The Independent View: Electionline Weekly October-19-2017

Legislative Updates

Alabama: Sen. Rusty Glover (R-Semmes) is proposing Amending the State’s Constitution so that if a Vacancy for Public Office occurs in the Last Two Years of Term, the Governor will Appoint someone rather than having the State conduct a Costly Special Election.

California: Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has Signed Legislation into Law that allows San Diego to change its Charter and move County Elections to a Top-Two Primary, even if One Candidate clearly Wins the Majority of Votes.

Brown also Signed Assembly Bill 918 into Law which will require Local Elections Officials to provide more Voting Materials in the Languages of the Community’s Voters, including Sample Ballots. The New Law will Require more Copies of Non-English Sample Ballots in Specific Precincts, and more Signs in these Polling Places notifying Voters with Limited English Skills of these Election Materials. The New Law also Requires more Help for these Voters who Cast Ballots by Mail, and more Information to be Posted on Local Election websites about getting a copy of a “Facsimile Ballot”.

Illinois: A Group of Citizens are Collecting Signatures to put a Referendum on the March 18th, 2018 Primary Ballot that, if Approved, would Eliminate the Aurora Election Commission.

Iowa: Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) held a Hearing this week to discuss the Rules that will Govern the Implementation of the State’s Voter ID Law. "The bill is the law now," Daniel Zeno with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa said at the Hearing according to The Des Moines Register. "The goal of the rules, we believe, should be to make sure it's crystal clear so that voter registration organizations, same-day registrants, pre-registered voters all know what the rules are and that we're protecting the voting rights of all Iowans."

Maine: During a Special Session of the Legislature, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held a Public Meeting on a Proposal that would Implement Parts of the Voter-Approved Initiation to move Maine to Ranked-Choice Voting. According to Maine Public Radio, some Lawmakers want to Delay Implementation of the Law, or Repeal it altogether.

Legal Updates

California: The Project on Fair Representation, a Virginia-based Nonprofit, is asking a Federal Judge to Overturn California’s Voting Rights Act.

Georgia: A Federal Judge has Ruled that Georgia must keep its Voter Registration deadline Open for any Federal Election, including Runoffs, for at least 30 Days before the Election.

Massachusetts: U.S. District Court Judge William Young Denied the City of Lowell’s attempts to Dismiss a Voting-Rights Lawsuit that alleges the City’s At-Large Election System has Shut Out Minority Candidates.

Nevada: A Federal Lawsuit which names Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske and Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Garcia as Defendant has been filed in an Attempt to Halt Recall efforts aimed at Three Sitting State Senators. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Complaint claims the Recall Election would put a Burden on the Plaintiffs’ Right to Vote, and that the Recalls would “undermine a republican form of government by threatening to upend the undisputed results of legitimate and regularly scheduled election.”

North Carolina: A Wake County Superior Court Judge has Ruled that the Student Union at Appalachian State may Serve as an Early Voting Site for Watauga County.

Rhode Island: Former Board of Elections Executive Director Robert Kando has filed another Lawsuit against the State Board of Elections (BOE). In this Suit, Kando is accusing the Board of Violating his Due Process Rights, the State Whistleblower’s Act, and the Opening Meetings Act by Firing him in August 2016.

Texas: Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has filed a Brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals calling on the Judges to End a Challenge to the State’s Voter ID Law. According to the Houston Chronicle, in his 101-page Document, the Republican argued that because the State has already added New Exceptions to the Law to allow People who have a Reasonable-Impediment to getting an ID to still Vote, the Case should be Officially concluded.

Wisconsin: Jonathan Brown, 22, was sentenced to 54 years in Prison for Three Counts of Second Degree Sexual Assault/Use of Force. One of Brown’s Victims was a Poll Worker on her way to Serve at a Polling Place on November 8th, 2016.