# Presentation: 213588

## SURVEY OF UOCAVA  VOTERS

**Facilitating UOCAVA Voting Conference**
- September 22, 2007
- University of California, Washington Center
*Sponsored by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission*

## PURPOSE OF SURVEY

- TO OBTAIN PERCEPTIONS OF OVERSEAS VOTERS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF VOTING ABROAD
- TO GET THEIR EVALUATIONS OF DIFFERENT BALLOT TRANSMISSION METHODS
- TO ASSESS OTHER POTENTIAL VOTING CONCERNS SUCH AS PRIVACY

## SURVEY SAMPLE

- A 55 QUESTION SURVEY INSTRUMENT ADMINISTERED BETWEEN DEC 2006  AND APRIL 2007
- A FOUR STATE SAMPLE (MT, SC, FL,ILL) WITH 1603 RESPONSES
- A SUPPLEMENTAL POOL OF 4166 OBTAINED WITH ASSISTANCE OF VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICERS
- RESPONSE RATE EMAILED/MAILED WAS 13% AND FOR ONLINE WAS 20%

## SAMPLE CHARACTERSITICS

- COMBINED SAMPLE INCLUDE ELIGIBLE VOTERS FROM 50 STATE AND 132 COUNTRIES
- THE FOUR STATE SAMPLE IS MORE MILITARY (47%), YOUNGER, AND LIVED OVERSEAS FOR SHORTER PERIOD
- THERE IS LITTLE OF NO DIFFERENCE IN AGE, EDUCATION OR GENDER BETWEEN SAMPLES
- FINDINGS ARE MOSTLY SIMILAR IN BOTH SAMPLES

## RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL OF SATISFACTION 

- 71% of all respondents and 87% of the four state sample were satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the process of obtaining and casting a ballot
- About 18% tried to vote but did not complete the process
- 89% found the ballot easy or somewhat easy to complete
- 92% said that they would use the same method of sending in their ballots again

## But Some Important Variations

- Controlling for other factors, non-military voters were less likely to vote, and were more likely to express dissatisfaction with both receiving and sending a ballot
- Older, more experienced and better educated voters had more success
- Citizens in non-OECD nations had more difficulty with voting and the transmission of voting materials.

## Table 2: 2006 Voting Experience, by Voter Type

|  | Did you vote in 2006? |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Respondent Type: | Yes | No | No, but tried | Total |
| Spouse/dependent of service member | 92.0%
219 | 5.9%
14 | 2.1%
5 | 100%
238 |
| Uniformed service member | 82.6%
817 | 11.2%
111 | 6.2%
61 | 100%
989 |
| U.S. citizen abroad permanently | 49.5%
1,481 | 30.4%
908 | 20.1%
603 | 100.0%
2,992 |
| U.S. citizen abroad temporarily | 41.6%
642 | 34.4%
532 | 24.0%
371 | 100.0%
1,545 |
|  |  |  |  |  |
| Total Number | 3,159 | 1,565 | 1,040 | 5,764 |

## USE OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION STILL LOW

-  27% in the four state sample downloaded the blank reg form from a website or filled out the form online
-  8% faxed or emailed the reg/ballot request form back
-  4% received their ballots from Fax or email
-  3% sent their ballots back by FAX or email
-  89% were using electronic transmission for the first time

## SATISFACTION WITH ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

- The numbers are small but the satisfaction levels are high with electronic transmission of materials (i.e. 77%)
- Over 95% said that they would use the same form of electronic transmission
- 77% found the electronic transmission method to be either easy or somewhat easy
- 30% were asked to give up their right to private vote but only 1/3 of those had concerns about that

## Table 4: Ease of Method, by Electronic Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | How would you rate the ease-of-use of this way of sending in your voted ballot? |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Easy | Somewhat Easy | Neither | Somewhat Difficult | Difficult | Total |
| Email | 71.4%
15 | 9.5%
2 | 14.3%
3 | 4.8%
1 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
21 |
| Fax | 57.1%
36 | 25.4%
16 | 8.0%
5 | 4.8%
3 | 4.8%
3 | 100.0%
63 |
| Email & original ballot | 35.0%
7 | 40.0%
8 | 15.0%
3 | 10.0%
2 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
20 |
| Fax & original ballot | 31.0%
13 | 26.2%
11 | 19.1%
8 | 23.8%
10 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
42 |

- Note: One person reported internet fax of a ballot and reported it as “somewhat difficult.” One person reported internet fax of a ballot & original ballot by mail and reported it as “easy.”

## Table 3: Perception of Security, by Blank Ballot Delivery Method

|  | Was the way you received the ballot secure? |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Very Secure | Secure | Neutral | Insecure | Very Insecure | Total |
| Email | 39.5%
47 | 40.3%
48 | 14.3%
17 | 3.4%
4 | 2.5%
3 | 100.0%
119 |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 38.0%
27 | 36.6%
26 | 17.0%
12 | 5.6%
4 | 2.8%
2 | 100.0%
71 |
| Military Postal Service | 25.1%
51 | 53.7%
109 | 16.3%
33 | 3.9%
8 | 1.0%
2 | 100.0%
203 |
| Downloaded via DOD IVAS | 21.7%
5 | 47.8%
11 | 21.7%
5 | 8.7%
2 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
23 |
| Regular Mail | 16.7%
429 | 42.8%
1,100 | 27.7%
711 | 9.9%
255 | 3.0%
76 | 100.0%
2,571 |
| Fax | 0.0%
0 | 20.0%
1 | 40.0%
2 | 40.0%
2 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
5 |

## Table 8: Security Concerns, by Method of Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | How did you feel about security of your vote? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Concern | Some Concern | Neutral | Little Concern | No Concern | Don’t Know | Total |
| Email | 18.2% | 22.7% | 18.2% | 13.6% | 27.3% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Email & original ballot | 4.6% | 40.9% | 22.7% | 18.2% | 13.6% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Fax | 14.3% | 17.5% | 23.8% | 15.9% | 28.6% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Fax & original ballot | 8.9% | 33.3% | 24.4% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 2.2% | 100.0% |
| Internet fax | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Internet fax & original ballot | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Regular mail | 7.9% | 22.3% | 19.8% | 12.8% | 36.3% | 0.9% | 100.0% |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 13.3% | 26.3% | 20.1% | 13.7% | 24.8% | 1.8% | 100.0% |
| Military Postal Service | 6.3% | 16.0% | 18.5% | 12.6% | 46.1% | 0.5% | 100.0% |
| Embassy, consulate mail pouch | 9.1% | 18.2% | 19.6% | 15.4% | 35.7% | 2.1% | 100.0% |
| Dropped off or voted at local election office in the US | 7.2% | 7.2% | 18.6% | 9.3% | 56.7% | 1.0% | 100.0% |

## Table 7: Future Method Use, by Method of Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | Would you use the sending method again? |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Yes | No | Total |
| Email | 95.5% | 4.5%  | 100.0% (22 people) |
| Email & original ballot | 95.5% | 4.5% | 100.0% (22 people) |
| Fax | 85.5% | 14.5% | 100.0% (62 people) |
| Fax & original ballot | 90.9% | 9.1% | 100.0% (44 people) |
| Internet fax | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% (1 person) |
| Internet fax & original ballot | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% (2 people) |
| Regular mail | 94.7% | 5.2% | 100.0% (2,196 people) |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 86.1% | 13.9% | 100.0% (280 people) |
| Military Postal Service | 96.1% | 3.9% | 100.0% (203 people) |
| Embassy, consulate mail pouch | 90.7% | 9.3% | 100.0% (140 people) |
| Dropped off or voted in person | 77.5% | 22.5% | 100.0% (80 people) |

## Table 5: Satisfaction, by Electronic Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | How would you rate the ease-of-use of this way of sending in your voted ballot? |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Satisfied | Somewhat Satisfied | Neutral | Somewhat Dissatisfied | Dissatisfied | Total |
| Email | 65.0%
13 | 20.0%
4 | 10.0%
2 | 0.0%
0 | 5.0%
1 | 100.0%
20 |
| Fax | 61.3%
38 | 12.9%
8 | 11.3%
7 | 9.7%
6 | 4.8%
3 | 100.0%
62 |
| Email & original ballot | 40.0%
8 | 30.0%
6 | 10.0%
2 | 15.0%
3 | 5.0%
1 | 100.0%
20 |
| Fax & original ballot | 26.8%
11 | 34.2%
14 | 14.6%
6 | 19.5%
8 | 4.9%
2 | 100.0%
41 |

- Note: One person reported sending ballot by internet fax and indicated they were “somewhat satisfied” with that method.  One person reported sending ballot by internet fax & original by mail and indicated they were “satisfied” with that method.

## Table 6: Waiving Privacy, by Electronic Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | Were you asked to give up the right to a private vote? |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Yes | No | I don’t remember | Total |
| Fax | 52.4%
33 | 46.0%
29 | 1.6%
1 | 100.0%
63 |
| Fax & original ballot | 37.5%
15 | 62.5%
25 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
40 |
| Email | 31.6%
6 | 63.2%
12 | 5.3%
1 | 100.0%
19 |
| Email & original ballot | 19.1%
4 | 80.9%
17 | 0.0%
0 | 100.0%
21 |

- Note: One person reported sending in their ballot by internet fax and indicated they were asked to give up the right to a private vote.

## Table 7: Future Method Use, by Method of Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | Would you use the sending method again? |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Yes | No | Total |
| Email | 95.5% | 4.5%  | 100.0% (22 people) |
| Email & original ballot | 95.5% | 4.5% | 100.0% (22 people) |
| Fax | 85.5% | 14.5% | 100.0% (62 people) |
| Fax & original ballot | 90.9% | 9.1% | 100.0% (44 people) |
| Internet fax | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% (1 person) |
| Internet fax & original ballot | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% (2 people) |
| Regular mail | 94.7% | 5.2% | 100.0% (2,196 people) |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 86.1% | 13.9% | 100.0% (280 people) |
| Military Postal Service | 96.1% | 3.9% | 100.0% (203 people) |
| Embassy, consulate mail pouch | 90.7% | 9.3% | 100.0% (140 people) |
| Dropped off or voted in person | 77.5% | 22.5% | 100.0% (80 people) |

## Table 8: Security Concerns, by Method of Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | How did you feel about security of your vote? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Concern | Some Concern | Neutral | Little Concern | No Concern | Don’t Know | Total |
| Email | 18.2% | 22.7% | 18.2% | 13.6% | 27.3% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Email & original ballot | 4.6% | 40.9% | 22.7% | 18.2% | 13.6% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Fax | 14.3% | 17.5% | 23.8% | 15.9% | 28.6% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Fax & original ballot | 8.9% | 33.3% | 24.4% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 2.2% | 100.0% |
| Internet fax | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Internet fax & original ballot | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Regular mail | 7.9% | 22.3% | 19.8% | 12.8% | 36.3% | 0.9% | 100.0% |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 13.3% | 26.3% | 20.1% | 13.7% | 24.8% | 1.8% | 100.0% |
| Military Postal Service | 6.3% | 16.0% | 18.5% | 12.6% | 46.1% | 0.5% | 100.0% |
| Embassy, consulate mail pouch | 9.1% | 18.2% | 19.6% | 15.4% | 35.7% | 2.1% | 100.0% |
| Dropped off or voted at local election office in the US | 7.2% | 7.2% | 18.6% | 9.3% | 56.7% | 1.0% | 100.0% |

## Table 9: Whether Confirmed Arrival, by Method of Transmission of Voted Ballot

|  | Did you confirm your ballot arrived? |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ballot delivery method: | Yes 
(by state or county online tool) | Yes
(by contacting my election office) | No |
| Email | 17.4% | 8.7% | 69.6% |
| Email & original ballot | 1.6% | 25.8% | 53.2% |
| Fax | 9.1% | 13.6% | 59.1% |
| Fax & original ballot | 4.6% | 9.3% | 79.1% |
| Internet fax | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Internet fax & original ballot | 0.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| Regular mail | 1.2% | 2.2% | 93.3% |
| Courier, certified, express mail | 4.0% | 5.1% | 74.9% |
| Military Postal Service | 1.5% | 3.4% | 89.8% |
| Embassy, consulate mail pouch | 1.4% | 2.1% | 85.2% |
| Dropped off or voted at local election office in person | 1.2% | 15.1% | 50.0% |

## Table 10: Comfort with Electronic Voting, by Concerns with Electronic Transmission

|  | Comfortable voting via electronic transmission? |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Concerns with electronic transmission: | Yes | No | Not sure |
| No concerns about voting online | 31.1% | 2.8% | 3.6% |
| No concerns about voting by fax | 1.9% | 0.5% | 0.9% |
| No concerns about voting by email | 32.1% | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Have privacy concerns | 2.2% | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Have security concerns | 15.6% | 23.3% | 31.5% |
| Don’t trust internet | 1.0% | 10.8% | 6.7% |
| Don’t want personal info on internet | 6.3% | 28.3% | 24.2% |
| Concerned election off. will see vote | 2.1% | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| Afraid people could see how I voted | 6.3% | 23.3% | 19.3% |

## Figure 1: Predicted Probability of Voting, by Voter Type

## Figure 2: Predicted Probability of Voting, by State

## Figure 3: Voting with Electronic Transmission, by Age Group

## Figure 4: Voting with Electronic Transmission, by State

## Figure 5: Experience of Receiving Blank Ballot, by Voter Type

## Figure 6: Ease of Completing Ballot, by Voter Type

## Figure 7: Ease of Completing Ballot, by State

## Figure 8: Ease of Sending Voted Ballot, by Sending Method

## Figure 9: Ease of Sending Voted Ballot, by Voter Type

## Figure 10: Satisfaction with Voting Process, by Voter Type

## Figure 11: Satisfaction with Voting Process, by State

## Figure 12: Perceived Security of Method for Receiving Blank Ballot, by Voter Type  

## Figure 13: Perceived Security of Vote, by Voter Type

## Table 1: Age Breakdown of Sample

| Age Group | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| 18-24 | 6.4 |
| 25-34 | 20.0 |
| 35-44 | 27.3 |
| 45-54 | 22.5 |
| 55-64 | 14.6 |
| 65-74 | 5.5 |
| 74+ | 1.4 |
| No answer | 2.3 |
| Total | 100.00 |