The Independent View: Electionline Weekly Apr-4-2019

Legislative Updates

Arizona: Gov. Greg Ducey (R) has Signed a Bill into Law that will give Voters up to Five Days after an Election to Cure their Signatures on Mail Ballots.

California: Assemblyman Evan Low (D-CA, 28th District, San Diego) has introduced a Bill to make Election Day a State Holiday. If approved, All State Employees would have the Day Off. Schools, State-Run Colleges and Universities would be Closed.

Colorado: State Sen. Jessie Danielson (D-20th District) has introduced a Bill that would Allow for the use of Ballot Marking Software for Voters who are Visually Impaired.

Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has Signed House Bill 316 into Law. Under the New Law, the State will purchase New Touch-Screen Voting Machines with a Paper Ballot Receipt.

Iowa: By a 95-2 Vote, the Iowa House Voted in Favor of a Constitutional Amendment that would Automatically Restore Voting Rights to Iowans with Felony Convictions after they Complete their Sentence.

A Proposal that would have Prevented the use of State-Owned Buildings for Satellite Voting Sites won’t Move Forward this Legislative Session. However, additional aspects of the Original Legislation including Uniform Poll Closing Times, and a Controversial Provision that would Unregister College Students who don’t Commit to Living in Iowa after Graduation, are still moving forward.

Kansas: Lawmakers reached a Deal to Bundle a Handful of Election-related Bills, including one that would Require County Clerks to attempt to Contact Voters whose Advance Ballots lack a Valid Signature.

Maryland: State Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-17th District) Sponsored a Bill that would have Allowed Montgomery County to Amend its System of Voting to a Ranked-Choice Voting system in Local Elections. The Bill Didn’t advance past the Ways and Means Committee, but Kagan pointed to the fact that it Passed the County’s Delegation as a Sign that there is “growing momentum” for the alternative method of Voting. “We’ve got time because we’re looking at 2022, and next year’s only 2020,” Kagan said.

House Bill 569 would Repeal the Requirement that a Local Board of Elections Employee be a Registered Voter in Maryland. They would still have to be a Registered Voter, but could be Registered to Vote and Live in another State.

Missouri: The House has given Preliminary Approval to a Bill that would Change State Law to give the Secretary of State more Power to Investigate Voter Fraud and other Election Law Irregularities.

Nevada: Under Assembly Bill 431, Full Voting Rights would be Restored to Felons upon their Release from Prison.

Tennessee: Under HB1079 and SB971 Third-Party Groups leading Voter Registration Efforts must Undergo Training and may potentially face Fines for Submitting too many Incomplete Forms.

A Bill making its way through the House would Allow the State’s Four Largest Cities to decide whether or not to Conduct Local, Nonpartisan Elections using Instant Runoff Voting.

Legal Updates

U.S. Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court will weigh-in on a year’s long Case out of New York and what is considered timely for the Filing of a Lawsuit.

California: The 13th Court of Appeals has Overturned a Judge’s Ruling that Voided the Mayoral Runoff Election in Mission in which City Councilman Armando O’Cana Ousted Longtime Mayor Norberto Salinas. The O’Cana Campaign was Accused of Manipulating Mail-In Ballots and Bribing Voters.

Texas: At a Meeting with Latin American Advocates, Secretary of State David Whitely said that a Deal to Settle several Lawsuits brought by Civil Rights Groups over the State’s Voter List Maintenance Program is about 99% Done.