Down to the Haywire in the Badger State
The unthinkable has happened in Wisconsin. Just seven weeks before the midterm elections, a panel of Seventh Circuit judges has restored the state’s strict voter ID law, which had been blocked by the courts for over two years. The decision will wreak havoc for election administrators and voters alike and could be outcome-determinative in a […]
Rigging the Game for Wisconsin’s Voter ID Supporters
The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has split 5-5 on whether to restore the injunction blocking Wisconsin’s voter ID law for this election. Since the full court deadlocked, the three-judge panel’s decision to stay the injunction — or let the ID law go into effect — will stand, absent intervention by […]
A Foreseeable Train Wreck in Arizona’s Elections
Today, the recount began in the race for Arizona’s Second Congressional District seat, and as of now, challenger Martha McSally leads Rep. Ron Barber by a mere 161 votes. Elections that are this close dramatically underscore the need for fair rules that preserve every last validly cast vote. But in every general election in Arizona, […]
It’s time to make no-reason absentee voting available to all Michiganders, without restrictions
Election Day is the time eligible Michiganders are able to exercise one of their most fundamental American rights: the right to vote. It’s the time when voters have a chance to make their voices heard. But sometimes life gets in the way on Election Day. Maybe you’re working a long shift and can’t take time […]
The Original Voter Suppression Data: The Numbers Behind the 1965 Voting Rights Act
After a long and difficult battle culminating in the Selma to Montgomery March, the Voting Rights Act (VRA) was born 50 years ago today. Previous efforts had failed to curb racial discrimination in voting, but the VRA’s passage marked the beginning of a new era. As we commemorate this singular achievement of the Civil Rights […]
Strict voter ID law a mistake for Michigan
Michigan legislators are trying to ram through a strict voter ID bill in the waning days of this session. They need to hit pause and think before proceeding with this unconstitutional law which will force many voters into a maze of government bureaucracy and invite costly litigation at taxpayers’ expense. The state already has a […]
Trying to Restore the Vote to Prisoners Hurts More Than It Helps
With every passing week, there seems to be a new litmus test for Democratic presidential candidates. Last week’s was whether a felon should be permitted to vote while serving time in prison. At CNN town halls on April 22, Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed the idea of enfranchising those currently serving prison sentences, Mayor Pete Buttigieg […]
The great double standard of our election system
After years of laws aimed at blocking access to the ballot, a new kind of voter suppression is emerging. The Tennessee and Texas state legislatures are moving bills that would criminalize or severely penalize innocent, good-faith mistakes made by voters registering or casting a ballot. The Tennessee bill, which is headed to the governor, would […]
Kentucky must restore voting rights by law, not by a politician’s grace
On Nov. 5, the nation focused its attention on Kentucky’s gubernatorial election. Although pundits seemed primarily interested in speculating on what Matt Bevin’s defeat might mean for the 2020 federal elections, the race also garnered attention because the voting rights of hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians with felony convictions hung in the balance. With the […]
Virginia making strides to expand voting access
During the recently concluded legislative session, Virginia lawmakers initiated a much-needed overhaul of the commonwealth’s restrictive voting laws. It’s a good start, but more must be done to protect and expand voting rights. Specifically, the General Assembly should take steps next year to increase student voting and establish objective criteria for restoring the right to […]
