Category: Voter Suppression

Tale of Two States:  New Mexico Rolls Out Automatic Voter Registration while New Hampshire Mandates ID & Citizenship Docs for Absentee Voters

New Mexico rolled out its automatic voter registration system July 1st, allowing citizens to conveniently register to vote or change residency information while at the DMV. Across the country, New Hampshire’s legislature may burden its elderly and disabled absentee voters by requiring copies of ID when voting by mail, and citizenship papers when registering by mail.

In Puzzling Move, U.S. Supreme Court Orders More Arguments in Louisiana Redistricting Case Pitting VRA Against Equal Protections Clause

The U.S. Supreme Court was expected to announce an opinion June 27th in Louisiana v. Callais, one of the most important voting rights cases of the year. Instead, in a highly unusual move, the court ordered new arguments in the case pitting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 against the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protections Clause.

Second Federal Court Invalidates More of Trump’s Executive Order on Elections as Unconstitutional, Burdensome, and Likely to Disenfranchise

In April, a DC federal district court ruled President Donald Trump does not have constitutional authority to require proof of citizenship for federal elections.  June 13th, another federal court found Trump’s March 25th executive order would burden the states with implementing new systems, and would likely disenfranchise voters.

Apparent Racial Gerrymandering in Tarrant County, TX Draws Condemnation and a VRA Lawsuit.  The County’s Reply?  It’s OK. It was for Political Reasons.

Tarrant County, Texas county commissioners approved a new county redistricting map June 3rd diluting the votes of Black and Hispanic voters, but commissioners claim the gerrymandering was for “political”, not racial reasons.  The map likely eliminates a majority minority district, and has drawn widespread condemnation and a Voting Rights Act lawsuit.