Voter Protections
Ohio
September 2, 2010
In Ohio, Advancement Project is working with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to reduce the number of provisional ballots cast by registered voters that are rejected for a variety of reasons. Secretary Brunner recently issued a directive affirming that provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct or incomplete provisional ballots will no longer be automatically rejected. Now, under the directive, provisional ballots cast in the correct polling place will be counted provided that evidence of any deficiency or error is attributable to poll workers’ failure to follow Ohio law.
Missouri
September 2, 2010
Denise Lieberman, Senior Attorney at Advancement Project, has recently traveled around Missouri, meeting with members of the Elections Boards for Kansas City, Jackson County and St. Louis and with coalition partners in mid-Missouri. The meetings covered substantive topics including how to increase voter registration, persons with felony convictions seeking to vote, the status of qualified voter registration applicants stuck on pending/incomplete lists, poll worker training, and voter education.
NVRA Enforcement Updates-Virginia and Texas
September 2, 2010
A core component of Advancement Project’s work is ensuring compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) through advocacy and, if necessary, through litigation. Earlier this year, Advancement Project filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia, to force the state to comply with the NVRA by allowing public inspection and copying of voter registration records.
September 2, 2010
September 2, 2010
Mission Accomplished
July 8, 2010
Jefferson City, MO — Last month, Advancement Project and its allies scored a crucial victory, blocking a retrogressive photo identification bill in the Missouri Senate that would have disfranchised roughly 2300,000 eligible voters. The voter-unfriendly bill, which had already passed out of the Missouri House of Representatives, would have forced voters to present government-issued photo ID before voting. A study by the secretary of state found that 230,000 eligible Missouri voters lack or can't get one of the forms of ID required under the proposal.
Unlawful Voter Purges Stopped in Michigan
July 8, 2010
Detroit — After more than a year and a half of litigation, the state of Michigan and a coalition of voting rights groups, that includes Advancement Project, have reached a settlement; as a result, the state will end two voter purge programs that unlawfully disfranchised tens of thousands of Michigan voters. One program automatically canceled the voter registration of any Michigan voter who obtained a driver’s licenses in another state, without following the appropriate voter removal procedures required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
July 9, 2010
July 8, 2010
Florida
April 26, 2010
Jacksonville - Traci Collier, Director of Education at the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office, has requested 3,000 additional copies of Advancement Project’s “10 Things Duval County Poll Workers Should Know” palm cards. In 2008, Advancement Project sent 4,000 such palm cards to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections. The palm cards are designed to be a quick, user-friendly reference guide to complicated election administration procedures for poll workers to consult on Election Day.
The palm cards remind poll workers that:
Michigan
April 26, 2010
Detroit - U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III recently issued a favorable ruling that prevents Michigan from restarting two voter purge programs that unlawfully remove roughly 77,000 eligible voters from the rolls each year. One program immediately cancels the voter registrations of Michigan voters who obtain driver’s licenses in other states, without issuing the appropriate confirmation of registration notices and following the other voter removal procedures required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
April 26, 2010
April 26, 2010
