The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly February 24 – March 2 2014

finance_260With Kentucky and Iowa  are among the states that are considering proposals to restore voting rights to ex-felons. Rick Hasen wrote about the possible impact of a Supreme Court ruling in McCutcheon v. FEC, which has been called “the next Citizens United.” Arizona Governor Jan Brewer sign a bill repealing a sweeping election law overhaul that Republicans passed in the final hours of the 2013, cancelling a voter referendum on the law. Cuyahoga County executive Ed FitzGerald has vowed to challenge two election bills signed into law last that would shorten the State’s early voting period and modify absentee ballot requirements. Both Oregon and British Columbia shelved plans for studying internet voting and the Australia-based Election Integrity Project released a report which compares the risks of flawed and failed elections, and how far countries around the world meet international standards.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly February 17-23 2014

holt_260Four years after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the supposed barrier between candidates and unrestricted super PACs is flimsier than ever. Voting rights advocates are concerned that efforts to stop strict voter ID laws could provide the conservatives on the Roberts Court the opportunity to strike down or significantly narrow Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The Kentucky State Senate passed a constitutional amendment intended to restore voting rights for some ex-felons after making significant changes to the version passed in the House. Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ), who has advocated measures to increase the transparency and security of voting technology, has announced that he will not run for re-election this November. A federal judge tried Friday to speed up the flow of documents in three lawsuits challenging North Carolina’s voter ID and elections overhaul law. In a party-line vote, the Republican controlled Ohio House passed two bills that make changes to the mailing of absentee ballot applications and cut six days from Ohio’s 35-day early, in-person voting period. A court has voided a Senate election in Western Australia, marred by the loss of 1375 ballots during a recount, forcing a re-vote and voters in Libya braved polling place bombings to vote on a new constitution.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – February 10-16 2014

prison_260In a speech at Georgetown University Law Center, Attorney General called on States to repeal laws that prohibit felons from voting after their release from prison. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is drafting a Federal bill that would apply to federal elections, he said during a speech at the law center, while similar legislation is being considered in Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, and Nevada. Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota released a valuable report on best practices in election recounts and the National Association of Secretaries of State published a report that looks at the current state of emergency preparedness of the nation’s elections rules. Justin Moore considered the security challenges inherent in internet voting. The New York Board of Elections responded to complaints about illegible ballots. Election officials in Ohio expressed concerns about aging voting equipment that could create problems in this November’s elections. State of Elections reviewed the experience of the recent Attorney General election recount in Virginia. A panel created by British Columbia’s chief electoral officer recommended that provincial and municipal governments should not implement Internet voting until security concerns are addressed and Thailand’s Election Commission is in the spotlight after a presidential election disrupted by violence and protests.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – February 3 – 9 2014

opscan_260Many of the voting machines purchased through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 are nearing the end of their life cycles and there is little prospect of more Federal funding to replace them. In a proof-of-citizenship case brought by Arizona and Kansas a Federal judge has agreed with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission in limiting his review to the existing administrative record, rather than hold an evidentiary hearing in the case. In spite of controversy surrounding his use of HAVA funds for a voter fraud investigation, Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz has requested further funding from the State to continue the investigation. Verified Voting Advisory Board members have expressed concerns over the privacy and security of Maryland’s online ballot marking wizard. Projections of the impact of Texas’s voter ID requirement differ along party lines. A Virginia legislative panel has tabled legislation that would have required localities to use paper ballot systems this November and created a fund to cover half of the cost of new tabulators. Conservative legislators in Canada have introduced a sweeping election reform bill and Thailand has been left in legal limbo after widespread disruption of parliamentary elections.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly | January 27 – February 2 2014

thailand_260In his State of the Union address, President Obama urged Congress to restore provisions of the Voting Rights Act that had been “weakened” by a Supreme Court decision last summer. Michael McDonald investigated the nationwide trend toward online voter registration. Iowa State Auditor Ken Kline says he wants an investigation of allegations that errors in state records could be denying eligible voters the right to vote. Nebraska legislators considered a bill that would reinstate a “winner-take-all” allocation of the State’s electoral college votes. As expected, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has indicated that he intends to appeal a Commonwealth Court decision that ruled the State’s voter ID law unconstitutional. A bill that would have forced localities still using direct recording electronic machines to replace them with optical scan tabulators by November was defeated by a Virginia legislative committee. The European Commission issued guidance to five EU-Member States with rules in place leading to a loss of voting rights for citizens in national elections, simply because they have exercised their right to free movement in the EU and Thailand goes to the polls in spite of violent protests and widespread disruption of polling places.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – January 20-26 2014

PCEA_260The Presidential Commission on Election Administration released a report with recommendations for improving the voting process in the United States. The result of several hearings, the commission recommended online voter registration and expanded early voting and a variety of other improvements. The commission’s recommendations were received positively by The New York Times, the Verified Voting Foundation and many other newspapers and advocacy organizations. The Los Angeles Times applauded a bi-partisan Congressional effort to reinvigorate The Voting Rights Act. Andrew Cohen considered the impact the new legislation might have on contentious Voter ID requirements. The Cincinnati Inquirer looked into the redistricting process in Ohio. A recent ruling that struck down Pennsylvania’s Voter ID law appears likely to be appealed and a Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled that an election scheduled for Feb. 2 can be delayed.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – January 13-19 2014

AA_15012014_vote counting in Egypt (3)In spite of the absence of commissioners, EAC staff rejected a request from Arizona and Kansas to modify federal registration forms to allow their states to fully implement proof-of-citizen voting laws for their residents. A bipartisan bill to restore much of the Voting Rights Act weakened by the Supreme Court last summer has been introduced to mixed receptions in Congress, while a Federal judge reinstated preclearance for an Alabama town. The GOP-dominated General Assembly is pushing a collection of bills that civil rights leaders and Democrats discriminate against the poor and harken back to post-Civil War laws intended to keep African-Americans from voting. A Pennsylvania judge has struck down the State’s 2012 voter id law, setting up a potential Supreme Court confrontation that could have implications for other such laws across the country. Virginia prepares for another recount, this time in a race that will determine the control of the State Senate. Almost half the world’s population will go to the polls in 2014 and Egypt voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new constitution.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly January 6-12 2014

bangladesh_260Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are calling for an investigation of the Federal Election Commission computer security and operational breakdowns. Rick Hasen looks ahead to anticipated election law court decisions in 2014. Without a quorum since 2010, the Election Assistance Commission is unable to act on charges that Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz misused Federal funds for an investigation into voter fraud. Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to delay a special election for former Congressman Mel Watt’s seat until November will leave the district without congressional representation for almost a year. Despite concerns by some Ohio lawmakers about voter fraud, most of the voting irregularities that elections officials reported during the 2012 general election did not result in criminal charges. A special election in Virginia to fill a state Senate seat produced another cliffhanger, with the two candidates just 22 votes apart. The ruling party in Bangladesh won an election marred by violence and voting irregularities and the Indian Election Commission cancelled plans to partner with Google on a voter information portal due to security concerns.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly | December 30 2013 – January 5 2014

Bangladesh-ap-260Infosecurity examines cyber threats to the Federal Election Commission and other government agencies and Joshua Spivak reviews recall elections that took place in 2013. Steve Rosenthal considers the critical role of Secretaries of State in preserving voting rights and Andrew Cohen addresses the fallacy of the cough syrup ID argument. Florida is about to begin another controversial voter purge and Kansas’s proof-of-citizenship law is facing court and legislative challenges. The Global Post surveys elections that lie ahead in 2014 and voters in Bangladesh go to the polls amid violent protests and boycotts.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – December 23-29 2013

thailand_260Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Boston have shown that legislation restricting access to voting is designed to suppress the votes of voters more likely to vote Democratic: poor and Black. The Overseas Vote Foundation announced the launch of a new project aimed at taking a research-based approach to the question of whether or not absentee ballots can be securely cast over the Internet. Proposals for two-tiered voting systems in Arizona and Kansas have drawn criticism from voters. Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz has indicated he will not develop contingency plans in case the Election Assistance Commission determines that his office misused federal funds in a voter fraud investigation. An year-long investigation in Ohio found little evidence of voter fraud in the State. The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office has made nearly $90,000 off fees during the past five years by selling voter information to political parties or campaigns and, sometimes, to private corporations who turn around and sell the data for a profit. Both candidates in Madagascar’s Presidential election claimed victory and fraud, while election protests in Thailand turned violent as the government rejected a call from the Election Commission to postpone a February vote.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – December 16-22 2013

recount_260During the federal government shutdown in October, Chinese hackers attacked the Federal Election Commission’s website. Investigations in Ohio turn up very few instances of voter fraud and the Iowa Secretary of State’s use of federal funds for a similar investigation was deemed improper by the Iowa State Auditor. A Federal judge has denied the conservative anti-voter fraud group True the Vote’s plea for intervention in the Justice Department suit against the Texas Voter Id law. After losing ground in the first three days of the Virginia Attorney General election recount, Republican Mark Obenshain conceded to Democrat Mark Herring. The Richmon Times-Dispatch reported on Spooner Hull of Atlantic Election Services, providing a rare glimpse into the third party vendors that supply equipment election services to jurisdictions across the country. Foreign Policy in Focus investigated claims of election fraud in Honduras and Madagascans vote in a Presidential run-off election.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly December 9 – 15 2013

eac_260The Senate Rules and Administration Committee held hearings on two Democratic nominees for the Election Assistance Commission. Concerns about the security and privacy of internet voting will be on the agenda of the commission established by the UK Speaker of the House of Commons to study technology and democracy. The debate over voter ID has come to Arkansas, while legal challenges to North Carolina’s omnibus election legislation will go on trial after the 2014 midterms. The Ohio legislature has sent the Governor a bill that would require state agencies to share data with the secretary of state to help maintain Ohio’s voter records. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell noted that he has yet to see evidence that would call for resolving the Attorney General race in the State’s General Assembly in calling speculation about such a challenge “premature.” The Indian Election Commission’s aggressive campaign to enroll new voters, especially women and the youth, was reflected in higher voter turnout and Honduras’s new president enters office amid  a protest and demonstration fueled by allegations of vote buying and false IDs.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – December 2-8 2013

anonymous_honduras_260According to a survey conducted by President Barack Obama’s Presidential Commission on Election Administration, nearly half of Americans live in precincts where long lines at the voting booth were a problem in the 2012 election cycle. After changes in the Senate’s filibuster rules for Presidential nominations, the Senate Rules Committee announced that it will be holding a hearing next week to consider the nominations of two potential commissioners, Myrna Perez and Thomas Hicks. A directive from the Florida Secretary of State prohibiting the use of secured remote absentee ballot drop-off stations created at locations like public libraries and tax-collectors offices has drawn criticism from county election officials. South Dakota is exploring new technology to make is easier for military and overseas voters to receive absentee ballots. A Federal judge has denied Texas Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Greg Abbott’s bid to delay the trial challenging the State’s Voter ID law until after the 2014 election. State elections officials expressed concern Monday that some of the voting equipment used in November balloting is outdated and does not meet requirements under state law to identify overvotes and undervotes. Former federal police commissioner Mick Keelty has criticised “lax” and “complacent” practices with the Australian Electoral Commission in concluding the fate of 1370 missing Western Australian Senate votes may never be known and while the opposition protested the results of last week’s election in Honduras Anonymous hacked the election authority’s website.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly November 25 – December 1 2013

honduras_260Election law experts say that proposed rules that would attempt limit the political activity of 501(c)(4) organizations could fall short of forcing “dark money” out of campaigns. Activists in Arizona and Kansas are challenging proposals for two-tiered voting systems based on voters ability to provide specific documentation of citizenship. Over a thousand votes were left uncounted in South Carolina after election officials failed to count the votes from at least one machine. Texas election officials are concerned that new voter id laws could result in significant delays in high turnout elections. Officials say the Hart InterCivic eScan voting machines in some Virginia localities have limitations that prevent them from being reprogrammed for rescanning in a recount forcing a manual count of all paper ballots. The ruling party’s announced victory in Honduras have been challenged and Mali will hold a second round of parliamentary elections.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – November 18-24 2013

nepal260Senators Cornyn and Schumer have introduced a bill that would expand access to voting for military and overseas voters. After Colorado Secretary of State claimed that 16,270 non-citizens were registered to vote in Colorado and 5,000 of them actually had cast ballots in the 2010 state elections, there have been no prosecutions of voter fraud in the State. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach was sued in an effort to block him from imposing a dual voter registration policy as part of the state’s proof-of-citizenship law. A state election audit revealed Thursday that Richland County officials failed to count 1,114 absentee ballots. Accurate results may be impossible if ES&S iVotronic voting machines in comal County Texas were encoded with the wrong ballots. The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to take up two separate cases over the state’s voter ID law. The Christian Science Monitor looked at the vote counting process in this weekend’s election in Honduras and Nepal began counting votes under threat of violence from the Maoist Party.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – November 11-17 2013

maldives_260Efforts are quietly underway in Congress to reinvigorate measures in the Voting Rights Act that were weakened by a Supreme Court decision last summer. Rick Hasen considers the new argument for voter suppression and whether it is any more acceptable to create procedural barriers for certain voters for partisan advantage. Heather Gerken defended the value of the Presidential commission on election administration. A judge in Iowa suspended a controversial voter purge while court challenges are pending. Election lawyers have arrived in Virginia for the anticipated legal battle over the State’s razor-thin Attorney General race. The two week trial over Wisconsin’s Voter ID law concluded the same day that the State Assembly passed modifications to the law. The State of Western Australia Senate election is headed for a re-vote after almost 1400 ballots went missing and protests turned violent as the Maldives Presidential election was delayed.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly November 4-10 2013

kosovo_260ProPublica surveyed changes in State election laws following the Supreme Court’s Voting Right Act decision earlier this year. Calling it “list management” has not made Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner’s new voter purge any less controversial with election supervisors and voting advocates. Kansas Secretary of State Ken Kobach would like to see a case challenging the State’s Voter ID law moved to Federal court. New York City’s mayoral election was plagued with malfunctioning machines and mistranslated ballots. The Republican controlled legislature in Ohio has restricted ballot access for third parties. Texas’ new Voter ID law caused difficulties for many voters including former US House Speaker Jim Wright and both prospective gubernatorial candidates. Virginia’s razor-thin Attorney General’s race is headed for a recount. A trial challenging Wisconsin’s voter ID law got under way this week. The Australian Electoral Commission apologized for misplacing almost 1400 ballots during a Senate recount and violence forced a re-vote in parts of Kosovo.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly October 28 – November 3 2013

pennsylvaniaVoting advocates say voter ID laws may create problems for women who have changed their names after marriage or divorce. Norm Ornstein notes that “the reasoning employed by Chief Justice John Roberts in Shelby County—that Section 5 of the act was such a spectacular success that it is no longer necessary—was the equivalent of taking down speed cameras and traffic lights and removing speed limits from a dangerous intersection because they had combined to reduce accidents and traffic deaths.” Arizona and Kansas have sued to force the Election Assistance Commission to modify the Federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship. Multiple lawsuits have been filed challenging North Carolina’s Voter Information Verification Act. A bill designed to make ballot access more difficult for third parties has passed the Ohio Senate. Pennsylvania has spent over $1 million on Voter ID advertisements even though no voter Id is required in the State. Ironically, a safety valve amendment introduced by Texas State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis has allowed both her and her presumed opponent Attorney General Greg Abbott to vote in spite of inconsistencies in their identification documents. Voters in Western Australia may be headed for a re-vote after nearly 1400 ballots have gone missing and protests and logistical challenges increased tension ahead of elections in Nepal.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – October 21-27 2013

posnerThe debate over Judge Richard Posner’s admission that he had made a mistake in voting to uphold a 2005 Indiana voter-ID law has raged on, even drawing a response from a former Supreme Court justice. Proposed “two-tier” voting systems in Arizona and Kansas have sparked controversy: Pew demonstrated that the additional costs would be significant and have caused considerable bureaucratic issues in Kansas. Comments made by a local Republican official in North Carolina have brought the motivation for North Carolina’s sweeping election law changes to a national audience. Voter rights advocates have raised alarm about the effect of Texas’ voter ID law on women. A judge in Virginia denied an injunction that would have halted that State’s voter purge. A report from an Elections BC panel has cautioned against the implementation of internet voting and new dates have been set for Presidential election in The Maldives.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly October 14-20 2013

maldives_260Richard A. Posner, a member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, has admitted he was mistaken in the opinion he wrote for the Voter ID case Crawford v. Marion County Election Board. Arizona and Kansas have proposed plans that would create a two-tiered voting system. Republicans have challenged the implementation of online voter registration in Minnesota. Though Voter ID will not be required in Pennsylvania next month, the State is still spending over $1 million on Voter ID ads. The Virginia Board of Elections has purged more than 38,000 names from its voter rolls just weeks before Election Day. The Wisconsin Senate passed four changes to election day procedures on almost entirely party-line votes. ITNews reviewed the software employed in Western Australia’s Senate recount and the Maldives police stepped in the halt a contentious Presidential election.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly October 7-13 2013

azerbaijanThe Supreme Court heard arguments in a case challenging aggregate limits on political contributions. Arizona and Kansas announced plans to set up a separate registration system for local and state elections that will demand proof of citizenship not required on Federal voter registration forms. Plans to purge voter rolls are being challenged in Florida and Virginia. A Federal judge in Hawaii heard arguments challenging open primaries in the State. The Azerbaijani Central Election Commission released election results showing President Ilham Aliyev winning 73 percent of the vote a day before the election. And the Indian Supreme Court  has directed the country’s Election Commission to add voter verifiable paper audit trail printers to electronic voting machines.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly September 30 – October 6 2013

Voters wearing traditional Bavarian dress cast their ballots in German general election at polling station in GaissachThe Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in McCutcheon vs. FEC, which challenges the aggregate spending rules that limit any one campaign contributor to $123,000 in total spending to political candidates and election committees during any two-year federal election cycle. The disclosure of all campaign contributions has been delayed by the government shutdown. Nate Cohn considers the actual effect of gerrymandering on political polarization. Voter purges have raised controversy in Florida and Virginia. The Department of Justice has announced plans to sue the the state of North Carolina for what many civil rights advocates have called the worst voter suppression law in the nation. Olga Kazan considered the structural and cultural differences between elections in Germany and the US and claims of vote rigging followed delays in announcing the results of Guinea’s legislative election.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly September 23-29 2013

supreme courtSupreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in McCutcheon v. FEC, which many describe as the next Citizens United and Lawrence Lessig considers it as much a test of the five conservative justices as of the law they will review. Two civil rights groups are challenging Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz’s authority to pass emergency voting rules in the months before an election. Voter advocacy groups alarmed that adequate security measures for a new Maryland law allowing voting by mail with a ballot downloaded online will not be in place for the 2014 elections. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers certified a recount of the Aug. 6 primary election that changed only nine votes in the Detroit mayoral election. A Federal judge in South Dakota ruled that a group of Native Americans will not have to pay court costs related to their voting-rights lawsuit against the state. The Australian Election Commissioner has questioned the wisdom of internet voting proposals and amid claims of security vulnerabilities and an ensuing Supreme Court case, Estonian officials tested their internet voting system.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly September 16-22 2013

detroitRecall 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.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly September 9-15 2013

texas2As touchscreen voting machines age, election directors see paper ballot systems as the best option for the future in the US. Republican Secretaries of State in Arizona and Kansas have filed a joint lawsuit arguing that the failure of GOP Congressional leadership to recommend nominations to the the vacant Election Assistance Commission is blocking their states’ ability to change voter registration processes. Florida election supervisors have expressed concern about Gov. Rick Scott’s latest attempt to purge the state’s voter rolls. Detroit began a recount of last month’s controversial mayoral election, while New York encountered problems with antiquated lever machines in their mayoral primary. The Department of Justice challenge to changes in Texas’s election code may be headed to the Supreme Court. Norway encountered some problems with the encryption during their internet voting trials and opposition leader Alexei Navalny has challenged the results of last week’s election in Moscow.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly for September 2-8 2013

bush_vraThe Presidential Commission on Election Administration held a public hearing in Philadelphia. The San Francisco Chronicle commented on the State laws that have been enacted in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act, while the New York Times considered alternate approaches to protecting voting rights. Efforts to modify election law changes that could disenfranchise thousands of Kansas voters failed to move state legislators. Thousands of ballots were included in the retabulation of the balots cast in Detroit’s mayoral election. Despite a recent decision to allow a college student to use a dorm address in filing for candidacy for local office, severe restrictions and inconveniences remain as obstacles for students voting in North Carolina. A federal court has allowed Texas to use controversial interim redistricting maps for the 2014 elections and the New Zealand Herald questions the decision in favor of internet voting trials in the 2016 election.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly August 26 – September 1 2013

MichiganVoting rights emerged as a central cause for the civil rights movement during events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. Politico considered the Justice Department’s decision to challenge election laws in Texas and other States, while Facing South observes a growing backlash against restrictive voting laws enacted across the South. The special election to replace San Diego Mayor Bob Filner will cost taxpayers over $6 million. The Michigan State Board of Canvassers will re-tally the results of Detroit’s contested mayoral primary. The Texas Election Law Blog calculated the cost of “free” voter IDs. As Australia prepares to go to the polls, the country’s compulsory voting policy is questioned and New Zealand grapples with the security and privacy challenges of internet voting.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly – August 19-25 2013

MerkelThe Justice Department announced that it would become a plaintiff in two lawsuits against the State of Texas, indicating an escalation of the Obama Administration’s efforts to restore a stronger federal role in protecting minority voters. Always divided by ideological differences, the Federal Election Commission is now gridlocked over purely partisan maneuvers. Spencer Overton challenges the notion of a “post-racial” Voting Rights Act. The Secretaries of State of Arizona and Kansas have sued the Obama Administration in a continuing effort by both states to require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote when using the Federal application form created as a result of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Controversy arose in Michigan when Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett’s recommendation to discard over 18,000 write-in ballots in the Detroit mayoral election over a minor clerical reporting error. Rick Hasen observed that North Carolina’s quick passage of sweeping changes to the State’s election code indicates that the Voting Rights Act had been working prior to this summer’s Supreme Court decision. The Washington Post compared campaigns in the US and Germany and after a four year delay an election date has been set for Madagascar.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly Auguest 12-18 2013

McCroryWith the passage of sweeping election legislation in North Carolina and the Justice Department’s challenge to Voter ID in Texas, Politico surveyed the voting rights battleground. American Prospect examined the argument that since efforts to restrict voting rights have been unsuccessful in some cases, those efforts were therefore not intended to restrict voting rights. As many as 15,000 Kansas voters may face challenges in registering to vote under the State’s new proof-of-citizenship requirements. North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed a bill into law that establishes strict voter identification requirements, curtails early voting, eliminates same day registration, early registration for 17-years old and the ability to keep polling places open in the event of long lines or technical problems. A court in Pennsylvania has blocked the State’s Voter ID law for a second time. Texas argues that laws intended to restrict minority access to the polls are not based on politics rather than race. Concerns over cost and security have halted the push for internet voting in Canadian towns and, citing a lack confidence in the integrity of the challenge process, the opposition has dropped its challenge to Zimbabwe’s recent presidential election.

The Voting News Weekly: The Voting News Weekly August 5-11 2013

tried_to_vote_rectWith national attention focused on changes to State election laws in the wake of the Supreme Court decision invalidating Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, Frontline considered the potential impact on local election regulations. Freed from Federal preclearance requirements, Florida will renew its controversial voter purge. Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz has yet to report on his voter fraud investigation begun over a year ago. Numerous lawsuits are expected after North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signs a sweeping election bill into law. A federal judge extended a 2010 court decree that governs Ohio’s provisional ballots and voter identification requirements through 2016. Native American groups have sued South Dakota Secretary of State Jason Gant over access to early voting. Rick Hasen at Election Law Blog posted an analysis of Texas’ aggressive response to the Justice Department over Section 3 of the Voting Rights Act and the Zimbabwe Election Commission has admitted to serious flaws in last week’s presidential election.