With the 2026 Election Day now in the books, questions about election security, ballot access, and vote counting remain top of mind for many voters. During a conversation with Brian Haldane, Chris McIsaac, Election Policy Fellow at the R Street Institute, discussed his organization’s newly released Election Administration 50-State Scorecard and how Louisiana compares to other states.
McIsaac said that despite concerns raised before Election Day, the election process across the country was largely successful.
“By and large, from an election administration perspective, this was a very smooth and well-run election,” McIsaac said.
The R Street Institute’s scorecard evaluates states on roughly 20 election-related policies, including voter ID requirements, early voting, mail ballot deadlines, and election security measures. The goal is to identify states that successfully balance election integrity with voter access.
According to McIsaac, top-performing states include Florida, Georgia, Utah, and Ohio. Louisiana earned a respectable four out of five stars, placing it near the middle of the national rankings.
While praising Louisiana’s election administration overall, McIsaac identified areas where the state could improve. One recommendation was expanding access to mail-in voting.
“Louisiana is one of about a dozen states that require an excuse to vote by mail,” McIsaac noted. “An area of improvement could be opening that up to all voters.”
He also pointed to Louisiana’s aging voting equipment as a factor affecting the state’s score. However, he acknowledged that the Secretary of State’s office is already working to replace voting machines, which could improve future rankings.
The discussion also touched on delayed vote reporting and election-night uncertainty. McIsaac said one of the biggest challenges nationwide is the handling of mail ballots, particularly in states that allow ballots to arrive after Election Day.
“If I was to pick one topic nationwide that could help for speeding up the count, it would be to require mail ballots to arrive on Election Day to be counted,” he said.
Despite ongoing political debate, McIsaac emphasized that Americans should remain confident in the election process, describing U.S. elections as reliable and professionally managed across the country.