The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – April 15-21 2013
Spencer Overton considered recent remarks by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia concerning the Voting Rights Act. Partisan disagreements flared over a sweeping election reform bill in Colorado. Culminating a two-year process requiring passage in two consecutive General Assemblies, the Delaware legislature has voted to restore voting rights to non-violent offenders who have completed their sentences. A proposal to require witness signatures on absentee ballots is opposed by county election supervisors who fear it would disenfranchise voters — especially military personnel. Maryland lawmakers and voter advocacy groups were alarmed by State Board of Elections plans to spend up to $1.2 million to hire just five contractors working for nine months as part of the state’s transition from touch-screen voting to paper ballots. Election officials in North Carolina say a proposed Voter ID requirement would cost the State $3.6 Million to implement. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple is expected to sign voter ID legislation sent to him this week. Amid violent protests, Venezuela agreed to an audit of last week’s election, but only after Chavez heir Nicholas Maduro is sworn in as President.