The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives about Elections 2012

Online Voter Lookup Tools

How do voters find the information they need on and before Election Day? Many voters turn to online resources, such as state election websites, to find polling locations, the status of absentee ballots, and other key information before casting their votes.

Election Data Dispatches

Election Data Dispatches provides data, research and analysis about election administration in the U.S.

Long Lines at the Polls in Rhode Island in 2012

In reviewing the November general election, Rhode Island’s House Committee on Oversight found a number of reasons for the long lines voters encountered at several polling places.

Voting Machine Costs in South Carolina

South Carolina’s touch-screen voting machines do not have voter-verified paper audit trails, and adding them would cost the state more than $17 million, found a report released by the South Carolina General Assembly Legislative Audit Council. Glenn McConnell, then president pro tempore of the state Senate, who had concerns about the reliability of the machines and the lack of a paper trail, requested the audit in 2012.

2012 Absentee Voting Rates in Mississippi Vary by County

A 2012 post-election report by the Mississippi secretary of state’s office shows that statewide, 1,285,584 ballots were cast in last year’s presidential election. Of those ballots, 106,722, or 8.3 percent, were absentee. Looking across the state’s 82 counties, however, the report found significant variation in the rate of absentee voting.

Fewer Minnesota Absentee Ballots Rejected in 2012 Election

A recent report from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of the State found that even though more than twice as many absentee ballots were cast in 2012 than in 2010, fewer were rejected in last November’s general election.

Prince William County, VA, 2012 Election Analysis

Like its neighbor Fairfax County, Prince William County, VA, established a bipartisan task force to examine long lines faced by some of its voters at the polls during last November’s general election.

North Carolina Provisional Ballots

North Carolina provides access on its board of elections website to some of the most detailed elections data in the country. This includes information about provisional ballots cast, such as not only the number but also why they were issued—hard-to-find data in most states.

Early Ballots and Provisional Voting in Pima County, AZ

After the November 2012 election, Pima County, AZ, joined its neighbor, Maricopa County, in providing detailed postelection data, specifically related to provisional ballots

Long Lines at the Polls in Fairfax County, VA

A recently released report from the Bipartisan Election Process Improvement Commission of Fairfax County, VA, identified several reasons voters faced long lines at the polls during last November’s election.

Provisional Ballot Use Increases in Nevada County, CA

Nevada County, CA, released a report analyzing its elections over the past decade. The study found that although the number of registered voters and ballots cast remained steady, the number of provisional ballots issued increased significantly.

Maryland Releases 2012 Elections Data

Maryland recently released its 2012 election administration and voting survey, becoming the first state to make its 2012 data available to the public online.

Election Day Registration in the 2012 General Election

In the eight states — Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Wyoming — and the District of Columbia that allow Election Day registration, nearly 1.25 million voters registered or updated their information and cast ballots on Election Day last November.

Ohio Provisional Ballots in the 2012 General Election

Nearly 210,000 provisional ballots were issued in Ohio in last November’s general election, almost the same number issued in 2008.

The Cost of the 2012 General Election in Wisconsin

Last year, we noted Wisconsin’s extensive efforts to provide and share data on the costs to administer elections in the state. Recently, the state provided updated figures showing that the November general election cost slightly more than $10 million.

Special Ballots in the District of Columbia

In 2012, the District of Columbia issued voters an unprecedented number of special ballots—which are the same as provisional ballots, according to the city’s 2012 After-Action report. This was due in part to the city’s use of Election Day registration for the first time in a presidential election.

Orange County, California, Poll Workers

Since 2009, the Orange County registrar of voters has been conducting customer service surveys, including surveys of poll workers.

Cost of Provisional Ballots, Maricopa County, AZ

This past November, Maricopa County, Arizona, issued the most provisional ballots in its history. In an in-depth report, the county elections department provides detailed information including not just why these ballots were issued and rejected, but also estimates of how much they cost.

Mail Ballots in Contra Costa County, California

A newly released report from Contra Costa County, California, shows more voters than ever voted by mail in the November 2012 presidential election, reflecting a general trend in California.

Voter Registration in Colorado

In a review of Colorado’s 2012 general election, the secretary of state’s office describes its participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a data center the state formed in partnership with Pew and six other states. In mid-September, using reports from ERIC, the state identified more than 720,000 Coloradans as eligible to vote but unregistered and invited them to register online, rather than using the traditional and inefficient paper forms.

St. Lucie County, Florida, Election Costs Double

St. Lucie County, Florida, which had a number of problems this past Election Day, paid twice as much for elections in 2012—$760,000—as they did in 2004 and 2008—approximately $375,000 per year.

Adding Precincts in Summit County, Ohio

In recent election cycles, many jurisdictions reduced their numbers of precincts and polling places in part to save money. Last year Summit County, Ohio was one of these, decreasing the number of precincts from 475 to 298, which county officials estimate saved between $100,000 and $120,000.

Military and Overseas Voters in 2012

At its recent summit, the Overseas Vote Foundation released its fifth post-election survey of military and overseas voters. Read more about the findings.

New Hampshire Voter ID Update

We noted late last year that New Hampshire was, for the first time, going to send confirmation letters to voters who arrived at the polls without the ID required by the state’s new law and had to sign affidavits before voting.

Online Voter Registration in California

A recent study from the University of California, Davis found that after online voter registration became available in the state on September 19, 2012, approximately half of all voter registrations came via this method.

Provisional Ballots in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

The use of provisional ballots has been the subject of much discussion in Ohio, with the state issuing these ballots at some of the highest rates in the nation over the past several elections.

Absentee Voting in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Miami-Dade County, Florida’s largest election jurisdiction, which attracted attention on Election Day for long wait times at the polls, also experienced a dramatic rise in the number of absentee voters in November 2012 as compared with 2008.

Overseas Voting Assistance

At Pew’s December Voting in America conference, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), charged with serving America’s military and overseas voters, offered details on the kinds of support it provided for the 2012 election.

Revisiting Provisional Ballots in Philadelphia, PA

Following the November election, we featured the significant increase in the use of provisional ballots in Philadelphia as compared with 2008. Preliminary analysis by city officials has shed some light on what happened.

Notable County: Maricopa County, Arizona—Part II

In our previous dispatch, we looked at provisional ballots in Maricopa County, Arizona. Today, we examine new data the county shared at Pew’s recent Voting in America conference, showing the impact that online voter registration continues to have in the state’s most populous county.

Notable County: Maricopa County, Arizona–Part I

We return yet again to Maricopa County, Arizona and the plentiful data its county recorder’s office makes publicly available on a regular basis.

Colorado and Mobile Voter Registration

This past election, Colorado became the first state to optimize access to its online voter registration system via a mobile device.

New Hampshire Voter ID

In New Hampshire’s September primary election, approximately 7 percent of voters in Nashua did not show or have photo identification as required by a new state law.

New Data on Lines at the Polls

The long lines at polling places have been a hot topic in election administration since November, and data presented at Pew’s Voting in America conference today sheds new light on this issue.

After Obama Vow, Washington Weighs Role in Election Management

President Obama has brought renewed attention to the issue of voting difficulties around the country, and in the process has set in motion a variety of proposals to change election law.

Long Lines in Florida

In the weeks leading up to Election Day, election officials were concerned about the potential for long lines at the polls in Florida. These concerns proved valid, and some voters in Miami-Dade County waited in lines as long as seven hours.

Vote Centers, Long Lines, and Provisional Ballots in Galveston County, Texas

Election Day did not get off to a smooth start in Galveston County, Texas. Unfortunately it didn’t finish well either.

Provisional Ballots Increase in Philadelphia, PA

In 2008, more than 12,600 provisional ballots were issued in Philadelphia. In 2012, the figure doubled to more than 27,000 provisional ballots, even though, overall, nearly 40,000 fewer ballots were cast for president this year.

Openly Gay Lawmakers Selected To Lead Chambers

Oregon Representative Tina Kotek is poised to join openly gay lawmakers in Colorado and Washington as a leader of a state legislative chamber.

Many Reasons for Lines at the Polls

Long lines at the polls have gotten plenty of attention since November 6, and while people are clamoring for solutions, there is still much to learn about why these lines occur.

States Challenge ‘Secret’ Campaign Money

With the rise in undisclosed political spending by non-profit groups, officials in several states are trying to figure where the money is coming from.

Voter Registration Problems—and Solutions

Reports from a number of states this past Election Day found voters going to the polls thinking they had registered to vote only to discover they were not on the rolls.

Super-Sized Majorities Shift Legislative Power

After he was reelected by a comfortable margin on Tuesday, Democrat Jay Nixon will serve four more years as governor of Missouri. Whether he’ll really be leading the state, however, is open to debate. Even as Nixon was winning, Missouri Republicans triumphed in enough legislative races to secure a veto-proof two-th

Unions Make Strong Showing at the Polls

Labor won big contests in Indiana, California and New Hampshire, while results were mixed in Michigan.

Voters Give New Detroit Bridge a Green Light

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s plans to add a second bridge for cars and trucks between Detroit and Canada are moving forward, after the governor and his allies defeated a $33 million campaign to block it.

More Voters Using Online Tools to Find Their Polling Place

On Election 2012, Election Initiatives provided data, research, and analysis about election administration in the U.S.

Washington’s State-of-the-Art Voting Information System

With many close races yet to be determined and thousands of ballots still to count, voters, members of the media, policymakers, and others have been scouring state and local election websites trying to get the most up-to-date results

Voters Approve More State Debt

Voters in New Jersey and Alabama heed their governors’ call and approve bond issues as a way to boost their states’ economies.

Infographic: Ballot Measures Gave Voters Say on Divisive Issues

Voters in 38 states will decide 174 statewide ballot measures on Election Day. Are any on your ballot?

Historic Gay Marriage, Marijuana Measures Win Approval

After years of rejecting same-sex marriage at the ballot box, three states endorse it.