Study Shows Ballot Design and Voter Preparation Could Have Eliminated Sarasota Florida Voting Errors

Abstract

Election results showed extremely inconsistent voting rates for two high profile races in the Florida counties of Sarasota, Charlotte, and Sumter on November 7, 2006. The expected missing selections for these races were around 1.5 percent. The second race on the ballot in Sarasota -- Congressional Race 13 for the House of Representatives CR13 -- was missing 13.7 percent of voter selections. The fourth race in Charlotte and Sumter -- Attorney General -- was missing 21 percent of selections. These races were both between only two candidates and appeared on the ballot page next to a large race that had seven candidates.