Research & Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This document summarizes the findings from the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) sponsored Statutory Overview for 2014. The Statutory Overview gathers qualitative information on States’ definitions, laws, processes, and procedures relating to the administration of elections. The Statutory Overview is designed to help the EAC understand and analyze the quantitative data collected through the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS).

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll watchers; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker training; Polling place management; Polling places; Post-election audits; Proof of citizenship requirement; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter ID; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with felony convictions; Voting methods; Voting technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Election Day emergencies; Military voters; Voters with disabilities; Voters with limited-English proficiency

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: Testing

Subject(s): Absentee voting

Combine With: Costs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: What follows is a District of Columbia Board of Elections overview of election preparation, using information drawn from the April 1, 2014 primary election, Election Day operations (including media and community outreach), election results, and post-election day analysis from precinct captains, election workers, and senior BOE staff. The analytical process involved in preparing this Report has already yielded significant information, leading the Board to undertake a number of remedial actions, including establishing back-up systems in the tabulation process, developing a more reliable warehouse and supply process, upgrading equipment, and updating and expanding poll worker training regimens, all of which will result in improved and more timely performance in the upcoming November 4, 2014, General Election.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Polling places; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This report looks at voter turnout in 2014 U.S. elections, find that on the heels of a drop in voter turnout in the 2012 presidential election, turnout in the 2014 midterm was the lowest since World War II. Just 37% of eligible voters cast ballots, down five points from the 42% of eligible voters who voted in 2010. However, turnout among states varied widely. States with competitive races and Election Day Registration out-performed others by wide margins.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This article discusses some of uncertainties in the days and weeks leading up to the 2014 presidential election, with a focus on Texas. The unresolved constitutionality of some voter-ID laws caused uncertainty among poll workers and election officials. The article also details some of the issues elections workers and officials face when preparing for a major election.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Poll worker training; Voter ID; Voter registration; Voting methods

Combine With: Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

Abstract: The following is an executive summary of two surveys conducted by the Business Practice Group (BPG), testimonials from Clerk and Recorder’s experiences during the election, and statistics captured by the counties during the 2014 General Election. The survey was designed and requested by the COVAME commission. The business practice group is a working group appointed by the COVAME commission. The members of the Business Practice Group are comprised of County Clerks, election administers and commission co-chair Elena Nunez.The first survey’s objective was to gather information about the 2014 General Election and to compare it across all county tiers. The second survey gathered specific information about signature discrepancies.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Polling places; Software-based systems; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Hispanic voters; Permanent absentee voting; Senior voters

Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Polling place accessibility; Voters with disabilities

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

Abstract: The California Civic Engagement Project (CCEP) recently published an issue brief examining reasons for Vote-by-Mail (VBM) ballot rejection in the state of California and the methods taken at the county level to help voters correct VBM ballot issues.1 Utilizing detailed voter registration data from 36 California county election offices, this brief breaks down the analysis of the state’s rejected ballots by age, language preference and military status for the 2012 General Election.2 Key findings include the following: Youth and non-English language voters are more likely to experience VBM ballot rejection. Missing signatures are a major reason non-English ballots are rejected. Military and overseas voters experience a higher likelihood their VBM ballots will go uncounted.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Hispanic voters; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Youth voters

Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This database contains all cases reported to News21 of alleged election fraud across America since 2000.

Subject(s): Absentee voting

Combine With: Fraud

Abstract: This report by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General argues that vote-by-mail offers both a way to provide opportunities for citizens to participate in elections, as well as an opportunity to generate revenue for the USPS.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods

Combine With: Costs; Turnout

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

Abstract: The method by which we select public officials can have a significant effect on their incentives, the constraints they face, and ultimately the policy goals they pursue. We explore this phenomenon using election administration as a case. We examine differences in the policy preferences among elected and appointed election officials, and explore the relationship between those attitudes and the administrative outcomes they may engender. We employ a uniquely rich dataset that includes the survey responses of over 1,200 Wisconsin election officials, structured interviews with dozens of these officials, and data from the 2008 presidential election. Drawing upon a natural experiment in how clerks are selected, we find that elected officials support policies that emphasize voter access rather than ballot security, and that their municipalities are associated with higher voter turnout. For appointed officials, we find that voter turnout in a municipality is noticeably lower when the local election official’s partisanship differs from the partisanship of the electorate. Overall, our results support the notion that selection methods, and the incentives that flow from those methods, matter a great deal. Elected officials are more likely to express attitudes and generate outcomes that reflect their direct exposure to voters, in contrast to the more insulated position of appointed officials.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot design; Election administrators; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Military voters; Senior voters; Voter ID; Youth voters

Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Litigation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This document argues that ranked choice voting absentee ballots provide a legal and practical solution to the problem of military and overseas voters being disenfranchised in runoff elections.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Military voters; Voter demographics; Voting methods

Combine With: Disenfranchisement

Abstract: This document argues that ranked choice absentee ballots provide a legal and practical solution to the problem of military and overseas voters being disenfranchised in presidential primaries.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voting methods

Combine With: Disenfranchisement

Abstract: This document provides model statutory language for legislation mandating the use of ranked choice ballots for military and overseas voters in presidential nomination contests.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Election types; Instant runoff voting/Ranked choice voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voting methods

Combine With: Disenfranchisement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: GAO was asked to review issues related to voter ID laws. This report reviews (1) what available literature indicates about voter ownership of and direct costs to obtain select IDs; (2) what available literature and (3) analyses of available data indicate about how, if at all, voter ID laws have affected turnout in select states; (4) to what extent provisional ballots were cast due to ID reasons in select states; and (5) what challenges may exist in using available information to estimate the incidence of in-person voter fraud.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Hispanic voters; Provisional ballots; Voter demographics; Voter ID

Combine With: Costs; Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: California counties disseminate voter information the same way today as they did 50 years ago. Each of California’s 58 county elections offices mails every registered voter a paper sample ballot booklet and polling location notice for every city, state, and national election. California is only one of a handful of states to provide this service to voters, which requires substantial monetary and environmental resources. There are more efficient methods to inform and meet the needs of voters than traditional paper delivery. Currently, most county elections offices provide voters with information via electronic mediums—86 percent of counties post mandatory voter information on their websites and 53 percent use e-mail to communicate directly with voters. Until recently however, these methods could only supplement, rather than replace paper delivery. Beginning in 2011, at the request of voters, counties will be allowed to replace paper with electronic information.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting methods

Combine With: Public opinion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: Elections have traditionally depended on procedural safeguards and best practices to ensure integrity and instill trust. By making it difficult for individuals to manipulate ballots undetected, these policies electoral malfeasance. Even so, it is clearly preferable to move beyond this kind of best-effort security and instead provide strong guarantees of integrity and privacy.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Canvassing & election certification; Optical scan voting machines; Security; Software-based systems; Voting technology

Combine With: Costs; Errors; Fraud; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: A short fact sheet containing information on the absentee voting procedures of the states.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

Abstract: An overview of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE), signed into law on October 28, 2009, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010. MOVE makes changes to certain absentee voting laws and procedures that apply to military and overseas citizens. Specifically, the MOVE Act amends the 1986 Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). In addition to new state election administration procedures, it requires the U.S. Department of Defense to expand its outreach services to UOCAVA voters and implement procedures for express mail delivery of ballots from military voters stationed overseas. The MOVE Act also authorizes the Department of Defense to conduct electronic voting pilot programs.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout

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

Abstract: A NASS staff review of state statutes regarding when absentee ballots are counted.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Vote counting & recounting; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Vote counting & recounting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Provisional ballots; Vote counting & recounting; Voter registration

Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Litigation

Abstract: This paper strives to provide a brief overview of the options, risks and opportunities facing a nation considering out-of-country voting (OCV). The resources available for out-of-country voting are extensive and provide comprehensive knowledge on international practices and lessons-learned for those considering out-of-country voting. A selection of key literature is available in a listing at the end of this paper. This selection contains a wide array of global case studies and statistics, which provide important insight into the successes and failures of other nations. Studying this is pivotal to making an informed decision and effectively implementing out-of-country voting anywhere.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election administrators; Internet voting; Overseas voters; Polling places; Software-based systems; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Costs; Fraud

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: No abstract available.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Post-election audits; Voting technology

Combine With: Costs

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: Absentee and early voting are increasingly popular in the United States. Most states have embraced one of these options to make voting easier. Absentee voting is often marginally more convenient and might be less expensive to administer, but it also carries unique costs in terms of ballot insecurity, higher odds of error and fraud, and a concomitant reduction in public confidence. States intent on making the act of voting easier should prefer in-person early voting to absentee voting, while continuing to focus on improving the experience of Election Day voting.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has collaborated with local election officials to develop a series of helpful tips for election management. This series provides tips and suggests best practices to help you run efficient and effective elections. While there is no federal law for suspending or postponing elections, some states have statutes or emergency provisions that authorize it under certain conditions. Other states will authorize their chief election officer, governor or local election officials to take action should a disaster occur. Whether an election emergency is natural or human-caused, jurisdiction-wide or localized, advance planning minimizes the disruption and aids in a quick recovery while preserving the security and integrity of the election.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Poll worker training; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Vote centers

Combine With: Turnout

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

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) collaborated with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) to develop these tips for working with Service members, their families and citizens residing overseas. Service members, their families and overseas citizens face unique challenges in registering to vote and in requesting, receiving and returning their ballots. These six tips can help you more efficiently navigate the process for this special group of absentee voters.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting methods

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has collaborated with local election officials to develop a series of helpful tips for election management. This series provides tips and suggests best practices to help you run efficient and effective elections. Use the data collected throughout each election cycle to identify voter trends, improve election day operations, and make your day-to-day internal operations more effective.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot layout; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Poll worker training; Polling places; Post-election audits; Provisional ballots; Same day/Election Day registration; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voting technology

Combine With: Costs; Errors; Turnout; Wait times

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has collaborated with local election officials to develop a series of helpful tips for election management. This series provides tips and suggests best practices to help you run efficient and effective elections. How you manage the voting process directly impacts how easily voters in your district can cast their ballots. The voting process begins months before the first ballot is cast. Here are nine tips to help you improve the process.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Acquisition/Procurement; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Election Day emergencies; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Security; Senior voters; Software-based systems; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has collaborated with local election officials to develop a series of helpful tips for election management. This series provides tips and suggests best practices to help you run efficient and effective elections. Nationwide voting has slowly moved from one Election Day toward an election period of several days or weeks that can involve a variety of methods for voting. Maintaining the accuracy, security and integrity of elections — despite having to manage these multiple methods of voting — is still expected by the public.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot on demand; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election administrators; Electronic pollbooks; Optical scan voting machines; Software-based systems; Vote centers; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout

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

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has collaborated with local election officials to develop a series of helpful tips for election management. This series provides tips and suggests best practices to help you run efficient and effective elections. Voter education programs impact voter turnout. Well-planned programs can motivate and encourage citizens to participate in the voting process. Try these seven tips to help strengthen your voter education efforts.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election administrators; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter education campaigns; Voter information & outreach; Voter information materials; Voters with disabilities

Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Wait times

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This report discusses and details Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) research into implementing remote electronic voting systems for uniformed and overseas American voters.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Internet voting; Military voters; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voting methods; Voting technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: The members of Future of California Elections are committed to helping California voters cast meaningful and valid ballots. As part of this ongoing work, Future of California Elections members and partners are developing a body of work on vote-by-mail in California. This toolkit is based on the early findings of this research.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

Abstract: State courts are paramount in defining the constitutional right to vote. This is in part because the right to vote is, in many ways, a state-based right protected under state constitutions. Yet our focus on state courts and on how state judges interpret the right to vote is sorely lacking. This article remedies that deficiency. It examines numerous state court cases involving voter ID, felon disenfranchisement, and the voting process, demonstrating that state courts vary in whether they rule broadly or narrowly toward voting rights. When state courts issue rulings broadly defining the constitutional right to vote, they best protect the most fundamental right in our democracy. On the other hand, state decisions that constrain voting to a narrower scope do harm to that ideal. Further, a preliminary analysis shows that liberal judges, as well as those who earn their seats through merit selection, are more likely to define the right to vote robustly as compared to their conservative and elected counterparts. Given that state judges impact our election system in significant ways through broad or narrow rulings on voting rights, we should advocate in favor of state courts and state judges who will broadly construe and protect the state-based constitutional right to vote.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; African-American voters; Asian-American voters; Ballot marking tools; Bilingual & multilingual ballots; Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Hispanic voters; Native American voters; Polling place management; Proof of citizenship requirement; Senior voters; Voter demographics; Voter ID; Voters with felony convictions; Voters with limited-English proficiency; Voting methods

Combine With: Disenfranchisement; Fraud; Litigation; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: To better understand voters’ experiences in the 2014 midterm elections, The Pew Charitable Trusts conducted analysis to examine both the expectations and the reality of voting practices. Among the most notable findings: many voters spend less time waiting at the polls than they expect, many change their minds about how to cast a ballot, and those who obtain ballots by mail return them in a variety of ways, not always using the U.S. Postal Service. These findings come from a series of surveys conducted with the same group of individuals in the months leading up to and immediately after the November 2014 midterm election.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods

Combine With: Wait times

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC’s) Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) is the Nation’s foremost data collection effort related to voter registration, election administration, and the ways in which Americans cast their ballots. The biennial survey collects data at the county (or equivalent) jurisdictional level, and is administered to 50 States, the District of Columbia, and four territories. The data provided by States concern the 2014 election cycle: the period between the November 2012 presidential election and the November 2014 midterm election. This document compiles this data, and provides findings on a wide range of election administration issues.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Election types; Evaluation & assessment; Military voters; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Poll worker qualifications; Poll worker recruitment; Poll worker training; Polling place accessibility; Polling place management; Polling places; Same day/Election Day registration; Voter demographics; Voter information & outreach; Voter registration; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: In the United States, certain rights and privileges of citizenship are protected both by the Constitution and under federal law. In practice, however, state laws are critical in determining the health of the democratic process and the ability of citizens to make their votes count in particular states. Most decisions are made at the state level—by legislation, administrative procedures, or judicial rulings—and the results determine the extent to which citizens experience the robust benefits of a democratic society. This report aims to take a broad approach to evaluate state-level democratic performance. It evaluates measures such as voting laws, redistricting, campaign finance, fair courts, and more as vital, interconnected pieces of a state democracy. While these topics usually have been analyzed in their own discrete silos, this report examines each state’s performance across measures in order to better examine the diverse criteria necessary for a successful democratic system.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Ballot design; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election types; Evaluation & assessment; Institutional arrangements; National Voter Registration Act/Motor Voter; Online voter registration; Portable registration; Voter registration; Voting methods

Combine With: Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

Abstract: Local and state laws can result in costly uncontested elections for jurisdictions.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail

Combine With: Costs

Abstract: Research on absentee and early voting laws has led many scholars to conclude that these convenience voting methods do little to boost turnout. But most of this work has evaluated these methods well after their implementation and without consideration for how information campaigns about them might alter voter behavior. Voter mobilization research shows that impersonal communications produce little-to-no effect on turnout. But we know much less about how mobilization might influence changes in the method of voting. Using a field experiment during the 2010 midterm primary and general elections in Maryland, we demonstrate that e-mail messages with concise subject lines that appeal to relevant reference groups combined with an easy-to-use electronic absentee ballot delivery system, increase the likelihood that overseas voters will use a new technology when they participate in elections. Our findings have scholarly and practical implications for election reform, campaign communications, and voter mobilization.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Early/Advance in-person voting; Overseas voters; Voter demographics; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: Policymaking in the realm of elections is too often grounded in anecdotes and opinions, rather than in good data and scientific research. To remedy this, The Measure of American Elections brings together a dozen leading scholars to examine the performance of elections across the United States, using a data-driven perspective. This book represents a transformation in debates about election reform, away from partisan and ideological posturing, toward using scientific analysis to evaluate the conduct of contemporary elections. The authors harness the power of newly available data to document all aspects of election administration, ranging from the registration of voters to the counting of ballots. They demonstrate what can be learned from giving serious attention to data, measurement, and objective analysis of American elections.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Accessibility & usability; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Military voters; Online voter registration; Overseas voters; Polling place accessibility; Polling place hours; Polling place locations; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Voter list maintenance; Voter registration; Voters with disabilities; Voting technology

Combine With: Costs; Errors; Public opinion; Turnout; Voter confidence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This article details the increased use of vote-by-mail practices in United States elections.

Subject(s): All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: The administration of elections in Maryland is a large, complex enterprise. No other function of government in Maryland involves the active participation of over two million citizens on a single day. Imagine if everyone with a driver’s license had to renew that license on the same day or if all taxpayers had to pay their taxes in person on a single day. Responsibility for the conduct of elections in the state is divided between the Maryland State Board of Elections and twenty-four local boards of elections. The preparation for an Election Day is a significant task for every jurisdiction but is appreciably compounded by the number of potential voters a jurisdiction must serve. The range of registered voters among Maryland’s jurisdictions is from 12,679 in Kent County to 627,566 in Montgomery County. Based upon a review of all available data maintained by the State Board of Elections and the twenty-four local boards of elections, voters did not experience wait times in excess of thirty minutes during the 2010 primary election and during the 2012 primary election. Wait times did exceed thirty minutes in some polling place locations in the 2010 general election and a substantial number of polling places during the 2012 presidential general election. Based upon reported incidents from individual precinct polling places and based upon the model constructed by the research team, it was determined that some voters in a significant number of precincts had wait times in excess of thirty minutes at various times of the Election Day.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; Administrators, poll workers & poll watchers; Ballot length; Early/Advance in-person voting; Election Day polling place voting; Electronic pollbooks; Poll worker recruitment; Polling place hours; Polling place management; Polling places; Provisional ballots; Senior voters; Voter information & outreach; Voting technology

Combine With: Turnout; Voter confidence; Wait times

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

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

Abstract: In 1916, Virginia became the first state to allow early voting for civilians residing abroad via absentee ballot. Since then, Virginians in ever-greater numbers have chosen to cast their vote before Election Day. From 1980 to 2012, Virginia has seen a 428% increase in absentee voting.1 Nationwide, from 1972 to 2012, Americans are voting early by an increase of 700%. Today, thirty-three states and the District of Columbia provide for early voting, while three states conduct all-mail elections.2 Just as early voting reflected the exigencies of life in an earlier time, 21st Century Americans have grown to expect convenience and made-to-order services that help to fit voting in complex and busy lives.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Early/Advance in-person voting; Voting methods

Combine With: Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abstract: This report will discuss and evaluate New Jersey’s emergency voting measures using information gathered during the aftermath of Super storm Sandy, which occurred only days before the 2012 presidential election. The Rutgers Constitutional Rights Clinic was able to assess the State’s emergency voting policies’ effectiveness by analyzing thousands of documents obtained from all the counties and the State through the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Almost all documents received through OPRA requests will be made available by the Clinic on the Rutgers Law School website.

Subject(s): Absentee voting; All-mail elections/Vote-by-mail; Election Day emergencies; Election scheduling & rescheduling; Internet voting; Vote counting & recounting; Voting methods; Voting technology

Combine With: Errors; Fraud; Turnout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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