Multiple states are facing dire budget shortfalls as November’s general election approaches due to the coronavirus pandemic, signaling that local governments could have a real problem holding elections while the disease lingers in the country. Experts at NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice have estimated that states need an additional $4 billion to adequately prepare for […]
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A West Virginia postal carrier pleaded guilty Thursday to altering mail-in requests for absentee voter ballots. Thomas Cooper entered the plea in federal court in Elkins to attempted election fraud and injury to the mail, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell said in a statement. Cooper was charged in May after eight mail-in requests for absentee voter […]
Three law firms representing the Republican National Committee in mail-in voting cases in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and California all applied for and received forgivable loans. A trio of law firms that are helping the Republican Party fight to restrict voting access took millions of dollars in federal support from a program created to help small businesses […]
The Republican National Committee dropped its challenge to an executive order by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) expanding vote-by-mail access to every voter in the state, conceding in recent federal court filings that a subsequent law has mooted the dispute. Newsom’s May 8 executive order directed county election officials to send absentee ballots to all voters eligible […]
Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to not require voters to wear masks is driving away some poll workers, officials say. A lack of workers willing to run polling sites as Texas continues to report record coronavirus infections is forcing election officials in two major counties to scale back plans for the July 14 primary runoff elections. […]
Blaine, Columbia Heights, Fridley and Spring Lake Park have designated their polling places for the 2020 primary and general elections, and some locations are moving due to a new state statute. During the 2020 session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a statute making changes to election administration for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of […]
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Connecticut: Seniors want to vote by mail
As a senior citizen who has voted in every election in my lifetime, I am worried about voting in November not only because of the lack of poll workers [July 6, “Connecticut seeks poll workers after other states have struggled to staff polling sites during coronavirus pandemic”], but also for the risks associated with contracting […]
Despite concerns from state and local election officials about the practicality and safety of staffing polling places in November, Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday ordered them to run a regular, in-person election with every precinct open to its voters on Election Day. To accommodate anyone who feels unsafe casting a ballot in person because of […]
Top state and local election officials on Wednesday begged Congress to appropriate more election funding ahead of November to address COVID-19 challenges. Congress sent $400 million to states to address COVID-19 election concerns as part of the stimulus package signed into law by President Trump in March, called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Election […]
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft was in St. Louis Wednesday to talk about voting during the coronavirus. Missourians had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to register to vote in the August 4 primary. Because of concerns over COVID-19, all voters will be permitted to use mail-in ballots this year. Ashcroft recommended that those who choose […]