We are tracking 1,657 bills prefiled or introduced this session across 50 states. Our analysis finds that 723 bills improve voter access or election administration and 428 bills restrict voter access or election administration.
IMPROVING VOTER ACCESS OR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
Maryland enacts laws improving language access, incentivizing high school poll workers, and promoting mail voting.
Gov. Wes Moore signed several election-related bills this week. H.B. 983/S.B. 685 improves language access by requiring local election officials to provide translated voting materials and signage in areas with significant non-English-speaking populations. H.B. 586 permits high school students serving as poll workers to receive service-learning credit instead of payment. S.B. 93 directs election officials to include information about requesting mail ballots with other standard election mailings.
Oklahoma enacts law protecting ballot access for deployed military service members.
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed S.B. 814 into law. This bill permits members of the military deployed after the mail ballot application deadline to request and receive an emergency mail ballot.
Rhode Island House advances bills expanding eligibility for mail voting.
H.B. 5709 would allow all registered voters to receive a mail ballot application before each election, eliminating the requirement that voters must be indefinitely confined due to illness or disability. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
RESTRICTING VOTER ACCESS OR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
Indiana adds documentary proof of citizenship requirement for certain voter registrations.
Despite existing laws making it illegal for noncitizens to register to vote in Indiana, Gov. Mike Braun signed H.B. 1680 into law. This bill requires that individuals who registered to vote with temporary ID numbers (such as a driver’s license issued with a visa) provide documentary proof of citizenship. These individuals must provide this proof within 30 days of receiving notice or their registration applications will be rejected.
Montana enacts bills adding requirements for mail voting, shortening registration period, and limiting types of acceptable voter ID.
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed three restrictive bills this week. H.B. 719 requires voters to provide their date of birth on mail ballot applications and ballot return envelopes in addition to a signature for identity verification. S.B. 490 limits same-day registration on Election Day and preceding days. S.B. 276 narrows the list of acceptable voter IDs and eliminates other verification methods.
ON OUR RADAR
Georgia mass voter registration challenges case heads to federal appeals courts.
Tomorrow, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in a case regarding mass challenges to Georgia voter registrations. Plaintiffs allege these challenges – fueled by S.B. 202, a 2021 law allowing unlimited voter registration challenges – constitute illegal voter intimidation.
North Carolina supreme court race certified amid election board changes.
Judge Jefferson Griffin conceded the state supreme court race to Justice Allison Riggs after a federal court order to certify Riggs as the winner. Separately, the new Republican majority on the State Board of Elections assumed office and immediately fired the state’s director of elections. The change was made possible by S.B. 382, a law enacted over a gubernatorial veto last year that remains the subject of ongoing litigation.
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