VoteCast, by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission with EAC Commissioner Don Palmer

EAC Commissioner Don Palmer welcomes West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner to discuss why he believes the erosion of confidence in elections is the worst form of voter suppression and the steps he has taken to restore trust in elections in his state. Sec. Warner details the difficulty for deployed military voters to cast a ballot and the importance of regularly updating voter registration lists to remove those who have died or moved out of state. He also explains his background with the Rule of Law program in Afghanistan and the decision to significantly increase his investigative staff so allegations of election irregularities or possible fraud can be examined immediately. Finally, Sec. Warner shares why he believes it is imperative for states to remain in control of their elections but how the federal government can play a vital role in helping the states conduct them successfully.

EAC Commissioner Don Palmer welcomes Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford to discuss why Florida's system counts votes and releases results so swiftly on Election Day. With a major military presence in his county, Stafford also explains how he makes sure service members and their spouses get their ballots in a timely fashion - and how that can be difficult when those personnel are in a war zone or deployed on a ship in the middle of an ocean. Finally, Palmer and Stafford discuss the challenge of local officials staying up to date on aging voting machines, which are often very expensive, and what kind of funding local leaders need to conduct elections properly.

Mark Earley, current head of local election officials in Florida, explains the new Automated Independent Audit and Vote Visualization that is currently operational in Florida. The certified audit technology independently recounts all paper ballots with a different tabulation system to immediately confirm the accuracy of the election results. The popular new process provides visualization of every single ballot, race, and discrepancy in the election and has remarkedly increased transparency and trust in elections across Florida.

Michigan State Representative Ann Bollin joins Don to discuss how Michigan localities are working to fund and operate elections that facilitate the rights of voters and establish the best possible process to produce accurate and timely results. Bollin also explains how her 15 years as a township clerk informs her work in the state legislature, especially on election and voting issues.

Don welcomes Doug Lewis, former executive director of The Election Center, to tell the inside story of how advocates for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) navigated past partisanship from both parties to pass major election reforms in the wake of the Election 2000 drama. Don and Doug also discuss what areas of our elections process currently need the most attention and what the greatest danger is to our elections.

Don welcomes former Federal Elections Commission Chairman Lee Goodman to discuss what sort of speech is permitted at or near the polls on Election Day, what is against the law, and the gray areas in between. How may courts review election laws in the future? You've probably seen campaign supporters outside as you approach your polling place. Are poll watchers allowed to advocate for their candidates in the room where the voting occurs? Are voters allowed to engage in political speech? Can they wear shirts or buttons promoting a particular candidate or a general political message? And what freedoms and limitations do members of the press have at polling places? Goodman walks us through years of court cases and policy decisions that spell out what you can say on Election Day and where you can say it.

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission welcomes Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin to discuss how he and his team managed to hold successful elections during a pandemic and then in the aftermath of three devastating hurricanes just a year later. Secretary Ardoin discusses some of the major logistical hurdles his office faced and how people pulled together to protect the right to vote. Palmer and Secretary Ardoin also discuss Louisiana's commitment to new and improved voting systems and how supply chain problems could have a big impact on this year's elections.

Florida's Chief Election Official Laurel Lee joins EAC Commissioner Don Palmer to discuss the state's extensive preparation for the #2022elections and how the past informs the present. Secretary Lee details her coordination with local officials well ahead of the elections; the work she does to make sure the process works properly on Election Day; and the procedures in place to ensure election results are timely and accurate.

Election technology security is a critical component of holding successful elections and building the public's confidence in the process and the results. Accredited EAC and trusted third party laboratories such as MITRE are able to conduct cybersecurity assessments and testing to secure election technology that provide services to America's voters. Enhanced Security standards with election technology are essential to secure and accessible elections. In this edition of Vote Cast, EAC Commissioner Don Palmer speaks with Jerome Lovato, director of the National Election Security Lab for the MITRE Corporation about the cutting-edge developments in protecting your vote.

Regardless of what else is happening in their neighborhood or around the United States, election officials know the vote must go on. But what does that look like in the wake of a major crisis like a terrorist attack or a natural disaster like a hurricane, earthquake, or flood. Election Assistance Commission Chairman Don Palmer welcomes John Fortier of the American Enterprise Institute to discuss how election officials can be prepared for worst case disaster scenarios, overcome significant disruptions, and continue with the electoral process in this edition of "Vote Cast."

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center outline how election officials provide special assistance to voters who are disabled or are living or serving overseas. They also explain how your vote in the presidential race translates to the Electoral College and the options for resolving a disputed outcome or an Electoral College vote that does not produce a winner.

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center walk us through the process of determining election results. They discuss how individual ballots are tabulated, how we get unofficial results, what is required for certifying an election, and what happens if a recount is necessary.

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center spotlight the many safeguards in place to protect your vote from foreign or domestic interference. They reveal how voting machines are tested and verified, how state and local officials work to prevent cyber threats, and what provisions exist to confront voter fraud and voter intimidation.

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center detail the different ways you can register to vote and why you should confirm your voter status prior to each election. They also explain how to update your voter registration if your address changes, and why it is critical for states to keep the most accurate voter rolls possible.

Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center kick off VoteCast by explaining how elections are set up and run, who actually runs them, and how COVID-19 could make the voting experience different this year. They also discuss the options you will have for voting this year and the tools in place to make sure eligible voters get to cast a ballot.

Brought to you by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, VoteCast explains what you need to know about voter registration, how elections are set up and secured, how the votes are counted and certified, and how the Electoral College works. VoteCast is hosted by EAC Commissoner Don Palmer and John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center.