April, 2009
Below are stories from April, 2009 related to election law developments from across the country. The links below will open in a new window and will direct you to sites that are not affiliated with Election Law @ Moritz or the Moritz College of Law. They are subject to change, and some may expire or require registration as time passes. (See Archives | Recent Headlines)
April 1, 2009
- Indiana - Bill requires universities to offer voter registration during course enrollment
- Minnesota - Senate recount trial: Coleman promises appeal will come quickly
- New Mexico - Voting machine service contracts canceled
- New York - New York to Count Up to 10,000 Votes in House Race
- Minnesota - Recount trial: Judges order a serious blow to Coleman
- New York - Absentee Ballots to Decide N.Y. House Race
- Minnesota - Minn. Judges Deal Blow to Coleman
- Washington, D.C. - Justice Department lawyers deem voting rights bill unconstitutional
April 2, 2009
- California - Registration in 1st District vote scrutinized
- Idaho - Idaho GOP leaders want to mandate voter photo IDs
- Illinois - 'Return to Sender;' St. Clair County leaders sort for voter fraud in unopened letters
- Maryland - Candidate Says Voter Lists Are Flawed
- New York - Murphy's lead down to 6 votes; GOP holds edge in absentee filings
- New York - Columbia County B.O.E recanvassing voting machines
- Rhode Island - Legislature votes to let teens register early
- Texas - County Adopts Plastic Ballots
- Washington, D.C. - D.C. voting rights bill should not be held hostage to NRA
- National - NIST releases suite of e-voting system tests for comment
- New York - Analyzing the Absentee Ballots in the New York 20 Special House Election
- Oklahoma - Voter ID Bill Headed To Governor's Desk
- Oklahoma - How will Gov. Brad Henry vote on election ID bill?
April 3, 2009
- Illinois - Alorton residents get injunction in vote fraud case
- Washington, D.C. - Voting Rights or Gun Rights: Can D.C. Have Both?
April 4, 2009
- Oklahoma - Oklahoma League of Women Voters urges Gov. Brad Henry to kill voter ID measure
- Texas - Sex offender was poll worker at elementary schools
April 5, 2009
- Minnesota - Coleman urged to fight to Supreme Court
- Oklahoma - Voter ID Law Stirs Partisan Passions
- Texas - Heflin crafts kinder, gentler Voter ID bill
April 6, 2009
- Oklahoma - Holland pleased with SB 718
- Minnesota - Minn. Senate recount has no end in sight
- Texas - Roaring debate over voter-ID law hits state House this week
April 7, 2009
- Iowa - Absentee Ballot Measure Advances
- Minnesota - Franken's lead increases to 312 over Coleman in Minnesota U.S. Senate race
- Oklahoma - Provisional ballots may decide race
- Virginia - Kaine tries again for ‘no-excuse’ absentee voting
- National - Schumer wants states sued over voter registration
- Texas - Partisan split on display at voter ID hearing in Texas Legislature
- Minnesota - Senate recount down to 387 ballots - and almost certain appeal
- Texas - Impassioned testimony over voter ID
- New York - NY House race ballot counting to begin this week
- New York - Absentee count to start Wednesday
- Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania doesn't need new voter ID law
- Florida - Judge rejects Gerry Goldsmith lawsuit; Jack McDonald to stay as Palm Beach mayor
April 8, 2009
- Kansas - Errors found in Salina voting machines
- Missouri - Proposed change to constitution would create early voting period, require photo ID
- Ohio - Report: Ohio must update voter lists
- Oklahoma - Voters Will Decide Voter ID Bill
- Tennessee - Voter registration would require citizenship proof
- Virginia - Senate backs Kaine on absentee voting; bill heads to House
- Wisconsin - Man admits voting for Obama in late wife's name
- New York - Absentee count begins in N.Y. special election
- Texas - Few voter ID fraud cases found in Texas
- Missouri - Elections Committee approves voter photo ID
- Massachusetts - Richardson: Towns should have option to let illegal immigrants vote locally
- North Carolina - Board of Elections: Convicted felons voted illegally in '08 election
April 9, 2009
- California - ‘Late’ balloting is likely to be reviewed
- Maine - Maine lawmakers consider early voting measures
- Minnesota - Coleman Defends Minnesota Senate Fight
- Oklahoma - Bill would simplify student voter registration
- Texas - County's voting rights complaint settled
- National - The End of Fair Elections?
- Oklahoma - Oklahoma: Henry vetoes voter identification bill
April 10, 2009
- Colorado - Bill pushes all-paper voting
- Minnesota - Analysis of Senate recount absentee ballots: Geography not strong predictor of which candidate would gain
- Missouri - Carnahan says amendment would restrict voting
- Montana - Mail-in ballot bill stalls in MT house
- Texas - Among DOJ Allegations: County Election Workers Didn’t Let Some Citizens Cast Provisional Ballots
- National - Deadlock: Rise of the endless election
- National - Differing views in GOP on voting rights case
- Minnesota - GOP, DFL add dueling websites to the recount rhetoric
April 11, 2009
April 12, 2009
- Ohio - Ohio must fix voting problems
- Texas - Austin case against voter discrimination law goes to Supreme Court
April 13, 2009
- California - Calif. candidates raise more than $1 billion
- Minnesota - Minn. court declares Franken leading vote-getter
- Pennsylvania - Bill would require colleges to offer voter registration with course sign ups
- Tennessee - Tennessee Senate approves voter-ID bill; House version awaits review
- National - NIST Issues Guidelines For E-Voting Machines
- Minnesota - State's high court may not be the last word in recount
- Idaho - GOP leader gets 'desired' result on voter ID bill
April 14, 2009
- Illinois - Low turnout has state debating voting by mail
- Maryland - Maryland legislature approves early voting bill
- New York - Senator’s Ballot in Upstate Race Disputed
April 15, 2009
- Illinois - Quinn looks at letting voters mail in ballots
- Minnesota - DNC to Norm Coleman: 'Enough is enough'
- New Jersey - Absentee ballots disputed in Lodi
- New York - GOP Challenges Gillibrand's Ballot in Race to Fill Her House Seat
- New York - Tedisco Rally Cuts Murphy’s Lead In Half
- Tennessee - Tennessee: Bill requiring citizenship proof to vote fails
- Texas - County considers backing all electronic voting
- Virginia - Absentee voting begins
- Washington - Wash. Senate OKs bill to restore voting for felons
- Minnesota - Ruling has 2 sides in a tizzy
April 16, 2009
- Alabama - House OKs bill allowing overseas Internet voting
- California - Justices Let Stand Ruling Limiting Felons’ Voting Rights
- Florida - Critics say Florida Senate bill could disenfranchise voters
- Florida - Elderly may need license, state ID to vote in Fla.
- Iowa - Iowa House OKs absentee ballot bill
- Minnesota - Coleman: 'I think the law is on our side'
- New York - Ballot battle continues
- Texas - Feds: Voter ID must undergo review
- Washington - County auditor says felon-voting bill does little to simplify elections process
- Florida - Overhaul of Florida Voting Rules Is Proposed
April 17, 2009
- Alabama - Internet voting bill approved by House
- Florida - Sweeping voting bill passes Senate committee
- Minnesota - Minnesota's Missing Votes
April 18, 2009
- Florida - Changes at voting polls rile up critics
- Minnesota - Franken owes over $1.3 million for recount
- New York - Voters could register on Election Day
- Texas - Voter discrimination law debate rages
April 19, 2009
- New York - Tedisco sues to determine validity of absentee ballots
- National - $1 a Day Campaign Against Coleman
April 20, 2009
- Connecticut - Electoral College debate heats up
- Florida - Bill would make voting difficult, Dems say
- Minnesota - Coleman Appeals To State Supreme Court
- New York - 20th District challenged ballots to go to state board of elections
- Pennsylvania - More than 200,000 state voters purged
- National - States turn to Web 2.0 tools for upcoming elections
- Texas - Legislature '09: Democrats face balancing act on voter ID bill
April 21, 2009
- California - Bill would require photo ID to vote
- Florida - Treasure Coast election officials question voter registration bill
- Hawaii - Honolulu announces online voting for neighborhood boards
- Minnesota - Franken's Recount Legal Tab Exceeds $1.2 Million
- South Carolina - SC bill limits pre-election voting to 3 days
- Virginia - Democrats at Crusade for Voters forum back restoration of voting rights
- West Virginia - County can add early voting locales
- National - Supreme Court Will Release Same-Day Audio of Voting Rights Case
- Minnesota - Coleman files appeal to Supreme Court
- Arizona - Arizona voter registration grows to nearly 3.1 million
- North Carolina - Third parties argue for access to ballot
- Florida - Gov. Charlie Crist leery of voter law changes
- New York - Result still unknown in 20th race
April 22, 2009
- Florida - Proposed Florida elections bill inspires furor among activists
- Idaho - Election reform emerges as highway bargaining chip
- Minnesota - Senate recount trial appeal: Norm says, 'Not so fast'
- Missouri - House approves promoting voter registration for hunters and anglers
- New York - Votes being challenged in 20th district race
- New York - Murphy's lead in House race widens to 365 votes
- Ohio - Ohio's secretary of state wants simpler voter identification and provisional ballot laws
- Ohio - Brunner offers election reforms
- Tennessee - Bill requiring photo IDs for voters appears dead
- Vermont - Vt. Senate supports earlier primary election
- Washington - Felons could be casting ballots this fall
- Washington - Bill to restore convicted felons voting rights passes Legislature
- Washington, D.C. - Gun Amendment Assailed at Capitol Hill Rally
- Florida - Voting changes led to budget increases
- Minnesota - Secretary of state tells students about voting system's strengths, weaknesses
April 23, 2009
- Alabama - Military voting bill has just one legislative hurdle left
- California - Voter fraud plays a role in voter disenfranchisement
- Florida - House prepares to trim its elections bill, will the Senate follow suit?
- Indiana - Secretary of State Rokita speaks to Rotary Club on election measures
- Mississippi - Support needed to get voter ID on ballot
- Missouri - Early voting, voter ID proposal may be too big to pass
- New York - Absentee ballots reviewed in 20th District race
- Texas - Judges to hear Texas Democrats' e-voting suit against Dallas County
- Virginia - Task force to examine Va residency rules
- Washington, D.C. - Council Member Presses Voting Machine Company on Glitches
- Mississippi - Support needed to get voter ID on ballot
- Ohio - Voter ID proposals fall short
- Texas - Euless rep says voter ID bill will prevent fraud, boost voter participation
- New York - Tedisco wins ruling, but is it enough?
- West Virginia - Lincoln delegates split on two voter access bills
April 24, 2009
- Minnesota - Minnesota Court's Schedule Prolongs Senate Election Case
- Minnesota - Time for election reform
- New York - Tedisco concedes to Murphy
- Texas - Photo ID prospects not exactly picture perfect
- Washington - Restoring voting rights, cleaner voting rolls
April 25, 2009
- New York - Tedisco concedes in tight House race in 20th
- South Carolina - House Judiciary Committee Would Curtail Voting
April 26, 2009
- Florida - Defeat this attack on voters
- Minnesota - Minnesotans want Franken seated
- Ohio - Voting-rights advocate checked for vote fraud
April 27, 2009
- Florida - Gerry Goldsmith to appeal mayoral election ruling to state court
- Minnesota - Norm Coleman is still making his case before the courts
- Tennessee - House Democrats stop bill that would infringe on voting rights of elderly and disabled
- National - University study shows Americans favor early voting, voter ID
- National - AEI Panel Sounds Off on Voting Rights Act
- Minnesota - Minnesota Poll: Most want Coleman to call it quits
April 28, 2009
- California - Voting machine firm will pay up
- Illinois - Legislators not ready to put their stamp on mail-in ballots
- Minnesota - Specter switch raises stakes for Franken-Coleman
- Ohio - 3 voting advocates guilty
- Texas - House GOP Caucus: Texas Must Have Voter ID Law
- National - Is the Voting Rights Act still necessary?
- National - On Voting Rights, Test of History v. Progress
April 29, 2009
- Missouri - Election officials pan voter ID
- Ohio - Campaigners fined for illegal '08 votes
- Texas - Republican says Voter ID bill could get stricter
- Texas - Voter ID Compromise Circulates on House Floor
- Minnesota - Procedural Control of Senate Hinges on Minnesota
- National - A Turning Point for Voting Rights Law
April 30, 2009
- Michigan - Mich. House passes no-reason absentee ballot legislation
- Mississippi - Miss. leader seeks to block voter ID
- Rhode Island - Moderates: Access laws aim to keep minor party candidates off the ballot
- Minnesota - Tough Call Looms for Minnesota Governor
- Rhode Island - House committees approve E-Verify, photo ID measures
- Virginia - Battle continues over student voting
PDF files in this site require
Commentary
Arizona: Voter Registration and the Road Ahead
Justin Levitt
June arrived with two election law cases at the Supreme Court. One is still pending: a highly anticipated decision on section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The other, more frequently overlooked, was decided yesterday. And there are some quirks of the opinion that seem to depart from the swiftly congealing conventional wisdom that the states might actually have "won," and now need only run out the clock.
more commentary...