Author: Andrew Bahl
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Dunleavy vetoed both election bills the Alaska Legislature passed during its 2026 session
The Alaska Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on May 20 after passing two election-related bills. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) vetoed both bills in April and July. One of the bills was SB 64, an omnibus bill that would have made numerous changes to Alaska’s election statutes. The bill would have established a cure provision…
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Florida enacts new congressional maps, citizenship verification requirement in 2026
The Florida Legislature passed eight election-related bills during its 2026 regular and special sessions, all of which Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed between April and June. Among those bills was HB 991, which requires officials to verify whether a prospective voter provided proof of citizenship when applying for a driver’s license or state ID card.…
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Oklahoma lawmakers sent a voter ID constitutional amendment to the Aug. 25 ballot during the 2026 session. Here are the other election bills they passed.
The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned its 2026 legislative session on May 14 after enacting five election-related bills and passing one constitutional amendment. Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed all five of the bills in May. Oklahoma voters will see the constitutional amendment, SJR 47, on their ballot during the Aug. 25 primary runoff election. The amendment would…
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Delaware becomes the 12th state to enact a state-level voting rights act
On Aug. 6, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer (D) signed legislation making Delaware the 12th state to enact a state-level voting rights act. Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting nationwide, some states have enacted state-level voting rights acts. The provisions of these laws vary, but they…
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New Hampshire legislators remove student IDs for voting, enact 24 other election bills in 2026 session
The New Hampshire General Court adjourned its 2026 regular session on June 4 after passing 25 election-related bills. Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed all 25 bills between March and July. Among those bills was HB 323, which removes student identification cards from the list of acceptable forms of identification for voting purposes. HB 323 passed…
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Spanberger restores voting rights to thousands of individuals with felony convictions in return to previous governors' processes
On July 31, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) announced that since taking office on Jan. 17, she has restored the voting rights of 66,085 Virginia residents with felony convictions. Virginia is one of three states, along with Iowa and Kentucky, where individuals convicted of any felony never regain the right to vote without some form…
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Rhode Island legislators restrict immigration enforcement near polling places, enact 18 other election bills in 2026 session
The Rhode Island General Assembly adjourned its 2026 regular session on June 11 after passing 20 election-related bills. Gov. Dan McKee (D) signed all 20 bills between March and June. Among those bills were H7434 and S3339, which prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees, agents, or officials from entering or remaining within 200…
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Maine secretary of state's office says it will not make determination on whether Troy Jackson's candidacy violates sore loser law
On July 31, CBS13 reported that the Maine secretary of state's office would not make a determination in response to a July 24 letter from state Rep. James White (R) questioning whether Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, was eligible to run under the state’s sore loser law. Deputy Secretary of State Kate…
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Illinois lawmakers require school districts to provide voter registration opportunities and move RCV task force dates in 2026 session
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned its 2026 regular session on June 1 after passing two election-related bills and one resolution. Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed the two bills in June and July. One of those bills was HB 4339, which requires school districts to provide all eligible graduating high school students with the opportunity to…
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Hawaii enacts seven election bills in 2026 session, including prohibition on corporate political activity
The Hawaii Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on May 8 after passing seven election-related bills and one resolution. Governor Josh Green (D) signed all seven bills between April and July. Among those bills was SB 2471, which amends state law to modify the powers granted to corporations. The bill establishes that corporations have artificial-person…