Assessment of the 2010 Election from Overseas Vote Foundation

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FAWCO partner OVF has just issued its post-election survey on the 2010 U.S. federal elections, with the first look at how voters fared in the first test of the landmark MOVE Act, passed in 2009. It is clear that, despite the lower voter turnout often found in “mid-term elections”, voters had an easier time of it, essentially due to MOVE-related changes. Just a few of the extremely encouraging results:

More than four-fifths of voters (82 percent) received the ballot that they requested, which represents a 5 percent improvement over 2008.
Only one-third of the survey’s respondents attempted to vote but could not because they either did not get a ballot or got it too late, a strong improvement over the 50 percent reported in 2008.
Use of electronic transmission of ballot materials was up from 20 states in 2008 to all 50 in 2010, and demonstrates a direct response to this MOVE Act mandate.

Voters are still confused by complex and diverse state rules and, in spite of the 45-day period required of the states between sending out and return of ballots, many Americans still did not have time to vote.

The good news is that things are better: click here to see Brian Knowlton’s article in the New York Times, reporting on OVF’s “Summit 2010” at which the survey was made public and voting experts from around the country gathered to share their experience and recommendations for the run-up to 2012.

For a quick overview or an in-depth look at feedback from over 5,000 voters on the 2010 election experience, view or download the complete Overseas Vote Foundation 2010 Post Election Survey Report.

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