EAC Releases Voter Registration Data

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recently made news when it came up on the House budget chopping block. (It survived.) In the meantime, the EAC has released a new report on voter registration statistics from after the 2008 general election through the 2010 midterm election. The report covers the number of registered voters, the registration process, and voter registration list maintenance.

Below are some of the report's findings, along with suggestions for nonprofits interested in voter registration:

• The number of registered voters declined from 2008, but increased by 14 million from the last midterm election. No matter what's on the ballot, nonprofits can encourage voters to register, to engage, and to vote--every election matters!
• More than 45 million voter registration applications were submitted, 14.4 million of which were from new voters. There are large numbers of eligible but unregistered voters, and the number grows everyday as youth turn 18 and new citizens are naturalized. Until registration is automatic, nonprofits can help ensure that eligible voters have the opportunity to register--make forms available at your organization, ask clients if they're registered, and hold a voter registration drive.
  
• Seventeen states reported receiving voter registration applications over the Internet, accounting for 2% of all registration forms. New technology makes it easier than ever to register to vote. If you're in one of the eight states (plus D.C.) that offer online voter registration, consider devoting an on-site computer to voter registration.
• 9.4% of registration applications (1.4 million applications) were invalid or duplicates of existing registrations. Your nonprofit can help clients check to see if they are registered; if not, help ensure that they fill out the form correctly, include all necessary information, and sign the completed application.
  

Read the full report and check out the data sets. While the EAC currently administers and maintains the national mail voter registration form, we hope that one day soon they (or someone) will also be responsible for overseeing a single national voter registration database. Until then, learn more about registering and voting in your state and order a "Register to Vote" poster in English or Spanish.

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April is National County Government Month

At least according to the National Association of Counties. So first off, thanks to the many county government employees and officials who help make our elections (and plenty more) work. To honor local government and help promote election procedures and information, the Election Assistance Commission has developed detailed guidebooks and educational resources on a variety of election administration topics.

Resources include a Voter's Guide to Federal Elections, Glossaries of Election Terminology, Pollworker Guidebooks, and more.

Luckily, nonprofits can also take advantage of these materials, as many are available online. These are excellent tools for encouraging greater participation in elections, particularly among potential pollworkers and other democracy facilitators.

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EAC Maps Certified Voting Systems

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has created an interactive map that shows where federally certified voting systems were used during the 2010 federal election. The map allows users to access information about EAC-certified voting systems, such as the county in which they were used, test reports issued during the certification process, and any advisory alerts. This mapping tool helps the EAC better communicate with the public about important issues such as potential performance problems.

The map also depicts state requirements for voting system certification: sixteen states have no federal requirement; nine require testing to federal standards; thirteen states require testing by a federally accredited laboratory, and; twelve states require federal certification. Since 2007, under the Help America Vote Act, the EAC has accredited voting system test laboratories and certified voting equipment. State participation is the program is voluntary.

What kind of voting system does your county use?

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