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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The Introduction of Voter Registration and Its Effect on Turnout (PDF) | SEPTEMBER 2005

Stephen Ansolabehere (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and David M. Konisky (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Political Analysis

Ansolabehere and Konisky find that introducing voter registration requirements to counties not previously possessing them depresses turnout, but to a lesser degree than previously thought

Comments on Help America Vote Act Amendments (PDF) | MARCH 2007

Election Technology Council

This report summarizes the recommendations of a group of voting technology vendors on proposed amendments to HAVA, particularly as related to paper trails, audits, and disclosure of source code.

Better Ballots (PDF) | JULY 2008

Lawrence Norden and Margaret Chen (Brennan Center), David Kimball (U. of Missouri-St. Louis), and Whitney Quesenbery (Usability Professionals' Assoc.), Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

This report examines a range of common ballot design problems, reviews state laws that stand as obstacles to good ballot design, and makes policy recommendations for the future.

Long Lines, Voting Machine Availability, and Turnout: The Case of Franklin County, Ohio in the 2004 Presidential Election (PDF) | 2005

Benjamin Highton (University of California, Davis), PS: Political Science & Politics

Using precint-level data from Franklin County, Ohio, Highton finds a causal link between voting machine scarcity and lower voter turnout. He notes, however, that much of the association between machine availability and voter turnout is caused by factors other than machine availability.

The Machinery of Democracy: Voting System Accessibility (PDF) | OCTOBER 2006

Lawrence Norden, Jeremy M. Creelan, Ana Muñoz, and Whitney Quesenbery, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

Part of the Brennan Center's broader analysis of voting technology, this report explains the legal requirements for accessible systems, explores the demographics of disabled voters, and examines six different systems on a wide range of accessibility criteria.

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.

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

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.

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.

More Research Projects »