Posts by Doug Chapin

Brian Newby’s latest ElectionDiary post looks at the challenge of finding and using polling places – but hints that new trends away from the traditional Election Day neighborhood polling place might not yield the benefits some people suggest.

Murfreesboro, TN is rethinking a new early voting location after low turnout yielded an effective cost of nearly $33 per vote. The story suggests that the evolving notion of “convenience” requires new approaches – and new tools – to get siting decisions right.

Marion County, IN is debating whether to allow non-party endorsed candidates access to voter registration data. That issue – and access to data overall – is one which which is likely to become increasingly relevant to election officials nationwide.

NCSL’s Todd Haggerty and Wendy Underhill have been studying the costs of photo ID across the nation. This article (reprinted from electionlineWeekly) shares some of that data and identifies how ID is (and isn’t) increasing election costs to states and localities.

MIT political scientists Michael Sances and Charles Stewart look at voter confidence across the decade following the disputed 2000 election. What they discover – especially about the impact of changes intended to boost confidence – is surprising.

Washington State is debating the cost of a special Congressional election, and it’s already getting partisan. One reporter, however (The Kitsap Sun’s Steven Gardner) took the time to get – and share – the whole story. It’s worth reading.

Two recent controversies in Wisconsin and Nebraska highlight the continuing influence of local election officials and demonstrate that an unpopular decision isn’t enough to cost such officials their jobs – but perceived inability to do the job often is.

Last week’s Anchorage election experienced a host of problems that resulted in significant voter frustration. The chaos likely wasn’t deliberate, but the story suggests a model for a real-world “denial of service” attack that could be used to affect other elections.

I’m taking a few days off – the blog will return on Monday, April 9. Have a great weekend!

Pew’s new Election Data Dispatch focuses on provisional ballot data from Ohio’s 2011 election. That data provides an opportunity to talk about how to view provisional ballots and what to do about ensuring otherwise valid voters don’t lose their votes.