As Election
Day draws nearer, poll-related studies continue to be conducted, throwing
further light on the current state of American elections and the developments
it had undergone.
Recently,
the PewTrust Research Center published the Election Performance Index (EPI), a comprehensive evaluation of the
electoral system in all of the nation’s 50 states – including the District of
Columbia. The study took into account 17 key indicators.
The EPI covers
the 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 elections, measuring variables related to the
problems faced by voters with disabilities, the availability of an online
register, the voting of military personnel deployed abroad, voter turnout and
the number of voters registered.
These
indicators reflect how several states have managed to improve their performance
during elections, particularly when it comes to online registration and waiting
times to vote.
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Online registration: Since 2008 there has been a steady
increase of the number of states that offer this option to voters. This year,
only two states (Washington and Arizona) opted for this technology upgrade.
Today, over 20 states offer an online solution for voter registration and the
update of their data.
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Voters with disabilities: During the past 4 elections, the
District of Columbia, Mississippi and Alabama polled over 20% in the EPI when
it came to voters who were unable to vote due to an illness or disability, due
to the lack of proper conditions at the polling places and of solutions offered
by the voting system.
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Voter turnout: The EPI reflects two important
changes. On the one hand, during the 2008 and 2012 general elections, voter
turnout did not surpass 80%, while for the midterm elections of 2010 and 2014
this index dropped to a mere 58%.
These
indicators, in addition to others in the study, show how states can continue to
develop their electoral systems to offer voters more accessibility,
transparency and security. These variables could be improved by the use of
technology, leading to a stronger democracy.
