Tag: Election policy
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Judge rules that Tennessee must provide absentee ballots to all eligible voters on request
Ellen Hobbs Lyle, a judge on the Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, Tennessee, ruled on June 4 that the state must give all eligible voters the option to vote by mail in upcoming elections because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision is expected to be appealed. In Tennessee, voters can request an absentee ballot…
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California governor issues executive order authorizing counties to consolidate polling places in Nov. 3 general election
On June 3, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order giving counties permission to consolidate polling places in the Nov. 3 general election, provided they offer three days of early voting. Newsom authorized counties to operate one polling place per 10,000 registered voters, provided that those locations are open eight hours per day from…
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Pennsylvania extends absentee ballot receipt deadline to June 9 in six counties; postmark deadline remains June 2
On June 1, Gov. Tom Wolf (D) issued an executive order extending the absentee ballot receipt deadline for the June 2 primary to 5:00 p.m. on June 9 (with a postmark deadline of June 2, 2020) in Allegheny, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. In all other counties, a return deadline of June 2 remains in…
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Texas Supreme Court rules that a voter’s lack of immunity does not qualify as a disability for absentee voting purposes
On May 27, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that a voter’s lack of immunity to COVID-19 does not qualify as a disability under the state’s election laws and, therefore, cannot be cited as an excuse for voting absentee. The court ruled unanimously on the matter. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote the following in the…
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FEC regains quorum to enforce campaign finance laws
The Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) nearly nine-month period without a functioning quorum came to a close on Tuesday when the United States Senate voted 49-43 along party lines to confirm Republican attorney Trey Trainor as the commission’s newest member. Trainor’s confirmation created the quorum of members necessary for the FEC to oversee campaign finance disclosures,…
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Eight states to hold primaries on June 2 after four states push primaries back from April and May
Eight states are holding statewide primaries on June 2, 2020: Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. Four states did not originally plan to hold primaries on this date, but postponed them amid the coronavirus pandemic. Maryland and Pennsylvania’s primaries were originally scheduled for April 28, Indiana’s primary was scheduled for…
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All registered Michigan voters in August 4, 2020, and November 3, 2020, elections to receive mail-in ballot applications automatically
On May 19, 2020, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) announced that all registered voters in the August 2, 2020, primary and November 3, 2020, general election would receive mail-in ballot applications automatically. Michigan one of 12 states that have opted to deliver absentee/mail-in ballot applications automatically to all voters in advance of certain…
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California to send mail-in ballots automatically to all registered voters in the general election
On May 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive order directing county election officials to deliver mail-in ballots automatically to all registered voters in the November 3, 2020, general election. Newsom announced that in-person voting locations would also be available. Under normal circumstances, California allows any registered voter to cast a ballot by mail,…