Allard Quoted on How Voters of Color Have Their Ballots Rejected More Often in Washington State
Posted: 11/9/2023 (CSDE in the News and CSDE Research)
NPR quoted CSDE Affiliate Scott Allard (Evans School of Public Policy & Governance) on a study he authored, which found that that Washington ballots by Asian and Hispanic voters had were rejected at higher rates, compared to White Voters. Allard discussed how ballots are often rejected based on signatures – “We know that people with complex surnames, multiple middle or multiple last names may often shorten those names in everyday signatures … And if they do that, it may be that the signature that they put on their ballot is what they use every day, but it may not be what’s on their driver’s license.” This detail about signatures is not well-known amongst voters. Allard commented “I had no idea that’s what was being matched,” Allard said. “Most voters we spoke to didn’t realize that as well. And we even – we’ve talked to state legislators and other elected officials, and many of them weren’t actually aware that this was how it was matched either.” Read the full story here.