Access Committee: When “Disabled” Means “Disenfranchised”- Accessibility and American Elections
Friday, December 18, 2020
This presentation in the form of a discussion panel delves into the ways in which voting can become more accommodating and accessible to those with cognitive, physical, or sensory impairments. The discussion provides insight into what areas of balloting could be improved upon to make the process more accessible, from improvements to polling locations to alternative voting methods.
Presented for Boston Society of Architecture, Access Committee: When “Disabled” Means “Disenfranchised”- Accessibility and American Elections
Enhancing Democracy: The Power of Design in Voting Spaces
Thursday, October 29, 2020
This presentation provides an overview of our work at URI VOTES and the modifications made to polling place layouts in order to keep voters and poll workers safe amid the pandemic. Adjusted space requirements, social distanced equipment, and sanitation efforts are among the modifications. The resulting changes in layouts for various voting facilities (i.e., gymnasium, library) and different voting systems are considered and demonstrated. The presentation also includes an overview of the Rhode Island 2020 Presidential Preference Primary case study which utilized the updated COVID-19 layout and setup techniques.
Presented for the American Institute of Architects, New York Enhancing Democracy: The Power of Design in Voting Spaces
Planning Participation in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Polling Location Resource Allocation and Layout
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
This presentation provides an overview of potential changes to polling location layouts due to COVID-19. Due to the need for social distancing and sanitation, as well as changed voting patterns, changes to the allocation of resources are necessary to ensure successful and safe voting experiences. Updated polling location layouts are shown to further highlight the modifications made to the systems due to the pandemic.
Presented for the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies.
Read the article to learn more: Planning Participation in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Polling Location Resource Allocation and Layout
Designing for Distance
Monday, August 31, 2020
This presentation provides an overview of potential changes to polling location layouts due to COVID-19. The overall changes in area requirements due to social distancing regulations are explored for different voting equipment. The resulting changes in layouts for various voting facilities (i.e., school gymnasium, city hall, auditorium, library, fire hall) and different voting systems are considered and demonstrated. Results from the Rhode Island 2020 Presidential Preference Primary case study are presented demonstrating an updated COVID-19 layout and setup techniques, as well as the results of simulations to examine poll worker exposure rates, impacts on vote time, and resource allocation.
Presented for the Bipartisan Policy Center Socially Distanced Voting: How We Can Vote at the Polls This November Webinar.
Watch and listen to the webinar:
Designing Polling Locations for COVID-19
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
This presentation provides an overview of potential challenges that COVID-19 presents for election planning. These challenges include adjustments in required space for polling facilities and the impact of additional Election Day process changes and regulations (i.e., social distancing and equipment sanitization) on vote times. Results from a Rhode Island case study are presented demonstrating the use of simulations to examine poll worker exposure rates, impacts on vote time, and resource allocation.
Presented for the Center for Tech and Civic Life COVID-19 Webinar for Election Officials.
Watch and listen to the presentation to learn more about implementing public health guidelines at polling locations.
An Overview of URI VOTES
Friday, June 5, 2020
This presentation provides a brief description of the tools created by URI VOTES including voting location diagrams, voting timers, BOOTH, and resource allocation simulation models to help prepare for elections. Additionally, the theorized impact of public health guidelines, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on elections are discussed.
Presented for the Democracy Fund’s National Conference of State Election Associations.
2018 Rhode Island Midterm Election Analysis
Friday, May 31, 2019
This is a presentation of data collection and analysis methods used to investigate the 2018 Rhode Island Midterm Election. Various URI VOTES developed tools (at their early development) are demonstrated and descriptive statistics and analytical results for voting processing data are presented in tables and visualized in figures.
Presented for the Rhode Island Secretary of State, the Rhode Island Board of Elections, and URI’s President Dooley.