Tag: voting rights
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Arkansas voters to decide on three constitutional amendments in 2026 addressing the right to bear arms, a citizenship requirement for voting, and the creation of economic development districts
Arkansas voters will decide on three constitutional amendments on Nov. 3, 2026, referred to the ballot by the state legislature. The amendments would expand the constitutional right to bear arms, require citizenship to vote, and allow the creation of economic development districts. Right to bear arms amendment Senate Joint Resolution 11 was sponsored by Sen.…
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South Dakota voters to decide on citizenship voting requirement amendment in 2026 after eight states approved similar measures in 2024
The South Dakota State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to the 2026 ballot that would provide that noncitizens of the United States are disqualified from voting in any election in the state. This will be the 15th statewide ballot measure related to citizenship voting requirements since 2018. In 2024, eight states approved similar…
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Maine initiative on voter ID, absentee ballots, and dropboxes certified to legislature; will appear on the November 2025 ballot unless lawmakers enact it
In Maine, signatures for a citizen initiative to require photo voter identification, among other changes, were verified on Feb. 19, 2025. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) announced that the campaign submitted 86,904 valid signatures. A minimum of 67,682 valid signatures was required. The proposed initiative will now go to the state legislature for consideration.…
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Virginia legislature advances three constitutional amendments on abortion, same-sex marriage, and felon voting rights restoration to the 2026 legislative session
The Virginia State Legislature gave final approval to three constitutional amendments, advancing them for approval by the legislature during its 2026 session. If the amendments are approved by the legislature in 2026, they will appear on the Nov. 2026 ballot. In Virginia, for a constitutional amendment to qualify for the ballot, it must pass the…
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Update on 2025 and 2026 ballot measure certifications: Wisconsin certifies Voter ID Amendment for April 1
The number of certified ballot measures for 2025 and 2026 is trending above the average as of Jan. 21, 2025. For 2025, six statewide ballot measures have been certified in three states—Louisiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Six is three measures more than the average of three for this point in an odd-numbered-year election cycle since 2010.…
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Voter identification initiative certified in Nevada for November ballot
A Nevada initiative that would require photo identification to vote was certified for the Nov. 5, 2024 ballot. On July 19, county officials announced that 131,590 signatures were verified out of the 179,000 signatures submitted. In order for the constitutional amendment to qualify for the ballot, 102,362 valid signatures were required. The initiative would require…
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Republican states adopt more voter list maintenance bills than states with Democratic trifectas and divided governments
Fourteen states adopted new laws related to maintaining accurate voter registration rolls in the first half of 2024. Ten of these bills came from states with Republican trifectas, two from states with Democratic trifectas, and two from states with divided governments. New laws in five states expand data-sharing procedures or create new requirements for reviewing…
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Republican legislators supported amendments to require citizenship to vote in state and local elections, Democratic support varied by state
Since 2018, ballot measures to amend state constitutions to prohibit noncitizens from voting have appeared in six states. In Nov. 2024, voters in eight more states will decide on ballot measures to prohibit non-citizen voting: North Carolina, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The ballot measures are designed to amend the states’…
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Two states with Republican trifectas adopted new requirements for voter registration drives
Tennessee and Louisiana joined a group of six other states with Republican trifectas that have adopted laws related to voter registration drives or third-party assistance for voter registration applications since 2020. In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed HB 1955 / SB 2586 on May 1, prohibiting the pre-filling of information on a voter registration…
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Six states passed laws related to the restoration of voting rights for felons or voting by incarcerated individuals
Six states adopted new laws related to voting by individuals convicted of a felony or voting by incarcerated individuals, including two states with Republican trifectas that passed bills to restore voting rights to certain individuals convicted of a felony more quickly. In Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed HB 1629 on May 13, restoring voting rights to people convicted…