Archive for 2014

Brian Newby’s latest ElectionDiary journeys into the weeds of provisional ballots, which in turn illuminates all kinds of fascinating questions about elections in his community and nationwide.

A state court judge has ruled that Kansas’ plans for a two-track registration system can proceed while a challenge to the state’s proof of citizenship law works its way through the federal courts.

Discovery of voter registrations at a mailbox center has resulted in the invalidation of 141 registrations in Minneapolis and ignited heightened ill will in an already contentious race between a longtime State House incumbent and the Somali-American community.

An upcoming special election in the Nation’s Capital is going to cost District taxpayers $300,000 – an unfortunate and wasteful public expense, but at least it illuminates the fixed costs of setting up an election.

The combination of the remnants of a thirty-year old annexation debate and a special election have highlighted an odd little “doughnut” of a precinct that Montgomery County, VA says could cost it as much as $3,000.

[I’m baaaack ….] A looming county-by-county recount in California in the razor-thin race for Controller has election officials anxious about many things but especially process, cost and preparations for November.

Taking a short break for the Fourth … see you back here on the Eighth!

Ann Arbor, MI is scrambling to fix hundreds of incorrect absentee ballots that omitted a candidate’s name. How that happened, and who contributed to the error, is a cautionary tale for election officials nationwide.

Lexington County, SC election officials are warning that a lengthy tax question could lead to a 20-page ballot this fall – which will inevitably result in long lines and frustration at the polls.

Heather Gerken’s new look at the Voting Rights Act Amendment examines how a new bill might encourage the kind of bargaining between local governments and voters that works well in other contexts.