Ballot Measures, Legislation & Rulemaking
Arizona Ballot Measure: The Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature placed a measure on the November ballot that, if passed by voters, would significantly alter voting in the state. The measure, HCR 2001, would make various changes to voting procedures, most notably requiring all voters, even those who vote by mail, to provide “valid government-issued proof of identity.” If voters approve the measure, it would take effect in 2028. State lawmakers voted along party lines to pass the referral, also known as the Fast, Accurate, Secure, Transparent Election Results Act. In Arizona, legislators can refer measures to the ballot with a simple majority vote in both chambers, bypassing Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto pen. State law already mandates that voters casting ballots in person show photo ID or two non-photo documents bearing their name and address, such as a utility bill. But the vast majority of the state’s voters cast ballots by mail. State law currently does not require these voters to provide ID, although they do have to provide identification upon registering to vote and sign their ballot envelopes when voting. Those signatures are then compared against their signatures on file to safeguard against voter fraud. Among the other changes the measure would make is the one that inspired its acronym, the FAST Election Results Act. It would require counties to give voters who drop off their mail ballot at a polling place on Election Day the option to have their ballot counted on site, rather than transported back to a central location for tabulation. That could speed up the reporting of election results without “even a minor inconvenience” to voters, per Kolodin. The legislation would also prohibit noncitizens from contributing money to influence state elections and prohibit any candidates from knowingly accepting such contributions. Additionally, it contains a provision asserting that the state’s elections “shall be decided solely by the votes of eligible citizen voters.” The version of the measure that ultimately passed is not effective until 2028 and includes a provision requiring the state to fund new equipment and other costs associated with its implementation.
California: Democratic lawmakers are pushing to advance a package of election-related bills they say would protect the state’s voting system from potential federal interference ahead of the November general election. SB46 would allow California officials to remove “constitutionally ineligible candidates” from the state’s ballot. Umberg said the proposal was drafted with the potential of a third Trump presidency in mind. Despite the two-term limit on presidents, Trump has floated the idea of a third term multiple times. A second proposal, SB884, would prohibit federal agents and immigration officials (including agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) from being near California polling places, county elections offices, drop-off boxes and any other elections-related locations like where ballots are counted/recounted, canvassed, audited or certified. It would be a temporary bill, in place during the remainder of Trump’s presidency. The bill would also increase the number of ballot drop-off locations in all 58 counties, mandate the drop boxes be open for 30 days before the election, allow polling places to remain open later if voting is disrupted and extend the deadline for receiving ballots postmarked by Election Day from the current seven days to 10 days.
Irvine, California: Irvine councilmembers are getting closer to asking voters whether the city should implement ranked-choice voting for local single-winner elections. The City Council has now asked staffers to put together a package of the necessary documents to submit to the Orange County Registrar of Voters in time for the measure to appear on the general election ballot. And if in November voters approve, Irvine could be on track to adopt ranked-choice voting for all city elections starting in 2028. “I’m thrilled that we’re taking this to the next step and we had the support of a large majority of the council. I think that this is going to serve the voters well, that they’ll be given the chance to choose if they want to do it,” said Councilmember Kathleen Treseder, who’s been leading the push for the voting system change. But the city must overcome several local and state-level hurdles before it could become the first city in Orange County to adopt a ranked-choice voting system. Those include “coordination with the Orange County Registrar of Voters, as well as certification of the voting system by the California Secretary of State to ensure all election system, certification, legal, administrative, and operational requirements are satisfied,” Irvine City Attorney Jeffrey Melching said. And “any necessary software modifications or new systems would likely require extensive review and approval by state election authorities before they could be used in a public election,” he said.
Delaware: A bill that would have opened the door for same-day voting registration in Delaware has failed in the Delaware House of Representatives. House Bill 88 (s) did not get the required 2/3 majority, in what was the first leg of an attempted Constitutional Amendment to change Delaware’s voting rules. Currently, Delaware voters must be registered four Saturdays before either a Primary or General Election. The vote went 26-14 (1 absent), two “yes” votes shy of the required 2/3 support, although Bush did vote “no”, potentially opening the door for a reconsideration at some point. Sponsoring state Rep. William Bush (D-Cheswold) said 22 states allow same-day registration in some form, and some constituents were confused about Delaware’s deadlines. Rep. Michael Smith (R-Pike Creek) said he heard from poll workers, many of whom have turned over since the COVID era, who were concerned about validating last-minute identities.
A proposed amendment to the Delaware Constitution would restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies once they have completed their prison sentences, a change supporters say removes barriers to voting while critics argue some crimes should permanently disqualify a person from casting a ballot. House Bill 180 passed on June 16 by a 30-10 vote and has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee. The measure, sponsored by House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, D-Dover, would limit the loss of voting rights for individuals convicted of felonies to the period during which they are incarcerated, or until they receive a pardon, whichever comes first. Under the proposal, the General Assembly would no longer be able to permanently revoke voting rights as punishment for a crime. The bill would also remove Delaware’s list of felonies that currently result in permanent disenfranchisement and prohibit the restoration of voting rights from being contingent on the payment of fines or other monetary obligations.
Georgia: Georgia Republican leaders won’t redraw the state’s political maps during a special legislative session that started June 17, retreating from a proposal that had threatened to ignite one of the state’s most explosive political fights ahead of the November election. The decision comes after weeks of mounting pressure from Democrats, voting rights groups and even some uneasy Republicans who warned that reopening redistricting could energize Democratic voters and overshadow a pivotal stretch of the campaign season. In a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, House Speaker Jon Burns pointed to pending litigation over Georgia’s 2021 maps as a reason to pause the redistricting push, arguing that lawmakers should not rush into another overhaul while the courts are still weighing the boundaries already in place. “Changes to Georgia’s maps should take place only when members of the General Assembly and citizens have been given ample opportunity to gather the facts, provide input, and engage in meaningful discussion,” Burns wrote. “For this reason, we will not be taking up congressional or legislative redistricting for the 2028 election cycle during this special session.” Every member of the Georgia House Republican leadership team signed the letter. Senate President Pro Tem Larry Walker III, the chamber’s top Republican, said his caucus stands “united” with the House.
Agawam, Massachusetts: The Agawam City Council passed a resolution this week to show their support for adding ID requirements statewide. Supporters of the resolution said it’s about election integrity and public confidence, but many residents who showed up said it could pave the way for stricter ID rules that would make it harder for some eligible voters to cast a ballot. T.R. 2026-39 passed seven to four June 15.. The resolution does not change voting rules in Agawam, but it does send a message to state and federal leaders about where the council stands. Nearly 100 residents packed the meeting with several speaking out against the resolution, saying it’s vague and could be interpreted as support for more restrictive laws.
Michigan: Senate Democrats celebrated the passage of a state-focused Voting Rights Act, although the legislation now heads to the Republican-led House of Representatives, which is unlikely to rush the four-bill package to the governor’s desk. Senate Bills 961, 962, 963 and 964 each passed in the Legislature’s upper chamber on a 20-17 vote along party lines. The package passed by the Senate would, among other things, prohibit state and local governments from adopting election policies or practices that reduce voting access for protected groups; establish a Michigan Voting Rights Assistance Fund; provide for reimbursement of certain legal and local government costs; and permit courts to order necessary remedies including redrawn district maps, changes to election procedures and court oversight. The Michigan Senate passed similar legislation in the 2023-24 Legislature, but it died in the House during a chaotic lame duck session. The current package was reintroduced in May and was passed less than a month later. It is unclear if the GOP-controlled House will even take up the bills. According to the Michigan Advance, a text message seeking comment from the communications office of House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) was not returned. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, also a candidate for governor, praised the Senate’s passage of the legislation and implored the House to take up the bills.
North Carolina: A sweeping election reform proposal was debated this week before the House Elections Committee. House Bill 958 would: Prohibit state and local elections board members from “encouraging or promoting voter turnout in any election.” Require military and overseas voters to submit documentation showing their most recent North Carolina address along with their registration applications. They would also be required to submit photo identification with their ballots. The ID requirement puts into law a state Supreme Court decision in Republican Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin’s unsuccessful attempt to throw out ballots in his 2024 race for a Supreme Court seat. Make overseas voters who have never lived in North Carolina but vote in the state because their parents last lived here ineligible to vote in state or local elections. This also reflects a state Supreme Court decision in the Griffin case. Griffin’s lawsuit referred to these voters as “never residents.” Give voters who cast provisional ballots because they didn’t show ID, or who have mistakes or omissions on their absentee ballot envelopes, called “curable deficiencies”, a few more days to show their ID or correct the mistakes. The bill extends the deadline for corrections from Friday after an election to Tuesday after an election. Give county elections boards more time to announce absentee ballot counts, moving the deadline from Friday after an election to Tuesday. The bill would give state Elections Director Sam Hayes the ability to make 25 members of his staff political appointees, exempting them from state Human Resources Act protections and allowing them to be fired at will. The bill also continues $1.2 million in funding Hayes was granted for seven exempt positions in a mini-budget the legislature approved last year. Hayes, former general counsel for House Speaker Destin Hall, was hired to run elections administration last year after Republicans became the majority on the state Board of Elections. The Election Law Committee meeting was in a relatively small room. Some of the bill’s critics who traveled to the Legislative Building for debate on the bill were not allowed to enter. The committee did not accept public comment. While the Election Law Committee advanced the bill, the House Rules Committee pulled the bill from consideration. House Rules Chairman John Bell (R-Wayne) said after the meeting the bill needs changes. Bills are heard in Rules before they move to full House votes.
Legal Updates
Arizona: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney said he would order Recorder Justin Heap and members of the Board of Supervisors to try to resolve their election control dispute outside the courtroom, even as he scheduled a contempt hearing for later this month. Blaney said during a June 15 hearing that he would issue an order either directing the elected officials to meet or arranging a judicial settlement conference. “The last place this court wants to be is standing between elected officials right before an election,” Blaney said. “The parties should be able to work this thing out as elected officials, but it’s just not happening.” The mediation effort will run on a parallel track with the contempt case. Blaney scheduled a four-hour evidentiary hearing for June 30, with a joint pretrial statement due June 25.
California: California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against Shasta County for a ballot measure he said violates state election law. Measure B appeared headed for passage with 55.6% of the vote in Shasta County. The measure would require government-issued identification to register and vote, largely eliminate vote-by-mail and early voting, mandate hand-counted ballots and create a county voter registration system separate from the state’s. “Indeed, the measure’s defects are so extreme that the county previously filed a lawsuit seeking to be relieved of its obligation to prepare a title and summary for the initiative, and the initiative’s lead proponent has openly acknowledged that ‘there are sections that are illegal,’” Bonta writes in the suit. Filing suit in the state’s Third District Court of Appeal, Bonta asked a judge to invalidate Measure B, halt its implementation and undo any steps already taken to enforce it. Bonta urged the court to rule by Aug. 24, arguing Shasta County voters need certainty before the Nov. 3 general election about how to register, whether their registration is active and where they can vote. While Shasta County’s charter status gives it some authority to enact local laws that conflict with state law, Bonta argues it has no authority to regulate elections. He adds that even if it did, state law prohibits photo ID requirements and guarantees access to vote-by-mail and early voting. Bonta argues that the Legislature has control over state elections. It’s already decided that people can register to vote in person, online or at the Department of Motor Vehicles. All voters can use a mail-in ballot and vote before Election Day, as well. “County elections officials may only count votes using a voting system that has been certified by the secretary of state,” Bonta writes, pointing to what he considers another of Measure B’s flaws. “They may not hand-count ballots except with the secretary’s approval in specified elections with less than 5,000 voters.” The county board of supervisors have already voted not to defend the county or the registrar of voters against the lawsuit. “It was a 4 to 0 vote to not defend the county or the registrar of voters against the state in this lawsuit. So, basically, we’re stepping aside,” Supervisor Matt Plummer said.
Louisiana: Denise Nataly Migliore, a Sydney, Australia native currently living in Franklinton was indicted for violating federal voting laws. Migliore was charged with four counts of election fraud on June 11, 2026, in Louisiana’s Eastern District. She was charged with making false statements in order to register to vote and illegal voting in an election. The charges stem from an investigation that found that between October 6, 2022, and October 22, 2024, Migliore, a permanent resident, knowingly made false U.S. citizenship claims to register for a federal election. The federal indictment claims that around November 8, 2022, and November 5, 2024, she cast ballots by falsely claiming she was a U.S. citizen and therefore eligible to vote, when she was not a citizen. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years in prison, followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Migliore also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
Mississippi: Hinds County Supervisor Tony Smith has appealed a court ruling that threw out the results of the 2023 Democratic primary election for District 2 and ordered a new election. Smith filed a notice of appeal Monday, asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to review a June 9 order issued by Special Judge Barry Ford. The appeal stems from a nearly three-year legal battle over the Aug. 8, 2023, Democratic primary between Smith and former Supervisor David Archie. In his ruling, Ford declared the certification of the election results void and ordered a special election to be held on or before July 18. The judge also ruled that only Archie and Smith would be eligible to appear on the ballot. Smith was allowed to remain in office until the special election is held and a winner is certified. The court’s order did not find evidence of fraud or intentional wrongdoing by election officials. Ford wrote that the cumulative deficiencies made it impossible for the court to determine the will of the voters from the available election record. As a result, the court declared the election certification “void ab initio,” meaning it was invalid from the beginning. Smith’s notice of appeal does not detail the legal arguments he plans to make before the Mississippi Supreme Court. The filing simply preserves his right to challenge the ruling and seek review by the state’s highest court.
Wisconsin: President Donald Trump’s administration is continuing its effort to force the Wisconsin Elections Commission to turn over unredacted Wisconsin voter data after being rebuked by a federal judge last month. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is appealing the judge’s decision dismissing the case, suggesting “many” absentee ballots could be sent to “fraudulent” registrants in November unless it audits the voter roll. U.S. District Judge James Peterson of Madison dismissed the DOJ suit last month, ruling the commission isn’t required to produce the unredacted registration list under the Civil Rights Act. His was the ninth federal court to dismiss the DOJ’s attempt according to the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School. The DOJ is now asking the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn Peterson’s order. It filed an emergency motion, June 12, asking for a decision before Wisconsin’s Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general elections. “Weeks before November 3, election officials will be mailing absentee ballots to hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin voters, with many of those ballots potentially going to ineligible voters, fraudulent registrants, or other individuals who should not have been registered,” the DOJ claimed. “Wisconsin voters need to know that their election is secure and that non-citizens, deceased individuals, former residents, nonresidents, and voters with multiple records are not registered to vote in that election.”
Michael H. Drucker
