I watched a really interesting zoom lecture today Voting: What Changed in 2020?, which was hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and its Certificate in Election program. Some fun voting gossip: ballot drop boxes are made by the same companies that make boxes to hold drugs and money, so they know how to keep things safe! Also there is very little oxygen in ballot drop boxes and so fires do not do well in them.
Here is the official blurb: “2020 was an unparalleled year for everything, including elections. This webinar will cover key changes in absentee and mail voting last year, as well as in-person voting options like early voting and vote centers. How are states responding this year—staying the course, returning to previous norms or fine-tuning their processes? Join us as we explore these questions with a panel of policymakers and elections experts. The event is co-hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Certificate in Election Administration (CEA) program at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs (https://www.hhh.umn.edu/event/voting-what-changed-2020).
Panelists:
– Ryan Teague Beckwith, Reporter, Bloomberg
– Robert Giles, Director, Division of Elections, New Jersey Department of State
Panelist who was not able to attend:
– Representative Wendy McKamey, R-MT
Moderated by Wendy Underhill, Director, Elections & Redistricting Program, NCSL.