Title: Counting the Vote During the 2020 Election | Bipartisan Policy Center
Headings: Counting the Vote During the 2020 Election
Counting the Vote During the 2020 Election
Introduction
Summary of Recommendations
Defining the Counting Process: Envelope or no Envelope
Signature Verification and Curing
Signature Curing
Processing Absentee Ballots
Passing Provisional Ballots
Reporting Unofficial Results
Public Health and Counting the Vote
Mail Logistics
Obstacles to Mail Ballot Delivery and Receipt
Best Practices for Mail Voting
Accessibility in Mail Voting
Conclusion
Downloads and Resources
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Content: Request additional points of contact, such as a voter’s email address or cell phone number, during the voter registration and absentee ballot application process. This is especially important for jurisdictions which allow signature curing. This information should be exempt from public disclosure. Allow election officials to begin processing ballots at least seven days before Election Day. Note, however, election administrators should also be restricted from producing results until the polls have closed. Rely on automated processes for unofficial results reporting to reduce the likelihood of human error when entering preliminary results into the jurisdiction’s centralized reporting system. Communicate any changes to results reporting processes—especially those relating to how potential errors will be addressed—to the public as soon as possible before the election takes place. Follow CDC guidelines for how to conduct safe, in-person voting on Election Day, and encourage voters to take advantage of early and vote-by-mail options. Consider new, socially distanced ways to distribute teams that conduct signature verification and canvassing. When necessary, larger jurisdictions with a bigger influx of mail ballots should consider renting facilities such as arenas in which the verification, account, and canvassing process can take place.