Is Our Election System Broken? Can We Fix It?
March 09, 2007
On Friday, March 9, 2007, the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project hosted a conference entitled "Is Our Election System Broken? Can We Fix It?" The event took place at the American Enterprise Institute, 1150 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

Panelists at this AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project conference reviewed the election reform lessons to be learned from the 2006 midterm elections. They discussed the problems that occurred as well as the federal and state reforms to be considered in the near future.

To read a transcript from this event, go here, or scroll to the bottom of this page for a PDF version.

To listen to audio or view video from this event, go here.

Agenda

8:30 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. Panel I: The Lessons from November

Panelists: Rick Hasen, Loyola Law School
Gracia Hillman, Election Assistance Commission
Todd Rokita, Indiana Secretary of State

Moderator: John Fortier, AEI

10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)

11:00 a.m. Panel II: What’s Brewing for Election Reform?

Panelists: Zachary Goldfarb, The Washington Post
Doug Chapin, electionline.org
Thomas Mann, The Brookings Institution

Moderator: Norman J. Ornstein, AEI

12:30 p.m. Adjournment
Featured Resources
Viewpoint: The View from the Batter's Box: State-Level Policy Meets Street-Level Problems | DECEMBER 2007
Timothy J. Ryan, AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
Voter Identification (PDF) | JUNE 2006
Spencer Overton, George Washington University Law School
This study examines various perspectives on the creation of a photo identification requirement for voters, and argues that careful review of existing research, as well as new empirical examinations, are necessary before lawmakers implement new policy.
Viewpoint: Ballot Design: The Matter of a Straight-Party Option | OCTOBER 2007
Paul Herrnson (University of Maryland), et. al. , AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
On Election Day, many voters are presented with a "straight-party option" on their ballots; here, Paul Herrnson and his team of researchers analyze the implications of that capability for voter accuracy.
The Threat of Non-Citizen Voting (PDF) | JULY 2008
Hans von Spakovsky, The Heritage Foundation
Preventing non-citizens from voting is an argument commonly employed by supporters of voter ID legislation; this analysis examines this problem and makes suggestions for solutions.
Testimony Before the U.S. House Committee on House Administration: Non-Citizen Voting | JUNE 2006
U.S. House Committee on House Administration
On June 22, the Committee on House Administration heard testimony from federal and local officials and other advocates and experts on the issue of voting by non-citizens.

Read the testimony.
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Research Projects
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project
Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project
This project aims to evaluate the current state of reliability and uniformity of U.S. voting systems; to establish uniform attributes and quantitative guidelines for performance and reliability of voting systems; and to propose specific uniform guidelines and requirements for reliable voting systems
Early Voting Information Center
Reed College
Directed by early voting scholar Paul Gronke and housed at Reed College, the Early Voting Information Center provides news and research on and a state-by-state overview of early voting issues.
Election Administration Research Center (EARC), UC Berkeley
Election Administration Research Center (EARC), UC Berkeley
Part of the Institute for Governmental Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, the Election Administration Research Center (EARC) aims to improve the administration of elections.
Electionline.org
Electionline.org
Electionline.org provides daily news updates on election reform issues, as well as deeper analysis of selected topics, including recent reports on voter registration, recount procedures, and the progress in implementing the Help America Vote Act since 2002.
Election Law @ Moritz
Election Law @ Moritz, run through Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, contains both explanation and commentary on a wealth of election reform issues from a legal perspective.
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