Resources

This structured testing protocol can help identify e-pollbook usability problems before Election Day, using mock-election scenarios with poll workers. Helps election officials evaluate existing systems and make informed procurement decisions.

The Center for Civic Design provides this toolkit for election officials to create educational materials about Election Day and post-election processes, adaptable to any jurisdiction. It helps election offices communicate clearly with voters and poll workers about what happens on and after Election Day.

The Accessible Voting Machines Calculator is a simulation tool that helps election officials estimate how many accessible voting machines are needed to maintain reasonable voter wait times. Officials can enter information about thier voting process and voter population and run simulations to produce recommended resource allocations.

This tool provides a training guide and customizable slide presentation to help election officials prepare poll workers to assist voters with disabilities in marking, verifying, and casting their ballots while preserving voter independence and privacy. It was published as NIST VTS 100-2.

This resource consists of a collection of EAC best practices, materials, and guidance to support election officials in delivering equal and accessible voting experiences, including resources on ADA-compliant equipment, accessible polling place design, and serving voters with disabilities.

This resources features a guidance handbook for testing voting systems against the usability and accessibility requirements in the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0. It supports election officials and testing labs in evaluating whether voting equipment meets federal usability standards.

The Hand Count Workload Calculator is a simulation tool that helps election officials estimate the resources needed to conduct a hand count of ballots, whether for initial tabulation, an audit, or a recount. Officials can determine how many counting teams are needed to meet a deadline or how long a count will take with a fixed staff. Default timing data is based on observational data from a Northeastern state in November 2024.

This report is a comprehensive reference for election officials on election processes and best practices, including guidance on physical security and location management for polling places. It serves as the primary federal-level guidance on polling place operations in the absence of national layout standards.

This publicly available interactive tool (currently in beta) allows election officials to map the layout and setup of voting equipment at an in-person polling location. Users can generate a custom, to-scale model of their space, incorporate key elements such as electrical outlets, doors, and windows, or select from common layout designs. Designs can be printed and shared with polling location leads to facilitate setup.

The biennial comprehensive survey of election administration across all 50 states, five territories, and D.C., covering the 2024 presidential general election, achieved a 100% response rate. Key in-person voting findings include: more than 70% of voters cast ballots in person, split roughly evenly between Election Day and early in-person voting; mail ballot use declined to approximately 30%, down from 43% in 2020; more than 770,000 individuals served as poll workers; all states reported offering some form of in-person voting before Election Day; and ballot drop box use increased by nearly 10 percentage points from 2022 to 2024 in states that offered them. Two-thirds of voters cast ballots in person, reflecting a significant post-pandemic return to in-person voting. The survey also covers voter registration, UOCAVA voting, absentee voting, provisional balloting, and voting technology.

This toolkit provides signage guidelines and ready-to-use templates designed for election offices of any size. They include directional signs, accessibility notices, and voter instruction materials for both inside and outside the polling location.

This report details how American voters experienced the 2024 general election. It is based on a survey of 10,200 registered voters, including 200 from each state plus D.C. Key findings from in-person voting include: over 70% of voters voted in person; mail-in voting decreased to 29% from 43% in 2020; wait times for voting were mostly short, but some disparities remained; and public schools saw a decline as polling locations, with community centers becoming the most common alternative.