The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly September 16-22 2013
Recall elections, formerly a rarity reserved for cases of gross negligence or criminality, have become an increasingly common over the past decades, often driven by specific issues and ideology. Confirming a policy shift with implications for the state’s administration of a separate proof-of-citizenship requirement for new voters, Kansas no longer plans to require people renewing driver’s licenses to produce proof that they are living in the U.S. legally. Extending the life of a nine-year legal challenge to the use of direct recording electronic voting machine, a New Jersey appeals court called further review of the state’s voting system security procedures. Investigating allegations of fraud, Michigan officials continued a recount of last month’s mayoral election in Detroit. South Dakota Secretary of State formed a commission to investigate the use of federal funds for early voting facilities in Native American reservations. Several civil rights groups joined enjoined lawsuits challenging Texas’ voter ID law. The Economist looked laws in several nations that require citizens to vote and Germany heads to the polls in an election with broad implications for Europe.