Local leaders’ views on elections in Michigan: accuracy, problems, and reform options

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The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy  >>  University of Michigan

Local leaders’ views on elections in Michigan: accuracy, problems, and reform options

Key Findings •

Officials in 91% of Michigan’s townships and cities—the types of local governments that administer elections—are very confident in the ability of their jurisdictions to administer elections accurately, while 8% are somewhat confident, and 1% are not very confident.

When it comes to problems with election administration, the most common problems identified are the ability to recruit poll workers with the needed skills (29%) and recruiting enough poll workers at all, regardless of skill level (27%). In addition, 25% say the costs of administering elections are a problem for their jurisdiction’s budget.

By Debra Horner and Thomas Ivacko

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders on issues related to election administration in their jurisdictions, including problems encountered, worker recruitment and training, updating voting equipment, and potential reforms. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2017 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS). >> The Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) is a census survey of all 1,856 general purpose local governments in Michigan conducted by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the University of Michigan in partnership with the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, and Michigan Association of Counties. The MPPS takes place twice each year and investigates local officials’ opinions and perspectives on a variety of important public policy issues. Respondents for the Spring 2017 wave of the MPPS include county administrators, board chairs, and clerks; city mayors, managers, and clerks; village presidents, managers, and clerks; and township supervisors, managers, and clerks from 1,372 jurisdictions across the state. For more information, please contact: closup-mpps@umich.edu/ (734) 647-4091. You can also follow us on Twitter @closup

Michigan Public Policy Survey November 2017

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The state’s largest cities and townships (those with more than 30,000 residents) are more likely than small jurisdictions to report experiencing a range of election-related problems, including 48% that struggle to recruit enough poll workers with the needed skills, 24% that experience equipment failures, 18% that suffer long wait times for voters at the polls, 17% that report errors by poll workers, and 15% that experience disturbances at polling places.

Local officials generally give high marks to their county government’s training of local poll workers and the State of Michigan’s initial and ongoing training of the township and city clerks who oversee elections.

Two-thirds (67%) of local officials overall support the State’s initiative to update voting equipment by August 2018, while 57% agree it will be worth the costs involved and 58% think the State’s plan for cost-sharing is appropriate. However, less than half (48%) agree the new equipment will help significantly improve their jurisdiction’s election administration. »»

When it comes to possible types of reform to election administration in Michigan, local officials are more likely to support than oppose: »» »» »» »» »» »»

Township and city clerks are significantly more likely than other types of local officials to agree with all of these assessments.

absentee voting with no excuse required (66% support vs. 19% oppose) synchronizing voter lists with other states (50% vs. 10%) stricter regulation of voter registration drives (49% vs. 10%) stricter voter ID requirements (46% vs. 17%) pre-registration of 16-year-olds (39% vs. 27%) requiring employers to provide people time off to vote (30% vs. 29%)

At the same time, they are more likely to oppose than support: »» »» »»

same-day voter registration on Election Day (66% oppose vs. 17% support) having County government take over local election administration from cities and townships (57% vs. 23%) on-site early voting prior to Election Day (50% vs. 32%)

www.closup.umich.edu


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