By Kimball Brace, President Election Data Services, Inc. October, 2009 Election Data Formats : Our Middle Name

Election Data Services, Inc. Been collecting and analyzing election returns since 1977 Kept track of voting equipment usage for nation since 1980 Compiled extensive databases of election results and census demographics for redistricting in more than half the nation over past 4 apportionments Testified in more than 75 court cases, many concerning racial analysis of data Maintains County level database of election returns for nation Contractor for EAC for their 2004 & 2006 Election Day Survey, subcontractor for 2008

Overview Diversity in Elections – Basic Facts Data Elements Remaining Problems

Basic Election Administration Facts Diversity is the underpinning of Elections. 50 States 3,140 Counties 1,620 NE Townships 5,312 Midwest Townships 10,072 Election Jurisdictions

Basic Election Administration Facts Size is important to remember − Question: What is the mean size of jurisdictions in nation in terms of registration? 1,492 registered voters − Over 1/3 rd of nations’ counties have fewer than 10,000 registered voters in them − Half of the nation’s counties have less than 16,000 registered voters − Only 343 jurisdictions have more than 100,000 registered voters − Only 14 counties have more than 1 million voters Smallest County: Loving County, Texas: 136 voters Largest County: Los Angeles, CA: 3.9 million voters − Take 930 smallest counties to reach LA’s total.

Basic Election Administration Facts

Elections are run in small jurisdictions − With small staff − Many of which are part-time or performing other functions Reliance upon vendors for help − Observation on data elements

The Election Process – From a data element prospective Total Population Voting Age Population Citizen Voting Age Population Registration Turnout Votes for President Other Statewide Offices Congressional State Legislature

Turn-out Still don’t know total number of people who participated in 2004 general election. − Definitions of turn-out, ballots cast, ballots counted. 903 Jurisdictions in 21 states have same number of people turning out, as that voted for President of the US

Drop – off (or Residual Votes) 2004 was lowest rate in post WWII history.

Residual Votes or Drop-off Difference between Total Turnout and Total Votes for an office = − Overvotes + − Undervotes Normal elections − Overvotes = 10% of residual vote − Undervotes = 90% of residual vote Florida 2000 – opposite of above − Problem of ballot design Problem is getting overs & unders − Need for every office on ballot

Current Problems Besides getting data & data elements Voting Equipment Change & Diversity − Nearly 70% of jurisdictions changed VE since 2000 − Formerly, all voters in jurisdiction used same VE Now most jurisdictions have multiple voting systems − In-precinct system different than absentee, early

2008 General Election

Current Problems Besides getting data & data elements Voting Equipment Change & Diversity − Nearly 70% of jurisdictions changed VE since 2000 − Formerly, all voters in jurisdiction used same VE Now most jurisdictions have multiple voting systems − In-precinct system different than absentee, early Method of Voting shifting, but not being reflected in data − Absentee, Early Voting, Disabled, Provisional

Thank you Kimball Brace President Election Data Services, Inc Emerywood Court Manassas, VA ( or ) or