The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly May 14-20 2012

Two election-related lawsuits appear destined for Supreme Court review.The DC Circuit Appeals Court upheld Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act in a case brought by Shelby County Alabama and the 4th Circuit Court heard arguments over the constitutionality of a Virginia ban on corporate campaign contributions. On Thursday, Congressional Democratic leaders introduced a sweeping election reform bill, The Voter Empowerment Act. After no candidate met the threshold of support to qualify, Americans Elect suspended their online primary. At their annual meeting, Florida county election administrators expressed skepticism at the State’s recent effort to purge thousands of voters believed to be illegal immigrants from the voter rolls. In an effort to avoid a referendum that could energize political opponents this November, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill repealing controversial changes to the State’s election code that had been enacted last year. Suits and counter-suits have left the status of Texas’ Voter ID requirements in limbo and voters in Greece will return to the polls after negotiations to form a new government failed.

Serbia: Serbia holds presidential vote | Fox News

Serbians voted Sunday in a presidential runoff election that pits pro-European Union Boris Tadic against nationalists Tomislav Nikolic who wants closer ties with Russia and is threatening protests if he loses because of alleged ballot rigging. The vote is key for Serbia’s plans to become an EU member, after being an isolated pariah state under late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s. It also will determine whether Serbia continues to reconcile with its neighbors and wartime foes, including the former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008. Tadic, who is seeking a third term, was slightly ahead of Nikolic in the first round of voting on May 6, while Nikolic’s Serbian Progressive Party won the most votes for parliament, but is likely to stay without power because Tadic’s Democrats have agreed to form the next government with the third-placed Socialists. The nationalists have accused the Democrats of rigging the general vote, including the first-round presidential ballot — the charge that was rejected by authorities, but is fueling fears of possible post-election violence.