Document Type
Article
Publication
Election Law Journal
Year
2010
Citation Information
Douglas M. Spencer & Zachary S. Markovits, Long Lines at Polling Stations? Observations from an Election Day Field Study, 9 Election L.J. 3 (2010), https://doi.org/10.1089/elj.2009.0046, available at https://scholar.law.colorado.edu/articles/1384.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1089/elj.2009.0046
Abstract
This pilot study represents the first systematic attempt to determine how common lines are on Election Day, at what times of day lines are most likely to form, what are the bottlenecks in the voting process, and how long it takes an average citizen to cast his or her ballot. This study highlights the importance of evaluating polling station operations as a three-step process: arrival, check-in, and casting a ballot. We collected data during the 2008 presidential primary election in California, measuring the efficiency of the operational components of 30 polling stations across three counties. We found statistically significant, and meaningful, variation in the service rates of poll workers and voting technology. Our findings should better help election officials make critical decisions about the allocation of critical resources.
Copyright Statement
Copyright protected. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required.
Included in
Election Law Commons, Law and Psychology Commons, State and Local Government Law Commons
Comments
This is the Accepted Version of the article. Final publication is available from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/elj.2009.0046.