Posts by Doug Chapin

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently announced that it has created an election security “tabletop in a box” for use by local officials in planning for potential threats to their election systems.

Miscommunication between Illinois’ Department of Corrections and the State Board of Elections resulted in the cancellation of the voter registrations for 774 former inmates.

Last week, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated as discriminatory an Arizona law prohibiting voters from returning other voters’ mail ballots. Now, the state’s Attorney General wants to put that decision on hold while he seeks Supreme Court review.

Virginia’s House of Delegates has enacted a series of changes to the state’s absentee ballot laws, including no-excuse absentee and a “postmark rule” for ballot return.

A Mississippi judge has ordered Yalobusha County (Coffeeville) to conduct a special election in just two precincts to resolve a dispute over the results of the recent sheriff’s race.

Florida’s Pasco County announced that it has moved its election website to a “dot-gov” address – a move that federal officials are urging local governments to take in order to enhance the security of their websites.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission awarded 2019 Clearinghouse Awards (“Clearies”) to six election offices for their innovative work in pollworker recruitment and accessibility for voters with disabilities. They represent some of the most thoughtful and cutting-edge work being done right now in the elections field.

Six jurisdictions have been recognized by the EAC to receive Clearinghouse Awards (“Clearies”) for projects reflecting innovation in the field of elections. Collectively, they exemplify some of the best work out there aiming to change the elections field – including both new technological approaches and old-fashioned community outreach.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission began to announce its 2019 Clearinghouse Awards, or “Clearies”, this week – including recognizing 5 innovative designs nationwide for the beloved “I Voted” sticker.

Illinois students will now have a two-hour excused absence on a school day to vote, thanks to a new law signed by the Governor yesterday. It’s a fascinating approach to addressing student voting and one worth watching once it goes into effect this summer.