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The Human Dimension of Elections: How Poll Workers Shape Public Confidence in Elections

Working Paper No.: 
90
Date Published: 
09/01/2009
Author(s): 
Thad E. Hall, University of Utah
J. Quin Monson, Brigham Young University
Kelly D. Patterson, Brigham Young University

This article examines the role that poll workers play in the perceptions that voters have about the overall quality of elections and democracy more generally. Although the 2000 election opened up a wideranging examination of the electoral process in the United States, there has been little consideration given to the role of administration and management in the electoral process and in confidence in election outcomes (cf. Hall 2003; Alvarez and Hall 2006).

Resolving Voter Registration Problems: Making Registration Easier, Less Costly and More Accurate

Working Paper No.: 
87
Date Published: 
08/01/2009
Author(s): 
R. Michael Alvarez, Caltech
Thad E. Hall, University of Utah

Introduction

The practice of voter registration has a long history in the United States. In 1800, Massachusetts was the first state to impose a voter registration requirement. By Reconstruction, voter registration was used in a handful of states, typically in urban areas, as a tool to prevent multiple voting. By early in the twentieth century, most states required voter registration.

2008 Survey of the Performance of American Elections

Charles Stewart is giving a presentation at the IACREOT 38th Annual Summer Conference & Trade Show in Spokane, Washington this week (July 7-11, 2009).

Attached is his presentation on the 2008 Survey of the Performance of American Elections.

Correcting for Survey Misreports using Auxiliary Information with an Application to Estimating Turnout

Working Paper No.: 
74
Date Published: 
05/01/2009
Author(s): 
Jonathan N. Katz, California Institute of Technology
Gabriel Katz, California Institute of Technology

Abstract

United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

News from Chairman Schumer

Schumer Reveals Groundbreaking New Study from Voting Experts: Up to 7 Million Registered Voters were Prevented or Discouraged from Casting Ballots in '08 Election

The role of race - Voting analysis shows Obama won because of his support among blacks

Date Published: 
01/20/2009

Election Day Went Smoothly But Trouble Spots Remain, Survey Shows

WASHINGTON, Dec 09, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Pew Center on the States and the JEHT Foundation Commit $8 Million in 2009 to Modernize Election System

THE NEW MEXICO 2006 POST ELECTION AUDIT REPORT

Author(s): 
Lonna Rae Atkenson, University of New Mexico
R. Michael Alvarez, Caltech
Thad E. Hall, University of Utah
Journal: 
Collaboration with The University of New Mexico, Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, University of Utah
Date Published: 
01/01/2009

During the 2007 legislative session, the New Mexico Legislature passed a bill and Governor
Richardson signed it into law, which provides for random voting system audits after every
statewide general election (see §1-14-13.1, NMSA). Specifically, the law provides that county
clerks are to compare the total votes tallied in the general election for the office of president or
governor from a random selection of 2% of the voting systems used during the election
throughout the state to a hand count of the ballots cast on that system. A voting system is

Flooding The Vote: Hurricane Katrina and Voter Participation in New Orleans

Working Paper No.: 
70
Date Published: 
01/01/2009
Author(s): 
Betsy Sinclair, University of Chicago
Thad E. Hall, University of Utah
R, Michael Alvarez, Caltech

The flooding of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina resulted in a massive and rapid exodus of individuals from New Orleans to locations around the United States. In the midst of the hurricane recovery, the City of New Orleans reelected Mayor Ray Nagin to a second term in office. Arguments regarding when this election would be held were

Minnesota challenge variability

The real action in the Minnesota recount will be the ballots challenged by the two campaigns on the grounds that the voter intent was not properly ascertained. These challenged ballots are emerging even when the county recounts show no discrepancy with the count of the ballots successfully scanned by the machines. As I suggested in an earlier posting, this is an illustration of why the post-election audit is not an especially good predictor of what will happen in the recount.

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