Clarifying NIST's role in evaluating voting systems

Regarding my recent post about the Electronic voting systems, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), HAVA, and the EAC: I received an email correcting and amending my post, and thought I should share it here.

The reports and materials referenced in the NY Times story are available at NIST's website.

I've been told that the report which garnered so much press coverage is not an official NIST document. To quote from the email:

Though not available on the EAC site, the reports are available on the NIST site (. I want to take a minute to point out though that the original report authored by NIST and the Security and Transparency Subcommittee (STS) of the TGDC (PaperOnSIinVVSG2007-20061120.pdf), that got so much press was not an official NIST position as explained by NIST Director William Jeffrey in his testimony to the EAC last week -remarks.pdf) and by the QA website NIST posted to try to clarify some of the misunderstandings of the report information public_affairs/factsheet/draftvotingreport.htm

Most importantly though, the TGDC adopted as well as voted down a number of resolutions:
http://vote.nist.gov/AdoptedResolutions12040506.pdf

http://vote.nist.gov/failedres12040506TGDC.pdf

Thanks to the contact! We at election updates are always trying to keep things accurate and informative. We appreciate it when we're emailed corrections and amendments. Keep them coming!

Clarifying NIST's role in evaluating voting systems

Regarding my recent post about the Electronic voting systems, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), HAVA, and the EAC: I received an email correcting and amending my post, and thought I should share it here.

The reports and materials referenced in the NY Times story are available at NIST's website.

I've been told that the report which garnered so much press coverage is not an official NIST document. To quote from the email:

Though not available on the EAC site, the reports are available on the NIST site (http://vote.nist.gov/). I want to take a minute to point out though that the original report authored by NIST and the Security and Transparency Subcommittee (STS) of the TGDC (http://vote.nist.gov/DraftWhitePaperOnSIinVVSG2007-20061120.pdf), that got so much press was not an official NIST position as explained by NIST Director William Jeffrey in his testimony to the EAC last week (http://vote.nist.gov/EAC-WJ-remarks.pdf) and by the QA website NIST posted to try to clarify some of the misunderstandings of the report information (http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/draftvotingreport.htm).

Most importantly though, the TGDC adopted as well as voted down a number of resolutions:
http://vote.nist.gov/AdoptedResolutions12040506.pdf
http://vote.nist.gov/failedres12040506TGDC.pdf

Thanks to the contact! We at election updates are always trying to keep things accurate and informative. We appreciate it when we're emailed corrections and amendments. Keep them coming!

Absentee ballot fraud in Texas?

Echoing Mike's recent post, here is a story on voter fraud from the San Antonio Express. Anti-fraud provisions in Texas make it illegal to deliver someone else's absentee ballot. Democrats charge the Attorney General Greg Abbott is selectively enforcing the law, and a civil rights suit is planned.

New blog

This blog has been merged!

For more postings, please go to:

http://electionupdates.caltech.edu

Maryland battle over early voting continues

The partisan rancor over early voting continues in Maryland. Republicans now promise to gather signatures and force a referendum over early voting onto the November ballot. The attorney general's office claims the measure can't go to referendum, since it's already the law.

Part of the fight is over where early voting can occur. Maryland limited the sites to one per county in 14 counties, and not surprisingly, the sites are in the county seats: more populous, more urbanized, and generally more Democratic.

Early voting sparks dispute - baltimoresun.com

More on New Orleans early voting

This is a more comprehensive report on early voting, from the Time Picayune (fresh off their Pulitzer).

Looks like 3% total early voting, quite low by comparative standards.

Consolidating polling places in Maine

One quarter of Bangor's voters cast their ballot absentee. As a result, election officials are consolidating voting sites.

Unfortunately, if not done carefully, research by Henry Brady of UCB and John McNulty of Binghamton indicates that precinct consolidation may significantly harm voter turnout.

In a series of papers analyzing recent elections in California, Brady and McNulty show that changes in precinct locations, independent of other effects on turnout, may increase absentee balloting and decrease overall turnout. They show this by comparing turnout in LA County in 2002, and compare it to the recall election of 2003.

See examples of their research here

10,000 + voters cast early ballots for New Orleans mayoral primary

10,585 voters cast early ballots, according to early releases from the Secretary of State in Baton Rouge.

More than 2000 ballots were cast in East Baton Rouge parish, the highest number of absentees. Other regional and racial breakdowns are forthcoming.

Nola.com: NewsFlash - More than 10,000 participate in New Orleans' early voting period

Early voters in WV will use paper ballots

More implementation delays for early voters in West Virginia. The touch screen vendor was unable to program the machines to handle the new ballots rapidly enough.

Interestingly, based on some reports, voters may be better off using the optically scanned ballots, an "old fashioned" technology that has proved it's mettle many times.

The Herald-Mail ONLINE

Election Law: More Praise for EAC Commissioner Martinez

Add my praise to that from Hasen, Alvarez, and Tokaji

Election Law: More Praise for EAC Commissioner Martinez

Election administration is hard and thankless work, and Ray Martinez has done a great service bringing the EAC into the forefront of election reform. I hope the Commission finds a suitable replacement.