The Independent View: States Legislature Updates

Alabama: According to a report in the Birmingham News, Gov. Robert Bentley is seeking legislative support for a plan that would reopen 31 closed driver’s license offices. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) closed 31 rural driver's license offices including 11 in the Black Belt after the Legislature cut ALEA's funding in September. ALEA said the offices closed accounted for less than 5 percent of the agency's annual driver's license transactions. Under the plan a bridge loan from the governor’s emergency fund would pay to reopen the offices.

Colorado: Colorado officials are set to test four different voting systems during next month’s general election and Secretary of State Wayne Williams will certify one to be used by all counties beginning in 2016. Each of the four systems will be used in a large and small county. "We're looking at a phased-in approach, so that if a county has a system in place that is working for them, they won't have to replace them," Williams told The Denver Post. The upgrades to newer machines will cost about $10 million to $15 million, with counties picking up the tab.

llinois: Rep. Mark Batinick R-Plainfield is proposing scaling back the state’s same-day registration law. Under his proposal, voters who wished to register on election day would only be allowed to do so at set locations instead of at the polls. Also in Illinois, a hearing was held on proposed legislation that would automatically register people to vote when they apply for a driver’s license. Proponents of the bill say it will increase registration numbers and ultimately be a cost savings whereas those opposed, cited voter fraud and the costs of updating the driver’s license computer system.

Minnesota: While the final decision is up to the voters this November, the mayor and members of the Duluth city council are speaking out in opposition to a ballot initiative that would move the city to ranked choice voting. "Quite frankly, in the city of Duluth with our nonpartisan elections, we don't have a problem. We have good voter participation," Mayor Don Ness said at a rally against the initiative this week.

Vermont: Online voter registration is now live in the Granite State. This week the state became the 25th state (and the District of Columbia) to offer online registration to residents. According to Secretary of State Jim Condos, there are about 50,000 Vermonters who are eligible, but not registered. The system will cost the state about $2.7 million over 10 years. In addition to online voter registration, the site can be personalized to provide sample ballots, request absentee ballots and help voters locate their polling place.

Virginia: The Virginia Dept. of Elections has launched its new Citizen Portal that will allow residents of the Commonwealth to apply for absentee ballots online.

Wisconsin: Legislation has been introduced that would allow for online voter registration however the bill, which initially had bipartisan support, has run into some trouble after several Democrats have withdrawn their support citing concerns including that it limits registration options for certain voters such as college students, the elderly and low-income residents.