Experts from the election administration field take a look at how election laws and technology impacted voting, why voters faced long lines this year, and how data collection can improve the voting experience in the future.
Panels begin with a look back at election day 2012, and then move into a discussion on technology and social media. This is followed by a panel on voter enthusiasm and long lines at polling places. The day wraps up with two panels on voter ID and the voter registration process.
Rebecca Rimel, CEO, and David Becker, Director, of The Pew Charitable Trusts, provide a welcome and introductions.
In a panel called "Looking Back at 2012," Carroll Doherty, Associate Director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press; and Charles Stewart, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, talk with Michael Caudell-Feagan, Deputy Director of The Pew Center on the States, for a review of election procedures.
Ginny Hunt, Principal for Strategy and Civic Innovation at Google; Kim Nelson, Executive Director of EGovernment and Government Solutions at Microsoft; Adam Conner, Manager for Public Policy at Facebook; and Mindy Finn, Strategic Partnerships for Elections and Issue Advocacy at Twitter take a look at how technology and social media have changed election administration. This discussion is moderated by Doug Chapin, Director of The Program for Excellence in Election Administration at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
Election Day Participation is the topic for the third panel, consisting of Jeremy Bird, National Field Director of Obama for America; a representative from the Romney for President campaign; and Eric Marshall, Manager of Legal Mobilization for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; with Eliza Newlin Carney, Staff Writer at CQ Roll Call moderating the discussion.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, and Indiana University Law Professor Michael J. Pitts discuss Voter ID laws, both how they affected the 2012 election and the future of the laws, with New York Times Supreme Court Correspondent Adam Liptak.
John Lindback, Senior Officer for the Pew Center's Election Initiatives discusses the potential for modernizing voter registration with Heather Smith, President of Rock the Vote; Don Palmer, Secretary of Virginia's Board of Elections; Ross Miller, Secretary of State for Nevada; and Page Gardner, Founder and President of The Voter Participation Center.
David Becker, Director of Election Initiatives at the Pew Center on the States, offers closing remarks.