Report How Greater Vote-by-Mail Influences California Voter Turnout By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Sep 9, 2020 With COVID-19 threatening the November election, many states are working to increase voting by mail. In California, 15 counties have already expanded alternatives to in-person voting, and while overall voter turnout was higher, groups such as foreign-language and young voters sometimes saw declines. Outreach by trusted messengers may help in targeting low-turnout groups.
blog post Will Mail-in Ballots Benefit One Party? By Eric McGhee Apr 20, 2020 California may have to significantly expand vote by mail for this November’s election; there’s no evidence that either major party would gain an advantage.
Report Vote-by-Mail and Voter Turnout in the Pandemic Election By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Apr 12, 2021 Many states changed their policies to increase voting by mail and reduce the risk from COVID-19 during the 2020 election. In California, officials took extra steps to facilitate vote-by-mail and accommodate in-person voting. This report analyzes how these policy shifts affected voter turnout in California and the nation.
blog post Video: How Greater Vote-by-Mail Influences California Voter Turnout By Stephanie Barton Sep 16, 2020 Researchers Eric McGhee and Mindy Romero discuss their analysis of what expanded mail voting could mean for voter turnout this November and beyond.
blog post Video: Vote-by-Mail and Voter Turnout in the Pandemic Election By Stephanie Barton Apr 21, 2021 PPIC’s Eric McGhee discusses new research on how changes to election policies and processes affected voter turnout in California and the nation.
blog post Improving the Vote-by-Mail System By Eric McGhee Sep 9, 2014 For the first time in eight years, there is no incumbent running for California secretary of state. This offers a great opportunity to step back and consider where California’s elections are, and where they ought to go next.
blog post COVID-19 Will Make California Elections Challenging but Doable By Eric McGhee Apr 8, 2020 California is better positioned than most states to offer vote-from-home options that promote participation while keeping people safe.
Report Equity in Voter Turnout after Pandemic Election Policy Changes By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero Mar 1, 2022 To maintain voting access during the pandemic, California shifted to universal vote-by-mail for the 2020 general election, while some counties consolidated their polling places. In this new report, we examine the sometimes-contradictory impact of these reforms on turnout, especially among young voters and voters of color.
blog post Special Elections Preview Fall Voting during COVID-19 By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch May 21, 2020 Two recent special elections in California provide insights into how the state might use vote-by-mail in combination with in-person options to ensure the November 2020 election is both safe and fair.
