Archive for September 2013

The federal government is preparing to sue the State of North Carolina to enforce the Voting Rights Act in a case that could have wide-ranging implications for the field.

Minnesota will be the 15th state to offer online voter registration after the launch of a new portal that also allows military and overseas voters to apply for an absentee ballot online.

MIT’s Charles Stewart has a new blog post describing his visits to a number of Boston polling places on Election Day earlier this week. It’s a powerful endorsement for the value of observational data in election administration research.

Whitney Quesenbery of the Center for Civic Design has some fantastic observations (using voters’ own words) about how election offices can use information to assist citizens with the voting process.

Today is the 2nd annual National Voter Registration Day – check out details on activities around the nation and learn a little more about the story behind the celebration.

The Michigan House recently passed a bill that would raise the cost of recounts. Whether this will dissuade recounts or just provide more funds to conduct them remains to be seen.

Ohio counties are cutting back on polling places in an effort to save funds and adjust to changes in voting patterns like expansion of absentee ballots.

Two months after the announcement of a sweeping new Virginia effort to restore the voting rights of former felons, the pace of applications is slow – due in part to the lack of data about who exactly is eligible under the new system.

South Dakota’s Secretary of State is convening a task force to discuss whether and how to use HAVA funds to establish vote centers in Native American communities after the EAC was unable to to give him guidance.

Brian Newby’s latest ElectionDiary uses a wonderful community stop-sign analogy to highlight the challenges Kansas is facing with its new proof-of-citizenship law.