First Steps Toward a Voter Centric Voting Model

Transcription

1 First Steps Toward a Voter Centric Voting Model A Report on voting modernization in the 2013 provincial general election Anton Boegman, DCEO (EO), Elections BC anton.boegman@elections.bc.ca

2 Voting Modernization Working within current legislation Putting voter at center of process Making voting more efficient Reducing opportunity for administrative error Reinforced with communications New processes in 2013 for: Advance voting Absentee voting General voting Vote-by-Mail

3 Advance voting Challenges: Increasing participation Advance voting Inefficient process Multiple forms with same information Advance voting certificate, voter registration form, voting book Bottleneck at point where voters get Advance Voting Certificate Out of electoral district voters

4 Advance voting New tools & processes: Express lane for advance voters with WTV Stamped/signed by official at voting station (becomes advance voting certificate) Over 80% voters brought their card (pilot) Official to verify electoral district on WTV card Messaging: Bring your WTV card!

5 Advance voting New tools & processes: Combined voting and registration forms Voter name/address only written once Eliminates possibility of registration form going missing Used by 20% of voters (pilot); of those approx 25% also registered/ updated

6 Advance voting New tools & processes: Voting place maps ED boundaries Hand-held booklet and wall map

7 Changes in Process at Advance Voting 1. Do you have a current/accurate WTV card? 2. Are you a resident of this ED? 3. Do you have identification?

8 Challenges: Absentee voting Missing registration forms Duplication of effort (certification envelope/ registration form) Inefficient process officials not always busy, or too busy

9 New forms & processes: Combined voting and registration forms Absentee voting Absentee election officials will register/update voters at time of completing certification envelope

10 Challenges: General voting Duplication of effort (registration form and voting book) Inefficient process; many election officials with uneven distribution of work Declining overall voter registration/updating when voting, but examples of bottleneck at registration tables at closing Not always busy Not voter-centric Showing ID at both registration and voting stations Sent from voting station to registration station (and viceversa)

11 General voting New tools and processes: Integrate voter registration form into voting book Registration done at voting station by election officials Eliminate stand-alone registration stations (save ~$1.0 million)

12 General voting New tools & processes: Voting place maps ED boundaries Voting area catchment VA specific Hand-held booklet and wall map

13 Single VA Map General voting

14 New Processes at General Voting Are you assigned to this voting place? Are you assigned to another voting place/ed? Do you have identification?

15 Challenges: Vote by Mail (s. 106 Alternative Absentee Voting) Mail services not uniformly reliable 28 day cycle is too short for overseas voters In 2009, 42% of all voting packages were either not returned or not returned by the required deadline Legislation extremely prescriptive (i.e. no delivery, etc.)

16 Vote by mail (s. 106 Alternative Absentee Voting) New processes: Send packages in advance of Writ being issued Voter must not vote until after Writ Based on legal opinion; policy & process redesigned Use Express Mail when concerned about timing and/or need traceability IM Voter Hotel de Ville 8 rue Chambiges Paris, France

17 Some observations voting pattens Overall increase in voter participation Continued switching patterns in voter behaviour Continued increase in advance and absentee voting Trend drivers? Voter convenience Election messaging & party get out the vote Further study needed 17

18 Some observations voting patterns Overall increase of 162,000 voters Advance voting saw biggest gain (~76,000 voters) Absentee voting saw greatest % increase (over 60%) 18

19 Participation By Age 400, , , , , , ,000 50,

20 Participation vs Registered 400, , , , , , ,000 50,000 0 Registered 2009 Registered 2013

21 Use of WTV card for advance voting Overall 85% of advance voters used the WTV card. Only 4% of advance voters required registration / updating. 21

22 Combining voter registration and voting 22

23 Some observable impact Vote by Mail International packages Pre-writ return rate 60% vs. post writ of 38% Majority of packages post writ (67%) thus overall return rate only 45%

24 Questions? Anton Boegman, DCEO (Electoral Operations) (250)