Voters will get the chance this fall to expand or limit access to the polls in a wave of ballot initiatives ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Seven states have ballot measures this year involving election rules, such as ID requirements and easier registration, the National Conference of State Legislatures said. Maine voters already approved a measure, and Michigan could join the fray if a campaign clears a signature hurdle. Together, that equals the number of similar ballot measures from 2014 and 2016 combined, according to NCSL. “This entire decade has been roiling with concerns on both sides—integrity and access—to voting rights,” said Wendy Underhill, director of elections and redistricting at NCSL.
Some of the measures are in battleground states that could help decide the presidential race. In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers are seeking new identification requirements at the polls. Florida, on the other hand, could expand its voter roster if it decides to reinstate voting rights for an estimated 1.4 million people with felony records.
A mix of factors is fueling the latest crop of ballot questions. In North Carolina and Arkansas, lawmakers want citizens’ support for a concept that has been blocked in court before.
Full Article: On the Ballot in Some States Ahead of 2020: The Right to Vote – WSJ.