Ballot status updates; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Common Cause Education Fund; Leadership Conference on Civil Rights; The Century Foundation
National
28 page(s)
12/7/2004
Abstract:
The “Report to the Nation” featured seven panels of experts and voting rights advocates who spoke in detail about problems experienced before and on Election Day, including problems with registration, absentee ballots, provisional ballots, voter suppression and intimidation, and voting machine issues. Through the course of our discussion, several themes emerged; major election problems were identified; and some ideas for future reform were suggested.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Barbara Burt; Matt Shaffer; Melissa Riess; Rob Randhava; Stephen Thomas Steigleder; Tova Wang
Common Cause; Leadership Conference on Civil Rights; The Century Foundation
Arizona; Florida; Georgia; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Washington; Wisconsin
101 page(s)
10/12/2006
Abstract:
This follow-up report explores whether a sampling of 10 states with a history of various election problems and potentially close races – Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin – have taken steps to address the concerns addressed in our foundational report.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Ballot length; Election Day polling place voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker recruitment; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout; Wait times
Tova Wang
Common Cause
Florida; Michigan; Montana; Ohio
8 page(s)
11/10/2008
Abstract:
Much has been made of the fact that there was no catastrophic meltdown in the election system this year. The fact that problems were not as pervasive as they might have been is due to the hard work of the voting rights community and election administrators in the months and even years before the election and the enthusiasm and persistence of voters. At the same time, thousands and thousands of voters faced unacceptable barriers to voting this year, demonstrating that much more work remains to be done.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electioneering & voter intimidation; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Preregistration for teens; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout; Wait times
Tova Wang
Demos
Arizona; Colorado; Illinois; Louisiana; Maryland; Minnesota; Nevada; Texas; Wisconsin
6 page(s)
11/4/2010
Abstract:
From the standpoint of voter access and effective administration, the 2010 elections were in many ways a mixed bag. There were a number of troubling incidents that occurred including voter intimidation and threats of vote suppression, and the structural barriers to voting that keep participation rates down were as apparent as ever. Yet at the same time it was clear that much of the worst that might have happened was avoided. While the lower turnout in mid-term elections clearly presents less of a challenge to election administration, we also may be seeing the fruits of close scrutiny of election processes in past years.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Electioneering & voter intimidation; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Allegra Chapman; Barrett McVary; David Myers; Gregory Smolen; Scott Novakowski; Stephen Spaulding; Susan Gershon; Susannah Goodman; Tova Wang
Common Cause
Arizona; Colorado; Illinois; Kentucky; Louisiana; Michigan; Missouri; Nevada; North Carolina; Ohio
170 page(s)
8/1/2010
Abstract:
In this report, we review a number of election laws and policies in 10 states chosen because they are expected to have close elections. In each state, there are problems with election laws, policies and practices which could impact enough voters to determine election outcomes.
Subject(s):
Electioneering & voter intimidation; Hispanic voters; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Overseas voters; Preregistration for teens; Provisional ballots; Registration/Ballot status updates; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Morgan Felchner
Praeger
National
760 page(s)
6/1/2008
Abstract:
The three volumes of Voting in America offer the most comprehensive, authoritative, and useful account of all aspects of voting in America ever assembled. This set surveys the legal foundations, historical development, and geographic diversity of voting practices at all levels of government in the United States. It marshals the demographics of voter participation and party affiliation in the 21st century by age, occupation, location, region, class, race, and religion, and parses the roles of interest groups, hot-button issues, and the media in mobilizing voters and shaping their decisions. Finally, the set anatomizes the critical voting debacles in the 2000 and 2004 elections and assesses the proposed remedies, including online voting and electronic voting machines.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voters with felony convictions; Voting technology; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Alfred Speer; Dan Blue; Martin Stephens
Elections Reform Task Force, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
National
4 page(s)
8/1/2001
Abstract:
NCSL President, California State Senator Jim Costa, and NCSL Staff Chair, Diane Bolender from Iowa, established the NCSL Elections Reform Task Force in December 2000. They asked the Task Force to focus on three goals: helping restore confidence in the election system, working with the federal government and providing states with recommendations for improving the election process. The Task Force worked steadily for the first half of 2001 and adopted 36 recommendations for state legislators seeking to improve the election process. The recommendations stemmed directly from a set of ten core principles, adopted by the Task Force, beginning with, "The right to vote is perhaps the most basic and fundamental of all rights guaranteed by the U.S. democratic form of government." Recommendations were made in ten specific issue areas.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Maintenance; Military voters; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Security; Senior voters; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Morgan Felchner
Praeger
National
208 page(s)
6/30/2008
Abstract:
The three volumes of Voting in America offer the most comprehensive, authoritative, and useful account of all aspects of voting in America ever assembled. This set surveys the legal foundations, historical development, and geographic diversity of voting practices at all levels of government in the United States. It marshals the demographics of voter participation and party affiliation in the 21st century by age, occupation, location, region, class, race, and religion, and parses the roles of interest groups, hot-button issues, and the media in mobilizing voters and shaping their decisions. Finally, the set anatomizes the critical voting debacles in the 2000 and 2004 elections and assesses the proposed remedies, including online voting and electronic voting machines.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Internet voting; Online voter registration; Poll worker training; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Fraud; Voter confidence; Wait times
Charles Stewart III; Julie Brogan
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
Massachusetts
50 page(s)
2003
Abstract:
The report that follows is organized around a series of 24 recommendations. These recommendations grow out of the experience gained over the past two years by the Voting Technology Project, as we have talked to election officials, voting technology vendors, and citizen groups throughout the country. These recommendations are consistent with the “best practices” that have been highlighted in a series of conferences and reports, at the national and state level, that have appeared over the past two years. Currently the most comprehensive accounting of election reform nationwide is available through the Election Reform Information Project and its indispensable web site, www.electionline.com.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Registration/Ballot status updates; Same day/Election Day registration; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud; Turnout
Al Schmidt
Philadelphia City Commissioners
Pennsylvania
27 page(s)
7/1/2012
Abstract:
Voting irregularities present a risk to the integrity of elections in Philadelphia County. Our core mission, to run honest elections, is undermined by illegal voting practices that alter election results and have the potential to change the outcome of close elections. Consistent with this mission, my office undertook an investigation of the 2012 Primary Election. The following report summarizes our investigation, identifies seven types of voting irregularities, and offers recommendations.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Election Day polling place voting; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Lawrence Norden; Wendy Weiser
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Florida; Wisconsin
64 page(s)
10/3/2011
Abstract:
This study is the first comprehensive roundup of all state legislative action thus far in 2011 on voting rights, focusing on new laws as well as state legislation that has not yet passed or that failed. This snapshot may soon be incomplete: the second halves of some state legislative sessions have begun.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Proof of citizenship requirement; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions; Voting methods; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
6 page(s)
12/19/2013
Abstract:
Election 2012 was marred by problems for voters nationwide. The northeast was beset by Superstorm Sandy, displacing hundreds of thousands of registered voters on Election Day. Across the country, millions of Americans stood in long lines at crowded polling stations to exercise their right to vote. One year later, an encouraging number of states have taken steps to provide voters more access to the ballot box. At least 237 bills were introduced in 46 states to increase access. Unfortunately, others have restricted access — 33 states introduced 92 restrictive bills — and the Supreme Court has made it easier for some of them to do so by striking down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. While 10 states passed 13 bills in 2013 to expand voting opportunities, eight states passed nine restrictive laws.
Subject(s):
Early/Advance in-person voting; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Preregistration for teens; Proof of citizenship requirement; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration drives; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Wait times
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
4 page(s)
1/21/2014
Abstract:
This January saw two bipartisan, breakthrough efforts to modernize elections, both of which President Obama highlighted in his State of the Union address. The bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration released a widely-praised set of recommendations to fix many of the problems persistently plaguing our system. And Republicans and Democrats in Congress introduced a bill to strengthen the Voting Rights Act, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision gutting the heart of the Act last summer. This movement is continuing in the states, where lawmakers in most states have introduced scores of bills to expand voting access. The trend marks a shift from before the 2012 election, when 41 states introduced 180 restrictive voting bills, with 19 states ultimately passing 27 measures.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Preregistration for teens; Proof of citizenship requirement; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Wait times
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
8 page(s)
11/11/2004
Abstract:
A series of claims have been made in recent days alleging that discrepancies between exit poll results and the presidential vote in certain states provides evidence of malfeasance in those states. These claims seem to be concentrated on states using electronic voting systems. Exit polls predicted a significantly greater vote for Kerry nationwide than the official returns confirmed, but there is not any apparent systematic bias when we take this same analysis to the state level. Analysis of deviations between the exit polls and the official returns show no particular patterns for states using electronic voting; nor does this analysis reveal any patterns for states using other forms of voting systems. We conclude that there is no evidence, based on exit polls, that electronic voting machines were used to steal the 2004 election for President Bush.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots
Combine With: Fraud
Stephen Ansolabehere
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
9 page(s)
3/1/2002
Abstract:
The first legal challenges to the nonuniform system of voting equipment are underway. One of these complaints, Common Cause v. Jones, invokes Bush v. Gore to test the equal protection claim generally and makes specific claim for equal protection of racial groups. The general equal protection claim holds that different technologies count votes differently. Specifically, punch cards may have higher rates of uncounted votes and spoiled ballots. Voters residing in counties using punch card technologies are less likely to have their votes counted. A number of studies have addressed this matter, for example the Caltech/MIT Report, and this claim appears correct. In this paper, I consider the second argument - equal protection of racial groups. This argument rests on two premises. First, punch cards are an inferior technology for casting and counting votes. Second, counties with higher densities of minority voters disproportionately use inferior technologies, especially punch cards.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards
Combine With: Errors; Litigation
Inés Levin; Julia Pomares; Marcelo Leiras; R. Michael Alvarez
Political Science Research and Methods
National
20 page(s)
2013
Abstract:
Voting technologies frame the voting experience. Different ways of presenting information to voters, registering voter choices and counting ballots may change the voting experience and cause individuals to re-evaluate the legitimacy of the electoral process. Yet few field experiments have evaluated how voting technologies affect the voting experience. This article uses unique data from a recent e-voting field experiment in Salta, Argentina to study these questions. It employs propensity-score matching methods to measure the causal effect of replacing traditional voting technology with e-voting on the voting experience. The study's main finding is that while e-voters perceive the new technology as easier to use and more likely to register votes as intended—and support replacing traditional voting technologies with e-voting—the new technologies also raise some concerns about ballot secrecy.
Subject(s):
Ballot marking tools; Centralized/Decentralized election administration; International election administration; Paper ballots; Usability testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Praeger; Voting in America, Volume 3: American Voting Systems in Flux: Debacles, Dangers, and Brave New Designs
National
7 page(s)
6/30/2008
Abstract:
Since 2000 Internet voting pilots have occurred in several European nations, including Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom. In Estonia Internet voting has become a normal channel for voting in both local and parliamentary elections alongside early voting and in-person Election Day voting. The experiences in these nations have provided information about Internet voting and the factors that affect Internet use as a voting platform.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Evaluation & assessment; International election administration; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Security; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Polli Brunelli
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), U.S. Department of Defense
National
93 page(s)
6/1/2001
Abstract:
A category of citizens who have experienced difficulties in participating in elections are those persons covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). By definition, these citizens are unable to go to the polls in person either because they have been assigned to duty stations away from their place of voting residence or are living outside the United States. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) under the Department of Defense (DoD) administers this Act on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, who is the Presidential designee for carrying out the Federal provisions. In the pursuit of identifying ways to maximize access to the polls for these citizens, the FVAP and a group of state and local election officials conducted a small-scale pilot project to examine the feasibility of using the Internet for remote registration and voting for UOCAVA citizens. This report presents the assessment results of the Voting Over the Internet (VOI) Pilot Project.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Post-election audits; Recounts; Registration/Ballot status updates; Security; Usability testing
Combine With: Costs; Fraud
Tom Jensen
Public Policy Polling (PPP)
North Carolina
2 page(s)
4/19/2007
Abstract:
According to the latest Civitas poll North Carolina voters disagree by a wide margin with a number of voting reforms designed to make it easier for people to register and vote. Apparently the potential for voter fraud outweighs the benefits of increased participation.
Subject(s):
Proof of citizenship requirement; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter ID; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion
Brian Leclair
Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF); U.S. Vote Foundation
National
5 page(s)
Summer 2013
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters
Combine With: Turnout
Spencer Overton
Harvard Law Review Forum
National
14 page(s)
11/25/2013
Abstract:
In "Beyond the Discrimination Model On Voting," 127 Harvard Law Review 95 (2013), Professor Samuel Issacharoff proposes that Congress turn away from what he considers the outdated and “limited race-driven use” of the Fifteenth Amendment and instead protect all types of voters from partisan manipulation using a “non-civil rights” Elections Clause approach. Specifically, Issacharoff proposes that jurisdictions disclose changes to voting rules for federal elections. This Essay argues that Issacharoff’s approach is incomplete.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
E. Glen Weyl; Eric Posner
Coase-Sandor Institute for Law and Economics, The University of Chicago Law School
National
58 page(s)
2/14/2014
Abstract:
Conventional democratic institutions aggregate preferences
poorly. The norm of one-person-one-vote with majority rule treats people
fairly by giving everyone an equal chance to influence outcomes, but fails
to give proportional weight to people whose interests in a social outcome
are stronger than those of other people—a problem that leads to the
familiar phenomenon of tyranny of the majority. Various institutions that
have been tried or proposed over the years to correct this problem—
including supermajority rule, weighted voting, cumulative voting, “mixed
constitutions,” executive discretion, and judicially protected rights—all
badly misfire in various ways, for example, by creating gridlock or
corruption. This paper proposes a new form of political decision-making
based on the theory of quadratic voting. It explains how quadratic voting
solves the preference aggregation problem by giving proper weight to
preferences of varying intensity, how it can be incorporated into political
institutions, and why it should improve equity.
Subject(s):
Election types; Vote counting & recounting
Lawrence Norden
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National; Arkansas; California; Florida; Indiana; New Jersey; New Mexico; North Carolina; Ohio; Virginia; District of Columbia
132 page(s)
2010
Abstract:
The core thesis of this report is simple: we need a new and better regulatory structure to ensure that voting system defects are caught early, officials in affected jurisdictions are notified immediately, and action is taken to make certain that they will be corrected for all such systems, wherever they are used in the United States. Based on our review of regulatory schemes in other industries, we are convinced that the focal point for this new regulatory system must be a clearinghouse – a national database, accessible by election officials and others, that identifies voting system malfunctions that are reported by voting system vendors or election officials. If this database is going to have any real benefit, voting system vendors must be required to report all known malfunctions and election officials must have full access to the database.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Canvassing & election certification; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
Dan Wallach
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
National
26 page(s)
12/1/2008
Abstract:
Any voting system must be designed to resist a variety of failures, ranging from inadvertent misconfiguration to intentional tampering. The problem with conducting analyses of these issues, particularly across widely divergent technologies, is that it is very difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons. This paper considers the use of a standard technique used in the analysis of algorithms, namely complexity analysis with its “big-O” notation, which can provide a high-level abstraction that allows for direct comparisons across voting systems.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud
Rock the Vote
National
22 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
According to the U.S. Census, only 58.5 percent of 18 to 24 year olds and 66.4 percent of 25 to 34 year olds were registered to vote in 2008, the lowest rates of registration among all age groups. Unfortunately, too many young Americans are left out of the process because of outdated voter registration practices, barriers encountered when trying to cast a ballot, and our country’s failure to adequately prepare them for active citizenship. It doesn’t have to be this way. A 21st century voting system that makes it easier for this rising electorate to register to vote and removes barriers to the ballot box is not just possible today, it is necessary.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Civic education; Early/Advance in-person voting; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Portable registration; Preregistration for teens; Same day/Election Day registration; Universal registration; Voter ID; Voter registration drives; Youth voters
Michael Ian Shamos
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
Massachusetts
54 page(s)
9/28/2006
Abstract:
This report contains the findings of a consultant engaged by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to examine the security aspects of three electronic voting systems intended for use by disabled voters. For the reasons given in detail in this report, under the administrative procedures recommended herein, all three systems are sufficiently secure for use.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Polling place management; Post-election audits; Security
Combine With: Errors
Eric Bauman; Jane Barnett
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
California
2009
Abstract:
The Voting Systems Assessment Project (VSAP) initiative was launched by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for determining the current and future needs of voters, to be addressed through the modernization of the County’s voting system. The VSAP seeks to establish a new participatory approach that initiates the process through public input to ensure the “people” element is well balanced with those of “technology” and “regulations.”
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Ballot design; Ballot marking tools; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter education campaigns; Voting technology
Combine With: Public opinion
Charles Stewart III
Annual Review of Political Science
National
26 page(s)
6/1/2011
Abstract:
A renewed, energetic interest in voting technologies erupted in political science following the 2000 presidential election. Spawned initially by the recount controversy in Florida, the literature has grown to consider the effects of voting technologies on the vote choice more generally. This literature has explained why localities have the voting technologies (lever machines, punch cards, etc.) they use. Although there are racial differences in the distribution of voting technologies used across localities, the strongest explanations for why local jurisdictions use particular technologies rest on legacies of past decisions. The bulk of the voting technology literature has focused on explaining how voting technologies influence residual votes, that is, blank, undervoted, and overvoted ballots. With the relative homogenization of voting technology since 2000, prospects for research that examines the effects of different machines on residual votes seem limited. However, opportunities exist to study the effect of voting machines historically, the effect of voting technologies on down-ballot rates, and the role of interest groups in affecting which voting technologies are made available to voters.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Alexander Shvartsman
Voting Technology Research Center, University of Connecticut
National; Connecticut
101 page(s)
10/23/2008
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Certification & testing; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Punch cards; Security
Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
14 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
In this chapter, I review the people, process, and technology aspects of voting. In particular, I consider the evaluations of all three that occurred after the 2008 election. Then we consider where we stand in relations to innovations with voting technology and the path forward for improving this aspect of voting, both in the United States and internationally.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Internet voting; Optical scan voting machines; Poll worker training; Security; Senior voters; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence; Wait times
Jonathan Wand; Michael Herron; Walter Mebane, Jr.
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
New Hampshire
25 page(s)
1/21/2008
Abstract:
We address concerns that the reported vote counts of candidates running in the 2008 New Hampshire Presidential Primaries were affected by the vote tabulating technologies used across New Hampshire.
Subject(s):
Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Voting technology
Charles Stewart III; Stephen Ansolabehere
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
45 page(s)
9/25/2002
Abstract:
We examine the relative performance of voting technologies by studying presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial election returns across hundreds of counties in the United States from 1988 to 2000. Relying on a fixed effects regression applied to an unbalanced panel of counties, we find that in presidential elections, traditional paper ballots produce the lowest rates of uncounted votes (i.e. “residual votes”), followed by optically scanned ballots, mechanical lever machines, direct register electronic machines (DREs), and punch cards. In gubernatorial and senatorial races, paper, optical scan ballots, and DREs are significantly better in minimizing the residual vote rate than mechanical lever machines and punch cards. If all jurisdictions in the U.S. that used punch cards in 2000 had used optically scanned ballots instead, we estimate that approximately 500,000 more votes would have been attributed to presidential candidates nationwide.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Punch cards; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
2014
Abstract:
This website offers tools based on the expertise of election administrators, business managers, and social science researchers that can help election administrators plan and conduct elections. Our goal is to demonstrate what is possible with such tools. The Election Management Toolkit is an open access place where technologies can be shared and improved. We launch this site with three key tools developed. We encourage you to use these tools and give us (and the developers) feedback on them.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Online voter registration; Paper ballots; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Software-based systems; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Daniel Wallach; Greg Vonnahme; Michael Byrne; Robert Stein
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National; Texas
22 page(s)
4/13/2008
Abstract:
In this paper we study the experience of individual voters on Election Day, November 2006, with two widely used voting technologies, optically scanned paper ballots and electronic voting machines. The focus of our empirical analysis is the relationship between voting technology and several dependent conditions, including voter satisfaction with their voting experience, the time it takes to vote, voter confidence that their ballot will be accurately counted, and self-reported undervotes. We find that a significant portion of the variation between the two voting technologies in voter behavior and affect is a function of election administration.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Usability testing; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Charles Stewart III; Dustin Beckett ; R. Michael Alvarez
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
40 page(s)
12/13/2012
Abstract:
This paper examines how the growth in vote-by-mail and changes in voting technologies led to changes in the residual vote rate in California from 1990 to 2010. We find that in California’s presidential elections, counties that abandoned punch cards in favor of optical scanning enjoyed a significant improvement in the residual vote rate. However, these findings do not always translate to other races. For instance, find that the InkaVote system in Los Angeles has been a mixed success, performing very well in presidential and gubernatorial races, fairly well for ballot propositions, and poorly in Senate races. We also conduct the first analysis of the effects of the rise of vote-by-mail on residual votes. Regardless of the race, increased use of the mails to cast ballots is robustly associated with a rise in the residual vote rate. The effect is so strong that the rise of voting by mail in California has mostly wiped out all the reductions in residual votes that were due to improved voting technologies since the early 1990s.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Punch cards; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
Benjamin Bederson; Frederick Conrad; Michael Hanmer; Michael Traugott; Paul Herrnson; Richard Niemi
Brookings Institution Press
National
215 page(s)
1/1/2008
Abstract:
The authors —an interdisciplinary group of experts in American elections, political behavior, human-computer interaction, and human factors psychology —assess five commercially available voting systems, each one representing a specific class based on shared design principles, as well as a prototype system not currently available. They evaluate the systems against different criteria (including ease of use, speed, and accuracy) using field experiments, laboratory experiments, and expert reviews. The results reveal the good and bad about the new systems, including specific features that contribute to clarity, confusion, or error.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Voter confidence
Charles Stewart III; Jonathan Katz; R. Michael Alvarez; Ronald Rivest; Stephen Ansolabehere; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
84 page(s)
10/18/2012
Abstract:
In this report, we examine how voting technologies and election administration in the United States have changed—or have not changed—since the controversial 2000 presidential election. We present our research and analyses of the past 12 years, as well as the perspectives of a number of individuals prominent in the election administration, voting technology, and election advocacy communities. Based on our research reported here, we provide the following recommendations for how we might improve the administration and technology of elections in the United States.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology
Alex Slocum; Charles Stewart III; Erik Antonsson; Jehoshua Bruck; R. Michael Alvarez; Ronald Rivest; Stephen Ansolabehere; Stephen Graves; Ted Selker; Thomas Palfrey
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
95 page(s)
7/1/2001
Abstract:
This report offers our assessment of what works, what does not, and what can be improved in existing voting technology. How big are the problems in voting? What solutions exist today? How can we improve voting for the 2004 presidential election? Our ultimate goal is to develop ideas about what could be. The United States is in the midst of a revolution in communication and computing technology. That revolution will transform voting in the future. These technologies hold enormous promise — to make voting easy, convenient, and accessible, and to allow voters to see that their votes are counted.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Certification & testing; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places; Security; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Melissa Slemin
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
17 page(s)
10/1/2006
Abstract:
The goal of this conference was to explore the current state of knowledge about the effects of voter identification and registration procedures on election administration and voting behavior, and to discuss the future directions of research, policy and technology.
Subject(s):
Certification & testing; Security; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Fraud
Charles Stewart III; Stephen Ansolabehere
Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
25 page(s)
6/28/2013
Abstract:
The purpose of this white paper is to lay the groundwork with some evidence about where long lines occur and what is thought to cause them.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; African-American voters; Ballot length; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day holiday; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Paper ballots; Polling place locations; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach
Combine With: Costs; Voter confidence; Wait times
Charles Stewart III
Journal of Law and Politics
National
25 page(s)
4/1/2013
Abstract:
The purpose of this Article is to provide an empirical grounding into the patterns of long lines, focusing on the 2012 presidential election and utilizing a unique public opinion survey. I show that two-thirds of voters in 2012 waited less than 10 minutes to vote and that only 3 percent of voters waited longer than an hour. I show that there was considerable variation in line length, as a function of geography and race. Consistent with news reports, Florida’s voters waited the longest to vote in 2012, nearly 40 minutes on average, while Vermont’s voters waited less than two minutes. Urban voters waited longer than rural voters, early voters waited longer than Election Day voters, and African American and Hispanic voters waited longer than whites. I will also show that lines were nothing new in 2012. The states whose residents waited the longest to vote in 2012 also waited the longest in 2008. This fact cautions against blaming long wait times in the most recent presidential election primarily on factors specific to 2012. Reforms such as Florida’s HB 7013, while welcome, will have only a small effect on reducing lines in future elections if they do not address deeper systemic factors that lead to long lines.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters; Polling place management; Voter demographics
Combine With: Wait times
R. Doug Lewis
The Council of State Governments
National
3 page(s)
6/1/2009
Abstract:
Election reform has been a consistent issue for states and Congress since the 2000 general election. After Congress created the Help America Vote Act of 2002, state legislators and Congress have offered thousands of pieces of legislation to cure the perceived problems in elections.
Subject(s):
Election administrators
Combine With: Costs
Advancement Project; National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP) National Voter Fund; Voter Action
National
40 page(s)
7/1/2009
Abstract:
This report draws on the recorded calls of voters who reported that they were eligible to vote but nonetheless prevented from voting during the 2008 presidential election because of shortcomings in what is broadly known as election administration, or how our elections are run. They went to vote on November 4, 2008, during early voting in the preceding days, or during the primaries, but were thwarted by various barriers. They then called one of two nationwide voter hotlines featured in this report, either 866-MYVOTE1 or 877-GOCNN08 for help.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Evaluation & assessment; Paper ballots; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors
David Becker; Doug Chapin
Pew Center on the States; The Pew Charitable Trusts
Washington
4 page(s)
10/1/2009
Abstract:
The study showed that potential voters who received a mailing as their 18th birthday approached from the Washington Office of the Secretary of State that included information on voter registration were as much as 10 percent more likely to register than those who did not. Furthermore, those who registered did so when they became eligible, rather than waiting until closer to the registration deadline. However, these increases came at a cost—the state spent approximately $6 per registration received as a result of the effort—and 43 percent of 18 year- olds who were sent a registration form pre-filled with their information and return postage paid by the Washington Office of the Secretary of State remained unregistered and unable to vote in 2008.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Anna Bassi
NYU-CESS Experimental Political Science Conference
National
39 page(s)
8/17/2013
Abstract:
Theoretical and empirical studies show that inclement weather on an election day reduces turnout, potentially swinging the results of the election. Psychology studies, however, show that weather affects individual mood, which – in turn – affects individual decision-making activity potentially beyond the simple decision to turn out on an election day. This paper evaluates the effect of weather, through its effect on mood, on the way in which voters who do turn out decide to cast their votes. The paper provides experimental evidence of the effect of weather on voting when candidates are perceived as being more or less risky. Findings show that, after controlling for policy preferences, partisanship, and other background variables, bad weather depresses individual mood and risk tolerance, i.e. voters are more likely to vote for the candidate who is perceived to be less risky. This effect is present whether meteorological conditions are measured with objective or subjective measures.
Subject(s):
Evaluation & assessment; Voter demographics
Combine With: Turnout
André Blais
Annual Review of Political Science
National
15 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
Why is turnout higher in some countries and/or in some elections than in others? Why does it increase or decrease over time? To address these questions, I start with the pioneer studies of Powell and Jackman and then review more recent research. This essay seeks to establish which propositions about the causes of variations in turnout are consistently supported by empirical evidence and which ones remain ambiguous. I point out some enigmas and gaps in the field and suggest directions for future research.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; International election administration; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout
Daniel Tokaji
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
4 page(s)
9/18/2007
Abstract:
Rather than squandering further time and energy on the electronic voting debate, Congress should turn its attention to improving registration, enhancing participation, and collecting better information if it really wants to ensure a fair electoral process in 2008. In this comment, I briefly canvass the current debate over electronic voting, and then turn to the more pressing election administration issues that Congress ought to be considering.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Paper ballots; Security; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Errors; Fraud
David Konisky; Jeffrey Milyo; Lilliard Richardson
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
28 page(s)
8/1/2009
Abstract:
We analyze data from the 2008 CCES in order to explain public approval of early voting, election-day registration (EDR), photo ID and vote-by-mail (VBM). Support for each reform is correlated with partisan affiliation and beliefs about the effects of such reforms for preferred or opposing party candidates; however, by far, the most important determinants of approval are concerns about the impact of such reforms on voter turnout and voter fraud. This finding suggests that improved knowledge about the effects of voting reforms may lead to much greater consensus in public opinion about the desirability of different reforms.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voting methods
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
James Snyder, Jr.; Shigeo Hirano; Stephen Ansolabehere
Process, Party and Policy Making: Further New Perspectives on the History of Congress; Stanford University Press
National
33 page(s)
3/1/2004
Abstract:
Between 1890 and 1920, most states adopted the direct primary as the method for nominating candidates for the U.S. House. It was widely thought at the time that this mechanism would produce greater independence from the parties inside the legislature, would increase the defeat rate of sitting incumbents who were party stalwarts, and would produce greater independence of candidates form their parties in the general elections; this would take the form of decreased party loyalty in the legislature, and increased split ticket voting in the electorate. In this paper, we examine the panel of elections and roll call votes from 1890 to 1920 and find some evidence for these conjectures.
Subject(s):
Election types
Ariel White; Julie Faller; Noah Nathan
Harvard University
National
41 page(s)
9/18/2013
Abstract:
The adoption of voter identification (ID) requirements has raised concerns that they differentially reduce turnout among minorities. We use a field experiment to investigate one mechanism by which these laws could create barriers to voting: differential information provision about voting requirements. We contact over 7,000 local election administrators in 48 states who are directly responsible for providing information to voters and implementing voter ID laws and observe that they provide different information about ID requirements to voters of different putative ethnicities. Emails sent from Latino aliases are significantly less likely to receive any response from local election officials than non-Latino white aliases and receive responses of lower quality. This raises concerns about the effect of voter ID laws on access to the franchise and about bias in the provision of services by local bureaucrats more generally.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter ID; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Eric Fischer; Kevin Coleman
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
National
18 page(s)
6/23/2005
Abstract:
This report, which will not be updated, discusses the results of a recent scientific survey of (local election officials). The findings may be useful to Congress in considering funding and possible reauthorization of HAVA.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Security; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Public opinion
David Jefferson
The Bridge: Linking Engineering and Society
Florida
7 page(s)
Summer 2007
Abstract:
On November 7, 2006, there was an electoral disaster in Sarasota County, Florida. Almost 18,000 people, about one in seven of the people who voted electronically, left the polls without recording a vote in the congressional race, the hottest race on the ballot. Most observers agree that few of these voters deliberately skipped voting in that race. Instead, they were either misled into not seeing that race or the voting machines somehow failed to record their votes. There is consensus on one point, however. Although Republican Vern Buchanan was certified the winner by only 369 out of more than 238,000 votes and is now representing the 13th Congressional District of Florida (CD13) in the U.S. House of Representatives, if the “missing” votes had been recorded, Democrat Christine Jennings would almost certainly have been elected (Stewart, 2006). This election illustrates in dramatic fashion not only the complex problems that arise with the use of all-electronic voting systems, but also the deep concerns of computer scientists and security experts about total reliance on software to capture and count votes in public elections. A considerable amount of technical investigation has been done into the circumstances of this election, and many hypotheses have been eliminated. But to date (April 2007), the exact cause(s) are not known with complete certainty—indeed, they may never be known.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Provisional ballots; Security; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Turnout
Barry Burden; David Canon; Donald Moynihan; Jacob Neiheisel; Kenneth Mayer
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association; Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB)
Wisconsin
29 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
We draw upon a heretofore untapped database of polling place activities: “incident logs” from the 2008 general election in Wisconsin. Using a form provided by the state, poll workers are instructed to write down a description of each incident, indicate what time it occurred, and assign a code that corresponds to the event. Codes correspond to events such as rejecting an absentee ballot, issuing a provisional ballot, and turning away a voter who is not a resident. We merge these incident data with Census information and responses from an original survey of municipal election clerks conducted. The resulting dataset allows us to validate the incident logs and then identify factors that explain the various types of incidents observed. All told, the data include over 20,000 individual incidents documented by thousands of poll workers at more than 3,000 polling places.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Polling place management; Polling places
Combine With: Errors
Daniel Tokaji
Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
National
2 page(s)
7/20/2008
Abstract:
One of the big under-the-radar issues this election season has to do with the state registration databases required by the Help American Vote Act of 2002. Before HAVA, registration lists were often compiled and administered at the local level. HAVA now requires a statewide registration database. Section 203 of HAVA (42 USC 15483) also requires that states "match" information in the database against motor vehicle and social security records, to verify accuracy. The problem is that there are all sorts of reasons why voters' names might not match, despite the fact that they've provided accurate information on their registration form. That can include data entry errors, transposition of first and last names, and the use of middle names and nicknames. It's not very clear from HAVA how the matching should be done, or what should happen if the information in the registration database doesn't match motor vehicle and social security records.
Subject(s):
Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Errors; Litigation
Charles Stewart III
Bush v. Gore, 10 Years Later: Election Administration in the United States
National; Florida
62 page(s)
4/7/2011
Abstract:
After discussing how two major reform processes digested the election problems that were presented to them, I turn to the evidence about how HAVA made a difference in how elections are run in the United States. I first examine the evidence — to the degree it exists — about the improvement of election administration along four domains that were clearly addressed in HAVA — voting machine accuracy, voter registration quality, access to voting by the disabled, and election fraud. I then examine two important unintended consequences of HAVA, namely the controversies over electronic voting and the movement to require photo identification at the polls. The conclusion provides an overall assessment of the achievements of HAVA while at the same time questioning HAVA’s continued relevance, in light of the rise of absentee voting, attacks on the Election Assistance Commission’s existence, and the current climate of fiscal austerity.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Optical scan voting machines; Provisional ballots; Recounts; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Public opinion; Voter confidence
Drew Davies
AIGA Design for Democracy ; Oxide Design Co.; Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission)
National
5 page(s)
9/20/2013
Abstract:
My comments today will outline the research and development of the Anywhere Ballot, which are rooted in improving the information design and usability of ballots. I’ll complete my testimony by outlining how the Anywhere Ballot can be implemented.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot marking tools; Usability testing
Dana DeBeauvoir
Travis County Clerk
National
1 page(s)
2/11/2014
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Election administrators; Security
Estelle Rogers; Steven Carbó
Demos
National
4 page(s)
7/15/2013
Abstract:
Early voting provides a means for eligible voters to cast their ballots at a time and location other than in person on Election Day.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Early/Advance in-person voting; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Costs; Turnout; Wait times
Richard Hasen
The Federal Lawyer
National
20 page(s)
6/1/2012
Abstract:
In this brief Article, forthcoming in the Federal Bar Association's magazine, the Federal Lawyer, I aim to do three things. First I canvass the nature of election law disputes which are likely to come to federal courts in the 2012 election season, focusing on constitutional questions arising from the interaction of state and federal courts in this area. Second, I discuss timing strategies which federal courts can and should use to avoid conflicts with state courts and to avoid becoming further enmeshed in the political thicket. Third, and most controversially, I suggest that federal courts be aware in evaluating election law disputes of the potential for subconscious bias on the part of election administrators, state courts, and federal judges themselves.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Voter list maintenance
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation
Marjorie Hershey
PS: Political Science & Politics
National
5 page(s)
1/1/2009
Abstract:
One important aspect of advance registration, strict voter-ID laws, and laws requiring proof of citizenship, is that those who are unregistered or who lack the specified documents must make a separate trip—on a day other than Election Day, to a place other than the polling place, whose location and open hours will need to be learned, to take a bureaucratic step that does not lead directly to an election outcome. The burden of this extra trip falls most heavily on people with lower education and income, but it would also be likely to affect persons with disabilities and, due to HAVA’s requirement of proof of residence for first-time voters, those who have recently moved. Given the importance of turnout to democratic politics, the need for research on the impact of voter-ID laws and those requiring proof of citizenship is compelling.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
John Anderson
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
2 page(s)
9/1/2004
Abstract:
What's wrong with that system? For one thing, we don't have a positive right to vote. A majority of Supreme Court Justices in Bush v. Gore announced that voters had no constitutional right under Article II of the U.S. Constitution to vote for president. Maybe the time has come for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that grants such a right. Secondly, voter turnout in national elections is low. We rank 139th in voter turnout in national elections over the last fifty-eight years. Voters between eighteen and twenty-four have been dropping in their share of the total vote. We have only fourteen women in the United States Senate, nobody who is of African American or Hispanic background, and more than four and a half million Americans are disenfranchised because of felony disenfranchisement laws that disproportionately impact low income communities in our nation. Finally, our elections are not really competitive.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements
Advancement Project
National
42 page(s)
2011
Abstract:
In a reactionary trend that is part of the largest legislative effort to scale back voting rights in a century, nearly two-thirds of states across the nation are considering onerous voter identification bills this year that could disenfranchise millions of voters for the 2012 elections, while failing to advance the integrity of the elections process. Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that works to eliminate barriers to voting, has studied the legislation in every state and produced a comprehensive report examining the trend, analyzing the proposals in each state and bringing context to the larger political and legal debates shaping these efforts to roll back
ballot access.
Subject(s):
Voter ID
Combine With: Fraud
Richard Freeman
National Bureau of Economic Research
National
51 page(s)
8/1/2003
Abstract:
This paper examines the pattern of change in turnout in elections and in the rate of voting of different socioeconomic groups in the US. It shows that while the changing education and income structure of the population and changes in laws and regulations that make it easier to register and to vote should have raised turnout, the proportion of the voting age population that votes has fallen. This is partly due to the increased proportion of voting age persons who are ineligible to vote, but it is hard to pin down the magnitude of that effect due to problems with data. It also finds that turnout has become much more unequal by age, education, and income.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Richard Hasen
Loyola Law School-Los Angeles
California; Colorado; Florida
31 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Whether or not the California Electoral College measure qualifies for the ballot and is voted upon, courts eventually will have to confront the question whether initiated Electoral College reform violates Article II of the U.S. Constitution. With the National Popular Vote movement in full swing, and other proposals for Electoral College reform floating around, it is only a matter of time before some initiative changing the system qualifies for a state ballot and stands a chance of passing. Though the constitutional question is straightforward, the answer is not: a strict textual view suggests that initiated reform is unconstitutional; caselaw and policy arguments show the question is more uncertain. Reasonable judges could reach opposite conclusions on the question. Lacking any clear constitutional answers, there is a danger that judges deciding the question will appear to the public to be swayed—consciously or subconsciously—by political considerations.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements
Combine With: Litigation
Ruth Colker
Cambridge Disability Law and Policy Series; Cambridge University Press
National
280 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
Writing from an “anti-subordination perspective,” Professor Colker provides a framework for the courts and society to consider what programs or policies are most likely to lead to substantive equality for individuals with disabilities.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Polling place accessibility; Polling places; Voter demographics; Voters with disabilities
Myrna Pérez
Brennan Center for Justice, New York University School of Law
National
96 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
This report describes the voting difficulties Americans may face if they move without updating their registration records. Section I describes the federal legal protections for voters who move. Section II evaluates the implementation of this framework at the state level. A survey of the states reveals that many of the current protections are too limited, not uniformly implemented, and have created confusion for both voters and election officials.
Subject(s):
Portable registration; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration
Michael Hanmer; Richard Niemi; Thomas Jackson
State Politics & Policy Conference; Workshop on Civic Education
National
51 page(s)
10/1/2008
Abstract:
We determine that states cannot exclude students as a group from voting in their college town and cannot make it more difficult for students than for others to register (including by asking them about residential permanence or “student-directed” questions). Yet, we find that states do have a right to require that those who wish to vote in that jurisdiction demonstrate other indicia associated with residence, such as availability for jury duty, paying taxes, and gaining that jurisdiction’s driver’s license. We go on to note ways in which states and localities wrongly apply the laws in what seems to be an effort to prevent students from voting in their college towns.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation; Turnout
Michael Hanmer; Richard Niemi; Thomas Jackson
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
National
21 page(s)
12/1/2009
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Litigation
Dari Sylvester; Nathan Monroe
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
California
43 page(s)
3/17/2011
Abstract:
Over the past decade, permanent absentee voting, or “Vote-by-Mail” (VBM), has become increasingly popular. More than half the U.S. states offer their citizens the option to vote by mail. Yet until now, we have known relatively little about which voters are most likely to use this option when it is available, and what (if anything) can be done to convert voters effectively to permanent VBM status. In this paper, we address both these issues. We conduct a field experiment with all registered voters in California’s San Joaquin County as our subjects, where a randomly chosen treatment group receives postcards – a low-cost conversion option – offering them the chance to easily obtain permanent VBM status. We supplement this experiment with a survey of a subset of these voters, allowing identification of what types of voters are most likely to convert to VBM. Though the low-cost postcard treatment did significantly increase conversion to permanent VBM status, this effect shows up at disproportionately high rates among groups that already vote at higher rates.
Subject(s):
Permanent absentee voting; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Costs; Turnout
Zoltan Hajnal
American Political Science Review
National
21 page(s)
2/1/2009
Abstract:
Critics have long feared that America’s winner-take-all electoral system would undermine the interests of minorities. Unfortunately, few available tests broadly assess how well minorities fare in a democracy. To gauge winners and losers in the American case, I introduce a new measure of representation. For any election, I count up how many voters from each demographic group vote for a candidate that loses. After comparing this new measure to its alternatives, I use data from the entire series of Voter News Service exit polls and a sample of mayoral elections to determine which kinds of voters end up losers. I find that across the range of American elections, African Americans are consistently more likely than other groups to end up losers, raising questions about equity in American democracy. The one exception to the pattern of black failure—congressional House elections—suggests ways to better incorporate minority interests.
Subject(s):
African-American voters
Erzo Luttmer; Kelly Shue
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
California
29 page(s)
2/1/2009
Abstract:
If voters have negligible cognition costs, ballot layout should not affect election outcomes. We explore deviations from rational voting using quasi-random variation in candidate name placement on ballots from the 2003 California recall election. We find that minor candidates’ vote shares almost double when their names are adjacent to the names of major candidates. All else equal, vote share gains are larger in precincts with higher percentages of poorly educated, poor, or third-party voters. A major candidate that disproportionally attracts voters from such precincts faces an electoral disadvantage. We also explore which voting technology platforms and brands mitigate misvoting.
Subject(s):
Ballot design; Ballot layout; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors
Betsy Sinclair; R. Michael Alvarez
Political Research Quarterly
California
12 page(s)
9/7/2006
Abstract:
In this study we examine over- and undervotes from the November 2000 General Election in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County is the nation's largest electino jurisdiction, and it used a punchcard voting system in that election. We use precincts as our unit of analysis and merge the 2000 election data with census data and voter registration data; our dataset allows us to examine all of the countrywide races in 2000 (including candidate and ballot measures). We use a multivariate statistical analysis employing negative binomial regression to test hypotheses regarding the relationship between precincts' political and demographic characteristics and over- and undervotes. We demonstrate that both over- and undervotes vary systematically across precincts in Los Angeles County, a finding that we argue has important implications for the representation of political interests.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Punch cards; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Women voters
Combine With: Errors
Antoine Yoshinaka; Christian Grose
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
National
34 page(s)
9/3/2010
Abstract:
In a recent APSR article, Hajnal (2009) explores the question of who loses in American democracy, and finds that African Americans are more likely than whites to vote for a losing candidate. This finding is extremely troublesome, as it suggests that African Americans’ voices are systematically being shut out of the political process. We revisit this question and show that Hajnal’s analyses are too broad in their scope, and that they do not account for the sampling procedures unique to each national exit poll.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters
Combine With: Turnout
Michael McDonald
Huffington Post
National
2 page(s)
4/29/2013
Abstract:
With state and local governments strapped for cash, online voter registration can reduce election administration costs by millions of dollars while simultaneously improving the integrity of the system. And for those who are concerned about fraud, federal law requires first time registrants to provide identification before they are allowed to vote. So, who uses online voter registration? Which party may benefit? Data provided by the Maryland State Board of Elections illuminates patterns of online voter registration use.
Subject(s):
Online voter registration; Voter demographics; Youth voters
Combine With: Costs
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Policy Studies Journal
National
22 page(s)
8/1/2008
Abstract:
Much has been said since the 2000 presidential election regarding the administration of elections in the United States, particularly about how election administrators are selected and to whom they are responsive. Unfortunately, there has been little research on the different administrative structures that are possible and the preferences of Americans regarding these different administrative options. In this article we present the results from a national survey of American adults in which we asked them their preference for whether elections should be run by partisan or nonpartisan officials, whether the officials should be elected or appointed, and whether the administration of elections should be by a single unitary executive or by an election board. In addition to eliciting the basic preferences of Americans about these administrative choices, we also undertake a deeper analysis of these data to determine the underlying patterns in support for the different administrative options.
Subject(s):
Nonpartisan election administration
Combine With: Public opinion
Morgan Llewellyn; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
35 page(s)
2/1/2006
Abstract:
Much has been said since the 2000 presidential election regarding the administration of elections in the United States, particularly in regards to how election administrators are selected and to whom they are responsive. Unfortunately, there has been little research on the different administrative structures that are possible and the preferences of Americans regarding these different administrative options. In this paper we present the results from a national survey of Americans, in which we asked them their preference for whether elections should be run by partisan or nonpartisan officials, whether the officials should be elected or appointed, and whether the administration of elections should be by a single unitary executive or by an election commission. In addition to eliciting the basic preferences of Americans about these administrative choices, we also undertake a deeper analysis of these data to determine the underlying patterns in support for the different administrative options.
Subject(s):
Institutional arrangements; International election administration; Nonpartisan election administration; Voter demographics
Combine With: Public opinion
Martha Kropf; Stephen Knack
Munich Personal RePEc Archive
National
27 page(s)
2002
Abstract:
In this article, we report on the incidence of punch-card and other voting equipment by ethnicity, incomes and other variables, combining county-level demographic data from the Census Bureau with county-level data on voting equipment collected by Election Data Services, Inc. Our findings, widely reported in the national print and electronic media in late January and February of 2001, provide remarkably little support for the view that resource constraints cause poorer counties with large minority populations to retain antiquated or inferior voting equipment.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voting technology
Adam Berinsky; Michael Traugott; Nancy Burns
Public Opinion Quarterly
National; Oregon
20 page(s)
7/21/2001
Abstract:
Over the last 2 decades, VBM has spread across the United States, unaccompanied by much empirical evaluation of its impact on either voter turnout or the stratification of the electorate. In this study, we fill this gap in our knowledge by assessing the impact of VBM in one state, Oregon. We carry out this assessment at the individual level, using data over a range of elections. We argue that VBM does increase voter turnout in the long run, primarily by making it easier for current voters to continue to participate, rather than by mobilizing nonvoters into the electorate. These effects, however, are not uniform across all groups in the electorate. Although VBM in Oregon does not exert any influence on the partisan composition of the electorate, VBM increases, rather than diminishes, the resource stratification of the electorate. Contrary to the expectations of many reformers, VBM advantages the resource-rich by keeping them in the electorate, and VBM does little to change the behavior of the resource-poor. In short, VBM increases turnout, but it does so without making the electorate more descriptively representative of the voting-age population.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods
Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence
Miguel Carreras; Néstor Castañeda-Angarita
Comparative Political Studies
National
28 page(s)
6/12/2013
Abstract:
Previous studies of electoral participation in Latin America have focused on the political and institutional factors that influence country differences in the aggregate level of turnout. This article provides a theoretical and empirical examination of the individual-level factors that have an impact on citizens’ propensity to vote. We test three theoretical perspectives that have been used to explain electoral participation in industrialized democracies (voters’ resources, voters’ motivations, and mobilization networks). Using a series of logistic and hierarchical models, we demonstrate that the demographic characteristics of voters (age and education) and citizens’ insertion in mobilizing networks (civic organizations and the working place) are strong predictors of electoral participation in Latin America. Our analysis also confirms the importance of contextual and institutional variables to explain turnout in the region.
Subject(s):
International election administration; Low-income voters; Voter demographics; Women voters
Combine With: Turnout
Christine Fulton; Jeremy Levkoff; Katelyn Mikuliak; Marvin Francois; Melissa Stevenson; Rachel Bardin
New York City Campaign Finance Board; Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University
New York
38 page(s)
6/11/2012
Abstract:
In this report we attempt to identify who does not vote in New York City and recommend ways the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) can increase voter turnout. We analyzed voter turnout by census tract in the 2008 and 2009 elections using Board of Elections voter history rolls and demographic data from the 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. To supplement this analysis in developing our recommendations, we conducted research of common outreach strategies and structural reforms and obtained feedback from community-based organizations via an online survey.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Ballot design; Ballot wording; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Same day/Election Day registration; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Women voters; Youth voters
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Walter Mebane, Jr.
USENIX Electronic Voting Technology Workshop
California; Florida; Ohio
48 page(s)
6/1/2006
Abstract:
No abstract available.
Subject(s):
Accessibility & usability; Ballot design; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election administrators; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Punch cards; Voting technology
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Hans von Spakovsky; John Fund
Encounter Books
National
250 page(s)
8/14/2012
Abstract:
Who’s Counting? exposes serious problems with our election system, from voter fraud to a slipshod system of vote counting that political scientist Walter Dean Burnham calls “the most careless of the developed world.” To reduce fraud, states ranging from Florida to Wisconsin have passed laws requiring a photo ID be shown at the polls and curbing the unrestrained use of absentee ballots. The response from Obama allies has been to belittle the need for such laws and to attack them as a rising racist tide in American life.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Security; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID
Combine With: Errors; Fraud
Betsy Sinclair; R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
California
32 page(s)
7/1/2005
Abstract:
Using data from Los Angeles County–the nation’s largest and most diverse voting jurisdiction–for the November 2002 general election, we test a series of hypothesis that certain types of ballots and voters have a higher likelihood that their ballots will be counted. We find that uniform service personnel, overseas civilians, voters who request non-English ballots and permanent absentee voters have a much lower likelihood of returning their ballot, and once returned, a lower likelihood that their ballots will be counted compared with the general absentee voting population. We also find that there is little partisan effect as to which voters are more likely to return their ballots or have their ballots counted. We conclude our paper with a discussion of the implications of our research for the current debates about absentee voting.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Military voters; Overseas voters; Permanent absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter demographics; Voter registration; Voters with limited-English proficiency
Combine With: Errors
Brenda Wright
Demos
National
3 page(s)
11/1/2012
Abstract:
Our current system is archaic and inefficient, and badly needs modernization. It still relies on handwritten, paper forms that that can result in clerical errors and is needlessly expensive for states to administer. It leaves the burden on the citizen to negotiate the registration process and to update her registration again and again each time she moves. We need policy changes that put the responsibility for registering voters squarely on the government by automating the registration process. Under a modernized voter registration system, eligible citizens interacting with the government will be asked if they consent to being registered to vote, and will be added to the rolls through a paperless process if they do. This shifts the administrative burden off of the individual voter and onto the government to register eligible citizens to vote.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Portable registration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Errors; Turnout
R. Michael Alvarez
Psychology Today
National
3 page(s)
12/11/2011
Abstract:
In recent years, our team at the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project has made use of a surprisingly simple question in the recent Census Bureau voting surveys. The Census Bureau has asked registered nonvoters to simply state why it is that they don't vote. And the answers to this simple question are very telling about why Americans who are otherwise registered do not vote.
Subject(s):
Voter registration
Combine With: Turnout
Pippa Norris
Cambridge University Press
National
5/1/2014
Abstract:
It is widely suspected that flawed, or even failed, contests will undermine confidence in elected authorities, damage voting turnout, trigger protests, exacerbate conflict, and occasionally lead to revolutionary regime change. Well-run elections, by themselves are insufficient for successful transitions to democracy. But flawed, or even failed, contests are thought to wreck fragile progress. But is there good evidence for these claims? Under what circumstances do failed elections undermine legitimacy? With a global perspective, using new sources of worldwide data for mass and elite evidence, this book provides fresh insights into these major issues at the heart of the study of elections and voting behavior, comparative politics, democracy and democratization, political culture, democratic governance, public policymaking, development, international relations and conflict studies, and processes of regime change.
Subject(s):
International election administration
Combine With: Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence
R. Michael Alvarez; Thad Hall
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP)
National
36 page(s)
11/26/2003
Abstract:
Our paper applies the logic of principal-agent theory to the problem of election administration, and analyzes problems in the conduct of elections from this perspective. We examine various components of the dominant method of voting in the United States—poll site voting—and use our principal-agent perspective to demonstrate that serious problems in the polling place environment could be resolved by other means of serving voters, especially vote-by-mail, early voting, and Internet voting.
Subject(s):
Acquisition/Procurement; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Internet voting; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Poll worker compensation; Poll worker qualifications; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Voter registration; Voting technology
Combine With: Fraud; Turnout
Megan Mullin; Thad Kousser
John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation
California
42 page(s)
4/1/2007
Abstract:
Advocates of mail ballot elections predict that voting by mail will produce higher turnout and allow voters to become more informed. Our study tests these predictions by taking advantage of a “natural experiment” in which many California voters are assigned to vote by mail because they live in less populous precincts. By matching these mail ballot precincts with traditional polling place precincts that contain voters with similar demographic characteristics, we are able to observe the effects of voting by mail on comparable groups of voters taking part in the same elections.
Subject(s):
All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Special elections; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Public opinion; Turnout
Melissa Mulliken
Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition
Wisconsin
4 page(s)
10/23/2008
Abstract:
The following memo summarizes key findings from a statewide telephone survey commissioned by the non-partisan Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition and conducted between October 2–October 9, 2008 among 600 respondents, 18 years of age or older, in the Wisconsin disability community. The margin of error is +/- 4%. The poll reached a cross section of the disability community including parents, guardians, people with disabilities, direct support workers and advocates.
Subject(s):
Polling place accessibility; Polling place locations; Voters with disabilities
Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout
Charles Franklin
Marquette University Law School
Wisconsin
5 page(s)
3/26/2014
Abstract:
As the state legislature approaches the end of its session, voters have a mixture of views about major legislative issues. Voters favor requiring a government-issued photo ID in order to vote by a 60 to 36 percent margin, essentially unchanged from the 61-37 margin when last asked in May 2012. On early voting, also called in-person absentee voting, 39 percent favor allowing three weeks, including three weekends, for early voting; 27 percent support a two-week period including one weekend; 12 percent support a limit of two weeks with no weekend voting; and 20 percent prefer to eliminate early voting entirely.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voter ID; Weekend voting
Combine With: Public opinion
Alex Ingram; Hans von Spakovsky
The Heritage Foundation
National
5 page(s)
8/24/2011
Abstract:
Citizens Without Proof, a report on voter identification requirements produced by the Brennan Center at New York University’s School of Law, is both dubious in its methodology and results and suspect in its sweeping conclusions. By eschewing many of the traditional scientific methods of data collection and analysis, the authors of the Brennan Center study appear to have pursued results that advance a particular political agenda rather than the truth about voter identification. Given that Citizens Without Proof is the study most frequently cited by opponents of voter identification requirements, its shortcomings cannot simply be dismissed—a tempting solution, given the study’s dubious methodology. Rather, the conclusions drawn by the Brennan Center must be contrasted with other, legitimate studies—a process that will reveal the truth about voter identification requirements.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Turnout
Archon Fung; Brenda Wright; Joe Goldman; Martha McCoy
America Speaks: Engaging Citizens in Governance; Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Demos; Everyday Democracy: Ideas & Tools for Community Change
National
38 page(s)
10/5/2009
Abstract:
At this unique time in our nation's history, when we are faced with tremendous challenges on every front, experts and advocates for strengthening democracy came together to create new momentum and plans for the critical work that must be done. On August 2-4, 2009, they shared what they have been learning from their work across the country, and rolled up their sleeves to create collective recommendations and action steps. Their collective goal was to strengthen our democracy by engaging all citizens in the selection of their leaders, influencing laws and regulations, and taking public action. The full conference report provides detailed recommendations for both the Administration and the democracy reform movement itself.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Civic education; Electioneering & voter intimidation; International election administration; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Nonpartisan election administration; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Turnout
Election Reform Information Project, University of Richmond; Electionline; The Constitution Project; The Pew Charitable Trusts
National
17 page(s)
9/1/2002
Abstract:
In this report, the fourth in a series examining election reform issues, the Constitution Project and electionline.org interviewed state election directors and local officials nationwide to measure the level of cooperation and coordination between states and localities and to gauge the impact of proposed federal changes.
Subject(s):
Centralized/Decentralized election administration; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Charles Bullock III; M.V. Hood III
Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Political Science Association
Georgia
32 page(s)
7/1/2008
Abstract:
Georgia has joined the states seeking to require the presentation of a picture identification card before a person can vote. Democrats have seen this requirement as a Republican effort to limit participation of likely Democratic supporters. Specifically, opponents charge that this requirement makes it more difficult for African Americans, the elderly, the poor and those living in rural areas to participate. The most widely available form of acceptable identification is a driver’s license or document issued in lieu of a driver’s license by the Department of Motor Vehicles. We examine these claims by determining which registered voters lack a DMV photo ID. Multivariate models show that African Americans, Hispanics, and the elderly are less likely to have a DMV-issued photo ID. Having a photo ID is unrelated to wealth of the zip code in which a voter lives. Those without photo IDs are more likely to have voted in Democratic primaries in 2004, although those who have photo IDs are less likely to vote compared with other registrants.
Subject(s):
African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Low-income voters; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voter registration; Women voters
Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout
Charles Stewart III
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (VTP); Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S. Senate
National
17 page(s)
5/14/2014
Abstract:
In today’s testimony, I want to touch on three major points.
1. There is a need for a more data-centered approach to election administration in the United
States.
2. The federal government is responsible for the two most important data-collecting efforts
related to election administration; these efforts need to be supported and strengthened.
3. Local governments need help in converting the mountain of data that is generated in the
conduct of elections into information they can use to better manage elections.
Subject(s):
Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Certification & testing; Voting technology
Combine With: Wait times
Khale Lenhart
Wyoming Law Review
Wyoming
20 page(s)
2012
Abstract:
This article looks at the Wyoming state election laws and suggests revisions to enhance the fairness and representative nature of Wyoming elections. Specifically, Wyoming can improve its election laws by: (1) implementing voter registration statutes to allow third-party voter drives and easier mail-in registration; (2) providing broader access to the major party Presidential nomination process by lengthening the time before voter registration purges; (3) allowing for greater choice by easing the independent candidate ballot access requirements; and (4) improving the campaign finance restrictions by closing loopholes and adjusting contribution limits for inflation.
Subject(s):
Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voter registration drives
Richard Hasen
University of Miami Law Review
National
10 page(s)
2/1/2010
Abstract:
Professor Gardner has once again shed considerable light on the Supreme Court’s election-law jurisprudence. Through a theoretical examination of the role of voters in a democratic polity, Gardner has made a strong case against the recognition of second-order dignitary rights in cases such as Shaw, Bush, and Purcell. But Gardner has been wrong to lay the blame for these cases at the feet of those of us who subscribe to an individual rights view of election-law jurisprudence. Properly understood, these cases are indefensible on individual rights grounds: they are really structural cases in disguise.
Subject(s):
Recounts; Voter ID
Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation
David Wagner; Eric Rescorla; Hovav Shacham; J. Alex Halderman
Proceedings of EVT 2008, USENIX/ACCURATE, 2008
National
14 page(s)
2008
Abstract:
In this paper we ask how jurisdictions can make the best use of the equipment they already own until they can replace it. Starting from current practice, we propose defenses that involve new but realistic procedures, modest changes to existing software, and no changes to existing hardware. Our techniques achieve greatly improved protection against outsider attacks: they provide containment of viral spread, improve the integrity of vote tabulation, and offer some detection of individual compromised devices. They do not provide security against insiders with access to election management systems, which appears to require significantly greater changes to the existing systems.
Subject(s):
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Election Day polling place voting; Maintenance; Optical scan voting machines; Paper ballots; Post-election audits; Security; Software-based systems; Vote counting & recounting; Voting technology
Combine With: Costs
Chris Kennedy; Karlo Barrios Marcelo; Kathleen Barr; Mark Hugo Lopez
Rock the Vote; The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
National
37 page(s)
2/1/2008
Abstract:
This report serves to educate policymakers, journalists, and political campaigns about the youth vote. In this report, specifically, we present information on trends in youth voter turnout, the demographics of young voters, the politics of the youth vote, and state-by-state facts.
Subject(s):
Voter demographics; Voter registration; Youth voters
Combine With: Turnout
Project Vote
California; Colorado; Oregon; Washington
14 page(s)
7/9/2007
Abstract:
This report will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of convenience voting in the form of no excuse absentee voting, permanent no excuse absentee voting, and VBM, all of which use the United States Postal Service as a central component. It will also discuss the concerns of proponents and opponents of mail balloting. Finally, it will suggest methods intended to address concerns about mail-in balloting expressed by legislators, administrators, election advocates, and scholars.
Subject(s):
Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Permanent absentee voting; Post-election audits; Security; Vote counting & recounting
Combine With: Costs; Fraud; Turnout
FairVote
Florida; Hawaii
1 page(s)
2009
Abstract:
In 2009, George Mason University professor Michael P. McDonald secured funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts to study voter preregistration and implementation tactics in the two states with a pre-registration age of 16: Hawaii, where it became law in 1993 and Florida, where it passed in 2007. Dr. McDonald’s key finding is that voter preregistration seems to have a measurable impact on voter registration when certain actions are taken to reach out to young people. Here are successful elements of these states’ voter preregistration programs.
Subject(s):
Civic education; Preregistration for teens; Voter registration