# Presentation: 113862

## Alternative Voting Methods

- Other ways for America to Vote

## Congressional Mandate in HAVA

- Sec 241(b)(10) requires EAC to study
- The feasibility & advisability of conducting elections for Federal Office on different days, at different places, and during different hours...
- A legal public holiday
- Or a date other than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years
- These issues and other alternative forms of voting were studied

## I.  Early Voting	

- Started in Texas in 1987- allows “no excuse” in-person voting prior to Election Day
- Allows voters to vote at any early voting location within a county between 17 days before until 4 days before Election Day

## Early Voting - Texas

- Early Voting does not increase voter turnout – but may keep people involved in the process
- Voters have more days to vote – even more than would be available if ED is a holiday or than Weekend voting
- Lessens strain of voting on the polling place especially in Presidential years
- Voters clearly like it – depending on location, from 30% to 50% of voters are voting at early voting locations

## II.  Election Day As A Holiday

- As of 2006, 9 states reported they had ED as a holiday: DE,HI,IL,IN,LA,MD, MT,NJ & WV
- Study of Maryland & Illinois for this report
- IL- Implemented in 1943
- MD – Implemented in 1882

## ED as holiday-continued

- Voter Turnout – Proponents suggest that higher turnout in elections would result -  Study shows that is not the case in the 9 states that have ED as a holiday when compared to the nation:
- In 2000 the 9 states had turnout of 50.6% while the 41 states had 49.9%
- In 2004 the 9 states had 55.2% and rest of nation had 55.3%
- In 2006 the 9 states had turnout of 35.8% while rest of nation had 37%

## III.  Vote By Mail

- Oregon creates Vote By Mail as principal form of voting in 1981
- 1987-most counties use it for local & special elections
- November 1998 – Voters approve making all primary & general elections as Vote By Mail
- November 2000 – First Presidential election as Vote By Mail – 79.8% turnout

## Vote By Mail – Oregon continued

- General elections for state & federal offices held as Vote By Mail – 69% turnout
- 2004 Presidential Election – 86.5% turnout
- Current data indicates an increase in turnout – we don’t know if that is a permanent increase or “bounce effect” from change in the process.

## Vote By Mail – Oregon continued

- Administrative effects –
- No polling places, so no need to find available and accessible polling sites
- No poll workers to recruit or train
- No long lines on election day

## IV.  Vote Centers

- Colorado creates Vote Centers in 2003
- A Vote Center is very much like an Early Voting site – the voter can live anywhere within the county and vote at any voting center.  Difference is that it can be done on Election Day too, rather than just Early Voting period.
- Unclear whether long term effects contribute to higher turnout

## Vote Centers – Colorado continued

- Advantages
- Polling sites are easier to find
- Any registered voter within the county can vote at any center without having to return to their own precinct
- Fewer provisional votes because they can vote anywhere in county
- Need up to 50% fewer poll workers
- Need fewer polling sites

## V.  Weekend Voting

- Limited experiences with “Weekend” voting
- Louisiana implemented Saturday voting in 1959
- Texas implemented Saturday voting in 1975 (and Early Voting that includes weekends in 1987)
- Delaware implemented Saturday voting in 1978

## Weekend Voting - continued

- Impact
- Voter Turnout does not increase in either Saturday voting or weekend voting in states studied
- Voting is likely to cost more: higher weekend pay for facilities maintenance personnel & security personnel; overtime pay for election staff; increased costs to rent polling sites

## Weekend voting - continued

- Proponents indicate that more voters would have chance to vote than if voting held on a weekday.
- If correct, Early Voting seems to have more positive impact because it generally provides multiple days including weekends
- Opponents indicate that it conflicts with religious events & family events

## Weekend Voting - continued

- Delaware found that complaints from religious groups led to returning to Tuesday rather than Saturday voting.

## VI.  Voting in Puerto Rico

- Prisoner Voting since 1980
- Allows felons and state prisoners to vote: in Nov. 2004 elections 5,102 votes cast and 4,384 were validated
- Hospital Voting – 2004 election pilot program so voters could still vote even from hospital – 70 hospitals participated with 2,673 voters voting
- Domiciled/Bedridden voters in their own homes – poll workers carried ballots to voters & then certified the ballots