Washington is a nationally recognized leader in elections, but it received an average ranking in the 2018 Elections Performance Index (EPI), an assessment that looks at election administration nationwide.
The ranking prompted a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who oversees the EPI to concede that the methodology will be updated to reflect evolving election practices. The EPI today released its report examining the 2016 election.
“Washington is a leader in elections administration. They have worked hard to get a ballot into the hands of every registered voter, and to ensure that returning ballots is easy and secure,” said Charles Stewart III, MIT political science professor. “As we look to evolving the EPI in the future, to take into account the new models of voting and developments in election administration, we will work with Washington and the other mail-ballot states to better reflect these new models.”
“I think it’s fair to say that the EPI was designed with a more traditional ballot-delivery model in mind, and as a consequence it may not adequately reflect the types of innovations being pursued in Washington,” Stewart added.
“I’m proud that Washington has consistently been innovative in developing ways to improve the voters’ experience and election security,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections officer. “For example, the index noted our state leads the country in serving voters living with disabilities and having short wait times for voting, while consistently ranking above average in voter participation.”
The EPI also ranks Washington state in the top ten percent for the lowest percentage of Military and Overseas ballots rejected, something Stewart says is commendable.
Washington’s overall EPI score is 20 – unchanged from 2014 – due largely to its status as a vote-by-mail state. Two other mail-ballot states, Colorado and Oregon, are ranked 24th and 32nd respectively.
“The EPI was built to examine the traditional model of voting that includes polling places, early voting, and mail ballot requests,” said Denver City and County Elections Director Amber McReynolds, the incoming executive director for the National Vote at Home Institute. “Thus, in states like Washington, Oregon, and Colorado, all of which proactively deliver a ballot to each voter prior to an election, the EPI reflects a negative rating for unreturned mail ballots, which essentially holds these states accountable for turnout twice.”
Washington’s all vote by mail election system has the benefit of creating a paper audit trail for recounts and election challenges. The state also conducts pre-tests, post-election audits, mandatory recounts, and a multitude of other powerful measures to help ensure the security of the elections system. The EPI does not currently factor those indicators into calculating a state’s score.
“We’ll be working with MIT to create new indicators for elections security, an area in which Washington is leading other states, and innovative partnerships, such as the one between Washington State Elections and the Washington National Guard,” said Washington Elections Director Lori Augino, “and I look forward to helping them incorporate new developments in election administration into future reports.
– Washington Secretary of State
