As we head into October, the 2022 general elections are officially upon us. Nearly every state in the country has changed its election law in some way since 2018, with many of these changes coming after – and sometimes in response to – the 2020 election and the many...
Iowa
The Markup: Weekly Election Legislation Update for Monday, August 22
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The Markup: Weekly Election Legislation Update for Monday, August 8
Welcome to our latest edition of The Markup. This past Saturday, August 6, marked the 57th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. As we reflect on this landmark legislation – where we’ve come since its passage as well as the state of our democracy today – we are more...
The State of State Election Law: 2022 Mid-Year Review
In recent years, we’ve witnessed an onslaught of election-related legislation pulling the nation in two directions. On the one hand, many states have taken steps to erode participation in our democracy, creating hurdles to casting a ballot and interfering with fair...
Women and Attacks on Election Administration
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, legislators in statehouses around the country have proposed legislation that would disrupt the administration of our elections – often based on unfounded concerns over election security and so-called voter fraud. Our team at the...
The Year in Review for Voting Rights: Five Achievements and Five Setbacks
2021 has been a historic year for voting rights policy. We tracked nearly 3,000 bills moving in all 50 states and D.C. this year, resulting in almost 300 new laws – both pro- and anti-voter. While voting rights advocates spent much of 2021 defending against attacks on...
Movement Victories: Stopping the Bad and Highlighting the Good
As we wrap up the 2021 legislative sessions in most states, let’s take stock of our movement’s victories. Voting rights advocates and organizers successfully ensured that some of the most restrictive policies failed. They also moved forward reforms across the country...
The Potential Impact of H.R. 4
On August 24, the House passed H.R. 4, also known as the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This federal legislation would require states and jurisdictions to obtain certification, or “preclearance” before making changes to election procedures in...
From the Polls to Prison: A New Front in the War Against Voting Rights
The biennial Texas legislative session, concluding at the end of the month, has seen lawmakers open up a new front in the ongoing national war for voter suppression. Legislators have proposed numerous bills seeking to create or raise criminal penalties for actions by...
Voting Restoration: A Spark of Hope in State Election Legislation
In the next week, Washington Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign H.B. 1078/S.B. 5086 into law. This bill restores the right to vote to tens of thousands of Washingtonians with past felony convictions once they return home from prison. Once it becomes law, more...