Voting Law Proposals and Voting Rights Efforts

[MT15]

This is, IMO, going to be a big topic in the coming year. Republicans have stated their aim to make voting more restrictive in just about every state where they have the means to do so. Democrats would like to pass the Voting Rights Bill named after John Lewis. I’m going to go look up the map of all the states which have pending legislation to restrict voting. Now that we have the election in the rear view, I thought we could try to make this a general discussion thread, where people who have concerns about voting abuses can post as well and we can discuss it from both sides. Please keep memes out of this thread and put them in the boards where we go to talk about the other side, lol.

 

[MT15]

Wait, what?

You know - the vote today by the MAGAs on the GA election board that votes have to be hand counted. The hope is that it will be impossible to do, so they will refuse to certify the election. They were informed by the GA SOS that they don’t have the authority to legally do it, but they did it anyway.

 

[Optimus Prime]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Friday that nearly 98,000 people whose citizenship documents hadn’t been confirmed can vote in state and local races.

The court’s decision comes after officials uncovered a database error that for two decades mistakenly designated the voters as having access to the full ballot.

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, and Stephen Richer, the Republican Maricopa County recorder, had disagreed on what status the voters should hold. Richer asked the high court to weigh in.

The swing state is unique in that it distinguishes between voters who can participate only in federal elections and those who can vote in federal, state and local elections. Eligibility for the latter classification requires submission of proof of citizenship.

The court ruled that county officials lack the authority to change their statuses because those voters registered long ago and had attested under the penalty of law that they are citizens.…….

Court rules nearly 98,000 Arizonans whose citizenship hadn't been confirmed can vote the full ballot

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that nearly 98,000 people whose citizenship documents hadn’t been confirmed can vote in state and local races.

apnews.com

 

[Eeyore]

So they don't want married women who changed their names to vote?

How the Republican War on Women Extends to Voting Rights

Most women vote Democratic. And most still change their name when they marry. And that’s where the GOP sees an Achilles’ heel.

newrepublic.com

 

[MT15]

So they don't want married women who changed their names to vote?

How the Republican War on Women Extends to Voting Rights

Most women vote Democratic. And most still change their name when they marry. And that’s where the GOP sees an Achilles’ heel.

newrepublic.com

I just saw this. That’s why people are opposing the SAVE act. It will essentially work to disenfranchise mostly women. Here is a synopsis from Twitter with a link to the bill:

“Republicans are refusing to fund the government. In 10 days, we could face a shutdown.

Attached to the funding bill is the SAVE Act, an act amending our existing laws which already prohibit non-citizens from voting in federal elections. (Note: Some states allow green card holders to vote in local elections, but they've never been able to vote in federal elections).

The new requirements would apply to anyone who has not yet registered to vote in this election. So, if passed prior to October 1st, anyone who registers to vote after that date would be subject to the new rules. Anyone already registered to vote who votes after this election would be subject to the news rules in the next election & would have to re-register.

The SAVE act goes further than existing laws. Were it to pass, it would require that everyone present proof of citizenship **AND** ID in order to register to vote. I hear you now, Trump supporters! "That sounds good to me!" and "What's wrong with that?"

Here's why:

First, nearly everyone would have re-register to vote, unless their state already requires proof of citizenship to register.

In order to register to vote, you must provide not only ID, but also proof of citizenship, IN PERSON.

There would only be TWO ways to prove citizenship: an original birth certificate (certified copies not permitted except in rare circumstances), or a passport. In addition, the name on the birth certificate must exactly match that of your current name on your ID.

So, for example, if you are a someone who got married or divorced, your BIRTH CERTIFICATE must match your other ID.

What would be acceptable proof of identification? Your driver's license? Nah. Nope. Not unless your DL lists your country of birth as the United States. Most DL's & state ID cards don't list a country of birth on them.

Ok, so what else, then? A REAL ID would work, right? Nope. Not unless that ID also lists the country of birth. Most do not.

A military ID would work, right? Nope. Not unless it is accompanied by your military record of service showing that the applicant's place of birth was in the United States.

Oh, and if you were adopted, that adoption decree has to have your country of birth (as the US) listed within it. So, if you were born outside of the US, but were adopted in the US, sorry, you can't vote in federal elections.

I am not joking. WHEN the government shuts down due to Republicans pushing this bill, please know it’s their doing and only their doing.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281/text

 

[GrandAdmiral]

You know - the vote today by the MAGAs on the GA election board that votes have to be hand counted. The hope is that it will be impossible to do, so they will refuse to certify the election. They were informed by the GA SOS that they don’t have the authority to legally do it, but they did it anyway.

You missed it...

 

[MT15]

You missed it...

I usually do…..

 

[Eeyore]

"Oops"

They got caught. I'm sure that they expected it. Now they can drag their feet correcting the "error" while time runs out.

Ballot error shuts down Montana online absentee voting system

When Max Himsl opened his electronic ballot on Friday, he was dismayed to see a candidate missing from the list of options.

dailyinterlake.com

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Good. I hope this puts that mess to rest for good (or at least until after election day).

Pivotal Nebraska state senator deals Trump serious setback, saying he won’t support change to state election law | CNN Politics

A pressure campaign from Donald Trump and Republican allies to change Nebraska election law was dealt a significant setback on Monday as a pivotal Omaha state senator said he would not support a last-ditch effort to overturn a 30-year law that awards electoral votes by congressional district...

www.cnn.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

Montana's election season has gotten off to a rocky start after absentee voters realized Kamala Harris was not a listed candidate on their ballot.

The state was forced to shut down its electronic absentee voter system after it went live on September 20 when a voter reported that there was no option to vote for the vice president.

Montana's election season has gotten off to a rocky start after absentee voters realized Kamala Harris was not a listed candidate on their ballot.

The state was forced to shut down its electronic absentee voter system after it went live on September 20 when a voter reported that there was no option to vote for the vice president.

Max Himsl, a Montana voter living in the UK, reported the issue when trying to fill out his ballot online, according to the Daily Inter Lake, a local newspaper. He reported it right away to the Flathead County Election Department on Friday, September 20.

As a precaution the Secretary of State's office, run by Republican Christi Jacobson, took down the electronic absentee system for troubleshooting, although it insisted that very few voters had been affected by this issue.

Heidi Desch, deputy editor of features at the Daily Inter Lake, told Newsweek: "My understanding is that the [voting] system was working again on Friday afternoon." Desch has not heard from Himsl since publishing his complaint on Friday.

Newsweek has contacted the Secretary of State's office via email for comment on whether the ballots now include Harris.

The office reassured voters that this issue affected only electronic absentee ballots, which are for members of the armed forces living abroad, spouses or dependants of members of the armed forces living abroad, U.S. citizens living abroad, and, per the Montana Secretary of State's website: "Other individuals meeting definitions of 'absent uniformed services voter' and 'overseas voter' in Montana law."..............

Montana voting system shut down after Kamala Harris left off ballot

Montana temporarily shut down its online absentee voting system after a voter realized that Kamala Harris was not listed.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

In Georgia, election workers will have to hand count the number of ballots cast after voting is completed. In North Carolina, some students and university staff can use their digital IDs to vote. In Wisconsin, ballot drop boxes are newly legal again, although not every voting jurisdiction will use them.

Across the country, including in some of the nation’s presidential swing states, new or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.

It can be a challenge to keep track of these 11th-hour changes, especially since state election processes already vary so widely. Even more changes are looming in some states, with Election Day on Nov. 5 now just weeks away. Several states already have started sending out mail ballots, and in some states, voters have begun casting ballots in person.

“Last-minute changes to election rules — whether from a state legislature, an election authority or a court — can lead to confusion for voters and election officials," Megan Bellamy, vice president of law and policy for the Voting Rights Lab, said in an email response. "Election season is underway. Lawmakers, administrative bodies and courts must recognize that.”

Here's a look at some of the election processes that are new or have been recently modified.

Georgia and Arizona will both require election workers to hand-count ballots at polling sites on Election Day. Election officials say it could delay the reporting of results.

The Georgia State Election Board passed its new rule on Friday. It requires that the number of ballots — not the number of votes — be counted by hand at each polling place by three separate poll workers until all three counts are the same.

Georgia voters make selections on touch-screen voting machines that print out paper ballots. Those ballots include a list of the selections so voters can verify their accuracy and a QR code that is read by a scanner to tally the votes.

Proponents say the new hand-count rule is needed to make sure the number of paper ballots matches the electronic tallies on scanners, check-in computers and voting machines. The three workers will have to count the ballots in piles of 50, and the poll manager needs to explain and fix, if possible, any discrepancies, as well as document them..........

Several states are making late changes to election rules, even as voting is set to begin

Across the country, including in some of the nation’s presidential swing states, new or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.

apnews.com

 

[cuddlemonkey]

In Georgia, election workers will have to hand count the number of ballots cast after voting is completed. In North Carolina, some students and university staff can use their digital IDs to vote. In Wisconsin, ballot drop boxes are newly legal again, although not every voting jurisdiction will use them.

Across the country, including in some of the nation’s presidential swing states, new or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.

It can be a challenge to keep track of these 11th-hour changes, especially since state election processes already vary so widely. Even more changes are looming in some states, with Election Day on Nov. 5 now just weeks away. Several states already have started sending out mail ballots, and in some states, voters have begun casting ballots in person.

“Last-minute changes to election rules — whether from a state legislature, an election authority or a court — can lead to confusion for voters and election officials," Megan Bellamy, vice president of law and policy for the Voting Rights Lab, said in an email response. "Election season is underway. Lawmakers, administrative bodies and courts must recognize that.”

Here's a look at some of the election processes that are new or have been recently modified.

Georgia and Arizona will both require election workers to hand-count ballots at polling sites on Election Day. Election officials say it could delay the reporting of results.

The Georgia State Election Board passed its new rule on Friday. It requires that the number of ballots — not the number of votes — be counted by hand at each polling place by three separate poll workers until all three counts are the same.

Georgia voters make selections on touch-screen voting machines that print out paper ballots. Those ballots include a list of the selections so voters can verify their accuracy and a QR code that is read by a scanner to tally the votes.

Proponents say the new hand-count rule is needed to make sure the number of paper ballots matches the electronic tallies on scanners, check-in computers and voting machines. The three workers will have to count the ballots in piles of 50, and the poll manager needs to explain and fix, if possible, any discrepancies, as well as document them..........

Several states are making late changes to election rules, even as voting is set to begin

Across the country, including in some of the nation’s presidential swing states, new or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.

apnews.com

I can go ahead and explain any discrepancies ahead of time. The absolute morons on the Georgia State Election Board just introduced a boatload of human error into a process that was already functioning properly.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

I can go ahead and explain any discrepancies ahead of time. The absolute morons on the Georgia State Election Board just introduced a boatload of human error into a process that was already functioning properly.

That is the Republican Party's plan. They want the human error potential in order to continue their goal of creating doubt in the election process! That doubt will create an opportunity for the GOP to manipulate the results of an election to their favor.

 

[Optimus Prime]

The system worked in that the error was caught and corrected quickly

But this is just going to add to the firestorm of fraud allegations that is coming

“Maybe there were errors elsewhere that weren’t corrected”

“Maybe they’re lying that it was corrected”

“Maybe there are ‘errors’ that were never discovered

================
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson said Tuesday that none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there were multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.

“This was a mistake,” city spokesperson Dylan Brogan said. “The clerk’s office moved to rectify it as quickly as possible.”

The error in a Democratic stronghold in the battleground state led to a demand for more information from U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican backer of former President Donald Trump whose northern Wisconsin district does not include Madison.

“Voters deserve clear answers regarding the full scope of this blunder, how the city plans to restore public confidence in its ability to accurately administer the election, and assurances that those responsible are held accountable,” Tiffany wrote.

The error in Madison and push for more information from a Trump backer comes as there is intense scrutiny over how elections are run, particularly in battleground states like Wisconsin. Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020. Nearly four years later, conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election and false claims of widespread fraud persist. Trump continues to insist, despite no evidence of widespread fraud, that he won that election as he seeks a return to the White House.

President Joe Biden’s win over Trump in Wisconsin survived two recounts ordered by Trump, including one involving the city of Madison, an independent audit, a review by a Republican law firm and numerous lawsuits.

Brogan said election clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl was in the process of responding to Tiffany’s letter and “thoroughly answering all of these questions.”…..

Wisconsin capital city sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots, leading to GOP concerns

Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson says that none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there were multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.

apnews.com

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

The system worked in that the error was caught and corrected quickly

But this is just going to add to the firestorm of fraud allegations that is coming

“Maybe there were errors elsewhere that weren’t corrected”

“Maybe they’re lying that it was corrected”

“Maybe there are ‘errors’ that were never discovered

================
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson said Tuesday that none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there were multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.

“This was a mistake,” city spokesperson Dylan Brogan said. “The clerk’s office moved to rectify it as quickly as possible.”

The error in a Democratic stronghold in the battleground state led to a demand for more information from U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican backer of former President Donald Trump whose northern Wisconsin district does not include Madison.

“Voters deserve clear answers regarding the full scope of this blunder, how the city plans to restore public confidence in its ability to accurately administer the election, and assurances that those responsible are held accountable,” Tiffany wrote.

The error in Madison and push for more information from a Trump backer comes as there is intense scrutiny over how elections are run, particularly in battleground states like Wisconsin. Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020. Nearly four years later, conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election and false claims of widespread fraud persist. Trump continues to insist, despite no evidence of widespread fraud, that he won that election as he seeks a return to the White House.

President Joe Biden’s win over Trump in Wisconsin survived two recounts ordered by Trump, including one involving the city of Madison, an independent audit, a review by a Republican law firm and numerous lawsuits.

Brogan said election clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl was in the process of responding to Tiffany’s letter and “thoroughly answering all of these questions.”…..

Wisconsin capital city sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots, leading to GOP concerns

Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson says that none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there were multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.

apnews.com

Just another example of "Operation Create Doubt" in action.

Edit: She gets it!

 

[Optimus Prime]

CNN —
A conservative appeals court raised concerns that Republicans’ arguments for forbidding the counting of mail ballots that arrive after Election Day require throwing out votes cast before Election Day.

A panel of three judges – all appointees of former President Donald Trump – on the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals also had tough questions at a Tuesday hearing for those defending Mississippi’s policy, the target of a GOP lawsuit, of accepting properly-postmarked mail ballots that are received by election officials within five days after an election.

The Republican National Committee and others are suing over the mail ballot policies of Mississippi – a non-battleground with limited, excuse-only absentee voting – to tee up a case that could jeopardize mail ballots cast elsewhere in the country.

Roughly 20 other states and jurisdictions, including states that may be pivotal in determining who controls the White House and Congress, have laws resembling the Magnolia State’s practices, which Republicans allege to violate federal statute.

Among the states that allow for late-arriving ballots are Nevada, Ohio and Virginia, as does Maryland, the site of a competitive Senate race. Also allowing for post-election ballot receipt is California and New York, both states that could make a major difference in which party controls the House.…..

Three Trump appeals court judges consider a case that could limit mail-in voting | CNN Politics

A conservative appeals court raised concerns that Republicans’ arguments for forbidding the counting of mail ballots that arrive after Election Day require throwing out votes cast before Election Day.

www.cnn.com

 

[superchuck500]

 

[Optimus Prime]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The mayor of a central Wisconsin city who ran for office on his opposition to absentee ballot drop boxes said Wednesday he did nothing wrong when he put on work gloves, donned a hard hat and used a dolly to cart away a drop box outside City Hall.

Wausau Mayor Doug Diny posed for a picture Sunday to memorialize his removal of the city's lone drop box that had been put outside City Hall around the same time late last week that absentee ballots were sent to voters.

“This is no different than the maintenance guy moving it out there," Diny said Wednesday. "I’m a member of staff. There's nothing nefarious going on here. I’m hoping for a good result.”

The move, which sparked a protest in the city Tuesday night and anger among drop box advocates, is the latest example in swing state Wisconsin of the fight over whether communities will allow absentee ballot drop boxes.

Several Republican-run municipalities, including six in Milwaukee County, two in Waukesha County and three in Dodge County, have opted against using drop boxes for the presidential election in November, while they are being embraced in heavily Democratic cities including Milwaukee and Madison.

Drop boxes were widely used in 2020, fueled by a dramatic increase in absentee voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 500 drop boxes were set up in more than 430 communities for the election that year, including more than a dozen each in Madison and Milwaukee. Drop boxes were used in 39 other states during the 2022 election, according to the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project.

After former President Donald Trump lost the state in 2020, he and Republicans alleged that drop boxes facilitated cheating, even though they offered no evidence. Democrats, election officials and some Republicans argued the boxes are secure.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, then controlled by conservatives, banned the use of drop boxes in 2022.

But in July, the now-liberal controlled court reversed that decision and said drop boxes could be used. However, the court left it up to each community to decide whether to install them.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission, in guidance sent in July to all 1,800-plus clerks who administer elections in Wisconsin, said it was up to municipal clerks to determine the location of drop boxes.

Wausau, with about 40,000 people, was among the cities that did not use an absentee drop box in the August state primary. Wausau is located in Marathon County, which Trump won by 18 points in both 2016 and 2020.............

Wisconsin mayor carts away absentee ballot drop box, says he did nothing wrong

The mayor of a central Wisconsin city who ran for office on his opposition to absentee ballot drop boxes says he did nothing wrong when he removed a drop box outside City Hall.

apnews.com

 

[MT15]

This seems like it might be a big deal…