Testimony of The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law - Before the Presidential Commission on Election Administration - September 4, 2013

Sep 19, 2026

Submission by The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law to the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, arguing for evidence- and research-based best practices to improve election administration and voters’ experience. The testimony explains the democratic and legal mission of the Center, highlights persistent problems such as inaccurate voter registration records and long lines, and recommends reforms spanning modernized voter registration, expanded early voting, improved polling place resource management, and clearer, more usable ballots and voting machines, including public machine-performance data.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time12 min

AccessFree to download

Modernizing Voter Registration

Harnessing Technology for Secure, Up-to-Date Voter Rolls

Scale of Registration Problems and Election-Day Impact

Reform Areas Recommended by the Commission

Expanding Early Voting

Improving Polling Place Resource Management

Improving Ballot and Voting Machine Simplicity and Usability

Publishing Machine Performance Data

Testimony of The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Before the Presidential Commission on Election Administration Philadelphia, PA September 4, 2013 The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is pleased to submit the following testimony to the Presidential Commission on Election Administration regarding best practices in election administration. The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on issues of democracy and justice. Among other things, we work to ensure fair and accurate voting procedures and systems, and that every eligible American can participate in elections. The Commission’s charge to “promote the efficient administration of elections and ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots without undue delay”,“improve the experience of voters”, and remove “obstacles in casting their ballots” mirrors our mission. The Brennan Center works on a range of issues pertaining to voting rights and elections, including work to improve registration and the design of election materials, remove unnecessary barriers to participation, and make voting machines more secure and accessible. On these topics we have published numerous studies and reports (which form the backbone of our work); assisted federal and state administrative and legislative bodies with responsibility over elections; and, when necessary, litigated to compel states and localities to comply with their obligations under federal and state law.1 The work of this Commission comes at a critical time for our democracy. Now more than ever, the nation needs a credible, data-driven, bipartisan organization to help us improve the business of running elections. The well-publicized long lines we saw on Election Day in 2012 are rightly a major concern of the Commission. Unfortunately, long lines at polling places are nothing new. But regardless of whether the problems are old or new, American voters deserve better. In this testimony we recommend best practices we believe should be adopted by every jurisdiction to improve election administration and the voting experience. We recognize the characteristics and needs of individual states differ and set forth recommendations that each state can tailor to suit its needs. Specifically, we offer practical, evidence-and research-based best 1This testimony is submitted on behalf of a Center affiliated with New York University School of Law, but does not purport to represent the school’s institutional views on this or any topic. practices for the following four areas of reform—each of which will improve elections consistent with the Commission’s goals: 1) Modernizing voter registration; 2) Expanding early voting; 3) Improving management of polling place resources; and 4) Improving the simplicity and usability of ballots and voting machines, and publishing data on machine performance. I. Modernizing Voter Registration Harnessing technology to improve voter registration falls squarely within the Commission’s charge to make recommendations for the “the efficient management of voter rollsand pollbooks.”2 We urge the Commission to recommend that states use electronic systems to modernize, simplify, and enhance the security of voter registration and voter rolls. By managing voter rolls with updated technologies and tools, states will also better “ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots without undue delay” as well as eliminate many of the obstacles voters face when attempting to cast ballots.3 The need for reform is great. Voter registration is the single biggest election administration problem in the United States. A 2012 Pew study found that 24 million registrations nationwide are invalid or have serious errors, such as an incorrect address.4 A system in which 1 in 8 records has serious errors raises the prospect of fraud and manipulation. Further, more than 50 million Americans, or 1 in 4 eligibl

FAQs

What is the purpose of this testimony to the Presidential Commission?

It presents the Brennan Center’s recommended best practices to improve election administration and the voting experience, aligned with the Commission’s goals.

Why does the testimony emphasize modernizing voter registration?

It argues that paper-based registration systems create major errors and that insecure or outdated processes produce obstacles for voters, including registration problems on Election Day.

What reform areas does the testimony recommend beyond registration?

It recommends expanding early voting, improving management of polling place resources, and improving ballot and voting machine simplicity and usability while publishing data on machine performance.

Sep 19, 2026

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