REDISTRICTING:

Illinois: Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) has Signed a Bill that will End the Practice of "Prison Gerrymandering" at the Legislative Level by Counting Incarcerated People for Redistricting purposes at their Last known Address instead of where they are Imprisoned, and can't Vote if they were Convicted of a Felony. However, the New Legislation won't take effect until the 2030s Redistricting Cycle even though there's Theoretically still time to Implement Reforms this Year, with the Census Numbers coming September 30th, 2021.

Ohio, Republican Officials filed a Federal Lawsuit seeking to Require the Census Bureau to Release Key Population Data needed for States to be able to Conduct Redistricting by the Bureau's original March 31st Deadline. The Bureau had recently announced that the Data wouldn't be Released until at least Sept. 30th, 2021, due to Delays caused by the Pandemic and Trump's attempts to Interfere with the Census' Operations, causing a Major Disruption to Redistricting Timelines in a Number of States. The Covid-19 Pandemic also Cut the Census Short and Missed Counting many Homes.

VOTING ACCESS EXPANSIONS:

Arkansas: A State House Committee, in Republican-dominated Arkansas, has Unanimously Passed a Bill to establish Online Voter Registration. Arkansas is One of just a handful of States still lacking an Online Registration Option.

California: Gov. Gavin Newsom (d) has Signed a Bill that will Automatically Mail a Ballot to All Active Registered Voters for Elections taking Place later this year, which could include a Potential Election to Recall Newsom from Office. Democrats had adopted Universal Vote-by-Mail on a Temporary Basis in 2020 due to the Pandemic. I am against this Option. First Mail a Regust Form, then use the Can't Deliver to Clean the Voter Rolls.

Hawaii: The Democratic-run State Senate has Unanimously Passed a Bill to enable Counties to Operate more In-Person Voting Centers after In-Person Voting was Plagued by Long Lines amid the State's Transition to Universal Mail Voting in 2020. Senate Democrats and the Chamber's lone Republican also Unanimously Passed a Bill in Committee to establish Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) via Hawaii's Driver's Licensing Agency.

Iowa: A GOP-run State House Committee has Unanimously Passed a Constitutional Amendment that would Codify Gov. Kim Reynold's Executive Order that Automatically Restores Voting Rights to People with Felony Convictions who have Fully served their Sentences, including Parole and Probation. The Full State House Passed a similar Measure with Bipartisan Support in 2019 Only for State Senate Republicans to Refuse to take it up. The Latest Amendment would need to be Approved by Both Chambers both Before and After the 2022 Elections before it could go onto the 2024 Ballot as a Voter Referendum.

Nevada: Democrats, including Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, are Planning to introduce a Bill that would Permanently adopt Universal Vote-by-Mail, with Limited In-Person Voting remaining Available, after Nevada's Democratic-run State Government Temporarily implemented it last year due to the Pandemic. Just under Half of Nevada Voters cast their Ballots by Mail thanks to last year's Temporary Law.

New Jersey: State Senate Democrats have Passed a Bill that would establish an Early Voting Period, requiring each of New Jersey's 21 Counties to create at least Three Early Voting Locations while more Populous Counties would need more Locations. The Bill, which Assembly Democrats also Passed in Committee, would adopt 10 days of Early Voting for General Elections, Six days for Presidential Primaries, and Four days for All other Primaries.

New York: State Senate Democrats have Passed a Bill along Party Lines to Permanently Eliminate the Disenfranchisement of Voters on Parole by Automatically Restoring Voting Rights to anyone Convicted of a Felony who is No Longer Incarcerated. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) had previously Issued an Executive Order in 2019 Restoring Voting Rights to many Parolees, but that Order still left Thousands of Parolees Convicted of certain Crimes Disenfranchised, and it could be Rescinded by a Future Governor.

Virginia: Democrats in Both Legislative Chambers have Passed several Bills expanding Voting Access, including the Permanent Adoption of some Measures Temporarily Implemented during the Pandemic last year. The various Bills include Provisions for:

- A State-Level Voting Rights Act that is modeled on the Federal Version.

- Early Voting on Sunday, which Black Voters have been Disproportionately likely to use'

- Absentee Ballot Drop-Boxes.

- A System for letting Voters Correct Errors with their Absentee Ballots.

- Prepaid Postage for Absentee Ballots.

- Waiving the Absentee Ballot Witness Signature requirement during Public Health Emergencies.

- Requiring Local Election officials to begin Processing Absentee Ballots a week before Election Day so that they are Counted in a timely manner on Election Night.

- Letting 16-17-year-olds "pre-register" to Vote so that they will be Automatically added to the Voter Registration Rolls once they turn 18.

The Bills now go to Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who is likely to Sign them into Law.

Washington: State House Democrats have Passed a Bill largely along Party Lines that would End Felony Disenfranchisement for Anyone is Not currently Incarcerated. That means People currently Banned from Voting who are on Parole, Probation, or owe Court Fines and Fees despite having Served their Sentences would Automatically regain their Voting Rights if Democrats in the state Senate and Gov. Jay Inslee (D) also Approve the Bill.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker