On Monday, faculty researchers at the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance met with state lawmakers and legislative staff to provide an update on two UW-led elections-related projects funded by the Washington State Legislature. Kicking off the meeting, Jake Grumbach led the group through a demonstration of the Statewide Elections Database, which is housed at the UW’s Center for the Study of Demography and Ecology. The public-facing website provides information on historic election results and voting trends, displayed in interactive maps and tables. It serves as a repository of voting data to help the state and its political subdivisions evaluate whether and to what extent existing laws and practices with respect to voting and elections are consistent with public policy, implement best practices in voting and elections, and investigate potential infringements or challenges on the right to vote.
Scott Allard then gave an overview of the Washington State Ballots Project, which explores practices and investigates individual voter understanding of and experiences with ballot rejection and curing processes, as well as education and outreach methods. At a high level, the study found that 1.5 percent of all primary ballots cast and 1.1 of general election ballots cast were rejected from 2012 and 2022. Roughly half of all rejected ballots arrived late to county offices, while a very small percentage of the ballots were rejected for a missing signature or having a signature that does not match the signature(s) on file. The study also found evidence that voters of color, men, and younger voters often have higher ballot rejects rates. The final report made recommendations for research, policy, and practice to reduce the number of rejected ballots, increase ballot cure rates, and improve the voter experience in Washington.
Overall, the review of both projects was highly informative and a great example of the work the University does to partner with the state to better understand important topics.