Voting

Amid Federal Stalemates, States Forge Ahead with Their Own Voting Rights Acts

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Washington, D.C. — As Republicans prepare to assume control of both Congress and the White House next year, advocates for voting rights are pivoting their focus. They’re championing protections against racial discrimination in elections, increasingly looking beyond federal oversight toward state-led initiatives. Amidst national legislative gridlocks, states such as Michigan are moving forward with bills that aim to fortify voter protections at a local level. In recent years, a small but growing number of states have initiated their own voting rights acts. These laws, which are primarily in Democratic-led states, aim to provide protections that … Read more

Iowa Amends Constitution to Exclude Non-Citizens from Voting, Sparking Legal Battles and Civic Concerns

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Iowa voters have decisively passed a constitutional amendment ensuring that only U.S. citizens can participate in the state’s elections. This legislative action underscores a growing debate about voter eligibility amidst a heightened national discourse on immigration. This change follows a revelation by Iowa’s Secretary of State, Paul Pate, who reported identifying over 2,000 potential non-citizens in the voter registry just ahead of the elections. In late October, Pate disclosed findings from an audit conducted on state voter databases, targeting individuals who had registered with the Iowa Department of Transportation as non-citizens at any point over … Read more

Colorado Voting System Security Breach Sparks Major Legal Challenge Days Before Election

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Denver, Colorado – A recent court case involving the security of Colorado’s electoral process has stirred a heated debate just days before an election. At issue in Denver District Court on Monday was a lawsuit filed by the Libertarian Party of Colorado against Secretary of State Jena Griswold. This legal action was prompted after a revelation that partial passwords to the state’s voting systems were inadvertently disclosed on a publicly accessible spreadsheet. Last week, the issue came into the spotlight when Griswold admitted that an employee had erroneously included partial passwords in a downloadable spreadsheet … Read more

U.S. Justice Department to Oversee Voting Rights in Remote Alaska for November Elections

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to supervise Alaska’s adherence to federal voting regulations in select rural regions during the upcoming November 5 elections. This decision spotlights the ongoing efforts to ensure fair voting access across remote areas of the state, particularly areas predominantly inhabited by Alaska Natives. Voting rights and accessibility have been pressing issues in Alaska, where vast, roadless territories can complicate electoral processes. The DOJ’s attention will center on five key regions: the Bethel, Dillingham, and Kusilvak Census Areas, along with the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Boroughs. This nearly … Read more