Navajo Lawsuit Against Off-Reservation Polling Places Survives Motion to Dismiss

Navajo Lawsuit Against Off-Reservation Polling Places Survives Motion to Dismiss

By EditorJul 19, 2016
Utah - Residents of a Navajo reservation have filed suit against San Juan county election officials after polling places were closed in and around the reservation.  While county voters may mail-in their ballots, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that there is no "in-person" voting available on the reservation, and this interferes with the reservation inhabitant's voting rights.  This week a judge denied the election officials' motion to dismiss.  Read more in the Salt Lake Tribune.
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NAACP-LDF Releases Catalog of Voting Law Changes Since Shelby Decision

NAACP-LDF Releases Catalog of Voting Law Changes Since Shelby Decision

By EditorJun 14, 2016
Washington, DC - Last week the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund released this report detailing state, county, and local voting changes proposed or implemented,  during the past three years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder halting the Department of Justice's preclearance system that operated to preapprove voting changes made by covered states. As the report indicates, a majority of preclearance activity (80%) had been to approve voting changes on the local level. Dramatic reduction in the number of polling places, and widespread purging of voter rolls have been on the rise since Shelby. The report…
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Several Ohio Election Administration Practices Invalidated by Courts

Several Ohio Election Administration Practices Invalidated by Courts

By EditorJun 10, 2016
Ohio - A federal judge blocked several restrictions on the casting and counting of absentee ballots instituted by the Republican Secretary of State.  This is the second defeat to GOP-backed voting restrictions in the state in the last two weeks. GOP voting procedures have been rebuffed on constitutional grounds by both Democrat and Republican judges.  Officials still plan to appeal. Read more in the Columbus Dispatch. Another federal judge restored the state's elimination of a specific time period that eligible voters could register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day. A shortened early voting period was also restored. Read more in…
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Arizona County Announces Reform Commission After Primary Election Disaster

Arizona County Announces Reform Commission After Primary Election Disaster

By EditorMay 11, 2016
Arizona - After a fiasco of a primary election, Maricopa County, Arizona will establish a new election reform commission to provide "oversight" over election officials.  Maricopa's election "disaster" included long waiting lines to vote after a nearly 70% decrease in polling places, errors on the ballots, and flawed registration procedures.  The Phoenix New Times reports the county recorder and Secretary of State are resisting calls for resignation after this election administration failure. Read more.
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