CHANGING the WAY COLORADO VOTES a Study of Selected Reforms
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CHANGING THE WAY COLORADO VOTES A Study of Selected Reforms Report for the Best Practices and Vision Commission Office of the Colorado Secretary of State February 2011 Peggy Cuciti, Ph.D. and Allan Wallis, Ph.D. Buechner Institute of Governance School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver CHANGING THE WAY COLORADO VOTES A Study of Selected Reforms A report to the Best Practices and Vision Commission Office of the Colorado Secretary of State February 2011 Peggy Cuciti, Ph.D. and Allan Wallis, Ph.D. With research assistance from Kelley Harp Buechner Institute of Governance School of Public Affairs University of Colorado Denver Campus Box 142 P.O. Box 173364 Denver, Colorado 80217-3364 This report was funded by the Office of the Colorado Secretary of State. The authors wish to thank Dr. Judd Choate, Hilary Rudy and Jerome Lovato from the Secretary of State’s Office and Members of the Commission. We also wish to acknowledge the generous assistance of the following individuals: Pam Anderson, Jack Arrowsmith, Bob Balink, Doreen Bellfy, Stith Bennett, Jana Coen, Charles Corry, Sheri Davis, Scott Doyle, Mary Eberle, Ann Eddins, Jenny Flanagan, Sandy Jackson, Al Kolwicz , Catherine Lenhart, Josh Liss, Christopher Mann, Amber McReynolds, Melinda Meyers, Liz Olson, Stephanie O’Malley, Sheila Reiner, Janice Rich, Joe Richey, Spencer Ross, Michael Scarpello, Chantrell Taylor, Garland Wahl, Craig Welling and Jeff Weston. Special thanks to Russ Ragsdale for help in thinking about election costs as well as for participation in the various surveys. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Changing the Way Colorado Votes .......................................................................... i Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. i Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................... i Opinion Survey ....................................................................................................................................... i Adopting a later voter registration deadline: same day registration (SDR) ....................................... i Mail-In balloting (MIB) ...................................................................................................................... ii Cost Survey ............................................................................................................................................ ii Changing the Way Colorado Votes ............................................................................................................... 1 A Study of Selected Reforms ......................................................................................................................... 1 Changing the Registration Deadline and Allowing Same Day Registration .................................................. 2 Overview of the Issue ............................................................................................................................... 2 The Issue in Colorado ................................................................................................................................ 3 Key Informant Interviews.......................................................................................................................... 4 Opinion Survey Findings ........................................................................................................................... 5 The Acceptability of Alternative Registration Deadlines ...................................................................... 5 Option One: keeping the registration deadline at 29 days prior to Election Day. ............................ 5 Option Two: moving the deadline to one week prior to the election. ............................................. 6 Options Three and Four: moving the deadline to the Friday before Election Day or to Election Day. ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Effects on Voter Turnout....................................................................................................................... 7 Effects of a Deadline Change on Election Administration .................................................................... 8 Workload ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Planning for Elections ....................................................................................................................... 9 Provisional Ballots and Emergency Registrations ........................................................................... 10 Fraudulent Registrations ................................................................................................................. 11 Balancing Competing Values ........................................................................................................... 12 A Review of the Literature ...................................................................................................................... 12 Effects on Voter Participation ............................................................................................................. 12 Administrative Burden of Implementing SDR ..................................................................................... 13 Effect of SDR on Voter Fraud .............................................................................................................. 14 Changing to All-Mail Balloting for Even Year Elections ............................................................................... 16 Overview of the Issue ............................................................................................................................. 16 The Issue in Colorado .............................................................................................................................. 16 Issue Identification: Key Informant Interviews ....................................................................................... 19 Analysis of Opinion Survey ...................................................................................................................... 20 Democratic Participation and Civic Culture ........................................................................................ 20 Effects of MIB on Turnout ............................................................................................................... 20 Perceived Impact ............................................................................................................................ 21 Evidence from the Primary ............................................................................................................. 21 Effects of MIB on the Legitimacy of Elections and Voter Confidence ................................................ 23 Mail Balloting and Election Integrity ....................................................................................................... 24 Effects of MIB on Error Rates .............................................................................................................. 25 Effects of a Shift to MIB on the Potential for Election Fraud .............................................................. 28 Illegitimate Voters ........................................................................................................................... 28 Likelihood of Voter Coercion .......................................................................................................... 29 Effects of Vote by Mail on the Efficiency and Costs of Elections ........................................................ 29 Conclusions from the Opinion Survey: Desirability of All Mail Ballot Elections ................................. 31 Should Colorado Switch to All-Mail Ballot Voting in Even-Year Elections? .................................... 31 Should Service Centers be required in All Mail Ballot elections? ................................................... 32 To Whom Should Ballots be Sent? .................................................................................................. 33 Understanding Election Costs in Colorado ................................................................................................. 35 Methodological Approach ...................................................................................................................... 36 Choosing a Sample of Counties ........................................................................................................... 36 Conducting the Survey ........................................................................................................................ 37 Findings ................................................................................................................................................... 37 Does Voting By Mail Cost Less? .......................................................................................................... 38 Difference by Cost Categories ............................................................................................................. 40 Labor Costs .....................................................................................................................................