Legislative Updates
California: A Bill requiring an Audit of California’s Motor Voter Program has Died in a Senate Committee.
Delaware: Gov. John Carney (D) has signed House Bill 38 into Law. Under the New Early Voting Law, Voters in The First State will be able to cast their Ballots at Polling Places up to 10 days before Election Day.
Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has Signed a Bill into Law that would require Felons released from Prison to Pay All required Restitution before their Voting Rights are Restored. This is a Poll Tax.
New Hampshire: Gov. Chris Sununu (R) has Vetoed a Bill that would have Allowed for Limited Release of certain Data in the State’s Centralized Voter Registration Database, pursuant to a Court Order when necessary “to protect the right to vote from infringement.”
New York: Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-15th District) has introduced a Bill that would Require All Voting Machines to Notify Voters if they have chosen a Candidate Listed on the Ballot who has Officially Withdrawn from the Race prior to Election Day. It would also allow the Voter a chance to Switch their Vote, if they choose to do so. If not, their Vote will not be Counted.
North Carolina: The Senate has Approved a Bill that would Eliminate a Statewide Absentee Ballot Request Form that can be Mass Copied, Filled Out, and Turned in to Local County Boards. Instead, Individual Voters would have to Write Personal Requests, as they used to do, to receive a Ballot. The Person fills out the Ballot, gets Witness Signatures, and sends it in an enclosed Envelope.
Oregon: The Senate has Approved a Bill that will cover Postage for Ballots. Under the Measure, Ballot Return Envelopes would include Pre-Paid Postage in the Form of a “business reply mail” Envelope. It means the Ballots can be Mailed from Anywhere in the United States without needing a Stamp. The Bill now Heads to the Desk of Gov. Kate Brown (D), who has expressed Strong Support for the Legislation.
Legal Updates
California: An Indictment Unsealed in Los Angeles Charged Nine People Accused of participating in Voting Fraud Schemes, in which Homeless People were Allegedly offered Cash or Cigarettes in Exchange for Forged Signatures on Initiative Petitions and Voter Registration Forms. Prosecutors have Accused the Group of 14 Felonies for a Variety of Alleged Acts during the 2016 and 2018 Election Cycles, including Charges of Circulating an Initiative with Forged or Fictitious Names, Signing Fictitious Names, Registering Fictitious Persons, and making Payment for Signatures, according to the Indictment. None of the Defendants Faces All of the Charges.
Florida: Arguing an Omnibus Elections Bill Signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) makes the Case Moot, Lawyers for the State are asking a Federal Judge to Throw Out a Lawsuit Challenging how Florida Elections Officials handle Mismatched Signatures on Mail-In and Provisional Ballots.
Lawyers Representing Voting-Rights and Civil-Rights Groups, as well as more than a Dozen Floridians who’ve been Convicted of Felonies, filed Three Lawsuits in Federal Court, immediately after DeSantis Signed into Law an Omnibus Elections Measure (SB 7066) that included the Implementation of Amendment 4. The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a Fourth Lawsuit. The Legal Challenges, combined into One Case by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, allege the Legislation Unconstitutionally “creates two classes of citizens,” depending on their Ability to Pay Financial Obligations that many don’t even know about. There is a Process, since the 1970s, to Pay those Fees on a Monthly Schedule when you Leave, but seems Not to be enforced.
In Documents filed this week, Plaintiffs in a long-running Dispute over Campus Early Voting Sites argued that Language Slipped into SB7066 that requires College Campus Early Voting Sites to have “sufficient non-permitted parking” will Create an Unconstitutional Burden on All Voters.
Georgia: U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg this week ordered Election Officials to Allow Computer Experts to Review Databases used to Configure Ballots and Tabulate Votes. The Ruling comes in a Lawsuit by Election Integrity Advocates who doubt the Accuracy of the State’s Voting Machines.
A Lawsuit over Rejected Absentee Ballots has been Dismissed following the Passage of House Bill 316 that will Change how Absentee Ballots are Reviewed. “The parties agree that the above-cited provisions make further litigation of this matter unnecessary,” according to a Joint Stipulation for Dismissal last month.
Pennsylvania: Westmoreland County Judge Harry F. Small Approved a New Voter Precinct Plan for Upper Burrell that will more Evenly Divide the Number of Voters between the Township’s Two Precincts.
Texas: Klaus Michael Adam, 77, a Killeen Municipal Election Judge, was Indicted by the Bell County Grand Jury on the Charge of Criminal Attempt of Illegal Voting.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
