Resources

This brief explains risk limiting audits, how they differ from fixed-percentage audits, and state adoption trends.

Even before the 2020 election, this reseach finds that voter turnout across the states is consistently higher in every general election over the past decade in states with greater shares of overall ballots cast by mail. Drawing on turnout data from the 2012-2020 Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Cooperative Election Study (CES), authors find states with greater usage of mail voting experience higher overall voter turnout.

This issue brief provides an overview of absentee and mail voting in the U.S.. Authors provide a brief history of mail voting, and note an increase in mail voting since the COVID-19 pandemic. It spotlights Oregon's early adoption of vote-by-mail (VBM) and explores current discourse regarding whether VBM increases voter turnout, and concerns over electoral integrity.

This brief provides a current overview of post-election tabulation audits, state requirements, audit types, and policy considerations.

This report analyzes a Maryland bill that would require risk-limiting audits after statewide elections, including fiscal and administrative implications.

The analysis suggests that ballot drop boxes and automatic ballot notification systems are crucial for reducing the attack surface to ensure secure and reliable operations.

This paper introduces Bayesian/low-variance risk limiting audit approaches using marginal mark recording to reduce variability and sample requirements.

This report supports automated independent audits as a complement or alternative to other post-election audit methods. It may be useful for administrators or policymakers in comparing auditing approaches.

While rejected mail ballots could over- or underestimate lost votes, a case study of Pennsylvania’s 2022 general election reveals at least 47% more lost votes than rejected mail ballots.

This reports provides an introductory guide to post-election tabulation audits, designed primarily for election officials who want to begin, improve, or better understand post-election audit practices.

This brief 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. Voting by uniformed and overseas citizens—"UOCAVA” voters—is a special case not focused on in this report.

This report examines the impact of voting laws on voter turnout and choice of voting method (referred to from here on as voting method) in the 2020 election and the effects of in-person voting on the spread of COVID-19.