Voting and elections

This MEDSL map shows where each state’s overall score on the Elections Performance Index falls for the 2016 election.

Elections management in the U.S. is improving

An updated Elections Performance Index from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab evaluates the 2016 election.

August 15, 2018

Teppei Yamamoto, the Alfred Henry and Jean Morrison Hayes Career Development Associate Professor of Political Science.

Political Methodology Lab to dig deep into new kinds of data

Founder Teppei Yamamoto designs new tools to comprehend political behavior transformed by digital technology.

February 15, 2018

"A lot of good things have happened" since the 2000 election, said Charles Stewart III, the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science. Those good things including better voting machines, modernized registration systems, and an increase in the professionalization of election administration.

Mens et Manus America examines election integrity

Political scientists Charles Stewart III and Eitan D. Hersh offer insights on data, technology, and election security in an era of rising concern.

October 30, 2017

At a recent MIT Mens et Manus America event, scholars presented political science and sociological research about the impact of rumors, falsehoods, and misinformation on America's political process.

Mens et Manus America examines the politics of misinformation

Adam Berinsky and Ezra Zuckerman Sivan present research on rumors and falsehoods in U.S. politics.

May 22, 2017

Introducing acclaimed sociologist Arlie Hochschild to MIT, Catherine Gamon, director of the Sloan Student Life Office said, "Hochschild tries to scale an 'empathy wall' to understand her interviewees’ perspectives on the interplay of politics, business, and culture. To me this fits beautifully with MIT's desire to have an impact, and to bring heart into the equation — mind, hand, and heart."

In MIT visit, sociologist Arlie Hochschild discusses U.S. political divisions

At Mens et Manus America event, Hochschild recommends three pillars of action for finding common ground among U.S. voters.

April 10, 2017

In a March 31 talk at MIT, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders discussed his experiences as a presidential candidate and his thoughts about the political process.

Bern notice

In MIT speech, Bernie Sanders contends future of U.S. politics “must be” progressive.

April 3, 2017

"This initiative is something that is right at the heart of what MIT stands for," said Professor Thomas Kochan, moderator for the launch event of a new project known as Mens et Manus America. "We believe in solving important problems, contributing collectively wherever we can."

Mens et Manus America initiative launches with documentary event

Over 200 students and faculty attend kickoff as SHASS and Sloan begin an exploration of current U.S. social, political, economic challenges.

March 3, 2017

"At a fundamental level, the conduct of elections affects the experience of voters and people’s trust in American democracy," writes the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in a press release announcing their funding of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab. "It’s imperative that we, as a nation, get this right and we believe that this lab, under Professor [Charles] Stewart’s leadership, ca...

MIT Election Data and Science Lab launches

Founded by political scientist Charles Stewart III, the Election Lab focuses on non-partisan research, data, and analysis to improve elections.

January 25, 2017

The 1960s were “a heady time for the nation,” recalled civil rights activist Janet Moses, left, at a luncheon celebrating “Activism in the Era of MLK.” Topper Carew, middle, a filmmaker originally from Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and a principal investigator at MIT’s Media Lab, was also on the panel led by Institute Community and Equity Officer Edmund Bertschinger, right.

Pick an issue and dive in!

Veterans of civil rights movement urge students to join ongoing battle against injustice.

December 15, 2016

Charles Stewart III, the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science, found that in a number of states where voters experienced some of the longest waiting times in the 2012 presidential election — including South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland — there was notable improvement in 2016.

Evaluating voter experience

Wait times at polls in 2016 election improved in several key states, new survey results show.

December 8, 2016

Scene at MIT: Election reflection

November 16, 2016

“I don't think you can hack the election,” says MIT political scientist Charles Stewart III. The distributed nature of America's voting system is a key reason why rigging the election is not really possible. But also, observers are stationed in every polling place; ballots are counted in public, post-election audits spot-check results; and machines that record and count ballots are all offline...

How healthy is the U.S. voting system?

Professor Charles Stewart III explains why the U.S. electoral system is strong and how MIT research is making the voting process even more seamless.

October 20, 2016

Electing to vote — or not

Assistant Professor Ariel White is looking to understanding how government, policies, and people affect voting behavior.

October 14, 2016

Rendering of United States filled up as thousands of people

Analyzing the 2016 election: Insights from 12 MIT scholars

Experts from the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences weigh in on topics from polling to rhetoric to individual campaign issues.

October 12, 2016

President L. Rafael Reif speaks at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) showcase. In his remarks, Reif noted that IDSS is “a unit that can magnify individual talents through collaborations, a unit that aspires to generate groundbreaking ways to understand society’s most difficult problems and lead us to badly-needed solutions.”

How data can help change the world

At IDSS celebration, speakers explore how data can be brought to bear on global challenges.

September 26, 2016

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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