Archive for September 2015

The controversy in New York about limiting the workload of star Mets pitcher Matt Harvey highlights the importance of choosing what data to measure and how best to use it. The same principle applies to election administration, where an over-emphasis on turnout can obscure other important goals and values.

With the help of a local startup accelerator, ES&S is apparently developing a product that would give election offices access to real-time and detailed polling place data – data that can be used to keep small problems from becoming bigger and even prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Springboro, OH is looking for new polling locations now that it appears that the building hosting its single polling place is slated for demolition. The story highlights both the challenges that local offices face in siting voting locations – as well as the kinds of places they can actually get.

In this week’s electionlineWeekly, the Center for Technology and Civic Life’s Whitney May talks about how she went from spreading manure to spreading the latest tips and techniques for election offices to develop and maintain “must have” technology and data skills.

Connecticut has formally launched its training program for registrars – supported by SoS Denise Merrill and inspired by election problems in Hartford and elsewhere in recent elections. A key aspect of the program will be the requirement that election officials take and pass the courses as a condition of employment, though all concerned say they’ll do what they can to make sure everyone does.

The City of San Francisco has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking a new voting system … and that request illuminates the challenges facing election administrators in an ever-changing environment: finding a system that meets legal requirements with a desired technological approach – all at an affordable price.

Neighbors (and B1G Ten rivals) Nebraska and Iowa are both moving soon to online voter registration for 2016 and beyond – a development that means about half the country now offers OVR to its citizens. It’s a development that is likely to be a fascinating and welcome counterpoint to the partisan fights that a national election brings.

With this weekend marking the unofficial end of summer, electionlineWeekly’s Mindy Moretti takes a look at a polling place at Los Angeles County’s Venice Beach … in a location where it’s almost always summer. [NOTE: Like most of you, the blog will be taking the day off on Labor Day. See you next Tuesday.]

News of criminal charges against Secretary of State Dianna Duran has led the legislature to begin steps to consider her impeachment – setting up a high-stakes political and legal drama just as state and local election officials need space and time to continue key preparations for the 2016 election.

A new story about Danvers, MA’s debate regarding consolidating precincts into a single location – at newly-renovated Danvers High – is a fantastic case study of the real-life issues election officials face in choosing and managing polling locations: turnout, traffic/parking and coordination with other local agencies. [UPDATED with info about police traffic details!]