The most populous county in New Mexico also boasts the most innovative, modern and professional polling jurisdictions in the nation. According to a new report from the UNM Center for the Study of Voting, Elections and Democracy (C-SVED), Bernalillo County is at the forefront of election administration nationally. The 2016 Bernalillo County Election Administration Report also notes the efficiency, cost-effective and high-integrity of the county’s federal elections. “This report represents voters, poll workers and election observers’ overall evaluation of the effectiveness and quality of election administration,” said Lonna Atkeson, author of the report and director of the C-SVED. “It provides valuable insights on what local election officials are doing right and wrong and where they need to focus to make improvements.”
The research looks at the November 2016 General Election, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the experiences of voters and poll workers. The C-SVED began looking at the Bernalillo County election systems in 2006, releasing six reports over the last 11 years. The lasted installment marks Bernalillo County as the only in the nation to have undergone such sustained and independent assessment during the course of multiple elections.
“The key to improving elections is to use a data driven approach that systematically examines a variety of measures to determine election performance, deficiencies and strengths,” the report notes.
Full Article: NM county leads national push for efficient elections: UNM Newsroom.