AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project

Election Reform Newsletter, Issue #54

Election Reform Newsletter

June 18, 2008

On Topic: Election 2008

Observations on Ohio

As the presidential general election campaign gets into full swing, attention has already turned to key swing states where the contest is likely to be very close. One such state--Ohio--also has a history of election administration challenges; Daniel Tokaji analyzes whether it will be ready for November, while a new report from the Secretary of State looks back at its March primary.
Read more »


»	OPINION/ANALYSIS: "Are We Condemned to Repeat It?," Daniel Tokaji, Election Law @ Moritz (June 2008)

»	REPORT: "March 4, 2008 Primary Election: Report from the Secretary of State to the Governor, General Assembly, and the Citizens of the State of Ohio" (PDF), Jennifer Brunner, Office of the Ohio Secretary of State (June 2008)


Security Through Standardization

Restoring public confidence in the electoral system remains an overarching objective of election reform efforts nationwide, and various researchers have proposed different, specific policy options for reaching this objective. In a new report, R. Michael Alvarez and Thad Hall explore how thorough and standardized chain of custody procedures can help avert election fraud and make recommendations regarding best practices for their implementation. Read more »


Studying Same Day Registration

Nearly a year ago, in July 2007, North Carolina became the ninth state to adopt same-day registration, a convenience reform aimed at making it easier for individuals to vote. A new report from Demos closely examines why the legislation was successful, identifying three key factors: new political leadership in the General Assembly, the support of influential election officials, and a cohesive and strong coalition of advocates and organizers. Read more »

New Resources

VOTING INTEGRITY


The Constitutionality of Requiring Photo Identification for Voting: An Analysis of Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (PDF) L. Paige Whitaker Congressional Research Service (May 2008)

The ID Divide: Addressing the Challenges of Identification and Authentication in American Society (PDF) Peter P. Swire and Cassandra Q. Butts Center for American Progress (June 2008)

ELECTION ADMINISTRATION


Election Protection 2008 Primary Report: Looking Ahead to November (PDF) National Campaign for Fair Elections and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (May 2008)


TECHNOLOGY ISSUES


A Review of Proposed Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (PDF) AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project VVSG Task Force (May 2008)

Assessing the Impact of Voting Technologies on Multi-Party Electoral Outcomes: The Case of Buenos Aires' 2005 Congressional Election (PDF) Gabriel Katz (Caltech), R. Michael Alvarez (Caltech), Ernesto Calvo (University of Houston), Marcelo Escolar (Universidad de Buenos Aires), and Julia Pomares (London School of Economics) Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (April 2008)

MORE ON ELECTION REFORM

» Voter Registration
» Voter Access
» Early and Absentee Voting
» Provisional Balloting
» Technology Issues
» Election Administration
» Voting Integrity
» More Resources

Events

Public Meeting
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
June 19, 2008
Washington, DC

» Events

About The Election
Reform Project

The AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project aims to synthesize election-related research, link the research and policy communities, track and assist the implemen-
tation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and encourage improvements in HAVA and in election conduct and administration.

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Vote Centers Help America Vote (PDF) | APRIL 2006

Scott Doyle (Office of the Clerk and Recorder, Larimer County, Colorado)

Doyle, Clerk & Recorder of Larimer County, Colorado, explains his county's experience with countywide Election Day vote centers.

A Study of Vote Centers and their Applicability to the Hoosier Election Process (PDF) | DECEMBER 2005

Indiana Vote Centers Delegation

This report, written by a bipartisan Indiana delegation after observing the performance of county-wide vote centers in Colorado, examines the applicability of such centers to their own state.

Improving the Usability and Accessibility of Voting Systems and Products | APRIL 2004

Sharon J. Laskowski et. al., National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

This NIST report presents recommendations to improve voting system usability and accessibility based on NIST's review of research, guidelines, standards, and evaluation methodologies.

Arkansas's Voting System Implementation Project: Post-Primary Election Quality Assurance Review and Contract Performance Assessment (PDF) | JULY 2006

InfoSENTRY Services and the Arkansas Secretary of State

Drawing on site visits, interviews with election officials, survey of county officials, and review of election documents, this report finds significant problems in the administration of the May 2006 primary election in Arkansas.

Shattering the Myth: An Initial Snapshot of Voter Disenfranchisement in the 2004 Elections (PDF) | DECEMBER 2004

Election Protection Coalition

The EPC’s preliminary analysis of complaints registered in the Election Incident Reporting System (EIRS) during the 2004 presidential election reveals problems in registration processing, absentee balloting, machine errors, voter suppression or intimidation, and provisional ballots

More Resources »

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.

Center for American Politics and Citizenship

University of Maryland

As part of its broader research focus on elections, campaign ethics, campaign finance, and the legislative process, the Center for American Politics and Citizenship at the University of Maryland is engaged in research projects on voting technology and ballot design specifically.

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.

More Research Projects »