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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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
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.
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
Voting Equipment Costs in Massachusetts
Replacing old voting equipment does not always mean buying new machines. In Lawrence, MA, voters cast paper ballots that are then counted by optical-scan technology. The voting booths where they fill in their ballots can wear out, too. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
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. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
Vote by Mail Election in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The city of Albuquerque is holding a special election to amend the city charter that will be conducted entirely by mail, and the early returns show some problems with the process. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
The Cost of Eliminating Election Day Registration in Wisconsin, Part Two
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board recently released its final report on the cost of ending Election Day registration in the state. The study estimated the price tag at $14.5 million, almost three times as much the initial projection provided in a preliminary report last December. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
Orange County, California, Poll Workers
Since 2009, the Orange County registrar of voters has been conducting customer service surveys, including surveys of poll workers. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
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. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
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. more
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- Dispatch
- Election Initiatives
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. more
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- Media Coverage
- Election Initiatives
Washington Post: Obama’s Proposed Voting Commission Under Partisan Fire From Both Sides
President Obama’s proposed commission on electoral reform aimed at improving voting efficiency and reducing long wait times for voters is producing heated criticism from advocates on both the right and the left. more
