By Kimball Brace, President Election Data Services, Inc. February, 2011 Common Data Format : Data Usage in Election Administration

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 &

Who is Election Data Services, Inc.? Since 1986, we’ve been on your wall. In 2010/11 you’ll need a larger wall

Who is Election Data Services, Inc.? If it concerns elections, And it deals with data … We’re probably involved

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 prospective Total Population Voting Age Population Citizen Voting Age Population Registration Turnout Votes for President Other Statewide Offices Congressional State Legislature

CensusPolitical TIGER/Line® Files Other Boundaries Precinct and Electoral District Boundaries Redistricting Summary (PL ). ACS Files, Citizenship Data Election Returns and Voting Statistics Tabular Spatial Redistricting Data Cube © Election Data Services, Inc. Source of data Type of Data ? EARLIER?EARLIER?

Turn-out Still don’t know total number of people who participated in the last presidential 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

2000 Presidential General Election Type of DevicePercent of Counties Percent of Registered Voters Punch card Datavote Lever Paper Ballots Optical Scan Electronic Mixed

Current Problems Besides getting data & data elements Voting Equipment Change & Diversity − Over 74% of jurisdictions changed VE since 2000 − Formerly, all voters in jurisdiction used same VE Analysis was easier, all voting patterns attributed to type of machine in use. − Now most jurisdictions have multiple voting systems In-precinct system different than absentee, early Unless votes are attributed to different voting processes, analyzing voting equipment problems now harder to do cleanly.

Registration Not all states report registration the same − 24 states & DC: “Active” voters only − 25 states: Combine “Active” & “In-actives” − 1 state (CA): Different determination in each county

2004

2006 survey findings -- Registration

Registration of Voting Age Population

Turn-out

Conclusion We do not do a good job of collecting data. The value of data is not well explained − Election administrators don’t always see the value − Result – data not collected or retained. Essential data items not defined − “Steps of data” not comprehended − Auditing concepts not incorporated in data − Counts of persons who participated in election (turnout) should be stipulated. − Overs & Under votes should be required for each office on the ballot Benefits & uses of data should be studied

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