Better Ballots (PDF)
From direct recording electronic machines (DREs) to hand-counted paper ballots, individuals across the country cast their ballots in countless different ways on Election Day, but good ballot design is of paramount importance, regardless of the type of system used. A new report from the Brennan Center for Justice explores thirteen common ballot design problems, reviews state laws that stand as obstacles to usability, and makes policy recommendations for the future.

Read the report here (PDF).
Featured Resources
Tokaji examines problems in the 2004 election, including voting equipment, voter registration, and provisional balloting, and recommends avoiding future difficulties by upgrading technology, deciding litigation prior to the election, and establishing clear administrative rules, among other things
This report frames the current debate over electronic voting by identifying the questions most in need of answering.
On Wednesday, February 8, 2006, Senator Barack Obama delivered a keynote address to inaugurate the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project. Senator Obama's address was followed by a discussion of the past and future of election reform among experts in election law, technology, and administration.
This report explores a wide range of topics related to the 2006 elections in Missouri, including the accuracy of voter registration lists, voter identification issues, and accessibility of equipment for disabled voters.
Part of a series, this guide provides advice for election officials on issues such as testing voting systems at the national and state levels and how to read certification numbers.
Research Projects
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.
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 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.
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.
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
www.aei.org
The Brookings Institution
www.brookings.edu
© Copyright 2006, AEI
and The Brookings Institution