Advancing Transparency, Building Trust

Georgia Last-Minute Voters Guide
Georgia voters: Have lingering questions about absentee or in-person voting? Need to know what to bring with you to the polls or what to do if you’re told you can’t vote? You’ll find answers to these questions and more in this guide.

Election Administration Datasets (PDF)
Good data on many aspects of election administration processes in the United States is available from a number of reputable sources. The Carter Center has curated a list of useful resources for anyone interested in exploring election data – including state- and county-level voter turnout on Election Day, mail-voting totals and rejection rates, and polling places across the United States.

Six Principles to Guide Us through the 2020 Election (PDF)
The 2020 election is being held in unusually challenging circumstances, and many Americans are feeling high levels of uncertainty about the process. Drawing on our long experience observing elections around the world, we’ve developed six key principles to help guide and provide reassurance to citizens, elected officials, and the media.

Tips for Transparency: How Local Election Officials Can Strengthen Voter Trust in Elections (PDF)
There's still time for local election officials to take meaningful steps to promote transparency in the mail-in balloting process. The Carter Center and the National Vote at Home Institute have prepared a short guide on transparency best practices to support election officials across the country as they work to prepare successful, high-confidence elections despite the challenges of 2020.

Who Can Observe U.S. Elections? (PDF)
Policies on election observers and poll watchers vary across the country. Together with the National Conference of State Legislatures, The Carter Center has prepared a report summarizing laws relevant to election observers and political party poll watchers for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It addresses the role of observers and poll-watchers at each phase of the election, including before the election, during in-person voting and absentee ballot processing and counting, and post-election; special COVID-19-related accommodations or restrictions on observers and poll watchers; and regulations that ensure the orderly conduct of the election.

Ask the Expert: Lia Merivaki on Election Observation in the U.S. (PDF)
One of our experts takes a look at the various kinds of observers you may see at the polls on the Election Day. Learn more about their different goals, what parts of the process they can observe, and what rules and regulations are in place to help ensure that they can scrutinize our election processes but not subject voters or election workers to intimidation.

Hand Delivery of Absentee Ballots
States have different deadlines for the return of absentee ballots, and in most you can hand-deliver your ballot if you are worried about returning it by mail. To find out if, how, and when you can hand-deliver ballots, check out this helpful state-by-state guide put together by our partner, Election Reformers Network. Don’t miss your deadline!

Upcoming Events
Join a virtual event to learn more about the election process and some of the most pressing issues surrounding the 2020 U.S. election. View events »