The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – July 8-14 2013
The Boston Globe reported on the ineffectiveness of the Federal Election Commission. With the pre-clearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act rendered moot by last month’s Supreme Court decision, several Southern States have rushed to enact voter id requirements, and to restrict early voting and voter registration, while the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin holding hearings next week on the VRA’s future. In a memo attached to legislation allowing the one-time use of mechanical lever machines in New York City municipal elections, Gov. Andrew Cuomo expressed his misgivings stating he believed “the use of lever voting machines is a poor solution to the Board’s concerns.” A three judge panel in North Carolina approved new voting district boundaries over the objections of voting rights advocates. With one Democrat joining with all Republicans, the Oregon Senate rejected a proposal for universal voter registration in the State by one vote. The Estonian government has published what it claims is the source code used for internet voting elections and a controversial recount is underway in the Mexican State of Baja California.