Election Initiatives commissions and oversees research, projects, and case studies aimed at helping states improve their elections systems. Because effective elections systems are fundamental to our nation’s democracy, we work with election officials, policy makers, researchers, technology experts, businesses, and other stakeholders in the election process to help guide our research and test our recommendations.
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RESEARCH from the Project
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
The Cost of Ranked-Choice Voting in St. Paul, Minnesota
In November 2011, St. Paul, Minnesota used ranked-choice voting (RCV) for the first time. This system lets voters choose candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate gets a majority of the vote, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and those votes go to those voters’ second choice. more
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Punch-Card Voting in Idaho
Nearly 12 years ago, the world learned about the hanging, dimpled, and pregnant chads produced by punch-card ballots. That voting technology and the chads that come with it are now mere memories—except for voters in four Idaho counties.
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Election Costs in New York
Four major elections in just over seven months may cost New York state taxpayers more than $100 million according to recent reports. more
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South Dakota Vote Centers
Recently, Sioux Falls, South Dakota held its second election using vote centers, which allows residents to cast ballots at any voting location, regardless of where they live. more
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Military and Overseas Voters in California
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently entered into a consent decree with California after more than 8,000 ballots were sent to military and overseas voters later than federally required for the state’s June 5 primary.
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Voter Registration Among Hispanic and Black Voters
The Washington Post recently reported that according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS), the number of black and Hispanic registered voters fell sharply between 2008 and 2010—declining 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
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Voter ID and the Battle Over Data
As the debate over requiring photo IDs at the polls continues, so does the conversation over how to use data to measure the impact of such policies.
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Notable Counties—Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Continued
A previous dispatch noted the great elections data available from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Among those data is information about differences between the number of signatures in the poll books and the number of ballots cast, which at the end of Election Day should be the same. more
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- Election Initiatives
Poll Workers Needed
Finding enough poll workers is a challenge for election officials across the country, and data from the federal Election Assistance Commission back this up. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
Notable Counties—Cuyahoga County, Ohio
A vast amount of elections data can be found at the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Board of Elections website, through its detailed post-election certification and audit reports. more
