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The 2020 Elections: Selected Resources for

Members and Constituents



October 14, 2020
The onset of the COVID- 19 pandemic and reports of potential election interference might raise questions
for Members and constituents about the 2020 elections. Potential disinformation campaigns and changes
to election procedures in response to COVID- 19 might make it more difficult for voters to determine how
to register and vote. Voters might also be concerned about possible effects of COVID- 19 or interference
efforts on their safety or on the security of election workers or the electoral process itself.
This Insight shares selected resources Members and constituents might find helpful for navigating such
questions. It links to information about (1) how to register and vote in 2020, and (2) how federal agencies
are responding to potential election interference efforts and election effects of COVID-19. This product
focuses on resources available from government officials and some of the organizations that support
them, such as the NationalAssociation of Secretaries of State (NASS) and National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL). Additional information may be available from media outlets or nonprofit groups.


Registering and Voting in 2020

States, territories, and localities have primary responsibility for administering elections in the United
States, and their election officials are generally the most authoritative sources of information about when,
where, and how to register and vote. NASS, which represents the officials who serve as the chief election
official in most states and territories, and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which was
established after the 2000 elections to help improve the administration of federal elections, each maintain
a website that links to official state, territorial, and local election information. NASS's site and the EAC's
site both provide access to contact information for election officials and state-specific tools for
performing common voter activities, such as registering to vote, confirming voter registration status,
locating a polling place, and checking requirements for voting early or by mail. The U.S. Department of
Defense's Fcderai Voting Assistance Program, which is charged with carrying out certain responsibilities
under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Abscntce Voting Act of 1986, maintains a \,bting Assistance
Guide that is directed primarily at overseas civilians and military personnel.
States have generally responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by adjusting some of their election
procedures or timeframes, with many temporarily changing their early or mail voting policies. NCSL,

                                                                 Congressional Research Service
                                                                 https://crsreports.congress.gov
                                                                                      IN11518

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