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Anti-democratic moves by state lawmakers raise fears for 2024 election
By: Zachary Roth - September 24, 2023
In Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers are threatening to impeach both the state’s election administrator, who is highly regarded nationally, and a state Supreme Court justice despite a ruling by the state’s judicial commission that the justice had done nothing wrong — effectively nullifying a recent statewide election she won, Democrats say. In North Carolina, a bill […]
Not just Ohio: Biased language is the hot new tactic to thwart ballot measures
By: Zachary Roth - September 1, 2023
Abortion-rights supporters filed a lawsuit Monday against what they call “deceptive” ballot language produced by Ohio officials for the state’s closely-watched upcoming referendum on the issue. But it isn’t just the Buckeye State that’s lately seeing fierce battles over the once-obscure topic of ballot language. In recent weeks, officials in Missouri — where another abortion-rights […]
Americans are worried about democracy. You wouldn’t know it from the GOP debate.
By: Zachary Roth - August 25, 2023
There’s a growing feeling, among both experts and ordinary Americans, that our democracy isn’t functioning well — and even that it’s under threat. “American democracy is cracking,” the Washington Post reported August 18. “I’m terrified,” one democracy expert told the paper. “I think we are in bad shape, and I don’t know a way out.” […]
Ohio voters are deciding if it’s too easy to pass ballot measures. Other states are watching.
By: Zachary Roth and Morgan Trau - August 5, 2023
CLEVELAND — Ohioans over the last century have used the state’s ballot initiative process to pass constitutional amendments that raised the minimum wage, integrated the National Guard and removed the phrase “white male” from the constitution’s list of voter eligibility requirements. Now, lawmakers want to make it much tougher for an initiative to be approved. […]
Changes in state election laws have little impact on results, new study finds
By: Zachary Roth - July 17, 2023
'I would like the public discussion of these issues to be less partisan. It’s the only way forward beyond the voting wars,' a Penn prof said.
As states hunt for new voters, Massachusetts adds thousands via Medicaid applications
By: Zachary Roth - July 7, 2023
During the 2021-22 election cycle, 166,539 people in Massachusetts applied to be registered to vote through social service agencies.
Federal health insurance website lags in voter registration assistance, Democrats charge
By: Zachary Roth - July 4, 2023
The government has made progress -- but can do more, Democratic senators, led by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. argue
Red and blue state divide grows even wider in 2023’s top voting and election laws
By: Zachary Roth - June 26, 2023
Red states and blue states 'are moving in opposite directions in the regulation of election administration,' one expert said.
States with low election turnout did little in 2023 to expand voting access
By: Zachary Roth - June 18, 2023
Eight states had turnout rates of below 50% when they were averaged between the last two national elections.
Ruling in Alabama case could boost suits increasing Black voters’ power in other states
By: Zachary Roth - June 12, 2023
The ruling could give a boost to more than two dozen other ongoing efforts to challenge political maps as racial gerrymanders.
GOP-led states plan new voter data systems to replace one they rejected. Good luck with that
By: Zachary Roth - May 30, 2023
Some states, including Texas and Virginia, have said they plan to create their own data-sharing networks to replace ERIC
A top GOP lawyer wants to crack down on the college vote. States already are
By: Zachary Roth - April 30, 2023
Efforts to make it difficult for students and other young people to vote are almost as old as the 26th Amendment.