State legislators across the country, in 2021 have passed sweeping legislation that will make it harder to vote. This legislation is being driven by the GOP republican party and election deniers who continue to make false claims about election fraud.
In 2021 19 states passed laws which will restrict access to vote by:
· Limiting or eliminating mail in voting
· Making it more difficult to register to vote
· Excessive requirements for voter identification
· Harder to stay on voter rolls and to vote
AL, AZ, AR, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MT, NH, NY, NV, OK, TX, UT, WY
These laws will disproportionately impact voters of color. 18 of these states both the House and Senate are under GOP control , and 15 are republican trifecta states where the governor and both chambers are held by republicans.
State in RED TEXT both House & Senate under GOP control, if BOLDED & UNDERLINED state is a trifecta [both chambers & Governor are republican control].
In 2022 the trend continues, has accelerated and is more widespread encompassing 39 states. Election interference bills have been added to the GOP playbook, these bills should they become law will:
· Permit partisan actors to interfere with election results
· Add resources to prosecute election crimes
· Allow for an alternate slate of electors to overturn elections
· Threaten election officials with criminal penalties
· Allow for a biased outside partisan review of election results
Up until 2021 none of these type of access restrictive and election interference legislation existed in this outrageous magnitude. So far
· 27 states have introduced 148 election interference bills
AL, AK, AZ, CO, FL, GA, HI, IL, IA, KS, KY, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, WA, WV, WI
· 5 states have 17 bills that have passed in one chamber restricting access to vote
AZ [12 Bills], KS, NH [2 Bills], OK [2 Bills], RI
· 39 states are considering a whopping 393 other voting restrictive laws
For more details go to: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-may-2022
So if you are not scared now….. it could get even worse! The Supreme court is about to debate a case looking at the validity of the Independent State Legislative Theory, a little know doctrine within the Constitution. If validated by the conservative justices it could give the state legislators the ability to overturn the popular vote.
To read more about this obscure doctrine go to https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/10/us/politics/supreme-court-state-legislature-elections.html
If you do not normally pay attention to state level elections…. Now more than ever it is a MUST.
When deciding Who Should I Vote for? Go to www.vote4change.info a website packed with voting resources, US legislator voting records, plus current Congress/Senate election ballots to help Americans to cast informed votes.