Category Archives: absentee ballots

“Lawsuit settled, giving Georgia voters time to fix rejected ballots”

March 7, 2020, 11:52 amabsentee ballots, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

AJC: Georgia voters must be quickly notified when election officials reject their absentee ballots, allowing them time to correct problems and have their ballots counted, according to a settlement with the Democratic Party announced Saturday. Under the settlement in… Continue reading

“Secretary of state: Expect Michigan primary results to come later”

March 5, 2020, 7:12 pmabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Detroit News: Results from Michigan’s presidential primary election Tuesday will come later than usual, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson cautioned during a Thursday press conference.Benson didn’t provide an estimate for how long results will be delayed after polls close Tuesday… Continue reading

“Ohio’s Absentee Ballot Deadline for Prisoners Upheld on Appeal”

March 3, 2020, 11:55 amabsentee ballots, felon votingRick Hasen

Bloomberg Law: An Ohio law allowing unexpectedly hospitalized voters to get an absentee ballot as late as 3 p.m. on Election Day, while most voters, including prisoners, must request an absentee ballot by noon three days before, is constitutional,… Continue reading

“Expect absentee ballot surge to delay Michigan election results”

February 19, 2020, 6:04 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Detroit News: Michigan residents should be prepared for delayed results in next month’s presidential primaries — but the wait will be shorter than what’s anticipated in November’s general election, when results in some big cities aren’t expected until the following… Continue reading

Michigan: “Elections head: Issue absentee ballots within 24 hours; demand rises 63%”

February 10, 2020, 11:07 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Detroit News: Michigan clerks should have been ready to mail absentee ballots to voters on Jan. 30, the state’s elections director indicated in an email to clerks on Thursday, a day after The Detroit News reported concerns about delays… Continue reading

Absentee Votes and Turnout in Michigan Could Delay Election Results

January 14, 2020, 10:37 amabsentee ballotsDan Tokaji

Free Press, with a quote from former election law prof Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State: Adding hundreds of thousands of voters, many of whom will now be able to cast their ballots by voting absentee, will overwhelm local… Continue reading

9 Iowans suspected of voting twice in 2018

December 30, 2019, 12:55 pmabsentee ballots, chicaneryJustin Levitt

The cases have been referred for further investigation. The initial flag apparently comes from ERIC (the Electronic Registration Information Center), which is more careful than other systems at screening for false positives.

“Thousands of Ohio voters denied absentee ballots, Associated Press finds”

December 16, 2019, 8:38 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

AP: Thousands of Ohio voters were held up or stymied in their efforts to get absentee ballots for last year’s general election because of missing or mismatched signatures on their ballot applications, an Associated Press review has found.The signature requirement… Continue reading

New Lawsuit Filed Against Arizona Law Requiring Absentee Ballots to Arrive (Not Be Postmarked) by Election Day

November 26, 2019, 11:04 amabsentee ballots, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

The new lawsuit from Voto Latino and Priorities USA raises both constitutional and Voting Rights Act claims. Read the complaint.

“Clerks facing challenges with absentee voting skyrocketing in Michigan elections”

November 15, 2019, 8:41 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Detroit Free Press: With absentee voting skyrocketing since voters approved a ballot proposal last year allowing for its expansion, clerks across the state are worrying about counting ballots next year, when a record turnout is expected for the presidential race.Some… Continue reading

“Absentee voting influx sparks fear of delayed election results”

September 11, 2019, 7:20 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Detroit News: Local officials bracing for an influx of absentee voters are urging Michigan lawmakers to give clerks more time to process mail-in ballots and avoid logjams that could delay election night reporting results. But a top lawmaker in Michigan’s… Continue reading

“Mail-In Absentee Ballot Anomalies in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District”

August 22, 2019, 7:58 amabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

Michael Herron has written this article forthcoming in the Election Law Journal. Here is the abstract: The aftermath of the 2018 midterm election in North Carolina was marred by allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the state’s 9th Congressional District,… Continue reading

Today’s Must-Read: “How a criminal investigation in Georgia set an ominous tone for African-American voters”

August 6, 2019, 8:35 amabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

Quite a story from Yahoo News.

“New protections for Georgia absentee ballots settle lawsuits”

July 10, 2019, 9:44 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

AJC: A new Georgia law that prevents absentee ballot rejections has resolved two federal lawsuits over last fall’s election.The law prohibits election officials from disqualifying absentee ballots because of a signature mismatch or a missing birth year and address. These… Continue reading