Legislative Updates
Colorado: National Group Citizen Voters has gathered more than 200,000 Signatures in an effort to get an Initiative on the Ballot that would attempt to Change the State’s Constitution so it expressly Limits Voting to Only U.S. Citizens.
New York: Legislators are considering a Settlement Agreement between Albany County and Voter Rita O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan Tripped on an Exposed Cord at her Polling Place and Claims the Injuries she suffered were serious and Permanent. The Setup of the Open and Exposed Electrical Wires constituted a Defective and Hazardous Condition, the Lawsuit Alleged. O’Sullivan’s Aattorney Brian Devane said they hope to Resolve the matter without going to Trial with the Legislature’s Approval of a $225,000 Settlement.
Pennsylvania: Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery County, 17th District) has introduced a New Bill that would Move Pennsylvania to a Ranked-Choice Voting System.
Wisconsin: The Common Council of Milwaukee Approved legislation that seeks to Restore Voting Rights to formerly Incarcerated Residents. Common Council File # 191090 Directs the City’s Intergovernmental Relations Division to support 2019 Wisconsin Senate Bill 348, which Restores the Right to Vote to certain Persons Barred from Voting as a Result of a Felony Charge, Changes the Information required on Voter Registration Forms, and Changes voting Procedures for Certain Persons who are Convicted of Felonies.
Milwaukee County Board recently Voted 11-5 to give County Employees Time Off in order to Work at Polling Places on Election Day. The Proposal states that county Employees will be Allowed Paid Time Off to Work at the Polling Sites. “It is the duty of Milwaukee County to support the cities and villages within its boundaries to support elections,” reads the Resolution. It goes onto Call this, “an objective which can only be achieved through adequately staffing municipal polling locations to effectively register voters, distribute ballots, count ballots, and report results.”
Legal Updates
Michigan: Super PAC Priorities USA is Suing Attorney General Dana Nessel in Federal Court Alleging that a State Ban on Providing Rides to Polling Places “make it even more difficult for voters for whom voting is already difficult— in particular, voters without access to private transportation — to vote,” the Lawsuit said. “These voters include senior voters, minority voters, voters who are disabled, and low-income voters, who traditionally use absentee voting and lack access to private transportation at greater rates.”
New Hampshire: Robert Bell, 77 of Atkinson was Sentenced to 50 Hours of Community Service and a $1,000 Fine after a Rockingham County Jury Convicted him of voting in more than One State in the Same Election.
New Mexico: Laura Seeds, Wife of an Espanola City Councilmember has been Convicted on Five Counts of Felony Voter Fraud. She was found Guilty of Two Counts of making false Statements relative to the Municipal Election Code, One Count of Conspiracy to Violate the Election Code, and Two Counts of Unlawful Possession of Another’s Absentee Ballot. Laura Seeds was Accused of Forging Signatures on Absentee Ballots to get her Husband Elected. Prosecutors say she is Facing more than 7 ½ years in Prison at her Dec. 9th Sentencing.
New York: State Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Nichols has Rejected a Request for a Court Order Invalidating Rules that Govern an Independent Elections Watchdog. Nichols Ruled that the Board of Elections’ Commissioners have Broad Authority to Issue such Regulations, which include Allowing Anyone under Investigation to Seek to Quash Subpoenas. Commissioners Voted in 2018 to Require the State’s Independent Enforcement Counsel to Justify in Writing each Subpoena they want to Issue when Investigating Alleged Campaign Finance and Election Law Cases. Board Members said the Change gives them Greater Oversight over Important Investigations.
Texas: The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has Reversed a Federal District Judge’s Ruling that Texas was Violating Federal Law by Failing to Register Residents to Vote when they Updated their Driver’s Licenses Online. The Panel of Three federal Judges that considered the Case did Not Clear the State of Wrongdoing but instead Determined that the Three Texas Voters who had Brought the Lawsuit did Not have Standing to Sue. I disagree, they were the ones Affected by the Texas DMV Not Transmitting the Address Changes to the Board of Elections.
Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has filed a Federal Lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission Alleging that the Commission has Violated State Law by Not Removing 234,000 Voters whom may have Moved from the State’s Voter Rolls. “The Wisconsin Election Commission was warned in October that they were acting contrary to state law by allowing voter registrations at old addresses to remain active beyond 30 days,” WILL President and General Counsel Rick Esenberg said in a Statement. “Instead of reversing course, the Wisconsin Election Commission has stubbornly doubled down. This lawsuit is about accountability, the rule of law, and clean and fair elections.” But the State Law Violates the Voting Rights Act.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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