Center for Inclusive Democracy says less than one-third of voters used free BallotTrax tracking tool in 2022; cites lack of awareness and outreach
A study released today by the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the USC Price School of Public Policy found that a significant number of California voters are not using or are not aware of BallotTrax, a free tool adopted by all counties during the 2020 election cycle to help individuals track the status of their vote-by-mail ballot.
Study authors contend use of BallotTrax could boost confidence in the voting process by reducing uncertainties voters might have about whether their mail-in ballot was received and processed.
Just one-third (30.2%) of primary election voters and one-quarter (26.7%) of general election voters in 2022 were signed up to receive vote-by-mail ballot status updates from BallotTrax, and nearly 4 million of the roughly 22 million registered voters in those elections were signed up for updates. The report also found that a large proportion of California’s eligible voters remain unaware of the availability of BallotTrax, with awareness lowest for Asian Americans, Latinos and older voters.
Available in all 58 counties in California, BallotTrax sends updates via email, text or voice message informing registrants when their vote-by-mail ballot has been sent to them, when it has been received by their county elections office and the status of their ballot as it is processed. Voters can sign up for BallotTrax through the California Secretary of State’s website.
“BallotTrax was intended to build confidence in the vote-by-mail process, reassuring voters that their ballot was received and counted,” said Mindy Romero, director at the Center for Inclusive Democracy. “But our research showed that many voters are not aware that the tool exists. More voter outreach and education over the next few months could go a long way in boosting BallotTrax usage during the 2024 general election.”
According to the report, nearly half (46%) of those signed up for BallotTrax cite concern over their ballot being received as the top reason for using the tool. The research also found that BallotTrax users had lower vote-by-mail rejection rates than non-BallotTrax users during the 2022 election cycle, with the vote-by-mail rejection rate at least 50% higher among non-BallotTrax users than among those who signed up for the tracking tool.
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Find Out MoreTo conduct the statewide BallotTrax study, CID relied on 2022 election voter files provided by the California Secretary of State’s office. CID also conducted a statewide representative survey examining the opinions of California eligible voters to gauge their knowledge and views of BallotTrax.
Read the full report here.
Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)
The Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID) is part of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. CID’s mission is to improve the social and economic quality of life in U.S. communities by producing non-partisan research that informs policy and on-the-ground organizing efforts through education and outreach for a more engaged, transparent and representative democracy. CID conducts pioneering research that explores voting behavior, civic engagement, as well as electoral and economic issues at the intersection of social justice and democracy.
USC Sol Price School of Public Policy
For more than 90 years, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy has sought to improve the quality of life for people and communities through path-breaking research and scholarship.
