New Jersey lawmakers approve bills expanding voting rights as GOP-led states move to restrict access
Lawmakers in New Jersey have sent two bills to the governor: one expanding early voting and one giving the county board of elections the authority to determine where ballot drop boxes are placed. Prior to these two bills, the New Jersey state legislature had also passed legislation prohibiting deploying police at polling places for non-emergency situations and banning police from serving on a Board of Elections unless they are off-duty.Visit CNN to learn more.Image credit: Famartin (CC BY-SA 4.0) Voter Education Week Young adults will be the
Florida Republicans considering new election bill that would effectively ban giving voters water
Florida Republicans have introduced a new bill aimed at improving voter confidence by restricting access to the ballot box. The bill in question would require voters to request mail ballots more frequently, add more identification requirements for mail voting, and limit how drop boxes are used. It would also ban giving any item—including food and water—or interacting with voters within 150 feet of a polling location. This provision is similar to one included in a recent election reform law enacted in Georgia.Visit NBC News
Democrats Splinter Over Strategy for Pushing Through Voting Rights Bill
Congressional and state Democrats are quietly disagreeing over portions of the party’s massive voting rights bill, the For the People Act. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia currently opposes the bill because it has failed to attract any Republican support. African-American members of the House of Representatives are concerned that the redistricting provisions in the bill might threaten their majority-minority districts. And state election officials are concerned that some of the bill’s rules and requirements are confusing, impractical, and would be impossible to put
‘An inflection point’: Congress prepares for battle over massive voting rights bill
Democrats and Republicans in Congress are squaring off for what may become an intensely bitter fight over the For the People Act, as massive voting rights and ethics reform bill being pushed by Democrats. Given the lack of support among Republican senators, Senate Democrats are considering whether to reform or eliminate the filibuster in order to pass the bill. Democrats and progressive organizations see the bill as a necessary counter to the nationwide effort among state Republican lawmakers to pass bills restricting voting access.
Election Defamation Lawsuits Open New Front In Fight Against Disinformation
Dominion Voting Systems has sued Fox News for defamation after several of the network’s hosts entertained and applauded conspiracy theories concerning the 2020 election. This suit, plus those against Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Mike Lindell, represent an attempt to hold those who spread disinformation about the 2020 election accountable. While some are concerned that such suits could be used as a weapon against journalists, more find that combating disinformation is worth the risk.Visit NPR to learn more. Voter Education Week Young adults will