Resources

Use our resource library to explore the latest research in the field of election science.

137 Resources

R Street Institute2023
Voter Trust Videos

This panel explores a new set of conservative principles to build trust in elections.

Center for Election Innovation and Research2023
Voter Registration Reports

CEIR has surveyed states about voter registration database security every two years since 2018. These surveys have demonstrated widespread best practices in respondent states.

MIT Election Data + Science Lab2023
Voting by Mail Videos

In this video Paul Gronke, Director of the Elections and Voting Information Center, outlines the results of the 2023 white paper "An Overview: Vote By Mail in the United States." This paper documents the emergence and growth of mail balloting and details the unique administrative arrangements associated with this method of voting, related research and best practices, and areas where there is still more to learn.

Donald Palmer, Gretchen MachtU.S. Election Assistance Commission2023
In-Person Voting Videos

The SMILE series are instructional videos, based on over 8,000 simulations, that help election officials visualize cost-effective resource allocations for polling locations that keep wait times under 30 minutes. The series covers polling place consolidation, new equipment integration, and allocation of accessible voting technology.

In-Person Voting Reports

The biennial comprehensive survey of election administration across all 50 states, five territories, and D.C., covering the 2022 midterm general election—widely seen as a return to normal operations after the COVID-19-disrupted 2020 election. Key in-person voting findings include: 645,219 poll workers assisted with early and Election Day voting, including more than 80,000 first-time poll workers (16.7% of the total); election officials reported that poll worker recruitment was meaningfully easier than in the 2018 midterms; e-pollbook adoption grew significantly, with 2,271 local jurisdictions in 40 states using them (up 60% from 2008); nearly all states (94.6%) reported conducting logic and accuracy testing of voting machines before tabulation; and the 2022 EAVS collected data on drop boxes and ballot curing for the first time, finding nearly 13,000 drop boxes in use nationally. The survey also covers voter registration, UOCAVA voting, absentee voting, provisional balloting, and voting technology across all reporting jurisdictions.

Charles Stewart IIIMIT Election Data + Science Lab2023
In-Person Voting Reports

This report details how American voters experienced the 2022 midterm election, based on a survey of 10,200 registered voters (including 200 from each state and D.C.), administered by YouGov. Key findings on in-person voting show mail ballot usage declined to 32%, down from 43% in 2020, while Election Day in-person voting increased to 50%. Most voters had short wait times, but racial disparities persisted. Disruptions at polling places were rare but measurable. Voter confidence varied significantly by party, with Republicans showing much lower confidence than Democrats. This is the only SPAE report on a midterm election cycle since 2014, enabling direct comparisons between presidential and midterm voting experiences.

Lisa A. Bryant, David Kimball, Gretchen Macht, Anita Manion, Mindy Romero, Robert M. SteinMIT Election Data + Science Lab2023
In-Person Voting Reports

This report provides a comprehensive review of the existing literature on in-person voting to determine best practices and identify areas where more research is needed, covering both operational features and the voter experience.

Charles Stewart IIIMIT Election Data + Science Lab2023
In-Person Voting Reports

In this report, Stewart documents persistent racial and ethnic gaps in the in-person voting experience, including longer wait times and lower confidence among Black, Latino, and Asian American voters compared with white voters.

Paul Gronke, Paul MansonElections & Voting Information Center2023
Workforce Reports

The 2023 Local Election Official Survey provides insight into the challenges and successes facing election administrators, including the impacts of misinformation on job satisfaction, high turnover and rising workloads. It also analyzes demographic characteristics of election officials and the voter education methods they use.

Workforce Reports

The 2023 Local Election Official Survey explored the views and opinions of 852 local election officials, finding that a high number of officials were administering their first-election in 2020. Election officials also expressed facing threats and harassment, growing concerns of political interference in elections, and the need for more resources to meet administration and security needs.

Workforce Reports

The 2023 State-by-State Compendium cites statutory requirements for serving as a poll worker in each state, including voter registration qualifications, age, residency, political affiliation, term requirements, compensation, and training, among others.

kathleen hale, mitchell brown, duha altindag, joseph anthony, brandon fincher, shelley gruendler, bridgett king, dean logan, mckenzie messenger-cooper, hilary rudy, alan seals, xuan wangMIT Election Data + Science Lab2023
Workforce Reports

This report summarizes existing academic literature related to election official and poll worker recruitment, training, and retention. Authors discuss the demographic characteristics of the elections workforce, methods of selection, training programs and barriers to retaining elections workers.