Investigating Polling Place Resources
Voter Protections Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 1
August 20, 2008
Advancement Project, through the combined efforts of its Washington, D.C. and L.A. offices, is working to predict registration and turnout hotspots for the 2008 general election in the nine states we’re working in. We’re hoping to persuade election officials in those jurisdictions of the need to allocate sufficient polling place resources--such as voting machines, ballots, and poll workers--in areas where turnout is expected to be high.
We believe resources will be an issue because registration and turnout are expected to be at record-breaking levels in many places--given the many energized, first-time voters.
The ultimate goal is to be able to produce precinct level—or county-level where precinct-level data is unavailable--maps that indicate where problems are likely to crop up.
Advancement Project plans to use these maps to pinpoint problem areas so election officials will know exactly where to commit additional resources to ensure access to voting. More machines, more poll workers and new procedures may be needed to make lines move more quickly.
Advancement Project is making public records requests and using various types of database software to collect data on turnout, registration, available polling place resources, and fall-election plans.
