• Home
  • Opinion
  • Quizzes
  • Redistricting
  • Sections
  • About Us
  • Voting
  • Events
  • Civic Ed
  • Campaign Finance
  • Directory
  • Election Dissection
  • Fact Check
  • Glossary
  • Independent Voter News
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Subscriptions
  • Log in
Leveraging Our Differences
  • news & opinion
    • Big Picture
      • Civic Ed
      • Ethics
      • Leadership
      • Leveraging big ideas
      • Media
    • Business & Democracy
      • Corporate Responsibility
      • Impact Investment
      • Innovation & Incubation
      • Small Businesses
      • Stakeholder Capitalism
    • Elections
      • Campaign Finance
      • Independent Voter News
      • Redistricting
      • Voting
    • Government
      • Balance of Power
      • Budgeting
      • Congress
      • Judicial
      • Local
      • State
      • White House
    • Justice
      • Accountability
      • Anti-corruption
      • Budget equity
    • Columns
      • Beyond Right and Left
      • Civic Soul
      • Congress at a Crossroads
      • Cross-Partisan Visions
      • Democracy Pie
      • Our Freedom
  • Pop Culture
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
  • events
  • About
      • Mission
      • Advisory Board
      • Staff
      • Contact Us
Sign Up
  1. Home>
  2. voter identification>

The state of voting: April 18, 2022

Our Staff
April 18, 2022
State of voting - election law changes

This weekly update summarizing legislative activity affecting voting and elections is powered by the Voting Rights Lab. Sign up for VRL’s weekly newsletter here.

The Voting Rights Lab is tracking 2,445 bills so far this session, with 572 bills that tighten the rules governing voter access or election administration and 1,087 bills that expand the rules.

Much of last week’s action focused on voter ID requirements. The Missouri Senate’s Local Government and Elections Committee advanced legislation that would make the state’s voter ID law much stricter. But the Arizona House voted to delay implementation of a new law requiring proof of citizenship until after the 2022 general election. New York made it easier to vote for voters with disabilities, college students, and mail voters.

And Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed more legislation. In this case, the bill would have affected independent election administration.

Looking ahead: The Missouri Senate will consider an omnibus election reform bill if it is able to resolve outstanding impasses concerning other topics, including congressional redistricting.

Here are the details:


Arizona House votes to delay proof of citizenship implementation. Amid lawsuits and Gov. Doug Ducey’s attempt to reject a more extreme interpretation of the legislation, the Arizona House voted to delay the effective date for the new requirement that voters provide evidence of citizenship to vote. This new law would not allow people to vote in presidential elections, or in any elections by mail, unless election officials confirmed the person’s citizenship through documentation provided by the voter or an existing database. This new requirement is currently scheduled to take effect between the primary and general elections this year. If the delay is approved by the Senate and Ducey, the requirement will not take effect until after the 2022 general election.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

A bill that creates early voting, but also makes the state ID requirement much stricter, advances out of Missouri elections committee. H.B. 1878 was voted out of Missouri’s Senate Local Government and Elections Committee. The bill would only allow citizens to vote in person if they are able to show a photo ID. Under current Missouri law, voters can prove their identity using a variety of ID types, including utility bills, bank statements and paychecks. Notably, before advancing the bill, the committee added language creating up to six weeks of in-person early voting. Missouri is currently one of only seven states that does not generally offer any type of in-person early voting. The bill will now move to the full Senate for consideration, though the Senate remains deadlocked on other issues – including congressional redistricting – that are slowing down consideration of any legislation.

New York makes casting a ballot easier for those with disabilities, students and mail voters. As part of a settlement, the New York State Board of Elections will allow voters with disabilities to request electronic, accessible ballots up to 15 days before any elections. The ballots will also feature raised markers to aid voters with visual impairments. Last week, the Legislature enacted legislation requiring that all absentee ballots include prepaid return postage. The bill also ensures that there is a polling place on every college campus with 300 or more registered voters. This legislation will make it easier for students to vote, particularing with college campuses are divided into multiple districts.

Wisconsin governor vetoes legislation that would interfere with the administration of elections. On Friday, Evers vetoed two election bills. S.B. 213 would have shifted election authority away from the Wisconsin Election Commission by enabling people to skip a WEC administrative process and directly petition the court to test the validity of any decision on the part of an election official. S.B. 936 would have created a performance audit of voting equipment after each general election and made several changes to how the WEC responds to complaints received about violations of election law and the reporting of those complaints.

Maryland legislature passes legislation strengthening its cure process. Last week, the Maryland General Assembly sent S.B. 163 to the governor’s desk. The bill would ensure that voters who forget to sign the oath on their mail ballot are notified and given a chance to correct their error and have their vote counted.

Colorado protects voting for victims of natural disasters. Colorado enacted S.B. 152, which allows people to maintain their voter registrations after their homes have been destroyed by wildfire or other natural disasters, provided the voter intends to rebuild and move back to their residence. Existing law requires a voter’s registration address to match their motor vehicle registration address and income tax address.

From Your Site Articles
  • How elections have changed in the 5 vote-by-mail states - The ... ›
  • How elections have changes in 5 Southern states - The Fulcrum ›
  • Changes in voting laws: April 4, 2022 - The Fulcrum ›
  • Changes in election laws: April 11, 2022 - The Fulcrum ›
  • 5 swing states have overhauled their election systems - The Fulcrum ›
  • The latest election law activity in the states: May 9, 2022 - The Fulcrum ›
  • Recapping last week's election law activities in the states - The Fulcrum ›
  • Recapping last week's election law activities in the states - The Fulcrum ›
  • Weekly roundup of election law activity June 6, 2022 - The Fulcrum ›
  • New York passes Voting Rights Act - The Fulcrum ›
Related Articles Around the Web
  • Republicans want to change state election laws. Here's how they're ... ›
  • 10 new state laws shift power over elections to partisan entities ... ›
  • Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in ... ›
  • Voting Laws Roundup: October 2021 | Brennan Center for Justice ›
voter identification

Join an Upcoming Event

New York Meet & Greet! – STAR Voting

Equal Vote
May 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm EDT
Read More

Democracy Happy Hour

Fix Democracy First
May 31, 2023 at 5:00 pm PDT
Read More

STAR Voting California Monthly Meeting

Equal Vote
Jun 07, 2023 at 6:00 pm PDT
Read More

Civic Synergy Leadership Program

Civic Synergy
Jun 07, 2023 at 7:00 pm EDT
Read More

Civic Synergy Leadership Program

Civic Synergy
Jun 08, 2023 at 7:00 pm EDT
Read More

Final Five Voting Happy Hour

Veterans for Political Innovation
Jun 12, 2023 at 4:30 pm CDT
Read More
View All Events

Want to write
for The Fulcrum?

If you have something to say about ways to protect or repair our American democracy, we want to hear from you.

Submit
Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
Confirm that you are not a bot.
×
Follow
Contributors

Hypocrisy of pro-lifers being anti-LGBTQIA

Steve Corbin

A dangerous loss of trust

William Natbony

Shifting the narrative on homelessness in America

David L. Nevins

Reform in 2023: Leadership worth celebrating

Layla Zaidane

Two technology balancing acts

Dave Anderson

Reform in 2023: It’s time for the civil rights community to embrace independent voters

Jeremy Gruber
latest News

Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Our Staff
56m

Default? Financial crisis? Political theater?

David Butler
1h

Three practical presidential pledges to promote national prosperity

James-Christian B. Blockwood
31 May

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Justin Roebuck

Mia Minkin
31 May

Podcast: Why Is Congressional Oversight Important, and How Can It Be Done Well? (with Elise Bean)

Kevin R. Kosar
Elise J. Bean
30 May

Chipping away at election integrity: Virginia joins red state exodus from ERIC

David J. Toscano
30 May
Videos

Video: Why music? Why now?

David L. Nevins

Video: Honoring Memorial Day

Our Staff

Video: #ListenFirst Friday YOUnify & CPL

Our Staff

Video: What is the toll of racial violence on Black lives?

Our Staff

Video: What's next for migrants seeking asylum after Title 42

Our Staff

Video: An inside look at the campaign to repeal Pennsylvania’s closed primaries

Our Staff
Podcasts

Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Our Staff
56m

Podcast: AI revolution: Disaster or great leap forward?

Our Staff
25 May

Podcast: Can we fix America's financial crises?

Our Staff
23 May

Podcast: Gen Z's fight for democracy

Our Staff
22 May
Recommended
Video: Why music? Why now?

Video: Why music? Why now?

Big Picture
Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Technology
Default? Financial crisis? Political theater?

Default? Financial crisis? Political theater?

Budgeting
Three practical presidential pledges to promote national prosperity

Three practical presidential pledges to promote national prosperity

Big Picture
Meet the Faces of Democracy: Justin Roebuck

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Justin Roebuck

State
Podcast: Why Is Congressional Oversight Important, and How Can It Be Done Well? (with Elise Bean)

Podcast: Why Is Congressional Oversight Important, and How Can It Be Done Well? (with Elise Bean)

Test Unlisted