Biographical Sketch Thad E. Hall, Ph.D.September 2012Thad Hall is an associate professor of political science at the University of Utah. In 2011 he was appointed Director of Graduate Studies for Political Science and in 2012 he was named the Director of the Master's in Public Policy Program. Professor Hall has a BA from Oglethorpe University, a MPA from Georgia State University, and a doctorate in Political Science from the University of Georgia. He is also a research associate with the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project.RESEARCH ON ELECTIONSHis primary research is in the area of public administration and public policy, with a focus on election administration and policy development in legislatures. Hall has conducted many studies on election administration and reform, including studies on Internet voting, electronic voting, election auditing, public attitudes toward various aspects of the voting process, poll worker attitudes toward the election process, and observational studies of election administration in the United States and abroad. Hall has authored, coauthored, or edited five books on election administration and policy: Point, Click, and Vote: The Future of Internet Voting (2004, Brookings Institution Press); Election Fraud: Detecting and Deterring Electoral Manipulation (2008, Brookings Institution Press); Electronic Elections: The Perils and Promise of Digital Democracy (2008, Princeton University Press); Evaluating Elections: A Handbook of Methods and Standards (2012, Cambridge University Press); and Confirming Elections: Creating Confidence and Integrity Through Election Auditing (2012, Palgrave). In addition, he has authored or coauthored 24 research articles and book chapters related to election administration and reform, including: "A New Barrier to Participation: Heterogeneous Application of Voter Identification Policies." 2010. Electoral Studies. "The Human Dimension of Elections: How Poll Workers Shape Public Confidence in Elections." 2009. Political Research Quarterly. 62, 3: 507-522. "Whose Absentee Votes Are Counted?" 2008. Electoral Studies. 27, 4: 673-683. "Are Americans Confident Their Ballots Are Counted?" 2008. Journal of Politics. 70, 3: 754-766. "Controlling Democracy: The Principal-agent Problems in Election Administration." Policy Studies Journal. 2006. 34, 4: 491-510. He has also coauthored several influential reports, including:The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Accessible Voting Technology Initiative Working Paper Series, "Defining the Barriers to Political Participation for Individuals with Disabilities." 2012. "Assessing Electoral Performance in New Mexico Using an Ecosystem Approach." A report for the Pew Center on the States." April 28, 2010.2008 Survey of the Performance of American Elections: Final Report. 2009. RESEARCH ON POLICY MAKING IN LEGISLATURESIn 2011, Hall coauthored the book Abortion Politics in Congress: Strategic Incrementalism and Policy Change. This book examines how legislators have juggled their passions over a controversial issue like abortion, looking at how factors such as public opinion, the ideological composition of congressional committees, and changes in party control of Congress, shape the development of abortion policy. The book presents a simple model of strategic incrementalism, illustrating that legislators often have incentives to alter policy incrementally. As one reviewer noted, "The work will have a major impact on how we think of how politicians stake out their public positions on issues of controversy." In 2004, he authored the book Authorizing Policy, which examined the reauthorization process in Congress.