Archive for 2016

This week’s electionlineWeekly features a guest column by “civic designers” Whitney Quesenbery and Dana Chisnell, who recently released two new editions of their popular (and invaluable) Field Guides for Ensuring Voter Intent. Whitney, Dana and the Guides are changing election administration by bringing design knowledge to election offices nationwide and showing how to apply it in everyday practice.

NPR’s Pam Fessler – a top-notch reporter who’s also a true election geek – has a new piece looking at the growing push (including from President Obama) for automatic registration, and the partisan pushback it’s already creating.

Wisconsin could soon be the latest state to enact online voter registration – but unlike most other states where the change enjoys bipartisan support, an accompanying law change has once again generated fierce partisan debate.

A coalition of plaintiffs has brought suit against EAC Executive Director Brian Newby and the agency seeking to roll back the recent letters adding proof of citizenship instructions to the federal registration form in three states. It’s an important case on both the substance as well as on the future policymaking relationship between the EAC and its staff.

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ David Becker – who heads up the excellent election team there – has a great new piece that looks at efforts (both underway and proposed) to reduce the continued decline of voter participation in American elections.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections ordered Watauga County to establish a polling place at Appalachian State University after the local board was unable to unanimously agree on a plan. A majority of the county board cited demographics and budget in denying the ASU site, but state officials relied upon recent litigation citing partisan motivations in ordering an on-campus site.

A candidate for Lee County, FL Supervisor of Elections and a cybersecurity consultant are under investigation by state authorities after they hacked into the election office’s website. Whatever their motivation – and whatever value there is in penetration testing of government sites – there’s something deeply unsettling about candidates using hacking as a campaign tactic.

Connecticut SoS Denise Merrill is asking the legislature to consider automatic registration. The idea will likely engender the usual partisan feelings (for and against), but there are also concerns on both sides of the aisle about whether the state DMV is up to the task.

Wyoming’s Secretary of State has tapped HAVA Coordinator Kai Schon to take over the state election director position vacated last year by longtime incumbent Peggy Nighswonger. Mr. Schon will focus on working with county clerks on 2016 election preparations and also on boosting voter turnout, especially among young voters. His experience with the state will help in what promises to be a busy election year.

The new electionlineWeekly looks at the first month of Oregon’s new motor voter system, which uses DMV information to add eligible but unregistered voters to the rolls. The launch is smooth so far with more than 4,600 new voters – with a surprise additional benefit of updated addresses for nearly 17,000 existing voters already on the rolls.