Elections: 2005 Survey of State Election Officials
(GAO-06-451SP)

• Background Information
• Instructions for Viewing This Survey
• Interpreting the Data and Accessing the Survey Results

This document presents the results of GAO’s 2005 Survey of State Election Officials. The purpose of the survey was to collect nationwide information on a range of election topics that included statewide voter registration lists and general voter registration issues, absentee and early voting, Election Day preparation and activities, voting methods and equipment, vote counting, and implementation of provisions in the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Specifically, for each of these areas the survey collected information about changes in election administration since November 2000; challenges faced by election officials during the November 2004 general election; and, with respect to voting methods and equipment, additional changes in looking ahead to the November 2006 general election. The Web-based survey was made available to state election officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. We received 100 percent participation by states and the District of Columbia.

A more detailed discussion of our scope and methodology and a discussion of the summary of selected survey results are contained in our report entitled Elections: The Nation's Evolving Election System as Reflected in the November 2004 General Election GAO-06-450. In addition to this survey of state election officials, we also conducted a nationwide survey of a probability sample of local election jurisdictions. The results of our survey of local election jurisdictions can be accessed by clicking on the following link: GAO-06-452SP. We conducted our Web-based survey of state election officials from August 2005 to November 2005. We conducted our work between March 2005 and February 2006 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.