The Independent View: Electionline Weekly May-18-2017

Legislative Updates

District of Columbia: The Council of the District of Columbia has voted, again, to move the District’s Primary Election. The new Election Date, effective in 2018 is the third Tuesday in June. In the past six years the Primary Election date has shifted from April to June to September and included a Presidential Preference Primary in February 2008.

Florida: The 2017 Legislative session ended without Lawmakers approving about $75,000 so Florida could participate in Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). The Bill was approved by the House with little opposition but died in the Senate. “It’s a shame, with all of the concern about the accuracy of the voter rolls,” said Chris Chambless, Supervisor of Elections in Clay County and President of a Statewide Supervisors’ Association.

New Hampshire: Following a Partisan vote, the House Election Law Committee is sending Senate Bill 3 to the full House. The Bill would tighten the Requirements for People who Register to vote within 30 days of an Election.

New York: The Young Voter Act, sponsored by Assemblymember Robert Carroll (D-Park Slope-Windsor Terrace) and Sen. Brad Holyman (D-Manhattan) would mandate that High Schools Distribute Voter Registration Forms to all Students turning 17 in a Calendar Year.

Tennessee: An Amendment to Senate Bill 0925 has stalled in the Legislature. The Amendment would Prohibit anyone who has been on the losing end of Litigation with an Election Commission is not permitted to serve on that Commission.

Texas: Senate Bill 2149 would create a process for Collecting Absentee Ballots at Nursing homes, essentially turning them into temporary Polling places during Early Voting.

By a 20-10 vote, the Senate has approved House Bill 25 that would Eliminate Straight-Ticket Voting in all Elections in the Lone Star State.

Wisconsin: This week the Legislature’s Budget Committee Approved Funding for five of six Staff for the Election Commission although Gov. Scott Walker (R) had recommended that all six positions be cut.

Legal Updates

Georgia: U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg issued an Order last week stating that Federal Law does not prohibit the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law from using a Coalition of multiple Minority Groups to make their Case against Gwinnett County in a Voting Rights Act Violation Lawsuit.

Kansas: Last week, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled that Secretary of State Kris Kobach must provide the ALCU with Copies of the Documents he shared with then-President-Elect Trump in 2016. Robinson gave Kobach a May 12th deadline to turn over the Documents. Kobach met the deadline, but marked the documents as confidential. “It’s just puzzling,” Stephen Bonney, Chief Counsel and Legal Director at the ACLU of Kansas told the Courthouse News Service. “We’re looking at what steps to take now and should have it figured out before the end of the week.”

North Carolina: This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reinstate North Carolina’s Voter ID Law. The High Court refused to consider an Appeal by the State’s GOP.

U.S. Virgin Islands: The V.l. Supreme Court has rejected a bid to force Election Officials to Certify the Results of the April 8th Special Election on Procedural grounds, Court Documents show.

Wisconsin: Jessica Steinke of Cleveland, Wisconsin was sentenced to 80 hours of Community Service for committing Voter Fraud for Voting in the 2016 Election despite being a Convicted Felon.