UNIFORMITY IN VOTING SYSTEMS: LOOKING AT THE CRAZY QUILT OF ELECTION TECHNOLOGY

Things for Legislators to Consider: What is meant by a uniform system and is it a desirable attribute in your state? In some cases the state taking a more central role in the election administration process may be appreciated; in others it may not be. Would statutes need to be “cleaned up” to allow for standardization of voting systems and procedures? Is a move to a uniform system sustainable? States received a large injection of funds after 2002 but how will aging statewide systems be replaced next time? Evaluating the need for a new voting system is an opportunity for a state to look at its current processes and models and see if that’s really what they want going forward.