The three-day Ruby for Good hack-a-thon is “dedicated to making the world gooder”. This year the Ruby for Good beneficiaries includes US Vote. The Ruby for Good event brings skilled Ruby programmers from all over the world together and forms teams that take on software projects that will help communities.
US Vote is pleased to announce Ms. Marcia Blanco-Johnson, Ms. Dana Chisnell and Ms. Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro as new members of our Advisory Board. These three seasoned voting and elections professionals will contribute strongly to US Vote’s mission and direction as we aim to further solidify our brand, conquer new ground, and make voting important and accessible to all US citizens. All are experts in their respective areas and have played important roles in areas of voting and public advocacy.
Here is a bit about our new members:
The Paper Chase Is Over: Our Plan for Online Voter Registration
The Knight Foundation News Challenge has long fostered innovation in the fields of media and journalism by supporting breakthrough ideas that better inform communities. This year, in partnership with Democracy Fund, Hewlett Foundation, and the Rita Allen Foundation, the News Challenge has taken a new turn with an open call for ideas to better inform the electorate and amplify the role of civic life before, during, and after elections.
The Future of Voting interactive presentation and workshop will be a 4-city roadshow that takes place starting 28 May - 3 June, 2015. Each event will be a 3-hour session designed to engage local and state election officials and legislators in a discussion about End-to-End verifiable internet voting.
Over a quarter of a million American citizens who lived overseas or were members of the American military attempted to vote in the 2012 General Election but were unable to be counted. The reasons for their failure are many, but antiquated absent voting procedures and arbitrary rules and deadlines are largely to blame. Increased use of modern technology, including the internet, will help.
Just 36.6% of eligible citizens voted in the 2014 midterm elections, the lowest in a midterm since World War II, but turnout varied across states by as much as 30 percentage points. A new report by Nonprofit VOTE, America Goes to the Polls 2014, ranks voter turnout in all 50 states and looks at major factors underlying voter participation. It also details successful strategies employed by high voter turnout states.
Congress has repealed the federal mandate for an Internet voting demonstration project.
Since 2002’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), there has been a provision pending completion that called for an Internet voting “demonstration project” to be conducted by the Department of Defense. In 2004, a system was proffered that the Defense Department commissioned, known as the SERVE project. Ultimately, the Defense Department decided against moving forward with SERVE.
Happy Election Day! When you cast your vote today, be mindful of this treasured American right that you are exercising. Still, in twenty-first century America, there are millions of citizens who are denied the right to vote, either via complicit or implicit ways. Students, the elderly, the disabled, and minorities comprise just some of the groups who have had their voting rights systematically taken away in recent years.
Recently, U.S. Vote Foundation President and CEO Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat spoke with NPR's "All Things Considered" about the upcoming midterm elections. Susan also took the time on this Election Day Eve to share with us her thoughts on the midterms, civics education, the importance of the American expat community, and more.
This midterm election is featuring close races for governor, for House seats, and, in particular, for Senate seats. The Senate seats, with their six-year terms, are highly valuable legislative positions. Six to eight of these – Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana – are tied or within the statistical margin of error. It seems as if predications are swinging from one side to the other almost daily.
Rock The Vote recently launched a campaign aimed at inspiring young Americans to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Called #TurnOutForWhat, the campaign is enlisting musicians and celebrities to show that voting is vital even when the White House is not at stake.
Voter Account
