The Voting News Daily: WA lawmaker expects e-mail voting bill to pass; party officials in British Columbia look at online voting; new Ohio SoS takes office
In British Columbia, Canada, some Liberal Party officials are calling for online voting in upcoming provincial elections. Iowa’s new Secretary of State is urging the Governor-elect to rescind an order restoring the voting rights of ex-felons, and Ohio’s new Secretary of State took office today.
And in Washington State, sponsors expect passage of a bill allowing all overseas and military voters to cast their ballots via fax or e-mail.
All this and more in today’s Voting News below.
CA: Humboldt County officials prepare for the budget hits
Crnich said she’d like to bring the board a formal request for the option to do a vote-by-mail special election in order to save about $100,000 — about 40 percent of what it could cost to hold the election. Read More
CO: Attorney general opens election probe
Saguache County swore in six newly elected officials Tuesday while the Colorado Attorney General’s office confirmed they were investigating complaints about the election. Read More
IA: Ex-felons may have a tougher time voting in Iowa
Secretary of State Matt Schultz wants Governor-elect Terry Branstad to void an order automatically restoring felons’ voting rights after serving time. Read More
KS: Kan. election bill to cover mail – El Dorado, KS – El Dorado Times
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Wednesday he will include provisions dealing with mail-in ballots as part of his plan to enact the nation’s toughest election fraud law. Read More
LA: Civil rights group: La. violating voting law | shreveporttimes.com | Shreveport Times
Louisiana departments aren’t complying with a federal law that requires public assistance agencies that serve low-income residents to offer them voter registration, a civil rights group said Wednesday. Read More
MN: Legislature needs to pass measure to fund recount on Faribault Daily News
During the recount after the November election, the state and local governments came up with a plan for the counties to do the recounts and to be reimbursed by the state at a rate of 3 cents a ballot. It didn’t cover the cost of the recount, however, a fact that has led the Secretary of State to push the Legislature to pass a bill funding the full cost. Read More
MT: Online Exclusive: Legislative Roundup – TheWesternNews.com: Local/State News
Hearings are also slated for bills to raise the age of compulsory school enrollment, to allow electronic voter registration and to legalize hunting with a hand-thrown spear. Read More
MT: Washburn wants more stringent rules to vote – The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: News
As the law now reads, people can prove they are eligible to vote in Montana by showing bank statements, paychecks or similar documents. Washburn’s bill, House Bill 152, would require people to present a Montana driver’s license, Montana identification card or tribal photo ID to register to vote. Read More
NC: Be skeptical of both sides in debate over N.C. voter ID law
Although the empirical evidence does not tell us whether voter ID laws are good or bad, it does suggest that we should be leery of the major arguments from both sides of the aisle.