Another federal lawsuit claims FL’s new election reforms attack voting rights of Black and Latino residents
A number of voting rights and civil rights organizations have joined together to file a new federal lawsuit challenging the recent election law changes passed by Florida’s government. The suit is filed against Florida’s Secretary of State and four county supervisors of elections, who will represent supervisors generally, as a class. Groups such as UnidosUS, Faith in Florida, and Equal Ground Education Fund allege that the new law’s restrictions discriminate against voters of color and, therefore, violate the Voting Rights Act. Visit the Florida
Manchin, Murkowski call on Congress to reauthorize Voting Rights Act
Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Joe Manhin (D-WV) have sent a bipartisan letter to the top four members of Senate leadership, urging them to reauthorize certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act. Before they were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013, these provisions required states with a history of voter suppression to obtain “pre-clearance” from the federal government before implementing new election laws. Senator Manchin, who has faced criticism from fellow Democrats for declining to support a broader voting rights reform measure known as
Election Board Claims Trump-Backed Audit Turning Arizona Into ‘Laughingstock’
The Republican-dominated Election Board of Mariposa County has sent a letter to the Arizona State Senate, urging it to halt a controversial recount of the 2020 election. The Election Board, which consists of four Republican members and one Democrat, addressed the letter to Arizona State Senate President Karen Fann and described the audit as a “sham” that is turning the state into a “laughing stock.” The audit is supported by former President Donald Trump and is being carried out by a firm known as
Ohio is latest state to see GOP voting law rewrite
Republicans in the Ohio House have introduced new legislation to revise state election law. The bill would forbid ballot drop boxes from being stationed at any location other than a local elections office. It would also restrict the amount of time voters have to apply for a mail-in ballot and increase the number of ID forms required to apply for an absentee ballot. While the bill contains many restrictive provisions, it would also create an online application form for absentee ballots and broaden the
New York Restores Voting Rights For Formerly Incarcerated People
New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill to automatically restore voting rights to anyone who has been released from prison. Gov. Cuomo’s office has been restoring voting rights to most of the state’s parolees through executive orders, but the passage of this bill will restore these rights to even more formerly incarcerated people and much more quickly. A contentious political primary in New York is scheduled for June 22nd and anyone released from prison before May 28th will have the opportunity