Category Archives: The Voting Wars

“Inside Mitch McConnell’s personal push to defeat Democrats’ voting reforms”

May 7, 2021, 7:20 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

McClatchy: Every week, a group of nearly 100 conservative leaders convene for a 30-minute strategy call on a single issue: How to combat Democrats’ sweeping legislation to change the way federal elections are conducted.Two weeks ago, the keynote briefer was… Continue reading

“Business Coalitions to Speak Out Against Voting Restrictions in Texas”

May 4, 2021, 7:23 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

NYT: Two broad coalitions of companies and executives plan to release letters on Tuesday calling for expanded voting access in Texas, wading into the contentious debate over Republican legislators’ proposed new restrictions on balloting after weeks of relative silence… Continue reading

“Changes to Kansas election rules become law despite Governor Laura Kelly’s veto”

May 4, 2021, 7:16 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

KC Star: Changes to Kansas election laws that limit the power of the executive and judicial branch and tighten rules around advance voting are now law despite Gov. Laura Kelly’s objections.The Kansas Legislature voted Monday to override Kelly’s vetoes on… Continue reading

“Florida Republicans Pass Voting Limits in Broad Elections Bill”

April 30, 2021, 6:53 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

NYT: Republicans in the Florida Legislature passed an election overhaul bill on Thursday that is set to usher in a host of voting restrictions in one of the most critical battleground states in the country, adding to the national push … Continue reading

“Republicans Target Voter Access in Texas Cities, but Not Rural Areas”

April 26, 2021, 7:14 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

NYT: Voting in the 2020 election presented Zoe Douglas with a difficult choice: As a therapist meeting with patients over Zoom late into the evening, she just wasn’t able to wrap up before polls closed during early voting.Then Harris… Continue reading

My New One in the NY Times on the New Danger of Election Subversion

April 23, 2021, 6:23 amElection Meltdown, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

I have written this NY Times oped. It begins: A new, more dangerous front has opened in the voting wars, and it’s going to be much harder to counteract than the now-familiar fight over voting rules. At stake is… Continue reading

“Protect Democracy Releases Report on Election Interference Schemes by State Legislators”

April 22, 2021, 8:58 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Release of an important report: Today, Protect Democracy released a new report titled, Democracy Crisis in the Making: How State Legislatures are Politicizing, Criminalizing, and Interfering with Elections, written with Law Forward and the States United Democracy Center. The report… Continue reading

“Draft Ohio election bill would ax day of voting, require more ID; Lawmaker says it won’t be introduced”

April 16, 2021, 5:09 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Cincinnati Enquirer: A progressive group published a draft of an Ohio election overhaul that would eliminate a day of early voting, require more forms of identification to vote early in person and allow drop boxes only during a statewide… Continue reading

North Carolina: “Editorial: Find ways to ease voting, not restrict it”

April 12, 2021, 6:43 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

WRAL editorial: State Sen. Paul Newton may have tried to talk a good game in the Senate Election Committee saying Senate Bill 326, “The Elections Integrity Act” was nothing more than an effort to “shore up … leakage around… Continue reading

“After Georgia, Voting Fight Moves to Texas”

April 8, 2021, 11:00 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

WSJ: The battle over voting rules has shifted to Texas, following recent legislation in Georgia that led to a backlash from civil-rights groups and some major corporations.The Texas legislature is advancing a bill that would limit early voting hours, place… Continue reading

“An under-the-radar voting rights bill in Congress could prevent the election fight in Georgia from happening again”

April 8, 2021, 7:39 amThe Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Jon Ward for Yahoo News: The political battles over voting laws are at a new fever pitch, with Democrats accusing Republicans of trying to suppress participation by minority voters, and Republicans accusing Democrats of hyperbole and bad-faith objections.Voting experts say… Continue reading

“Protecting American Democracy Is No Crime; New Laws Could Make Election Officials Legal Targets”

April 7, 2021, 6:52 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Must-read Larry Norden: In the past 12 months, American election officials have been heralded for their courage and commitment in carrying out the most logistically challenging election in modern times—with record turnout, no less. They have also been attacked as… Continue reading

“What Will Georgia’s Election Law Really Do? It’s important to look beyond the measure’s immediate effect on turnout.”

April 7, 2021, 6:49 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Key point from Jonathan Bernstein: So even those aspects of the new law that are unlikely to help Republicans win elections may still amount to a retreat from practical political equality.There’s more. Some provisions empower the state legislature to act… Continue reading