Election Initiatives supports innovative research and partnerships to achieve the highest standards of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, convenience, and security in America’s system of election administration. Because effective elections systems are fundamental to our nation’s democracy, we examine pressing election problems, share successful practices, and undertake projects to help states implement efficient and cost-effective solutions.
Why Elections Systems Matter
American elections today operate much the way they did at the turn of the 20th century. Our work is aimed at modernizing elections systems, with a focus on three areas:
- Helping states improve voter registration systems, including maintaining accurate lists in a time of increased mobility;
- Collaborating with technology companies and state election offices to provide voters with easy access to official election information; and
- Strengthening research on election administration and developing data measures to provide an empirical assessment of how well our nation is conducting elections.
How We Conduct Our Work
- Policy Advocacy. In the states, we advocate for data-driven policies that make the best use of taxpayer resources while ensuring the highest standards of accuracy, convenience, security, and efficiency.
- Innovative Tools. We work with election officials, academics, and technology specialists to develop tools that help states streamline election processes and make the most of 21st-century technology.
- Research. We conduct policy-relevant research to identify areas of strength and weakness in current elections systems and to evaluate possible solutions. The findings help states improve the way elections are administered in the U.S.
- Information Sharing. Through events, online Election Data Dispatches, interactive graphics, and public appearances, we lead a national conversation on the importance of improved election systems. In doing so, we serve as a resource to state policy makers and election administrators making data-driven policy decisions.
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The LATEST from the Project
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Assessing Electoral Performance in New Mexico
This April 2010 study provided an in-depth, systematic examination of New Mexico’s election ecosystem. Additionally, it offered administrative and legislative recommendations for New Mexico that would inform any state looking to improve the efficiency of its entire election process.
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Non-Precinct Place Voting
In 2008, Make Voting Work released a Request for Proposals for research that would examine alternatives to precinct-based election day voting, including early in-person and absentee voting and vote by mail systems.
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Online Voter Registration
This March 2010 report provided a comprehensive examination of the implementation, operation, public confidence and usage of online voter registration in Arizona and Washington.
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The Real Cost of Voter Registration
This 2009 study found that voter registration in Oregon cost more than $8.8 million* during the 2008 election, a cost of $4.11* per active registered voter or $7.67* per voter registration transaction (adding new or updating existing voter records). Using this analysis as a model, other states will be able to better estimate their registration expenses and therefore identify opportunities for reform. (*The study's data were updated in 2010.) more
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Voting Information Project
This March 2010 report explains how the Pew Center on the States, through the Voting Information Project, is working with election officials across the nation to provide cutting edge technology tools to make voting information accessible online to all Americans.
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Washington State 'Making Voting Work' for 18 Year-Olds
The October 2009 study showed that potential voters who received a mailing as their 18th birthday approached from the Washington Office of the Secretary of State that included information on voter registration were as much as 10 percent more likely to register than those who did not. Furthermore, those who registered did so when they became eligible, rather than waiting until
closer to the registration deadline.
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Bringing Elections into the 21st Century
In December 2008, the Pew Center on the States hosted “Voting in America,” a Washington, DC summit that initiated a discussion among state and local election officials, policy makers, technology experts and election scholars about the critical need for voter registration modernization. This August 2009 brief explained some of results from that research.
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Provisional Ballots
This July 2009 brief served as an introduction to a larger discussion regarding the role of provisional ballots as a partial solution to underlying problems in our election system.
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Making the Election System Work for Military and Overseas Voters
Problems arise for military and civilian overseas voting at every step of the process, from maintaining accurate registration rolls for a highly mobile population, to casting ballots and ensuring the votes are counted to providing information to navigate the complex process of requirements and deadlines.
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2008 Survey of the Performance of American Elections
This March 2009 study was based on the responses to an Internet survey of 200 registered voters in each of the 50 states, for a total of 10,000 observations overall. Individuals were asked about their experience voting—either in-person on Election Day, in-person early, or absentee voting. Non-voters were also surveyed.
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