US Vote Blog

Unfounded concerns about the integrity of the 2020 election have spiraled into a crisis of confidence in our nation’s core election infrastructure. Over the past two years, this has taken the form of personal threats to election officials’ physical safety, a proliferation of unofficial audits, a concentration of state legislatures’ authority to usurp election results, and, most recently, an attempt to move to entirely hand counted elections.

Every election cycle offers more reminders of the problems with our “first-past-the-post” voting method.

In this spring’s primaries, we’ve seen numerous candidates nominated with a third of the vote or less – meaning two-thirds of primary voters chose someone else. We’ve seen candidates strategically drop out of races, fearing that they’d split votes with ideologically similar competitors and inadvertently help less preferable candidates if they stay in the contest...

Absentee voting provides ease and convenience for domestic and overseas voters alike.

Indeed, many registered voters, particularly since the pandemic, have opted for this method. A mail-in or absentee ballot allows you to vote at your leisure: You can fill out a mail ballot from the comfort of your home, and avoid lines during the early voting period or on Election Day.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a voting method that permits citizens to rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference.

The voter’s preferred candidate is marked as her first choice, and then the voter can mark the remaining candidates as being her second choice, third choice, etc., all the way down the entire list of candidates. A voter can also just list her first choice, or she can rank as many choices as there are candidates on a ranked choice ballot – it’s up to the individual voter.

Restoration of voting rights before the midterm primary and general elections

We’re in the thick of primary election season! That’s when you get the chance to choose the candidate you’d like to see on the 2022 midterm election ballot this November. Voting requires forethought and planning, and if...

Each state has different rules regarding domestic absentee voting.  Some states impose additional requirements, like witness and/or notary signatures. We've got answers for you here.

Absentee voting, either by mail or by placing a ballot in a drop box, is more popular than ever. In 2020, 65 million...

Ballot Drop Boxes are Safe and Easy to Use. Here’s How to Find Out If Voting by Drop Box is Available in Your State.

The widespread ability to vote absentee using a ballot drop box is one of the innovative voting options that Americans were presented with in 2020. As a response to the need to...

How to return your absentee ballot without putting it into the mail?

U.S. Vote Foundation has answers for you on our Ballot Return Options chart. Newly updated for the 2022 Midterm Election Year.

• American voters enjoy options. This goes for how to vote - it could be voting in-person or early...

Voting terminology and rules can be confusing, so we’ve broken them down for you with our 411 on election information – everything from registration to the ballot box.



It’s voting season! And for both the primary elections now rolling out and the midterm general election in November, you’ve likely...