As more voters mail their ballots, election offices face a growing set of timing issues: the expected number of envelopes, the duration of each processing stage, staffing and equipment requirements, and the projected completion of results. At EDI, we develop a lead-time tool that helps election officials calculate mail-ballot processing time using data, reducing reliance on guesswork.
The tool featured is publicly available, nonpartisan, and built to be utilized in real jurisdictions of any size. This tool reflects our mission and shifts our research to support vote-by-mail: applying rigorous engineering and research to deliver a better voting experience for officials and voters alike, one informed decision at a time.
Vote-by-Mail Lead Time Estimator
In collaboration with the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ), we developed a tool to estimate completion times, help officials plan resource allocation, and identify process improvements. Election officials can build their vote-by-mail process by adding typical processing steps, then entering the number of envelopes, the ballot cards per envelope, and the details for each step.
TOOL DEMO Quick How-To Guide USER GUIDE