Thank you for following the work of the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project. We’ll continue looking at the issues of election reform at AEI and Brookings. For new work on congressional redistricting, please visit www.redistrictingproject.org.

Protecting the Integrity of the Polling Place: A Constitutional Defense of Poll Watcher Statutes (PDF)
Academics and advocates alike find sending observers to polling places on Election Day extremely useful, but in some states like Ohio, their efforts have been challenged under state law. This article from the Harvard Journal on Legislation explored the constitutionality of poll watcher statutes, arguing that laws permitting their presence at voting locations are permissible under the U.S. Constitution.

To read the article, go here (PDF).
Featured Resources
Procurement & the Polls: How Sharing Responsibility for Acquiring Voting Machines Can Improve and Restore Confidence in American Voting Systems (PDF) | APRIL 2009
Phillip J. Peisch, Georgetown Law Journal
This article explores the ways that various states distribute authority for the purchase of new voting technology, and argues that the procurement process can be improved through cooperation and shared responsibility.
Viewpoint: How Do You Measure Election Reform? | APRIL 2009
Jessica Leval, AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
In this piece, the Election Reform Project's Jessica Leval reviews Heather Gerken's book, The Democracy Index, which details a proposal for creating a ranking system for state and local governments based on the performance of their elections.
Maintenance of State Voter Registration Lists (PDF) | SEPTEMBER 2009
National Association of Secretaries of State
This NASS document provides a state-level review of voter registration list maintenance practices.
Uncounted Ballots: A Measure of Vulnerability | NOVEMBER 2009
Edward B. Foley, Election Law @ Moritz
Ned Foley’s post on Election Law @ Moritz delves into the issue of uncounted ballots. This category includes absentee ballots either wrongly rejected or arriving late (usually from overseas) and provisional ballots that haven’t yet been evaluated.
Hope and Experience: Election Reform through the Lens of the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
Hope and Experience: Election Reform through the Lens of the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project | JUNE 29, 2010
John Fortier, Thomas Mann, & Norman Ornstein, AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project
We reflect on the state of election administration in the United States almost a decade after the 2000 presidential election and suggest how additional changes in technology, election law and administrative practices might further strengthen American elections in the years ahead.
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Research Projects
Dēmos
Dēmos is a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2000. A multi-issue national organization, Dēmoscombines research, policy development, and advocacy to influence public debates and catalyze change.
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.
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
Brennan Center for Justice
NYU School of Law
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice.
Center for Democracy & Election Management
Center for Democracy & Election Management was established at the School of Public Affairs at American University in 2002. Their broader goal is to pave the way for and strengthen democracy through improved electoral performance.
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