Right to Vote Free, Fair & Secure: Laws Being Changed Since GOP 2020 Losses

 

The right to vote: Your vote is your voice

(Now under intense GOP attack)

Quick check on voting suppression vs. voting rights expansion from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU with this headline:’

“Voting Laws Roundup: May 2021”

States have already enacted more than 20 laws this year that will make it harder for Americans to vote — and many legislatures are still in session.

States with Voting Suppression:

In a backlash to 2020’s historic voter  turnout and unprecedented vote-by-mail usage, state lawmakers have imposed a variety of significant restrictions on both mail voting and in-person voting. 

For example: Florida, Georgia, and Iowa have each used single omnibus bills, which incorporate many restrictions, to undertake a full-fledged assault on voting.

By contrast, Arkansas and Montana lead the country in the number of restrictive bills enacted (four each), each of which addresses a narrower range of issues.

Laws enacted in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and Montana are already being challenged in court.

At least 16 mail voting restrictions in 12 states will make it more difficult for voters to cast mail ballots that count. 

Six laws shorten the timeframe for voters to request a mail ballot, including a Georgia law that will reduce that window by more than one-half. 

Five laws make it more difficult for voters to automatically receive their ballot or ballot application — either by making it harder to stay on absentee voting lists or by prohibiting officials from sending applications or ballots without the voter’s affirmative request.  

Nine laws in eight states make it more difficult for voters to deliver their mail ballots, including a law in Arkansas that makes the in-person ballot delivery deadline earlier, six laws that restrict assistance to voters in returning their mail ballots, and four laws that limit the availability of mail ballot drop boxes.  

Three laws impose stricter signature requirements for mail voting, while three others impose stricter or new voter ID laws for mail voting. 

At least 8 states have enacted 11 laws that make in-person voting more difficult. 

Three states have enacted four laws that impose new or harsher voter ID requirements for in-person voting.  

Four laws make faulty voter roll purges more likely, risking confusion and disenfranchisement when voters show up at the polls.  

Montana eliminated Election Day registration and moved up its registration deadline to the day before Election Day.  

Three states have limited the availability of polling places: Montana permitted more locations to qualify for reduced polling place hours; Iowa reduced its Election Day hours, shortened the early voting period, and limited election officials’ discretion to offer additional early voting locations; and Georgia reduced early voting in many counties by standardizing early voting days and hours.

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States Expanding Voting Rights:

Despite the wave of voter suppression efforts in 2021, some states have enacted legislation to make it easier for Americans to access the ballot box.

These laws are focused on expanding early voting, making mail voting easier, and improving accessibility for voters with disabilities. 

Virginia has enacted nine expansive bills this session, the most of any state. 

At least seven laws would expand the availability of early voting.

For example, New Jersey and Kentucky codified in-person early voting, and Massachusetts extended early voting through June of this year. 

And at least eight laws in six states make mail voting easier.  That includes five laws in four states that expand mail ballot drop box access or ballot drop-off locations and five laws in four states that codify procedures so that voters learn of and can fix mistakes and defects in their mail ballots. 

At least six states have enacted eight laws that seek to make voting more accessible for voters with disabilities.  

Washington and New York restored voting rights to people with past convictions so that every American living in the community is eligible to vote.  

Two states made voter registration easier for young voters: New York expanded automatic voter registration to include the State University of New York, while Virginia expanded pre-registration to 16-year-olds.

My 2 cents: Full article also shows specific laws enacted both good and harmful for the states.

This “new” GOP will work hard to change the laws making it harder for DEM-leaning voters to in fact vote and by ensuing (they think) that they, the GOP, will never lose again.

Now they are now acting just like spoiled little brats copying the Trump model: “Never lose and if you lose never admit it, just move to change the rules again for next time so we won’t lose, never, ever again.” A fact as plain as day.

As for me, I think in the long run all that will spell doom for the Trump-owned and operated GOP. I believe the voters will react with vigor to stop any infringement on our voting rights. Time will tell.

As the experts at the Brennan Center say:

“Informed citizens are our democracy’s best defense”

Thanks for stopping by.