2020 Policy Survey Instrument - For 30 Day Comment Period

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (EAC)
2020 Election Administration Policy Survey
(Prior to 2018 known as the Statutory Overview Survey)
In order to better understand state laws governing federal elections, the U.S. Election
Assistance Commission (EAC), as part of its biennial Election Administration and Voting
Survey (EAVS), is collecting information related to your state’s election policies and
procedures. These answers will help the EAC to better understand the quantitative data
relating to the 2020 general election that we are collecting from all U.S. states and
territories. Your responses to these questions should reflect your state’s election laws,
policies, and practices that will be in place for the November 2020 general election.
Prior to 2018, the EAC asked states to answer open-ended questions related to specific
election laws and administrative procedures that governed certain election activities. In
order to minimize the staff time required to answer the survey and to provide information
that can be used more readily to understand the EAVS findings, the EAC has restructured
this survey. All of the questions are now closed-end items, and you should select the option
that most closely describes your state’s activities. The EAC appreciates that there are often
subtle differences in how states administer a specific aspect of their elections; however,
these subtle differences should not affect your ability to answer the questions in this survey.
Select questions have comments spaces to provide additional nuance to your responses.
The EAVS team appreciates your cooperation in this important project.
Information supplied by:
Name

Title

Office/Agency Name
Address 1
Address 2
City
Email Address

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State

Zip Code
Telephone

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i

Table of Contents
Election Infrastructure and Answering the Election Administration and Voting Survey ........ 2
Voter Registration and List Maintenance ................................................................................. 6
Election Technology ................................................................................................................. 13
By-Mail Voting ........................................................................................................................... 14
In-Person Voting Prior to Election Day .................................................................................... 16
Vote Centers ............................................................................................................................. 17
UOCAVA Voting ......................................................................................................................... 17
Provisional Voting..................................................................................................................... 18
Election Certification, Recounts, and Audits .......................................................................... 19
Recounts............................................................................................................................... 20
Audits .................................................................................................................................... 20
Voter Identification................................................................................................................... 21
Criminal Convictions and Voting ............................................................................................. 22

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Election Infrastructure and Answering the Election Administration and Voting Survey
Q1. Please provide the name and title of your chief state election official. The National Voter
Registration Act (NVRA) requires each state to designate a chief state election official who is
responsible for coordinating the state’s NVRA responsibilities. If your state is exempt from
the NVRA or otherwise has a separate definition of chief state election official, use the
comments to describe this variation.
Title of Chief State Election Official:
Name:
Q1 Comments:
Q1a. Which duties related to the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) and other
EAC functions are the responsibility of the chief state election official in your state? (Select
all that apply.)
If another official in your state performs these functions, use the comments to describe.
 Certifies EAVS data submission
 Selects the state election official and supervises the process through which local
election officials select a representative local election official to serve on the EAC
Standards Board
 Receives and certifies spending of HAVA funds on behalf of the state
Q1a Comments:

Q2. The EAVS asks state election offices to provide responses on behalf of local election
jurisdictions in their state. This can be complicated in states where there are multiple statelevel offices with shared responsibility for election administration and voter registration.
Please provide the name(s) of state-level offices in your state with responsibilities for
election administration and voter registration (e.g., Secretary of State’s Office, State Board
of Canvassers, State Board of Elections, etc.), and indicate whether each office provides
data to support the state’s EAVS response.
Office name

Supports EAVS response?
o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

Q2 Comments:

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Q2a. The EAVS asks state election offices to provide responses on behalf of local election
jurisdictions in their state. This can be complicated in states where there are multiple offices
at the local level with shared responsibility for election administration and voter registration,
as well as in cases where there are multiple levels of local offices responsible for election
administration and voter registration.
Provide the name(s) of local jurisdiction-level office types in your state with responsibilities
for election administration and voter registration (e.g., Clerk, Auditor, Recorder, Registrar,
Board of Elections, etc.), and the associated jurisdiction level (e.g., county, township, etc.).
Additionally, indicate whether the office exists in every jurisdiction at this level, and whether
the office provides data to support the state’s EAVS response. Use the Q2a Comments to
describe any non-uniform local office structures in your state.
Office type (e.g. Clerk,
Auditor, Recorder,
Registrar, Board of
Elections, etc.)

Jurisdiction level (e.g. county,
township, etc.)

Does this office exist
in every jurisdiction
at this level?

Supports EAVS
response?

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

o
o

Yes
No

Q2a Comments:

Q2b. Has there been any consolidation of local jurisdictions or the creation of new local
jurisdictions in your state since the 2018 EAVS was conducted that will change your state’s
list of reporting jurisdictions for the 2020 EAVS?
o
o
o
o

Yes, consolidation of local jurisdictions
Yes, creation of new local jurisdictions
Yes, both consolidation and creation
No

If Q2b = Yes, use the comments to describe.
Q2b Comments:

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Q2c. Confirm or provide the addresses and public-facing contact information for all state
and local election offices detailed in Q2 and Q2a. If this information is current and readily
accessible on a state website, please provide a link in the comments.
Office name

Physical
address

Mailing
address

Phone
number

Website

E-mail
address

Q2c Comments and/or Links to Contact Information on State Website:

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Q3. States are able to answer the questions in the EAVS in different ways. For each section
of the survey, please select the option that best describes how your state answers the
questions in the EAVS.
Were the questions in the section answered:
Entirely by the
In part by the state and
Entirely by local
state election
in part by local election
election offices?
office?
offices?
Section A: Voter Registration
Section B: UOCAVA
Section C: Domestic By-Mail
Voting
Section D: In-Person Voting
and Polling Operations
Section E: Provisional Voting
Section F: Voting Technology

As a reminder:
•

•

•

•
•
•

Section A covers voter registration, including total registrants, total registration forms
processed during the election cycle, the source of those forms, and the final
disposition of each form. It also covers notices sent to voters who are thought to have
moved and voters removed from the voter registration list.
Section B covers UOCAVA voting, including ballots transmitted to Uniformed Services
voters and overseas citizens, the manner in which ballots were transmitted (e.g., by
mail, by email, etc.) the number of ballots returned, the manner in which ballots were
returned, and the final disposition of each ballot (accepted, rejected). It also covers
Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots (FWAB), Federal Post Card Applications (FPCA), and
the total number of requests for UOCAVA status received.
Section C covers domestic by-mail voting, including the number of ballots
transmitted, the number of ballots returned, and the final disposition of every ballot.
It also covers whether any registrants received ballots because they are permanent
absentee voters.
Section D covers in-person voting and polling operations, including the number of
people casting ballots in person, the number of precincts, and data on poll workers.
Section E covers provisional voting, including the total number of provisional ballots
cast and the disposition of each ballot.
Section F covers voter participation and election technologies, including participation
in the election, poll books, the type of voting equipment used in early voting, Election
Day voting, by-mail voting, and voting by individuals with disabilities, and general
comments on the election administration experience.

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Voter Registration and List Maintenance
Q4. For the November 2020 election, is your state’s voter registration database system best
described as a bottom-up system, a top-down system, or a hybrid of both?
(Note: A bottom-up system generally uploads information retained at the local level and
compiled at regular intervals to form the statewide voter registration list. A top-down system
is hosted on a single, central platform/mainframe and is generally maintained by the state
with information supplied by local jurisdictions. A hybrid is some combination of both
systems described above.)
o Top-down
o Bottom-up
o Hybrid
If Q4 = Top-down, skip to Q5
If Q4 = Bottom-up or Hybrid, proceed to Q4a
Q4 Comments:

Q4a. How often do local jurisdictions transmit registration information to the state voter
registration database?
o In real-time
o Daily
o Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________
Q5. For each of the following entities, please report whether your state’s voter registration
database (or equivalent) conducts electronic transfers of information to maintain the
accuracy of the voter rolls. For each entity, report whether it electronically transfers data
with the state’s voter registration database and how often the data transfer occurs. Nonelectronic data transfers, such as information shared through paper copies, should not be
reported in these questions.
Governmental Entity

1. Has Electronic Data Transfer

a. Motor vehicles agency
(e.g., DMV)

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity

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2. How Often Transfer Occurs
o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

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Governmental Entity

1. Has Electronic Data Transfer

b. Any state agencies for
people with disabilities

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
c. Any state public
assistance agencies

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
d. Other state agencies
(not NVRA-required)

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
e. Federal agencies (not
NVRA-required)

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
f. Military recruiting office

o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
g. Entities that maintain
death records (e.g., SSA,
state vital statistics)

h. Entities that maintain
felony/prison records
(e.g., state courts, state
police, federal courts,
pardons/paroles agency)
i. Entities that maintain
records of individuals
declared mentally
incompetent

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o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity
o
o

Yes
No

If response = No, proceed to
next entity

2. How Often Transfer Occurs
o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

o
o
o
o
o

Real-time
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Other (describe): ___________

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Q6. Does your state register individuals to vote automatically or via an automated process
during or as a result of a transaction (either online or in-person) with a state government
agency, unless the individual affirmatively declines to register to vote?
Examples of automated processes in some states include those that force a choice on the
individual (i.e., the individual cannot proceed with the transaction without selecting whether
or not they wish to register) and those that provide a default option (e.g., the option to
register is pre-selected, but the individual can choose to opt-out during the transaction).
o Yes
o No
If Q6 = No, skip to Q7
If Q6 = Yes, proceed to Q6a
Q6 Comments:

Q6a. Which state agency or agencies participate in this program? (Select all that apply.)






State motor vehicle agency (e.g., DMV)
State agency or agencies for people with disabilities
State public assistance or social services agency or agencies
State agencies as designated by the state’s chief election official or governor
Other (please describe): ____________________________________________

Q6b. If an individual declines to register to vote, at what point can this declination happen?
(Select all that apply.)
 At the point of service (i.e., during the transaction)
 In response to a mailer sent to the individual after the transaction
Q6b = At the point of service, proceed to Q6c
Q6b = In response to a mailer sent to the individual after the transaction, skip to Q7

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Q6c. Please describe your state’s point-of-service automated voter registration process stepby-step. Include details about how declination language is worded on the form and the
declination process itself, such as whether a default option is provided (e.g., the option to
register is pre-selected, but the individual can choose to opt-out during the transaction) or a
forced choice is employed (i.e., they cannot proceed with the transaction without selecting
whether or not they wish to register).
Q6c Comments:

Q7. Does your state have an online, web-based system that interfaces with the state voter
registration system, and through which individuals can register to vote or update their
registration on their own, without requiring any paper form to be submitted?
o Yes, individuals can both register to vote and update their registration via the system
o Yes, individuals can update their registration via the system
o No
If Q7 = No, skip to Q8
If Q7 = Yes, proceed to Q7a
Q7a. Does a person need to have a driver’s license or other ID issued by your state in order
to register to vote or update a registration online?
o Yes
o No
Q7b. Does the online, web-based voter registration system incorporate any of the following
features? (Select all that apply.)
 Custom webpage URLs to track where the voter came from to enter the online
registration process (such as a particular state agency or third-party organization)
 Integration of third-party application programming interface (API)
 Mobile phone optimization
 Provides a confirmation number to registrant
 Sends a confirmation email to registrant
 Supports languages other than English
 Use of motor vehicle agency signature to register to vote

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Q8. Which of the following voting information lookup and other tools are available on your
state election office website? (Select all that apply.)








Voters may check their registration status
Voters may view voter-specific ballot information
Voters may check the status of UOCAVA ballot delivery, return, and processing
Voters may check the status of mail ballot delivery, return, and processing
Voters may check their polling site location
Voters may check the status of provisional ballot processing
Voters may request to receive a mail or absentee ballot

Q9. Does your state either have same day voter registration (SDR) or a period of overlap
between the start of in-person early voting and the close of voter registration when people
can register to vote and vote on the same day?
Please note that a period of overlap between the mail balloting period and the close of voter
registration should not be considered SDR for the purposes of this question.
o Yes
o No
If Q9 = No, skip to Q10
If Q9 = Yes, proceed to Q9a
Q9a. Under which circumstances can a voter in your state register on the same day that he
or she casts a ballot? (Select all that apply.)





On Election Day
During in-person early voting
During an overlap between the start of early voting and the close of voter registration
Only in very specific cases (e.g., for federal offices only, or for moving between states
after a registration deadline in a presidential election year; please describe):
________________________________________________________________________

Q10. Does your state allow persons to pre-register to vote before they are 18 years of age
and become automatically registered to vote once they turn 18?
o Yes, persons who are at least _____ years of age may pre-register
o No, our state does not allow for pre-registration
Q10 Comments:

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Q11. Does your state differentiate between active and inactive voters in your voter
registration records?
o Yes, our state differentiates between active and inactive voters
o No, our state does not use this distinction
If Q11 = Yes, use the comments to describe what your state defines as active and
inactive voters and to note whether your state uses different terminology, and then
proceed to Q11a
If Q11 = No, skip to Q12
Q11 Comments:

Q11a. Which of the following actions will result in moving an active voter to the inactive list?
(Select all that apply.)
 Failure to return a confirmation notice
 Mail sent by election office being returned as undeliverable
 Other (please describe): __________________________________________________
Q11b. Which of the following actions will result in moving an inactive voter to the active list?
(Select all that apply.)












Completing a certificate of candidacy
Online confirmation of a registration record
Requesting a by-mail ballot or UOCAVA ballot
Returning a confirmation notice
Signing a petition
Voter-initiated update to a registration record
Voting in a federal general election
Voting in a federal primary
Voting in a state or local general election
Voting in a state or local primary
Other (please describe): __________________________________________________

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Q12. Who is responsible for modifying or removing voter registration records in your state?
 Only state officials
 Only local officials
 Both state and local officials
If Q12 = Both, use the comments to specify the roles and responsibilities of state and
local officials.
Q12 Comments:

Q13. Does your state send confirmation notices to voters to help identify those who may be
ineligible to vote in your state? (Select all that apply.)
In your responses, please include any confirmation notices that are produced through the
statewide system but mailed by local election offices.
 Yes, our state sends these notices pursuant to National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)
Section 8 (d) (1) (B) and Section 8 (d) (2)
 Yes, our state sends these notices pursuant to a state statute
 Yes, our state sends these notices pursuant to formal administrative rule or guidance
 No, our state does not send these notices
If Q13 = No, skip to Q14
If Q13 = Yes, proceed to Q13a
Q13a. Which voters are sent confirmation notices? (Select all that apply.)
 Registered voters who have not voted in two consecutive federal general elections
 Registered voters whose addresses may have changed (including those who may
have moved from the jurisdiction in which they are registered)
 Registered voters who have been convicted of a disqualifying felony
 Registered voters who have been declared mentally incompetent
 Registered voters who have surrendered their driver’s license and obtained a new
license in a different state
 Registered voters who have mail from an election office returned as undeliverable
 Registered voters who have requested to be removed
 Registered voters who have not made contact (as defined by state statute) with the
state election division in the last ____ years
 All registered voters routinely receive a non-forwardable notice every ____ years
 Other (please describe): _______________________________________________

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Q14. What data sources are used to identify potentially ineligible voters on your state’s voter
rolls? (Select all that apply.)























Applications for by-mail ballots
Canvassing (door-to-door verification)
Commercial data sources
Data from an interstate data sharing compact (e.g., the Electronic Registration
Information Center)
Entities that maintain felony/prison records (e.g., state courts, state police, federal
courts, pardons/paroles agencies)
Entities that maintain records of individuals declared mentally incompetent
Jury questionnaires
Mail ballots returned as undeliverable
Other mail from election office (not ballots) returned as undeliverable
Motor vehicle agencies (e.g., DMV)
National Change of Address (NCOA) reports
Newspaper death notices/obituaries
Reports/notices from other states that a former resident has registered to vote
Requests from voters for removal
Returned jury summons
Social Security Administration death records
State vital statistics office death records
State agencies that serve persons with disabilities
State public assistance agencies
State agencies that are not specified in NVRA
State tax filings
Other (e.g., military recruitment offices, etc.; please describe): ___________________

Election Technology
Q15. Which of the following options best describes your state’s policy on voting system
testing and certification?
o Voting system testing and certification are required by statute
o Voting system testing and certification are required by formal administrative rule or
guidance
o Our state does not require any type of voting system testing and certification prior to
voting systems’ approval for purchase
If Q15 = Testing and certification are not required, skip to Q16
If Q15 = Testing and certification are required, proceed to Q15a
Q15 Comments:

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Q15a. Which of the following categories best describe your state’s policy on voting system
testing and certification regarding the role of the EAC and federal testing and certification?
(Select all that apply.)
 Requires federal certification without specific reference to EAC certification
 Requires federal certification with specific reference to EAC certification
 Requires certification to the EAC-adopted federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines
(VVSG)
 Requires state certification independent of federal certification
 Requires state certification in addition to federal certification
 Requires testing by an EAC-accredited Voting System Testing Laboratory (VSTL)
 Requires testing by an independent laboratory separate from the EAC-accredited
VSTLs
 Other (please describe): __________________________________________________
Q16. Does your state, or any jurisdiction in your state, use electronic poll books?
o Yes
o No
If Q16 = No, skip to Q17
If Q16 = Yes, proceed to Q16a
Q16a. Which of the following options best describes your state’s policy on electronic poll
book testing and certification?
o Electronic poll book testing and certification are required by statute
o Electronic poll book testing and certification are required by formal administrative
rule or guidance
o Our state does not require any type of electronic poll book testing and certification
prior to electronic poll books’ approval for purchase
Q16a Comments:

By-Mail Voting
Q17. For the November 2020 election, will your state require an excuse for by-mail
(absentee) voting?
o Yes, an excuse is required
o No excuse required

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Q18. For the November 2020 election, will your state—or will any jurisdiction in your state—
use an all-vote-by-mail system (i.e., send a mail ballot to every registered voter)?
o Yes
o No
If Q18 = No, skip to Q19
If Q18 = Yes, proceed to Q18a
Q18a. Will the all-vote-by-mail system be used statewide or only in certain jurisdictions?
o Statewide
o Only in certain jurisdictions
Q19. For the November 2020 election, will your state allow some or all registered voters to
request to be a permanent absentee voter?
o No
o Yes, any registrant can request to be a permanent absentee voter
o Yes, individuals who meet specific criteria can request to be permanent absentee
voters
If Q19 = No, skip to Q20
If Q19 = Yes, any registrant, skip to Q20
If Q19 = Yes, individuals who meet specific criteria, proceed to Q19a
Q19a. Who can be a permanent absentee voter in your state? (Select all that apply)
 Individuals over a specified age
 Persons with disabilities
 Other (please specify): _______________________________________________
Q20. What is the deadline for a domestic civilian (non-UOCAVA voter) to return a by-mail
ballot? (Select all that apply; specify the number of days if applicable.)
Ballot must be
postmarked by:

 ____ days before Election Day
 Election Day

Ballot must be received
by:

□ ____ days before Election Day
□ Election Day
□ ____ days after Election Day

Q20 Comments:

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Q21. How long does your state track ballots that arrive after the deadlines specified in Q20
for reporting in EAVS Section C?
o Until canvass is complete
o Until a specified date: ______
o Indefinitely
Q22. What counts in your state as satisfying the postmark requirements for mail ballots?
(Select all that apply.)








Physical postmark
Postal processing markings
Hand cancellation
Intelligent barcode
Private express delivery service date stamp
Date on voter affidavit
Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________

In-Person Voting Prior to Election Day
Q23. What terminology does your state use to describe the process of allowing individuals to
cast their ballots in person prior to Election Day? Hand delivered return of mail ballots (e.g.,
via drop-boxes) should not be considered in-person early voting or in-person absentee voting
for the purposes of this question. (Select all that apply).





In-person early voting
In-person absentee voting
Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________
No in-person voting is allowed prior to Election Day (Note: If you allow persons with
disabilities or any other specific population of voters to come to a local election office
and vote in person prior to Election Day, do not select this option and make the
appropriate selection among the other choices).

If Q23 = No, skip to Q24
If Q23 = Yes, proceed to Q23a
Q23a. Is an excuse required for a person to cast a ballot in person prior to Election Day?
o Yes
o No

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Vote Centers
Q24. For the November 2020 election, on Election Day (not including early voting), will any
jurisdictions in the state have the option to allow voters to cast their ballots at any polling
location or vote center in their local jurisdiction?
o Yes
o No
If Q24 = No, skip to Q25
If Q24 = Yes, proceed to Q24a
Q24a. Which of the following best describes the way vote centers operate in your state?
o Our state requires the use of vote centers statewide.
o Our state has vote centers, but only in jurisdictions that meet specific requirements.
o Our state has vote centers, but jurisdictions have the option not to implement vote
centers.
UOCAVA Voting
Q25. Other than postal mail, which of the following methods can a UOCAVA voter use to
submit a Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Federal Post Card Application
(FPCA)? (Select all that apply)





Email
Fax
Online via your state’s Online Voter Registration Portal
Other (specify): __________________________________________________________

Q26. When a UOCAVA voter submits an FPCA, is his or her registration as a UOCAVA voter
permanent or temporary?
 Permanent
 Temporary

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Q27. When a UOCAVA voter submits an FPCA, for how long does the voter remain eligible to
receive an absentee ballot?
o
o
o
o
o

_____ months
_____ calendar years
_____ general elections
Until the voter moves (notified via postal service or voter)
Other (please specify): ____________________________________________________

Q28. What is the deadline for a domestic military UOCAVA voter to return a by-mail ballot?
(Select all that apply; specify the number of days if applicable.)
Ballot must be
postmarked by:

 ____ days before Election Day
 Election Day

Ballot must be received
by:

 ____ days before Election Day
 Election Day
 ____ days after Election Day

Q29. What is the deadline for an overseas UOCAVA voter to return a by-mail ballot? (Select
all that apply; specify the number of days if applicable.)
Ballot must be
postmarked by:

 ____ days before Election Day
 Election Day

Ballot must be received
by:

 ____ days before Election Day
 Election Day
 ____ days after Election Day

Q30. Do the postmark requirements for UOCAVA ballots differ from the requirements for
mail ballots from domestic civilian voters, as specified in Q22?
o No
o Yes (please explain): ______________________________________________________
Provisional Voting
Q31. Does your state use provisional ballots?
o Yes
o No
If Q31 = No, skip to Q32
If Q31 = Yes, proceed to Q31a

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Q31a. Under what circumstances does your state use provisional ballots? (Select all that
apply.)
 A federal or state judge extends polling place hours in a federal election
 An election official asserts that an individual is not eligible to vote
 Another person (not an election official) challenges a voter’s qualifications and the
poll worker is not able to resolve the challenge
 A voter’s name does not appear on the list of eligible voters
 A voter does not have proper identification (as defined by state law)
 A voter is not a resident of the precinct in which he or she is attempting to vote
 A voter has changed their name or address (within the election jurisdiction) but has
not updated their voter registration to reflect the new information
 A voter was issued a mail ballot, chooses to vote in person on Election Day instead,
and does not have the mail ballot to surrender to poll workers
 Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________
Q31b. What is the deadline for adjudicating provisional ballots cast in the November 2020
general election?
o Specific date: ______
o ____ days after Election Day
Q31c. In the November 2020 election, how will your state treat a provisional ballot if the
ballot were cast in the wrong precinct by a voter?
o Fully count the entire ballot
o Partially count the ballot (e.g., only count the items on the ballot for which the voter
would have been eligible had he or she voted in the correct precinct)
o Reject the entire ballot
Election Certification, Recounts, and Audits
There are several ways of conducting election audits and recounts, and several reasons why
they would be conducted. The following questions ask about your state’s deadline for
certifying the November 2020 election results, various types of election recounts and audits,
and whether your state requires such recounts and/or audits through statute, administrative
requirements, or standard state practice.

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Q32. What is your state’s deadline for certifying the results of the November 2020 federal
general election?
_____/______/________ (MM/DD/YYYY)
Q32 Comments:

Recounts

Q33. An election recount is a repeat tabulation of all votes cast in an election that is used to
determine the correctness of an initial count. For the November 2020 election, which of the
following describes a reason why a jurisdiction in your state would conduct a post-election
recount of ballots? (Select all that apply)
 Results of a contest are within a specified margin (e.g., the top two candidates are
within one percentage point)
 An affected candidate or party requests a recount
 Results of a contest are within a specified margin AND an affected candidate or party
requests a recount
 Another person or group—such as a voter or group of voters—requests a recount
(please describe): _______________________________________________________
 ONLY if a court orders a recount to be conducted
Audits

Q34. A post-election audit verifies that the voting equipment used to count ballots during an
election properly counts a sample of voted ballots after an election. Will post-election audits
be required in your state for the November 2020 election?
o Yes, post-election audits are required by statute
o Yes, post-election audits are required by formal administrative rule or guidance
o No, our state does not require any type of election audit
o Other (please describe): ___________________________________________________
If Q34 = No, skip to Q35
If Q34 = Yes or Other, proceed to Q34a

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Q34a. What type of post-election audit will be required in your state for the November 2020
election? (Select all that apply)
 Traditional audit: records from a fixed percentage of randomly selected voting
districts or voting machines are compared to the results produced by the voting
system
 Risk limiting audit: an audit protocol designed to limit the risk of certifying an
incorrect election outcome by utilizing statistical principles and methods to select the
audit sample size
 Other (please describe) : _______________________________________________
Voter Identification
Q35. For in-person voting (not including first-time voters), please select all of the options
that are appropriate for your state.
In order to establish their identity, a voter:
Is required to show a government-issued form of photo identification
Can show a non-photo government-issued form of identification
Can show a non-government form of photo identification
Can show a non-photo non-government form of identification or proof of residence,
such as a lease or a utility bill
 Can have a person registered to vote in the precinct/jurisdiction formally vouch for
his or her identity (including but not limited to signing an affidavit)
 Can sign an affidavit affirming his or her identity (with no other action required for the
voter to vote)
 Can sign an affidavit affirming his or her identity, but the voter must later present
appropriate identification to the election officials before his or her provisional ballot
is counted





If Q35 = Can sign an affidavit but voter must later present appropriate identification,
proceed to Q35a
If Q35 = any other option, skip to Q36
Q35a. If a voter casts a provisional ballot as a result of not having acceptable identification
during voting, what is the deadline by which they must present appropriate identification to
election officials to verify their identity and have their provisional ballot accepted and
counted?
o Specific date: _______
o ____ days after Election Day

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Criminal Convictions and Voting
Q36. In some states, an individual loses his or her right to vote when convicted of certain
crimes. Which of the following best describes the populations whose voting eligibility is
suspended or revoked due to criminal conviction in your state? (Select all that apply.)
 Individuals who are convicted of any felony
 Individuals who are convicted of certain felonies
 Individuals who are convicted of other crimes that are not felonies, such as electionrelated crimes
 No one; criminal convictions do not limit a person’s right to vote
If Q36 = No one, skip to End
If Q36 = Any individual, proceed to Q36a
Q36a. For how long does a person with a disqualifying felony conviction lose his or her right
to vote? (Select all that apply.)





During the period of incarceration
During the period of incarceration and during any period of probation and parole
During the period of incarceration, probation/parole, plus additional time
Until payment of outstanding fines, restitution, or penalties

Q36b. What is required for a person with a disqualifying felony conviction to become an
eligible voter again after losing the right to vote due to criminal activity? (Select all that
apply.)
 A person’s previous registration is restored with no further action required by the
voter.
 A person is immediately eligible and must re-register to vote through the same
registration process as the general public.
 A person must present documentation during the registration process showing that
he or she has completed the requirements for registering to vote.
 A person must have his or her voting rights restored by the state through a formal
administrative process (e.g., gubernatorial restoration or action by the state pardons
and paroles board).
Q36b Comments:

END OF SURVEY
THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO THIS SURVEY
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