Delaware: Same day voter registration supporters criticize State Senate for failure to vote on bill | DPM

Local advocacy groups are expressing their disappointment over Delaware’s State Senate failing to consider same day voter registration as the 147th General Assembly drew to a close Monday. The Same Day Registration Coalition, an assembly of more than a dozen organizations including ACLU Delaware and Common Cause Delaware, called on lawmakers to take up the issue again in 2015. Apryl Walker, a spokesperson for the group, says lawmakers worried about keeping their seats in an election year was just one factor contributing to HB 105 not getting a vote before the close of the legislative session on Monday.

Delaware: Same-day voter registration supporters push for bill’s passage | Delaware Newszap

Advocates for same-day voter registration met at Frazier’s restaurant Friday to pump up support for getting legislation passed. The bill, H.B. 105, if approved would make Delaware the 13th state in the nation to allow eligible voters to register to vote on the day of the election at their polling place. Currently, the registration deadline is 24 days prior to an election. The Central Delaware NAACP said Friday that states with same-day voter registration have a voter turnout around 10 points higher than states that do not.

Delaware: House passes bill to consolidate election boards | Delaware Newszap

The House of Representatives passed an elections reform bill Thursday that will consolidate the state’s three county election boards into one state panel. Republican legislators grilled the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Earl Jaques, D-Glasgow, and state elections commissioner Elaine Manlove on the details of House Bill 302. The bill was crafted to mirror the Election Law Task Force’s review of election protocol. It creates an 11-member state elections board and eliminates election boards in Kent, Sussex and New Castle counties. County elections offices would still be in place, but under the new proposal, directors would report to the state board to ensure all offices were communicating.

Delaware: Bill would expand voting rights for the homeless | Delaware Newszap

Homeless persons couldn’t be denied the right to vote if new legislation allowing them to list a homeless shelter as their address for voter registration passes the General Assembly. Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, D-Wilmington, said she sought to amend Delaware’s code to clarify rights for homeless individuals after hearing concerns from her constituents in the Wilmington area about difficulties registering to vote. In New Castle County Rep. Bolden said she sees three categories of homelessness: the working poor, individuals with disabilities, and those who have drug and alchohol abuse problems. Her bill hopes to address some of their concerns.

Delaware: Parties have own ideas to fill possible lieutenant governor vacancy | Delaware State News

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are introducing separate bills to provide a means for filling a vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s office. Currently, the state code fails to address the situation. One bill would mandate a special election to fill the office; the other bill would allow the governor to appoint the replacement. The gap in the code came to light after Lt. Gov. Matt Denn announced he would run for state attorney general this fall. If he wins, the lieutenant governor’s office would be vacant for two years. Republican leaders are calling for a state constitutional amendment to mandate that any such vacancy be filled through a special election, according to a news release.  State Rep. Deborah Hudson, House Minority Whip, said the measure should be non-partisan. “A vacancy can occur when a member of any party occupies the office,” she said. “Vacancies in the General Assembly are filled through special elections and that process favors no party. Candidates step to the forefront, run a race, and the people decide. What’s the argument against using the democratic process?”

Delaware: Bill to create redistricting commission faces House panel vote | Delaware State News

Lawmakers and community stakeholders seeking transparent reform for legislative redistricting hope to clear a major roadblock today, as a bill creating a government-appointed commission in charge of redistricting is up for a vote in the House Administration Committee. The five-member committee, made up of the leadership from both parties, is set to hear a year-old bill that would make the process of drawing up the state’s 62 legislative districts public and out of the hands of majority party lawmakers in a closed door procedure that’s not under the state’s FOIA laws. The bill only needs three votes to be released onto the House floor for a full debate. “I don’t see a need for it,” said House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, on Tuesday, the legislature’s first day back from Easter break. After securing his party’s vote as House Majority Leader in 2010, Rep. Scwartzkopf was directly involved with redrawing the House of Representatives’ 41 legislative districts, a process that takes place every 10 years to reflect population changes in the U.S. Census survey.

Delaware: Pew report praises Delaware voter registration, questions voting machines | Delaware Public Media

The Pew Charitable Trust’s examination of 17 areas such as polling station wait times placed Delaware in the top twenty-five percent of states overall when it comes to “election performance” – so says Pew’s manager of election initiatives Zachary Markovitz. “Delaware really is a pioneer leading the states, especially in improving their voter registration system,” said Markovitz. That improvement comes in the form of the “e-signature” program, which the First State implemented in 2009. The initiative lets Delaware residents complete the entire voter registration process at the DMV, instead of having to fill out paperwork, send it in by mail, wait for a response…. and very possibly, and understandably, have something get messed up along the way. The e-signature program was even praised by a task force commissioned by President Obama after the 2012 elections to find ways to improve election performance around the country. Still, Pew’s report found room for improvement in Delaware. Markovitz points to Delaware’s “residual vote rate” — basically, the number of votes cast in an election versus those actually counted. And when those numbers don’t match up, it could imply that some people’s votes are slipping through the cracks. …

Delaware: House passes same-day voter registration | The News-Journal

Delaware is one step closer to allowing its unregistered voters to sign up and cast a ballot on Election Day. House lawmakers passed same-day voter registration legislation Thursday, allowing voters to register for presidential primary, primary, special and general elections on the same day they would cast their ballot. The current deadline is the fourth Saturday prior to the date of the election. The legislation, passed 24 to 15, reduces the need for provisional ballots, boosts voter registration, increases turnout among minorities and young voters, and is particularly effective during primary elections when a majority of Delaware’s elections are decided, its supporters say. “I don’t think that we, as elected officials, should put up artificial barriers in front of people,” said bill sponsor Rep. John Viola, D-Newark. “I think that people should be able to vote. How can we stop them from voting. I think it’s wrong.”

Delaware: Democrats rally for same-day voter registration | The News Journal

Democrats rallied at Legislative Hall on Tuesday in favor of legislation that would allow Delawareans to register to vote on the same day as a primary or general election. “We should so everything we can to make sure eligible others have every opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Rep. John Viola, D-Newark, the legislation’s sponsor. Democrats and activists supporting the bill dismissed concerns that same-day registration could lead to voter fraud. “There’s nothing there,” Viola said, adding that he feels “confident” the bill will pass the House in the “next couple weeks.”

Delaware: Panel OKs election boards consolidation | Delaware Newszap

A legislative task force approved a proposal Wednesday that would consolidate the state’s three county election boards into one state panel. The six-member Election Law Task Force, made up of two Republicans, two Democrats and the governor’s legal counsel, was formed specifically to comprehensively review Delaware Code on election protocol. The members voted 4-1 on the proposal by Rep. Earl Jaques, D-Glasgow, that creates an 11-member state elections board and eliminates election boards in Kent, Sussex and New Castle counties. Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover, was not present at the meeting.

Delaware: Supporters say same day registration bill ensures voter access | The News Journal

Supporters of same-day voter registration called on Delaware lawmakers Wednesday to approve the practice and reject efforts to prevent voters from registering on the same day as primary elections. “This bill ensures fair and equal access for all citizens to engage in their right, not privilege, their right to exercise their vote,” said Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark South, during a press conference Wednesday held by a interest groups promoting the bill that cleared the House Administration Committee last year. Proponents say same-day registration reduces the need for provisional ballots, boosts voter registration, increases turnout among minorities and young voters, and is particularly effective during primary elections when a majority of Delaware’s elections are decided. It’s unclear whether the legislation has enough support to clear the House.

Delaware: Panel continues review of Delaware election laws | Associated Press

Members of a task force charged with reviewing Delaware’s election laws seemed to agree Wednesday that there’s no need for a law requiring political candidates to undergo criminal background checks. Background checks for candidates are among several issues that have been explored by the task force, formed by lawmakers earlier this year to conduct a comprehensive review of Delaware’s elections and make recommendations on how to improve them. The panel is to submit its report in March. The issue of background checks came up after New Castle County elections officials ruled last year that Derrick Johnson, pastor of Joshua Harvest Church in Wilmington, was ineligible to run for mayor of Wilmington because he had served prison time for manslaughter — an “infamous crime” that officials determined prevented him from holding office, despite a later pardon. “The only reason we knew about it was because he was so open about it,” said state elections commissioner, the chair of the task force.

Delaware: Election Day voter registration measure unveiled | Newszap

Gov. Jack A. Markell and leadership in the state’s House of Representatives introduced measures to increase voter registration in Delaware Tuesday. House Majority Whip, Rep. John J. Viola, D-Newark, introduced legislation that would allow Election Day voting registration. Same-day voting registration has existed in Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin since the 1970s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. States that have mandated same-day registration have a voter turnout that is on average 10 percent higher than states that do not. “The goal is to try and get as many people as you can possibly get to do their duty, their civic duty and to vote,” Rep. Viola said. “Any barriers we can take down against that we can make easier, let’s do it.”

Delaware: State legislature amends Constitution regarding felons’ rights to vote | The Review

Delaware Representative Helene Keeley (D-3) traveled to Iraq in 2009 to oversee elections there. The joy she saw in the people with purple ink dotted on their thumbs and the violent lengths people went to in order to intimidate would-be voters were enough to show her that voting should be a universal right, she said. The next year, Delaware state representative and longtime proponent of voters’ rights Hazel Plant fell ill. Knowing she had little time left, Keeley said Plant asked her to take up the cause of her and her late husband, Rep. Al Plant, to secure immediate suffrage for felons who served their time.

Delaware: Voting rights restored to ex-felons | NewsWorks

Following a 15-6 vote in the Delaware Senate, it looks like the state will amend its constitution and restore voting rights to non-violent offenders who have completed their sentences. The governor is expected to sign the Hazel D. Plant Voter Restoration Act into law, culminating a two-year legislative process requiring passage in two consecutive General Assemblies for any type of constitutional change.

Delaware: Senate approves felon voting rights legislation | Newszap

With a 15-6 vote, Delaware’s Senate passed landmark legislation that would restore voting rights to certain non-violent felons who have completed their sentences. House Bill 10, sponsored by Rep. Helene M. Keeley, D-Wilmington South, a two-year constitutional amendment, would amend the state constitution by eliminating the standard five-year waiting period before felons are restored voting rights. The bill would not apply to individuals who have been convicted of crimes such as murder, felony sex offenses or felony crimes against public administration, such as bribery.

Delaware: House Approves Easing Voting Restrictions on Felons | WBOC

The state House has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to make it easier for convicted felons in Delaware to vote. The measure was approved on a 32-9 vote Tuesday with virtually no debate and now goes to the Senate for final approval. It cleared the previous legislative session but must pass two consecutive sessions of the General Assembly. The amendment would eliminate the 5-year waiting period before eligible felons who have completed their sentences can have their voting rights restored.

Delaware: NAACP president pushes for felon voting rights in Delaware | The News Journal

Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and chief executive officer of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, pushed today for an amendment to the state constitution that would allow some convicted felons to register to vote after completing all terms of their sentences. Flanked by Mayor Dennis P. Williams and several state and local elected officials, Jealous called re-instituting voting rights for ex-felons a “bipartisan movement of common sense” and a counter to what he described as recent “voter-suppression” movements. “We are a country that believes in second chances. We are a country that believes that when it comes to justice … it’s good to be tough, but it’s better to be smart,” he said. “If somebody gets out of prison and they want to vote, that’s exactly the type of behavior we should be encouraging, not obstructing.”

Delaware: Constitutional amendment would expand absentee voting | CapeGazette.com

Three Democrats – Rep. Earl Jaques, D-Glasgow, Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark South, and Rep. Dennis E. Williams, D-Talleyville – introduced legislation designed to increase participation in elections Jan. 17. House Bill 20 would extend absentee voting to all eligible Delaware voters by removing requirements that limit who can vote absentee. Under current law, absentee voting is allowed only for residents who are physically unable to make it to their polling place on Election Day. HB 20 is the first leg of a constitutional amendment. If this bill passes the General Assembly during this two-year session, an identical version must pass the 148th General Assembly, which begins in 2015.

Delaware: Plan to Expand Voting Rights for Convicts in Delaware Moving Forward | WBOC

Delaware is moving closer to expanding voting rights for convicted felons. A proposed amendment would eliminate a five-year waiting period for eligible felons and allow them to vote once they’ve completed their sentences.  The amendment would not cover all felons. Those convicted of the most serious crimes, like murder, would not be eligible. The amendment’s sponsor, Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington, says the ball is at the fifty. They want it in the end zone

Delaware: Bill Eliminating 5-Year Waiting Period for E-Felon Voting Rights Passes Legislature | WGMD

The state Senate Thursday passed the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would allow eligible felons to vote after completing their sentences instead of having to wait for an additional five years. House Bill 9 would eliminate a five-year waiting period that eligible felons who have fully discharged their sentences must endure before they can have their voting rights restored.

Delaware: A Small State Taking Big Steps to Improve its Democracy | Brennan Center for Justice

Last month, distracted by Super Tuesday, March Madness, and “The Hunger Games,” you may have missed the news from Delaware. Here’s the exciting update: Governor Jack Markell introduced two proposals to strengthen the state’s democratic processes — one to make lobbying more transparent; the other to shine light on money in politics. Together, these reforms would represent a big step for this small state. The first proposal is simple. Senate Bill 185 would require lobbyists to file reports online about their lobbying activity within five days of contacting a state official to discuss a bill, resolution, or regulation. Basically, the law would eliminate back-door meetings; when a lobbyist decides to use her clout to try to influence the legislative process, she must come through the front door and leave her calling card.

Delaware: How city and county councils are handling redistricting in the first state | State of Elections

Hurricane Irene was not the only thing to shake up Delaware this year. The 2010 Census has sent County and City Councils scrambling to create redistricting plans that reflect the changes in their districts’ populations and comply with regulations. According to Antonio Prado, Staff Writer for the Dover Post, the Dover Election Board sent a redistricting plan to the Dover City Council that complies with a 1988 consent decree that requires “a minority district with at least 65 percent black voters 18 years old and older.” This consent decree settled a lawsuit between the NAACP and the city of Dover, in which “the NAACP successfully argued that Dover’s at-large system of council elections was detrimental to the equal representation of the city’s minority voters.”

Delaware: Delaware Senate committee tables National Popular Vote legislation | The News Journal

An effort to award Delaware’s three Electoral College votes in presidential elections to the winner of the national popular vote stalled Wednesday in a Senate committee. The National Popular Vote legislation, House Bill 55, is part of a nationwide movement to change the Electoral College’s perceived flaws from the 2000 presidential contest in which Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

Delaware: Don’t toy with the US Constitution | delawareonline.com

Once again, the Delaware General Assembly is tinkering with a new way of picking presidents. And, once again, we still say it is a bad idea.

House Bill 55 follows something called the National Popular Vote. It would swing Delaware’s three Electoral College votes to whoever wins the popular vote across the nation.

In other words, if the total popular vote from every state across the nation picked Donald Trump to be president, then Delaware’s Electoral College votes would go to him even if Barack Obama won the vote here.

Delaware: Political leaders seek later presidential primary | The Daily Times

To appease the political national parties, leaders of the Delaware Democratic and Republican parties are seeking to push the state’s 2012 presidential primary back by nearly three months to April 24.

The primary is slated for Feb. 7, but the two major political parties are pressuring states to hold later primaries to keep the focus on the traditionally early states, said John Daniello, chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party.

The Iowa caucuses are set for Feb. 6, followed by the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 14 and the Feb. 18 Nevada caucuses.