This year because of the covid pandemic do we have any real baseline to understand what is going on with the electorate going into this election . I think this election will be unlike anything we have seen in the past. Its hard to know if there is a good corollary. At this point we are seeing far more early and absentee voting then we saw in 2016. Its really off the charts. That looks atart early and in person voting and how it has trended over the past couple of years. People can see from watching it that the trend has been for more voting by absentee or mailin ballots then by in person on election day. What is happening in the thinking about conduct of elections that has led to this and celebrating this trend this year . Its been a trend about 20 years in the making. Ever since colorado and Washington State made it easy for their voters to vote by mail we have seen that once voters have that option they like that option. In a pandemic voting by mail is a good and safe option. In addi
Understand what is going on with the electorate going into this election . Matthew this election is unlike any in the past so it is hard to know if theres a good corollary. Already we have seen far more early and absentee voting then then we saw in 2016 so it is really off the charts this time around. Host i have a chart that looks at early and in person voting and how it is trended the last couple of years. As folks can see from watching it, the trend has been for more prior voting, either by absentee or mailin ballot, then in person on election day. What is happening in thinking about the conduct of elections, that has led to this . And then accelerating this trend this year . Matt sure. It has been a trend 20 years in the making. Ever since colorado, Washington State and oregon state made it easy for their voters to go. Vote by mail, we are at sea that once voters have the option, they like the option. Clearly during a pandemic, voting by mail is a good and safe option as well. Alre
Toer that joe biden speaks block religious leaders in souls to the at a polls. Then President Trump campaigns in north carolina. Host we are looking at what has become a scene this year, long lines at polling places. Matt, you study this for the bipartisan policy center. Covidear with the pandemic to we have baselines to understand electorate going into this election . This election is unlike any in the past so it is hard to know if theres a good corollary. Already we have seen far more early and absentee voting then it 2016 so it is really off the charts this time around. That lookse a chart at early and in person voting and how it is trended the last couple of years. As folks can see from watching it, the trend has been for more prior voting, either by absentee or mailin ballot, then in person on election day. What is happening in thinking about the conduct of elections, that has led to this . And then accelerating this trend this year . Matt sure. It has been a trend 20 years in the
Science literature but what im most interested in is, number one, how to help policymakers to make the decisions about Technology Policy and so that involves understanding the details of our Computer Systems and Network Systems work. And probably more importantly im really interested in how to give all our Computing Technology so that its more responsive to Public Policy needs. Ive been able to do that because ive worked with and continue to work with an Extraordinary Group of computer scientists and other researchers at mit and around the world. Host can you give one example of how you influenced policy . Guest the people are probably well aware as an example that theres a big debate about the use of Encryption Technology. We need encryption to protect our email exchanges, our financial transactions, political speech that goes on, we hope privately online when it needs to. Governments for decades have been concerned that the use of strong Encryption Technology would swarm the ability
Were looking at what has become a typical scene, long lines at polling places. Youve studied elections and polling at the bipartisan policy center. Do we have any real baseline to understand what is going on with the electorate going into this election . Matthew this election is unlike any in the past so it is hard to know if theres a good corollary. Already we have seen far more early and absentee voting than we saw in 2016 so it is really off the charts this time around. Host i have a chart that looks at early and in person voting and how it is trended the last couple of years. As folks can see from watching it, the trend has been for more prior voting, either by absentee or mailin ballot, then in person on election day. What is happening in thinking about the conduct of elections, that has led to this . And then accelerating this trend this year . Matt sure. It has been a trend 20 years in the making. Ever since colorado, Washington State and oregon state made it easy for their vote