Election Officials
Looking to adopt or increase voting by mail in your jurisdiction?
We’re here to help
Our support ranges from self-service toolkits to direct implementation advisory services, learn more about our work.
Election Officials
Looking to adopt or increase voting by mail in your jurisdiction?
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
We’re here to help
OUTBOUND
IN-PERSON
COMMUNICATIONS
RESOURCING
INBOUND
REQUESTS
SAFEGUARDS
STATE TO LOCAL
ELECTION OFFICIALS TOOLKITS
Communications Toolkit
Clear and focused communication will be essential as election officials accommodate increased mail ballot requests from voters wanting to vote safely at home this November, but less than 5% of election offices have dedicated communications staff. This Election Official Communications Toolkit is for all election officials, but particularly those of you who are looking to add more tools to your box. Whether you have no communications capacity or a large budget, you can find something useful to include in your elections communications plan.
Operations Toolkit
Administering voting by mail requires significant planning and resources. This Election Official Operations Toolkit contains a calculator tool that can help election officials consider what staffing, space, and other resources to plan for in serving a large number of mail voters. This user-friendly Excel spreadsheet takes as its inspiration the polling place resource planning tools built by Aaron Strauss, Mark Pelzarsky, Stephen Graves, and Rong Yuan. Like those tools, it allows election officials to input data and simulate multiple scenarios to improve resource allocation. This toolkit was created by Katy Peters, prepared with funding and support from the Democracy Fund, and administered by NVAHI.
ELECTION OFFICIALS TOOLKITS
Communications Toolkit
Clear and focused communication will be essential as election officials accommodate increased mail ballot requests from voters wanting to vote safely at home this November, but less than 5% of election offices have dedicated communications staff. This Election Official Communications Toolkit is for all election officials, but particularly those of you who are looking to add more tools to your box. Whether you have no communications capacity or a large budget, you can find something useful to include in your elections communications plan.
Operations Toolkit
Administering voting by mail requires significant planning and resources. This Election Official Operations Toolkit contains a calculator tool that can help election officials consider what staffing, space, and other resources to plan for in serving a large number of mail voters. This user-friendly Excel spreadsheet takes as its inspiration the polling place resource planning tools built by Aaron Strauss, Mark Pelzarsky, Stephen Graves, and Rong Yuan. Like those tools, it allows election officials to input data and simulate multiple scenarios to improve resource allocation. This toolkit was created by Katy Peters, prepared with funding and support from the Democracy Fund, and administered by NVAHI.
ELECTION OFFICIALS TOOLKITS
Communications Toolkit
Clear and focused communication will be essential as election officials accommodate increased mail ballot requests from voters wanting to vote safely at home this November, but less than 5% of election offices have dedicated communications staff. This Election Official Communications Toolkit is for all election officials, but particularly those of you who are looking to add more tools to your box. Whether you have no communications capacity or a large budget, you can find something useful to include in your elections communications plan.
Operations Toolkit
Administering voting by mail requires significant planning and resources. This Election Official Operations Toolkit contains a calculator tool that can help election officials consider what staffing, space, and other resources to plan for in serving a large number of mail voters. This user-friendly Excel spreadsheet takes as its inspiration the polling place resource planning tools built by Aaron Strauss, Mark Pelzarsky, Stephen Graves, and Rong Yuan. Like those tools, it allows election officials to input data and simulate multiple scenarios to improve resource allocation. This toolkit was created by Katy Peters, prepared with funding and support from the Democracy Fund, and administered by NVAHI.
RESOURCES FOR ELECTIONS OFFICIALS
- Vote at Home Best Practices
- State Process Examples & Promotion
- Tools and Equipment
- Post-Election Audits
Vote at Home Best Practices
From NVAHI
From Partners
Implementation Timeline
A vote by mail project timeline that can be easily adapted to your timeframe.
Read MoreInbound Processes
There are a variety of steps from the time ballots are brought back to the counting facility by ballot collection teams or delivered by USPS, until the ballots are permanently sealed in storage containers for the retention period.
Read MoreSignature Verification and Cure
Some states require a voter’s signature on the envelope to match the signature on the voter registration form, which involves training, review, time, and security considerations.
Read MoreOptimizing Mail Ballot Processes
A presentation on optimizing mailed ballot processes with the USPS – from Democracy Fund, Tammy Patrick
Read MoreOutbound Processes
Information for managing an increase in outbound ballots, including partnerships with your procurement office, designers, envelope and mail ballot print vendors, the US Postal Service (USPS), and mail fulfillment centers.
Read MoreElectronic Ballot Delivery
Many election officials are looking for ways to expand the options they can provide to their voters to cast a ballot privately and independently, including electronic ballot delivery and marking.
Read MoreReport Problems with Mailed Ballots
Electionmail.org: to report any problems with mailed ballots
Read MorePresentation on Mail Ballot Envelope Design
A presentation on mail ballot envelope design best practices from the Center for Civic Design
Read MoreBallot Applications
A process to help voters apply to vote by mail by sending them an application or by building an online request tool should be put into motion as early as possible before an election.
Read MoreBallot Drop Boxes
A ballot drop box provides a secure and convenient means for voters to return their mail ballot.
Read MoreMail Ballot Envelope Design
Mail ballot envelope design best practices from the Center for Civic Design.
Read MoreState Process Examples and Promotion of Vote at Home
Tools & Equipment
STATES HELPED AND JURISDICTIONS SUPPORTED
At the National Vote at Home Institute, success looks like every state in our union offering access and convenience to all voters. Mail ballot access is a pivotal part of enranchising voters, as it has been shown to increase turnout across demographics, regardless of party affiliation, while maintaining security. No state has a perfect election system, and we work with any and all states and local jurisdictions looking to enact and implement voter-centric policies. In 2019 alone, we visited 28 states to support voting at home policy change and election implementation.
According to this latest study, 70% of states offer #VoteAtHome and early voting. RT if you want to ... see it be 100%! 😁https://www.cbsnews.com/news/early-voting-mail-voting-states/
