Summary of the Indiana State of the State Address
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) boasted during his state of the state address Jan. 19 that Indiana had weathered the recession better than almost every other state, although he still called on lawmakers...
View ArticleThe Real Cost of Voter Registration
This 2009 study found that voter registration in Oregon cost more than $8.8 million* during the 2008 election, a cost of $4.11* per active registered voter or $7.67* per voter registration transaction...
View ArticlePenny Pinching at the Polling Place
State and local governments are hosting a big election season in a terrible budget year. As elections officials get creative about finding new ways to save even the smallest amounts of money, they're...
View ArticleThe Cost of Statewide Recounts
As part of its work to help build high-performing states, the Pew Center on the States commissioned a case study on two recent, high-profile statewide races that underwent recounts: the 2004 Washington...
View ArticleUpgrading Voter Registration
Pew and its partners are building on cutting edge practices in some states and the private sector to bring voter registration systems into the 21st century and improve accuracy, efficiency, and...
View ArticleNorth Dakota Dispatch: Smaller Counties Mean Larger Election Costs
In North Dakota, research indicates that elections cost significantly more per voter in smaller counties than larger ones.
View ArticleLouisiana Dispatch: The Cost of Special Elections
It’s challenging to measure election costs accurately, but Louisiana has developed an advanced auditing system that is improving the cost-effectiveness of special elections.
View ArticleMassachusetts Dispatch: Projecting Elections Costs
The 2009/2010 Massachusetts special elections that elected U.S. Senator Scott Brown cost approximately $7.8 million. The state auditor’s office had estimated the cost would be close to $7.2 million.
View ArticleTexas Dispatch: Estimating Total Election Costs
Texas has a detailed statute obligating the Secretary of State to track the number of state elections and their administrative costs. But the statute cannot ensure that counties track data accurately.
View ArticleNew Report Evaluates State Election Websites
A new report from the Pew Center on the States finds that many states have improved their election sites since 2008, but there are still missed opportunities to better help and inform voters online....
View ArticleEconomies of Scale in Election Expenditures
Recent studies in California and Colorado have found that less populous counties have higher costs per registered voter.
View ArticleCost Savings from All-Mail Balloting
A recent study found that if all Colorado counties conducted elections solely by mail in 2010 they would have reduced costs by $1.05 per registered voter.
View ArticleVote-by-Mail: A Moneymaker for the Postal Service?
A national election conducted solely by mail would not significantly increase revenue for the U.S. Postal Service, according to a recent study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
View ArticleInaccurate, Costly, and Inefficient
Research in Pew's report underscores the need for registration systems that better maintain voter records, save money, and streamline processes.
View ArticleDavid Becker: Upgrading Voter Registration
David Becker answers questions about problems in the nation’s voter registration system and about collaboration among states to implement solutions.
View ArticleBalancing Election Costs in Hartford, Connecticut
High elections cost estimates almost caused the Republican registrar in Hartford, Connecticut to cancel the town’s Republican presidential primary. The city council had allocated $120,000 to the...
View ArticleSouth Dakota Vote Centers
Recently, Sioux Falls, South Dakota held its second election using vote centers, which allows residents to cast ballots at any voting location, regardless of where they live.
View ArticleElection Costs in New York
Four major elections in just over seven months may cost New York state taxpayers more than $100 million according to recent reports.
View ArticleThe Cost of Ranked-Choice Voting in St. Paul, Minnesota
In November 2011, St. Paul, Minnesota used ranked-choice voting (RCV) for the first time. This system lets voters choose candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate gets a majority of the...
View ArticlePrecincts or Vote Centers
When policy makers and election officials have to make choices about how to run elections, cost considerations are often an important part of the process.
View ArticleNew York’s Three Primaries Cost Counties, Confuse Voters
New York State is holding primaries three times this year. Hardly anyone is happy about it.
View ArticleThe Cost of Voting Technology
Cost information on election administration is challenging to find. However, over the past decade election officials, academics, and advocates have made efforts to quantify the costs of one significant...
View ArticleReport: Cost of Walker Recall Effort Topped $80 Million
Wisconsin’s unprecedented 15 recall races for governor, lieutenant governor and state senate in 2011 and 2012, prompted a record amount of campaign spending, according to a report released Wednesday...
View ArticleCutting Election Mailings to Save Money
Election jurisdictions on different coasts are using the same approach to save money during these fiscally challenging times – getting rid of certain mailings to voters.
View ArticleElection Data Dispatches
Election Data Dispatches provides data, research and analysis about election administration in the U.S.
View ArticleCost of Cutting Polling Places in Nebraska
Recently, some election jurisdictions have taken to reducing the number of precincts and polling places, at least in part to save money.
View ArticlePennington County, South Dakota Election Costs
In Pennington County, South Dakota, election costs rose between 2010 and 2012. The change in cost, a jump from $6.21 per vote in a 2010 election to $7.10 per vote in the 2012 June election, may be...
View ArticleWisconsin Election Costs
Democracy does have a price tag—at least for the costs of running elections. In Wisconsin, the Government Accountability Board (GAB), the state’s election agency, has made a concerted effort to collect...
View ArticleAfter Election Day Confusion, Hawaii Gov Pushes Full Mail-In Voting
On the heels of an Election Day plagued by long lines and mass confusion, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie says he’s pushing for major changes to voting on the islands —mainly, the elimination of the...
View ArticleVoting Systems in Anoka County, MN
Voting machines don’t last forever. Some experts say these systems last about 10 years. And replacing them, of course, costs money.
View ArticleCost of Eliminating Election Day Registration in Wisconsin
Recently, several Wisconsin legislators have discussed drafting legislation to end Election Day registration, which the state has allowed for more than 35 years.
View ArticleSt. Lucie County, Florida, Election Costs Double
St. Lucie County, Florida, which had a number of problems this past Election Day, paid twice as much for elections in 2012—$760,000—as they did in 2004 and 2008—approximately $375,000 per year.
View ArticleThe Cost of Eliminating Election Day Registration in Wisconsin, Part Two
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board recently released its final report on the cost of ending Election Day registration in the state. The study estimated the price tag at $14.5 million, almost...
View ArticleNotable Counties—Tippecanoe County, Ind.
In 2007, Tippecanoe County, Ind., home of Purdue University, shifted from precinct-based elections to vote centers.
View ArticleVoting Equipment Costs in Massachusetts
Replacing old voting equipment does not always mean buying new machines. In Lawrence, MA, voters cast paper ballots that are then counted by optical-scan technology. The voting booths where they fill...
View ArticleThe Cost of the 2012 General Election in Wisconsin
Last year, we noted Wisconsin’s extensive efforts to provide and share data on the costs to administer elections in the state. Recently, the state provided updated figures showing that the November...
View ArticleColorado Elections Bill Cost
A controversial Colorado bill that, among other changes, would allow Election Day registration and send all registered voters ballots by mail, has led to heated debate among state lawmakers and...
View ArticleThe Cost of a Two-Tiered Election in Arizona
Arizona election officials are planning to provide two types of ballots for the next election following an opinion by the state’s attorney general. In the most populous county, Maricopa, this change...
View ArticleChanges May Improve Voting Wait Times in Licking County, OH
Election officials in Licking County, OH, are reducing the number of precincts and polling places for the November 2013 general election and will use the savings to fund technology upgrades, which they...
View ArticleThe High Price of Uncontested Elections
Local and state laws can result in costly uncontested elections for jurisdictions.
View ArticleManaging Absentee Ballot Requests in Miami-Dade County, FL
The Miami-Dade County, FL elections department has partnered with its software vendor to make it easier for staff to review online requests for absentee ballots, improving security against potential...
View ArticlePresident’s Commission Releases Recommendations for Election Reform
After six months of hearings and analysis, the Presidential Commission on Election Administration released its report and recommendations last week on how to more efficiently conduct federal elections...
View ArticleColorado Attempts to Cancel Uncontested Primaries
A recent dispatch illustrated the high costs and low turnout for uncontested elections. In 2013, Colorado lawmakers attempted to reduce costs by allowing counties to cancel uncontested primary elections.
View ArticleConsolidating Primaries in New York Could Save Millions
Lawmakers estimate that New York could save almost $50 million if it consolidated its state and federal primary elections.
View ArticleElection Tech Tuesday: Election Officials Struggle With Voting Machine...
A generation of voting machines is approaching the end of its life span. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 established new standards for voting equipment and set aside funds to help states and counties...
View ArticleOrganization Suggests Best Practices for Election Recounts
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota released a guide, “Recount Principles and Best Practices,” written by a bipartisan group that includes the Minnesota secretary of state and a former Washington...
View ArticleLocal Jurisdictions Could Reduce Costs by Eliminating Off-Year Elections
In 2013, Pew’s Election Data Dispatches explored the high cost of uncontested elections. Now, some states and localities are reducing or eliminating another type of costly, low-turnout election:...
View ArticleFree Photo IDs Issued to SC, MS Voters
The first statewide election in which South Carolina voters will be required to present photo IDs at the polls will be in November 2014. A similar program was launched in Mississippi.
View ArticleCosts Drive Vote-by-Mail Legislation in California
Cost-saving legislation introduced by San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez would allow California counties to conduct special elections to fill vacancies between regularly scheduled elections...
View ArticleMeasuring State Elections Performance
The Elections Performance Index provides an overview of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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