US Vote Blog

Welcome to the 2014 midterm election season! The primaries are underway! Are you registered? Will you cast your vote? Did you know that midterms can be as crucial as presidential elections and that both are considered “general elections”?

A great many Americans who answered ‘yes’ to the first question have all too often answered ‘maybe’ to the second question. The third and fourth will depend a lot on whether a civics class was in your school curriculum. Historically, it has taken the sheer perceived importance of a presidential race (as the most powerful person in the world) to drive voters to the polls.

Far too many Americans downplay the impact of midterm elections. The ability to shape Congress influences legislation as well as the president’s ability to enact the administration’s vision and programs. In this era of heightened partisanship in Congress, it is of vital importance that Americans voice their opinions at the polls. And we don’t mean voting by omission. Midterm elections are the times when we can voice our approval or displeasure directly to our Congressional representatives.

Many people are aware that Oregon is one of three states that implements all-mail voting. Washington followed in 2011 and Colorado makes the switch this year. However, what most people do not know is that San Diego was the pioneer in vote-by-mail elections. “As a charter city, San Diego has more...

Ohio’s legislature voted to shorten the absentee voting timeframe and to restrict access to absentee ballot applications. “Voter rights advocates said reducing early voting days would disenfranchise voters and lead to longer lines at the polls. They also questioned the urgency and motive behind...

Representative Susan Davis (D-CA), a featured keynote speaker at OVF and US Vote’s 2014 Eighth Annual Voting and Elections Summit, recently filed a bill in Congress aimed at lessening restrictions on absentee voting. The bill would mandate no-excuse absentee voting in all federal elections. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states and the District of Columbia allow this provision, while 20 states only accept absentee ballots if detailed excuses are submitted.

Three states - Washington, Oregon, and Colorado - allow for all-mail voting. Representative Davis argues that invasive excuse requirements do not prevent fraud. Rather, she states “They are really just getting in the way. They have a real chilling effect.”

Co-chairs Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg, of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, will speak at this week’s Eighth Annual Voting and Elections Summit 2014. The Commission’s report, released last week, sets forth a succinct and pertinent set of findings and recommendations for improving the voting process and all that’s behind it.

Information and research from Overseas Vote Foundation on overseas and military voting is featured in the report on page 61, highlighting the continued non-uniformity of services for overseas and military voters across state websites.