Learn More About This Research

Objectives

The objective of this research is to provide a comprehensive picture of where states stand on three dimensions of the voting process: voter registration, remote voting, and early voting. State legislatures and election officials can use this information to help protect the ability of states to conduct safe and secure elections despite the threat currently posed by COVID-19—or threats by similarly disruptive events in the future.

Methodology

The data in this tool and its accompanying report was collected from a variety of sources, including the National Association of Secretaries of State, the National Association of State Election Directors, the Election Assistance Commission, Daily Kos, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In addition to reviewing and comparing across these sources, the authors also reviewed state statutes and, in some cases, reached out directly to state and county elections departments for clarifications.

The information includes states' permanent election laws and processes—not measures put in place only for 2020 through executive order or temporary provision. Many states have instituted temporary provisions for the 2020 general election due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These are outlined in chapter five of the full report. These temporary measures address the near-term challenge but will not improve resilience to future pandemics or other types of disruption in the future.