As the early stages of the 2016 presidential race begin, state legislatures are already considering hundreds of laws that could determine access to the ballot.
Increased single-party control in state capitals has accompanied a renewed push for voting restrictions. There are strong pushes for strict photo ID requirements in some Republican-led states, including in places where laws were struck down by state courts. This year, the courts — including the U.S. Supreme Court — are again poised to rule on voter ID and other election laws. Courts failed to block a number of restrictive laws last year, and without clear limits, states appear ready to move forward with harsh new measures.
At the same time, there is continued momentum around reforms to improve access to the polls. Two ideas recommended by the bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration — modernizing voter registration and increasing early voting opportunities — appear in many legislative proposals, with modernization efforts gaining the most traction. Both Democrats and Republicans have sponsored such bills, but it is too early to tell whether they will move forward. There is also bipartisan movement to restore voting rights to people with past criminal convictions, improve access for military voters, and expand access to absentee ballots