Archive for 2016

Regular readers of this blog, and people who know me generally, have probably gathered that I am an overall positive person who tends to look for a way to say “yes” to almost anything. But the last week or so has been so frustrating that I’d like to present a series of questions below – the answer to every one of which is a firm NO.

With Election Day behind us and Thanksgiving ahead, my plate is going to be full – figuratively and literally! – this week so the blog will be taking a short break until Monday, November 28.

My friend Mindy Moretti was her typical whirling electiongeek dervish self on Election Day, and now that the dust has settled she’s rounding up all the news from around the country in this week’s electionlineWeekly. This year’s edition is enlivened by a new species of selfies taken by voters nationwide!

Last week, I wrote about the Election Day struggles in Durham County, NC – but now a close race for Governor and a few other statewide offices has Tar Heel election officials contemplating what’s next in resolving the outstanding contests. Our election system is big enough that trouble always seems to find someone in a national election … and this year, trouble is traveling Tobacco Road.

Maricopa County (Phoenix) AZ Recorder Helen Purcell, a long-serving fixture in the election community, lost her bid for re-election in last week’s election – bringing to an end a career spanning nearly twenty-eight years.

Election Day typically centers on polling places and election offices across the nation – but in New Jersey, it’s also a busy day for special courts set up to hear last-minute requests (some silly, some sad) from voters who wish to cast ballots. It may seem like an unnecessary step given the availability of a provisional ballot, but for voters willing to make the trip and plead their case, it can mean the chance to cast a valid ballot.

Last Tuesday, Maine voters approved a referendum requiring ranked choice voting (RCV). Now, election officials and policymakers are puzzling out how to make the change – and worrying about having it ready in time for the next elections two years away.

On Tuesday, Alaska voters approved a plan that puts a state-specific spin on the growing popularity of so-called automatic voter registration (AVR). The use of Permanent Fund Dividend data – with a high degree of reach and quality compared to data used or proposed for AVR use in other states – will certainly shape those debates for the foreseeable future.

Election Day went very smoothly for most of the nation – which is good for the country and the election community, but can be uncomfortable for any jurisdictions where problems do arise because they tend to stand out. It can be even more difficult when the problems arise in a state where results are being closely scrutinized for their political impact. Meet Durham County, North Carolina.

Most of the country, like me, is more than a little sleep-deprived this morning after a long Election Day so let’s keep it simple for now with a quick roundup. [UPDATED midday with a few I missed in this morning’s haze.]