absentee voting
Supreme Court upholds Arizona ban on early ballot collecting
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s ban on third-party ballot collections, reversing the 9th Circuit’s ruling last year that the prohibition violated the Voting Rights Act. In a 6-3 opinion, the high court ruled on Thursday that Arizona’s 2016 law doesn’t violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and that it wasn’t enacted with […]
Republicans push back against federal approval for changes in state voting laws
WASHINGTON — Republicans during a U.S. House Judiciary panel hearing on Tuesday argued that a bill that would reinstate a preclearance section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act is unnecessary because there is no discrimination in voting. The top Republican on the panel, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., said the legislation is not needed and the […]
U.S. Department of Justice takes Georgia to court over its elections law
WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the Department of Justice is suing the state of Georgia to overturn a sweeping elections law passed in March, with a legal challenge that alleges the new statute violates the federal Voting Rights Act. The federal lawsuit is the latest in a series of challenges to Senate Bill […]
Iowa Republican leaders oppose federal election bill
An election bill working through the U.S. Congress is “expensive, unnecessary (and) a huge federal overreach,” according to two Iowa Republican leaders. The bill, S.1, is a sweeping, 818-page election law that would overrule voting restrictions in many states. The bill would require states meet a standardized set of rules for ballot access, allow online […]
As GOP rewrites election laws, voting rights advocates point to Tennessee’s low turnout
As Republican-led legislatures pass laws they say are aimed at ratcheting up election security, voting rights advocates worry the entire nation could soon look a lot like Tennessee, where voter turnout and voter registration figures are among the lowest in the country. The policy debate over voting rights and election integrity has exploded in statehouses […]
Biden slams ‘un-American’ GOP drive to curb voting rights in the states
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday in his first formal news conference since taking office blasted Republican-controlled state legislatures that are seeking to restrict voting access, labeling those attempts “sick” and “un-American.” Biden specifically referenced proposals like those working their way through Georgia’s state Capitol, where a final vote loomed on a GOP-drafted bill that would […]
Could curtailing absentee voting crush conservatives in future elections?
Republicans seem on a mission to reverse the 2020 Election results. One step for the GOP involves making it harder to vote in the future. If these misguided initiatives succeed, then America will be a little less democratic, but will see a lot more Democrats win at the ballot box. That’s because absentee voting has […]
Governor signs election bill into law, shortening absentee voting period
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a controversial elections bill that will shorten the absentee voting period and introduce new penalties for election officer misconduct. “It’s our duty and responsibility to protect the integrity of every election,” Reynolds said in a statement Monday. “This legislation strengthens uniformity by providing Iowa’s election officials with consistent parameters […]
Sweeping voting rights package passes U.S. House
The House passed sweeping voting rights, redistricting, campaign finance and ethics reform late Wednesday on a 220-210 vote. The historic package will face an uphill battle in the Senate as no Republicans currently support the bill. Even though Democrats control Congress and the White House, their slim majority in a 50-50 Senate is not enough […]
Republican lawmakers aren’t improving election security
Iowa’s 2020 election was one for the record books — with 1.7 million people marking ballots. It was an impressive turnout in Iowa — with 76% of Iowa’s eligible voters taking part. There were no allegations of election fraud or polling place shenanigans in Iowa. No one suggested people from cemeteries were casting ballots in […]
Public weighs in on controversial election bill zooming through Iowa Legislature
An elections bill advancing quickly through the Iowa Legislature faced accusations of voter suppression from some and accolades for election security from others. The bill, known separately as House File 590 and Senate File 413, proposes several changes to Iowa’s election process, including: Fewer days to request and return absentee ballots; Fewer days for in-person […]
GOP talking points on new election legislation don’t hold water
As Republicans in the Iowa Statehouse prepare to once again make major changes in state election laws, the prevailing question Iowans have been asking is why. Why, when Iowa had record voter turnout during the COVID-19 pandemic, would lawmakers want to mess with success? Why, after Donald Trump won the state and the GOP won […]