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Cost Benefit Analysis of Implementing an Online Voter Registration System in Wisconsin. Prepared for the Government Accountability Board by:. Iseul Choi Joe Dvorak Steven Kulig Katie Lorenze Amanda Wilmarth. Introduction.
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Cost Benefit Analysis of Implementing an Online Voter Registration System in Wisconsin Prepared for the Government Accountability Board by: Iseul Choi Joe Dvorak Steven Kulig Katie Lorenze Amanda Wilmarth
Introduction • Since 2002, 13 states have implemented an online voter registration system (OVRS) • Currently under debate in Wisconsin • Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 (ASA 1) to Assembly Bill 225 (AB 225) • Current policy • In person at clerk’s office • Registration by mail • My Vote Wisconsin (partial OVRS) • Election Day registration
Costs • Costs for the GAB and DOT total $1.42 million: • Implementation and maintenance • Personnel costs • Upgrading and purchasing hardware/software • Training existing clerks and poll workers • Public advertising & outreach campaign • Unable to empirically link usage to advertising • Developed four different models • Advertising costs based on implementing photo ID • No advertising costs with no usage delay • One year usage delay • Two year usage delay
Benefits • Driven by usage • Time cost reductions • Lower material costs • Labor reductions • Local governments realize 70 percent of all cost savings
Net Benefits • Advertising based on photo ID budget: • $372,000 • No advertising budget/no usage delay: • $1.01 million • No advertising budget/one year usage delay: • $525,000 • No advertising budget/two year usage delay: • $124,000
Methodology • Election Assistance Commission • Biennial Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) administered to the states • Survey to county and municipal clerks • GAB and DOT fiscal cost estimates • Statistical analysis and Monte Carlo sensitivity
Limitations • Election Assistance Commission Data • Clerk survey results • Cost and benefits not monetized
Conclusions • We recommend GAB support the adoption of OVRS • Usage drives benefits
Monte Carlo Analysis • Original Model: mean NPV of $372,000. • Range $-155,000 – 912,000 • 99.8% positive results
Monte Carlo Analysis • No Advertising; 1 Year usage delay • Mean NPV of $525,000 • Range $41,000 – 1 million • No Advertising; 2 Year usage delay • Mean NPV of $124,000 • Range -$257,000 – 588,000 • 87% positive results • No Advertising; no usage delay • Mean NPV of $1.01 million** • Range $489,000 – 1.57 million