US Vote Blog

Recent Content

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There are three types of the primary elections: “open primary,” “closed primary,” and “blanket/ nonpartisan primary.”

First, an “open primary” is a primary where you - as a voter - don’t have to be affiliated with the party for whose candidate you’re voting. In other words, if you registered with one party you can still vote for a candidate from another party in an “open primary.”

Second, in a “closed primary,” you can only vote for a candidate from the party with which you’re affiliated. In other words, if you’re registered as with a particular party, you can only vote for a candidate from that party.

Third, in a “blanket” or “nonpartisan primary”, also called the “jungle primary”, you can vote for candidates from different parties as you receive a single multiparty ballot and are not bound to party affiliation.

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U.S. Vote Foundation is pleased to announce a solution to printing problems in the absentee ballot request process. The foundation is in the early stages of rolling out a new technology allowing voters to apply a photo of their handwritten signature to a ballot request online and directly email it to their election office through our system.

U.S. Vote Foundation remains at the forefront of innovative civic technology development for voters. The new PSE process is already operational for most states for overseas and military voters. We look forward to feedback on this new process as we continue to develop and improve it over the coming months.

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With so many dates and deadlines to remember, it's easy for even the most conscientious voter to lose track. This is where calendar subscriptions prove invaluable. By subscribing to an election calendar, individuals can effortlessly stay informed about upcoming events and deadlines relevant to the election(s) in their state. Good News: U.S. Vote Foundation has sponsored WebCal.Guru to help get these important dates onto your personal calendar.

Good News! The New WebCal.Guru US 2024 Election Calendar is Available.

Get Your US Election Calendar Today!

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Before having kids, I was a proud voter who made sure to get to the polls for every election. No matter how large or small the office up for election, I looked forward to having my voice be heard by casting my vote.

Later, as a mom with two young kids, I maintained my good intentions of voting, but sometimes responsibilities with the kids got in the way, or I would lose track of the process, or I was simply too exhausted to make voting a priority.

To get back to carrying out my civic duty more regularly, I was going to need some help. But, what was that going to be? I went on to learn that the Voter Account is a platform for civic engagement, unique to U.S. Vote Foundation: a personal democracy dashboard that helps you keep voting even with an overly busy life.

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U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote) is honored to play a role in delivering a pivotal report on Ethical Standards for Election Administration to all U.S. election officials on behalf of the Bipartisan Working Group, as well as to make the report available to the public on our website.

In 2022, The American Law Institute facilitated the formation of the Bipartisan Working Group, a diverse group of leaders who set out to create a proposed set of Ethical Standards for Election Administration. The group has now issued its recommendations, offering a clear articulation of the role of ethical standards in guiding the conduct of elections.

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In light of recent news stories about threats to election workers and voter harassment, U.S. Vote Foundation thought it important to highlight the protections that exist under federal law to ensure the ability of American citizens to participate freely and safely in U.S. elections.

The mission of the U.S. Justice Department is to “remain vigilant in detecting, investigating, and pursuing violations of federal civil and criminal laws related to voting.” As it has done in previous elections, the U.S. Justice Department will be putting procedures in place...

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The civic holidays are non-partisan holidays developed to bring together citizens from across the country to celebrate and strengthen our democracy! These holidays include National Voter Registration Day, National Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, and Election Hero Day. You can learn more about each of these special days at CivicHolidays.org.

Thousands of organizations and universities have joined up to celebrate these civic holidays and we want to know what you and your school/organization is doing to participate? But first, take a look at what RU Voting is doing on the Rutgers New Brunswick campus.

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Smiling young African American woman with grey shirt and natural hair alongside YES logo

Ela M. Yazzie-King agreed to an interview with US.VOTE's YES Campaign about the difficulty of voting from a reservation when you don’t have an official street address.

Voter stories like Ela’s are the essence of You’re Eligible Situations - YES.

For the YES Campaign, US.VOTE started out asking “Can I vote if…” questions. But we gained much more than voter eligibility answers. The determined voters we interviewed breathe life and purpose into each scenario. They demonstrate that even amidst life’s complexities, voting can be manageable and meaningful for every eligible citizen.

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US.VOTE logo

US.VOTE launches on Election Day, November 7, 2023 - also considered the first day of the 2024 Election Season.

US.VOTE is born from the legacy of U.S. Vote Foundation and Overseas Vote, with over two decades of proven excellence in voter services. US.VOTE, however, will have a new and special purpose. It will be dedicated to the development of better, broader, more inclusive voter outreach and engagement campaigns.

The idea is to answer the questions that stand between voters and voting, what U.S. Vote Foundation identifies as the "Can I vote if...?" and "How do I vote...?" questions.

With US.VOTE, the foundation aims to speak to many more voters that they would not otherwise engage. US.VOTE is about how to re-imagine and revitalize the voting experience. It will mark a new era in voter communications and assistance.