Archive for May 2012

A new article is an excellent – and thorough – look at what it takes to make today’s Election Day happen in Lancaster County, home of the Cornhusker State’s capital city.

Montana’s slow and gradual expansion of vote-by-mail is a useful counterpoint to more dramatic -and controversial – election policy changes nationwide.

A new controversy about “intent to return” language on ballot request forms for overseas civilians is a continued reminder of the lingering power of domicile to create uncertainty in the American system of election administration.

The practice of A/B testing – where users are randomly assigned to groups, given different experiences and observed as to how they react – is growing in popularity on the Web and in real life. Would it work for elections?

A new report on an investigation into faulty ballot scanners in the Bronx appears to identify heat generated by the machine itself as the culprit.

The latest developments in Texas’ efforts to get federal approval of its photo ID law are a useful reminder that courts are rarely, if ever, on the same schedule as the parties in an election policy dispute.

Bob Carey’s impending departure from the Federal Voting Assistance Program is a reminder of the value of constantly pushing forward to improve elections nationwide.

A new California bill to expand the maximum time voters have to cast ballot looks like fiddling at the margins but actually brings much larger and more challenging issues into play.

A dispute in Arizona about an election consolidation bill awaiting the Governor’s signature highlights the benefits – and costs – of seeking economies of scale in election administration.

A recent decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to void an election demonstrates what happens when circumstances, mistakes and just plain bad luck conspire to put the outcome in doubt.