AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project

Election Reform Newsletter, Issue #55

Election Reform Newsletter

July 2, 2008

On Topic: Election Administration

Poll Workers: Essential on Election Day

When Americans go to the polls on Election Day, nearly two million poll workers greet them, representing one of the most important components for making sure an election runs smoothly. A report from the University of Utah explores how the quality of these poll workers can affect voter satisfaction, while a new analysis from the Election Reform Project looks at young people as a potential source of new volunteers on Election Day.
Read more »


»	REPORT: "The Human Dimension of Elections: How Poll Workers Shape Public Confidence in Elections" (PDF),Thad Hall (Utah), J. Quin Monson (BYU), and Kelly Patterson (BYU), Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah (April 2008)

»	OPINION/ANALYSIS: "Viewpoint: Redefining What It Means to Be a Poll Worker," Matthew Corritore, AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project (July 2008)


Another Angle on Machines

Quips about voting machine accuracy and security frequently appear in the headlines, but the criticism usually comes from election officials, advocates, or members of the public. In a new report, the Election Technology Council presents a different perspective—that of the voting system industry—and makes recommendations for incorporating industry representatives into the regulatory process. Read more »


Elections in Emergencies

Across the Midwest, local officials in all fields are dealing with the aftermath of record flooding. Election administrators are no exception; in Johnson County, Indiana, for example, voting machines in storage ended up under six feet of water. In a new piece, Nathan Cemenska of Election Law @ Moritz explores whether states are prepared for similar emergencies and lays out a series of questions to be considered when planning for a variety of disasters. Read more »

New Resources

VOTER REGISTRATION


How Same Day Registration Became Law in North Carolina (PDF) Steven Carbó and Joyce Kirschner Dēmos (June 2008)

Draft: Universal Voter Registration: Policy Summary (PDF) Renee Paradis and Wendy Weiser Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law (June 2008)

TECHNOLOGY ISSUES


Are We Condemned to Repeat It? Daniel Tokaji Election Law @ Moritz (June 2008)


ELECTION ADMINISTRATION


Building Secure and Transparent Elections Through Standard Operating Procedures (PDF) R. Michael Alvarez (Caltech) and Thad Hall (University of Utah) Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (June 2008)

March 4, 2008 Primary Election: Report from the Secretary of State (PDF) Jennifer Brunner Office of the Ohio Secretary of State (June 2008)

MORE ON ELECTION REFORM

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

Events

» 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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Helping Americans Vote: Poll Workers (PDF) | SEPTEMBER 2007

electionline.org

In this report, researchers at electionline.org explore a variety of issues related to America's poll workers, including state requirements for training, compensation, and absenteeism penalties.

The Machinery of Democracy: Protecting Elections in an Electronic World (PDF) | JUNE 2006

Brennan Center Task Force on Voting System Security, The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

Drawing on surveys from hundreds of election officials around the country, this report examines the degree to which 120 potential threats to electronic voting machines would be successful in altering the outcome of a hypothetical statewide election.

Broken: The Regulatory Process for the Voting Industry (PDF) | JUNE 2008

David Beirne, Election Technology Council

This report presents an industry perspective on a range of issues related to voting systems, and makes recommendations for incorporating industry representatives into the regulatory process.

Whose Absentee Votes Are Counted: The Variety and Use of Absentee Ballots in California: Working Paper (PDF) | JULY 2005

R. Michael Alvarez (Caltech), Thad E. Hall (University of Utah), and Betsy Sinclair (Caltech), Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project

Alvarez, Hall, and Sinclair find that certain types of absentee ballots and voters have higher likelihoods of their ballots being counted but that partisan composition is not a significant determining factor.

Voter Purges (PDF) | SEPTEMBER 2008

Myrna Perez, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

This report examines voter purges (the removal of individuals from the voter rolls), summarizing types of purges and the problems associated with them and making policy recommendations for the reform of their use.

More Resources »

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.

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.

More Research Projects »