Legislative Updates
Federal Legislation: U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Representative Ben Ray Ljuan (D-3rd District, NM) have Reintroduced the Native American Voting Rights Act. The Legislation would enact Key Measures, such as increasing Native Access to Voter Registration Sites and Polling Locations, and Authorizing Tribal ID Cards for Voting Purposes. The Bill would also bolster Native Voter Registration, Education, and Election Participation efforts in Tribal Communities by Authorizing a first of its kind Native American Voting Rights Task Force. Finally, the Bill Addresses the effects of Shelby County v. Holder by Prohibiting States from Undertaking Discriminatory actions without Department of Justice Agreement and Government-to-Government Consultation.
California: Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin (D-44th District, Thousand Oaks) has introduced AB 1044 that would Authorize the Secretary of State’s Office to require Entities applying for Voter Registration Data to Complete a Free Educational Course on Data Security.
Connecticut: Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-86th District, North Brandford) had proposed a Bill that would allow Schools, when used as Polling places, to Mandate Photo ID for Entry into the Building if such a Requirement is already Part of their Policy.
Delaware: Legislators are considering a Bill that would include Delaware in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
Florida: Sen. Linda Stewart (D-13th District) and Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D-44th District) have each filed a Bill (Senate Bill 1802 and House Bill 1365) would, among other things, make Election Day a State Holiday for All State Agencies and Forbid other Employers from Denying Employees Time Off with Pay to Vote on Election Day.
Georgia: The Senate has Approved House Bill 316, an Omnibus Voting Bill that would Not only Tweak State Code, but also Authorizes the State to Purchase New Ballot-Marking Voting Equipment. The Measure was Approved 35-21 along Party Lines.
Illinois: State Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-66th District, East Dundee) has introduced Two Bills, HB 2633 would add Illinois to Crosscheck and HB 2632 would Enhance Criminal Penalties for Filing more than One Vote and make it a Felony to Vote in Different States.
Kentucky: A House Committee Advanced a Bill that would Set-Up an Automatic Recount if a Legislative Election’s Margin is within 0.5%. After the Recount, a Candidate still Contesting the Election could take their Grievances to Court. The Automatic Recount also would Apply to Statewide Constitutional Races and Kentucky’s Contests for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.
Maryland: House Bill 423 and Senate Bill 934 would Allow Students and Teachers at Public and Private High Schools who Meet the Requirements of Voter Registration to do so at their Schools.
Missouri: There are Two competing Absentee Voting Bills in the Legislature. Under House Bill 29, a Copy of a Photo ID would be Required when Applying by Mail for an Absentee Ballot. Under House Bill 992, Voters would No longer need to provide an Excuse in Order to Cast an Absentee Ballots.
Nebraska: Sen. Megan Hunt (8th District) has introduced LB163 that would do Away with the Population Lid to Conduct Vote-by-Mail Elections and would give Election Commissioners in All of the State’s 93 Counties more Flexibility.
New Hampshire: The House has Voted to Reverse Two New Voter Registration Laws although neither have fully taken effect and both are facing Court Challenges. One of the Overturned Laws requires Voters to provide Additional Documentation when Registering within 30 days of an Election and the other related to the Difference between Domicile and Residency. Both now move to the Senate along with a Bill allowing for No-Excuse Absentee Voting.
North Carolina: Senate Republicans have introduced a Bill that would Delay the Implementation of the State’s New Voter ID until 2020. The House has also Approved the Bill and it now Heads to the Desk of Gov. Roy Cooper.
South Carolina: A Senate Subcommittee did Not Vote on a Proposal allowing Early Voting for Statewide Primaries and General Elections. The Bill would Require at least One Early Voting Site in each County.
Texas: Under House Bill 935, Elections in Even-Numbered years would be a Holiday for State Employees though most State Offices would remain Open.
Utah: The Senate Government Operations Committee voted Unanimously to Send SB242 to the Full Senate. Under the Proposed Legislation, the State’s Presidential Caucuses would be Replaced by a Presidential Preference Primary to be held on Super Tuesday.
House Bill 259, which would Eliminate Straight-Party Voting, has Passed the House and a Senate Committee.
Washington: The Legislature has given Final Approval to the Native American Voting Rights Act that would Allow Tribal Members to Request Voter Registration Services be provided at State and Tribal Facilities on Reservations. Voters could Register using those Buildings’ Addresses or Register using Nontraditional Addresses. They will also be able to Register Online to Vote using their Tribal IDs and Tribes will be able to Request Additional Ballot Drop Boxes.
Legal Updates
Florida: Aida Xilomen Rodriguez de Shehab, 71 of Alachua County faces Five Counts of being an Unqualified Elector willfully Voting and Four Counts of Submitting False Voter Registration Information.
Georgia: A Lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Atlanta claims that Gwinnett, Cobb, Fulton, and DeKalb Counties did Not provide enough Polling Places, Voting Machines, and Staff during the 2018 Midterm Elections. The Suit asks the Court to Order the Counties to Enact Changes before the 2020 Election season that would Prevent Voters from Waiting in “unreasonably long lines” on Election Day and Allow Staff to more Quickly process Registration Forms and Absentee Ballot Applications.
Michigan: Voting System Manufacturer Smartmatic has filed Suit against a Man living in Wyoming County claiming that the Man is working with a Special Interest Group to Tarnish the Company’s Reputation. The Lawsuit alleges the Group was Paying the Michigan Man to Edit the Smartmatic Wikipedia Page, providing him “false and/or one-sided” Information about the Company to do so.
New Hampshire: Douglas Carl Smith of Warner has been Charged with Voting in Two Different Town Elections on the same Day in 2018.
The City of Concord and the U.S. Department of Justice have reached an Agreement to Provide Accessible Voting Facilities for Blind and Visually Impaired Voters.
North Carolina: Wake County Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier ruled that the Case against the State’s Voter ID Law must be Transferred to a Three-Judge Panel because the Litigation filed by several Voters Challenges the Law’s Constitutionality for All Voters lacking an ID.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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