Topic Descriptions
Absentee Voting - Delivering Ballots
Includes legislation relating to the distribution and delivery mechanisms of absentee/mail ballots.
Absentee Voting - Eligibility and No-Excuse Absentee Voting
Includes legislation regarding the eligibility to vote absentee/by mail, including whether an excuse is required.
Absentee Voting - Ballot Processing, Signature Verification, Ballot Curing
Includes legislation relating to the processing of absentee/mail ballots, including signature verification and ballot curing.
Absentee Voting - Application and Request for
Includes legislation relating to applications to receive an absentee/mail ballot or to vote absentee, including requesting an absentee/mail ballot electronically and if voters can remain on a permanent absentee list.
Absentee Voting - Returning Ballots
Includes legislation relating to the return of absentee/mail ballots, such as the date they must be received by election officials, whether postage is paid and ballot drop boxes.
All Mail Voting
Includes legislation relating to mostly-mail voting, all-mail ballot voting or sending mail ballots to all active voters. Note that this does not include traditional absentee voting or in-person absentee voting. See absentee voting categories above.
Alternative Voting Methods (Ranked Choice, etc.)
Includes legislation relating to alternative voting methods such as ranked-choice voting, instant-runoff voting, runoff elections, approval voting and other non-traditional voting methods.
Ballots - Required Number, Format & Design
Includes legislation on the number of ballots required to be printed and their design and format as well as sample ballots and straight ticket voting.
Ballot Access for Candidates
Includes legislation on candidates’ ballot access including nomination petitions, fees and paperwork requirements.
Candidates - Qualification and Running for Office, Candidate Withdrawal
Includes legislation relating to candidate qualifications for office such as residency, age, criminal history and more. Includes legislation on whether a candidate must resign from a currently held office to run for another office. Includes legislation relating to how a party may (or may not) field a candidate in the event the original candidate withdraws or dies before Election Day. Includes procedures for write in candidates.
Challenges to Voters
Includes legislation regarding challenges to voter eligibility.
Costs of and Funding for Elections
Includes legislation relating to election costs and funding, including what level of government (federal, state or local) pay for what expenses, and prohibitions on some funding sources.
Counting Votes and Canvassing Procedures
Includes legislation regarding counting processes including hand counting or machine counting, ballot duplication processes and determining voter intent.
Cybersecurity
Includes legislation relating to cybersecurity for election-related systems, including IT infrastructure, security and authentication mechanisms.
Dates of Elections and Election Holidays
Includes legislation regarding dates of elections, such as measures to standardize when state and local elections can be held, and holidays or time off for elections. For primary dates see Primary Elections-Dates.
Early Voting/In-Person Absentee
Includes legislation relating to early in-person voting and in-person absentee voting.
Electoral College
Includes legislation regarding presidential electors and the electoral college, including the National Popular Vote Compact.
Election Contests (Court Challenges)
Includes legislation relating to election contests, the act of disputing the conduct or results of an election in court.
Election Crimes
Includes legislation regarding election crimes including voter crimes, election official crimes and crimes against election officials.
Electioneering and Campaigning
Includes legislation relating to electioneering (campaigning at or near polling places) and campaigning in general including the use of artificial intelligence in campaigning. For legislation relating to campaign finance, please see our campaign finance legislation database.
Election Data and Records - Collection/Retention of
Includes legislation relating to election data and records collection and retention.
Election Officials - Local
Includes legislation regarding local election officials, including their duties, compensation and how they are selected.
Election Officials - Statewide
Includes legislation regarding statewide election officials, including their duties, compensation and how they are selected.
Election Reporting, Results and Certification
Includes legislation regarding reporting vote totals and certifying results.
Election Technology-Selection & Standards, Security, Storage and Testing
Includes legislation regarding the selection, testing and standards for voting technology and equipment; includes laws requiring a paper ballot or voter verifiable paper trail, direct recording electronic (DRE) systems and pre-election audits and logic and accuracy tests, electronic poll books, tabulators and other election equipment.
Emergencies/Disasters
Includes legislation relating to emergencies or natural disasters and elections, such as who has authority to call an emergency, and what actions can be taken in the event of a disaster or emergency.
Internet/Electronic Delivery or Return of Ballots
Includes legislation relating to internet (or electronic) voting and electronic ballot delivery or return, whether for overseas voters, voters with disabilities, first responders or other voters.
Miscellaneous
Includes election legislation that does not fit into any other category.
Political Parties
Includes legislation regarding political parties, including party ballot access, nominating processes and fusion voting.
Polling Places and Election Offices - Arrangements, Procedures and Security
Includes legislation regarding procedures, requirements and arrangements of polling places, including what is allowable at a polling location. This may include ballot selfies, guns at polling places and giving out food and water in line.
Polling Places and Vote Centers - Hours and Locations
Includes legislation related to polling place hours of operation and polling place locations including vote centers.
Poll Watchers, Challengers, Election Observers
Includes legislation relating to who can serve as poll watchers, challengers or election observers more generally, and limitations and permissions for their work.
Poll Workers
Includes legislation regarding poll worker selection, qualifications, compensation, training and youth poll worker requirements.
Post-Election Audits
Includes legislation relating to post-election audits.
Precincts
Includes legislation relating to precincts, such as the maximum number of voters in a precinct, and laws relating to drawing precinct boundaries and reporting of precinct boundaries to a state entity.
Primaries - Presidential
Includes legislation relating to dates and processes for presidential primaries.
Primaries - Dates and Runoffs for State Primaries and Misc.
Includes legislation regarding dates of state primary elections, including primary runoffs and other legislation relating to state primaries.
Primaries - Types
Includes legislation relating to primary types such as open or closed primaries.
Provisional Ballots
Includes legislation relating to voting via provisional or affidavit ballots and regulations on how they are verified and counted.
Recall Elections for State Officials
Includes legislation relating to recall elections for state officials. Note: this database does not include the recall of local officials.
Recounts
Includes legislation relating to election recounts, including mandatory/automatic recount thresholds and who can request a recount.
Registration - Application Form/Content and Eligibility ID Required
Includes legislation regarding voter registration applications, and eligibility to register to vote, including whether an ID is required and other requirements or processes to register to vote.
Registration - Automatic
Includes legislation relating to the automatic registration or updating of voter registration records as a result of qualified citizens interacting with government agencies.
Registration - Deadline
Includes legislation regarding voter registration deadlines.
Registration Drives
Includes legislation relating to voter registration drives, including organized efforts by third-parties or election officials to register qualified voters.
Registration - Election Day or Same Day
Includes legislation regarding Election Day or same-day voter registration by which an eligible citizen can register and vote on the same day (typically during the early voting period).
Registration - List Maintenance
Includes legislation relating to voter registration list maintenance procedures, such as checking voter lists against state and federal data sources and procedures for contacting those on the rolls who have not voted in recent elections.
Registration - Online
Includes legislation relating to online voter registration.
Registration - Preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds
Includes legislation regarding the preregistration of individuals under 18 years of age who will be eligible voters when they turn 18.
Registration - Sale/Distribution/Use of Lists
Includes legislation relating to access of voter registration lists including use, sale and distribution of lists.
Special Elections
Includes legislation relating to special elections.
Task Forces/Study Commissions/Interim Committees
Includes legislation regarding election-related task forces, study commissions and interim committees.
Vacancies
Includes legislation regarding how vacancies are filled for state and federal offices.
Voters with Disabilities or Limited English
Includes legislation regarding voter assistance for those who have disabilities or limited English proficient voters.
Voter Education/Information
Includes legislation relating to voter information and education, such as voter pamphlets, website standards, newspaper notices and government mailings to voters.
Voters - Eligibility and Citizenship
Relates to voter qualifications on age, residence and citizenship requirements.
Voters - Incarceration and Restoration of Voting Rights
Includes legislation relating to the restoration of voting rights for former felons and voting from jail.
Voters - Military and Overseas Voters
Includes legislation relating to absentee voting for military and overseas voters, or those that fall under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
Voter Identification
Includes legislation on voter identification requirements to vote.