VOTE AT HOME: A City Leader’s Guide to Safe and Secure Voting in a Global Pandemic Vote at Home: A City Leader’s Guide to Safe and Secure Voting in a Global Pandemic NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES Introduction n the midst of a global pandemic, the option as it requires minimal contact, does About the National League of Cities (NLC) About the National Vote at Home Institute Iresulting economic recession, and not require residents to leave their houses, (NVAHI) numerous other complications, many and allows all eligible residents to partake. The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of cities are treading water just to keep basic America’s cities, towns and villages, representing National Vote at Home Institute (NVAHI) is While to some this concept is new, there more than 200 million people. NLC works to dedicated to making sure every American can services running. Despite the state of are states, such as Oregon, that have strengthen local leadership, influence federal vote in secure, safe, accessible, and equitable the pandemic, elections are coming, and been utilizing this system long before policy and drive innovative solutions. elections by expanding existing vote-at-home they are coming up quickly. So how do systems in all 50 states. NVAHI works with cities ensure both the safety of voters and Coronavirus. These states can provide NLC’s Center for City Solutions provides research election officials in optimizing their administration encourage 100% voter participation? One roadmaps and tips to states and localities and analysis on key topics and trends important to processes and governing laws for both mail ballot approach that is quickly gaining steam that are just starting to move in this cities and creative solutions to improve the quality and in-person voting methods. NVAHI works to across the country is voting at home, also direction. While voting is often a process of life in communities. remove legislative and administrative barriers to known as vote by mail or absentee voting. handled by states and counties, city vote-at-home systems and educate the public leaders play a vital role as well. Some states on the benefits of voting at home while still About the Authors The vote at home process is fairly simple: like Colorado implemented voting at home preserving the ability to vote in person for those mail out ballots to residents, allow at the state level, while many other states Brenna Rivett is a Program Manager in the Center who may want or need it. residents to fill out their ballot at home, such as Washington, Utah, Nebraska, and for City Solutions and then mail the completed ballot back. California have made or are making the is the Program Director of the Olivia Snarski This system is a pandemic-friendly, reliable shifts gradually at the local level. Local Democracy Initiative in the Center for City Acknowledgments Solutions The authors would like to thank Katey Haas who Lucille Wenegieme is the Director of edited the report, Karen Neva who designed the Communications & Public Relations at the report, and the National Vote at Home Institute National Vote at Home Institute staff for their collaboration on this report. Audrey Kline is the National Policy Director at This report is tailored to local officials, but for the National Vote at Home Institute more detailed election administration research by state, visit https://voteathome.org/state-info/ or reach out to Lucille Wenegieme at [email protected] for more information. © 2020 National League of Cities. All Rights Reserved. 2 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES 3 Vote at Home: A City Leader’s Guide to Safe and Secure Voting in a Global Pandemic Voting at Home Overview lections are complicated. Every state access, jobs without flexible hours, long Voter Turnout Election Security Ehas a different structure and it can commutes, voter suppression, and many be difficult as a city leader to figure out others. When looking at the data on voter Research has shown that inconvenience Remote voting has been found to be how to actively engage in the process. turnout, many cities and counties are is one of the leading deterrents to voter more secure than traditional voting From county-level counts to state-run looking for ways to make voting easier and participation. The current system in many booth machines. Voting machines have structures, there is a wide variety in the more accessible to encourage a higher level states is a use-it-or-lose-it scenario: if you been under intensified scrutiny given the shape and scope of city involvement. of engagement the electoral process. have a job that doesn’t allow you to make it mounting cyber attacks being lodged Some states purchase voting machines to the polls or have an issue or emergency against municipalities in recent years. for every precinct, while others leave it Vote at home systems allow those without pop up, you are out of luck. Eliminating this Remote voting takes the technology, and up to individual counties to decide on the access to childcare, the resident with a barrier can go a long way to encouraging thus the hacking risk, out of the equation, technology to be used. However, local three hour commute each way, the elderly every eligible voter to cast their ballot. which may appeal to some localities. leaders are the ones residents look to for resident with limited mobility, and the Oregon, which has vote-by-mail available According to the Heritage Foundation, help navigating the process and to provide family without a personal vehicle to cast for all elections, is the national leader in which tracks voting fraud in the US, there reassurance in times of uncertainty. their votes. voter turnout since implementing the have been only 143 cases of successful Traditional voting structures, voting at Absentee voting also offers benefits program. In the 2016 election, they had an voter fraud with mail-in ballots over the last polling stations, can present barriers to beyond closing the voter participation gap almost 80 percent voter turnout, compared 20 years, compared to 1,100 cases overall. participation since they require voters to and keeping voters safe. According to The to the national voter turnout rate of 55 This shakes out to about 0.00006% of total be available to get to a specific location National Vote at Home Institute, there is percent. In the 2020 presidential primary votes cast being fraudulent. during a certain time allotment. The vote increased ballot security, it is less expensive, elections, the vast majority of states offered Additionally, with the paper ballots utilized at home approach is one way to help there is wide acceptance across the absentee ballots or mail-in ballots to voters for remote voting, there is a verifiable improve accessibility as it provides options country, it has garnered bipartisan support, to stem the crowds at polling stations. paper trail which can be followed if there to residents who would otherwise not be it has a proven track record from states that Vote-by-mail also made up a large portion is any reason to doubt the validity of the able to participate. The barriers to voting have used it, and it makes the process of the votes cast in the 2016 presidential votes. Colorado, Oregon, and Washington are many and include things like lack of more efficient. election – 25 percent of all votes. have transitioned to all paper ballots and transportation to the polls, lack of childcare have instituted vote at home options as have the majority of counties in Utah and How to Vote at Home Montana. Whether instituting vote at home capabilities or simply wanting to ensure security, paper ballots are largely accepted as the best choice. STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 Get your ballot Fill out your ballot Return your ballot In-person options 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES 5 Vote at Home: A City Leader’s Guide to Safe and Secure Voting in a Global Pandemic Voting Equity Election Costs The Delivery and Vote at home structures have proven As with any new system, there are to increase voter participation across up-front costs to switching a system to Mail-In Process different age groups and demographics. paper ballots or instituting vote at home The United States Postal Service (USPS) A Massachusetts Institute of Technology options. However, the long-term savings has recently seen sizable funding cuts study conducted on the 2016 elections have proven to be significant. Colorado, from the federal government and has found that there was very little which began vote at home options in 2013, been forced to lay off large numbers of demographic difference in the use of has seen a 40% decrease in election costs. employees. On top of delays caused by the vote at home ballots across age, race, In San Diego, the county saw 77% voter COVID-19 pandemic, timing is important education, or income. In states where vote turnout in the 2012 election, which was in ensuring residents received their ballots at home structures were in place, higher the highest in Southern California, and are with enough time to fill them out and get voter participation was seen across all estimating $2-$3 million in savings per year. them mailed back before election day. demographic groups. Montana saves about $2 million per According to Data for Progress, 60% of election cycle. Americans view USPS as an essential One of the most notable voter turnout service but 73% are concerned that the increases seen in vote at home states is recent cuts may disrupt voting.