Overview

Some of the nation's leading experts look at various aspects of election administration, including issues of ballot format, changes in registration procedures, the growth in the availability of absentee ballot rules and other forms of 'convenience voting', and changes in the technology used to record our votes. They also look at how the Bush v. Gore decision has been used by courts that monitor the election process and at the consequences of changes in practice for levels of invalid ballots, magnitude of racial disparities in voting, voter turnout, and access to the ballot by those living outside the United States. The editors, in their introduction, also consider the normative question of exactly what we want a voting system to do. An epilogue by two leading election law specialists looks at how election administration and election contest issues played out in the 2012 presidential election.

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9781107048638

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Reviews

This volume is a nice compilation of our current understanding of election reform and administration. It will serve as a reference for scholars interested in election reform broadly, but it goes beyond description and synthesis to contribute new knowledge. The editors are extremely well qualified for the task and in no case could I name a scholar more qualified or more likely to produce quality work than the group assembled here. J. Quin Monson, Brigham Young University

'Bush v. Gore was a momentous case not only for its direct political consequences, but also because it helped to expose the many flaws in America's antiquated and idiosyncratic electoral system. This book describes and analyzes the progress and frustrations associated with efforts to fix the US election system since the 2000 election drawing upon legal, administrative, political, and democratic theory experts. It is not only a significant work of scholarship from major election law figures. Just as importantly, it offers useful lessons about political reform for those who seek to change the US system in the future.' Bruce E. Cain, Stanford University 'This timely, informative, and insightful collection of essays is an indispensable resource now and will remain a treasure for years to come. The contributors are blue-ribbon experts, and here we have assembled their latest, most probing thoughts. If you want to know the current condition of America's electoral system, and what reforms remain necessary even a decade and a half after the 2000 presidential election, this is the book to turn to.' Ned Foley, Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University 'The 2000 presidential election vividly illustrated shortcomings in our election process, and subsequent developments such as early voting and frequent judicial challenges put additional pressure on the system. Alvarez and Grofman have assembled the leading scholars to critically examine reforms of the last decade and identify the work that remains to be done to ensure the integrity of elections. The conclusions they draw set the agenda for future policy.' Elizabeth Garrett, University of Southern California 'Bush v. Gore was an inflection point for the field of election administration, in terms of both how we run elections and how we view them. Alvarez and Grofman, two stars in the field, have brought together some of the best people in the field to reflect on the trends, tragedies, and triumphs that have followed in its wake. This excellent book will be of interest to experts in the field and those looking for a primer on election administration.' Heather Gerken, Yale Law School 'This volume is a nice compilation of our current understanding of election reform and administration. It will serve as a reference for scholars interested in election reform broadly, but it goes beyond description and synthesis to contribute new knowledge. The editors are extremely well qualified for the task and in no case could I name a scholar more qualified or more likely to produce quality work than the group assembled here.' J. Quin Monson, Brigham Young University

Author Information

R. Michael Alvarez is Professor of Political Science at the California Institute of Technology. He earned his BA from Carleton College and his PhD from Duke University. He is the author of numerous books, including Evaluating Elections: A Handbook of Methods and Standards (Cambridge University Press, 2012). Bernard Grofman is Peltason Chair in Democracy Studies and Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine, and the immediate past director of the university's Center for the Study of Democracy. He is the author or coauthor of five books and the editor or co-editor of twenty books. He has written more than 200 research articles and research notes. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Copenhagen.

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