Safeguarding Equity in a Vote at Home System

There is no silver bullet for rectifying the disenfranchisement that has been perpetuated in many state election systems for decades, even centuries. For generations, states have both intentionally and unintentionally made it more difficult for minorities, people of color, young people, those who are low income, and Native populations to cast a ballot. Any good election system, whether it proactively mails all voters a ballot or not, should prioritize reaching these voters and dismantling the hurdles to voting placed in their way.

Mailing every eligible voter a ballot to their home is a good place to start. This voter-centric policy puts a ballot in the hand of every voter, which has been shown to increase voter turnout across the board, but particularly in historically low-turnout groups such as people of color and young people. But this is not enough. Proactively mailing ballots must be accompanied with the following factors, among many others, to ensure that no voter is left behind.

1. Same day and automatic voter registration — An inclusive voter registration system with automated address updates is the first step to an election system that includes all voters. Same day voter registration, automatic voter registration, and utilizing National Change of Address data make it easy for eligible voters to register who historically have difficulty registering due to unnecessary administrative hurdles and voters who move frequently.
2. In-person voting options — In-person voting is the right option, and sometimes the only option, for some voters. For those who require accessible ballots or have trouble filling out a paper ballot, in-person voting places can provide an alternative method of voting. Moreover, those whose mailing addresses are not readily available, such as some Native American communities living on reservations, individuals with housing instability, students, and others, benefit from in-person voting options.
3. Signature verification and a cure process — Signature verification is a very useful tool for election officials to ensure the security of an election. That being said, it must always be accompanied by a comprehensive cure process to ensure that ballots that are rejected for signature reasons have a chance to be fixed by voters.
4. Robust, coordinated voter education — A strong voter education campaign is necessary on the part of election offices, and is best accomplished in partnership with community and advocacy groups to make sure that communications are clear and culturally competent. Voter education should be delivered across media, well in advance of the election, and with high frequency.

These are just a few of the policies that should be included in any good vote at home system. If you want to read more about what we at the National Vote at Home Institute recommend, check out our paper on safeguarding equity in a vote at home model.