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Pro-Democracy Practices
Why We Can Trust Voting Machines

Every year, millions of eligible voters cast ballots through voting machines. Though they are tightly controlled and closely monitored, misinformation continues to spread about their validity. Our team discusses here why we can in fact trust them.

Pro-Democracy Practices
Why Mail Ballots Are Secure: Layered Safeguards

Following recent attacks on mail voting, we outline how mail voting is safe, secure, and trusted for all eligible voters.

Democracy that Delivers
Cutting Red Tape for States to Hire Top Talent: A Landscape Overview

A number of states took different actions to ensure prioritization of hiring people in government job pools while tackling inefficiencies that led to curating quality talent. This report reflects recommendations from Responsive Gov while showcasing states leading the way in robust government hiring practices.

Proof of Citizenship
An Updated Federal System to Verify Voter Citizenship

USCIS announced an overhaul of the SAVE system that may provide election officials with additional streamlined tools to confirm the citizenship of voter registrants. Up until now, no single federal system has been able to verify the eligibility for all U.S. citizens, which has spawned various state and federal proposals for burdensome document-based citizenship requirements.

Cost of ElectionsElection Official ResourcesProof of Citizenship
Key Takeaways from President Trump’s Election Integrity EO

President Donald Trump’s March 25th election integrity executive order creates unfunded mandates for election officials and throws up unnecessary barriers for eligible U.S. citizens to participate in elections – barriers which would disproportionately harm members of the military and their families, as well as married women.

Pro-Democracy PracticesProof of Citizenship
How Arizona’s Proof of Citizenship Law Works

In Arizona, very few voters actually provide physical documents while registering to vote. Instead, election officials use existing state and federal databases to verify citizenship for the vast majority of applicants. This paper discusses how Arizona's proof of citizenship law actually works.

Pro-Democracy PolicyProof of Citizenship
The SAVE Act: How a Proof of Citizenship Requirement Would Impact Elections

Passage of the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) would place undue burdens on election officials and voters alike. Our team provides an analysis on why this bill would be incredibly detrimental here.

Pro-Democracy Policy
Who Has Proof of Citizenship?

A Summary of UMD’s Texas and Georgia Case Studies