All articles tagged with #election laws
Trump told Dan Bongino’s podcast that Republicans should nationalize voting and take oversight from states, calling for a uniform standard and criticizing current procedures; the White House highlighted support for the SAVE Act and other voting-reform proposals, while DOJ actions against states over voter rolls and an FBI Fulton County raid provide a charged backdrop to his ongoing, disproven fraud claims.
Elon Musk has re-entered the political arena as a major GOP donor and influencer, deploying hundreds of millions in prior campaigns and using his X platform to press Republicans to back the SAVE Act to tighten election rules. His latest moves include a $10 million Kentucky Senate donation and sustained public messaging that has party leaders cheering for the cash and clout while some swing lawmakers caution against overreliance on the controversial tech mogul and his volatile history with Trump.”,
Maine voters approved a 'red flag' law allowing family petitions to confiscate firearms from at-risk individuals, becoming the 22nd state with such legislation, while rejecting a measure that would have changed election laws. Texas voters approved amendments to clarify parental rights and restrict voting to U.S. citizens, with both measures supported by state leaders. The votes reflect ongoing debates over gun safety, voting rights, and constitutional protections.
Week 31 of Donald Trump's second term was marked by actions undermining democracy, including FBI raids on John Bolton, efforts to change election laws, and various controversial political moves and statements that threaten democratic norms and institutions.
A judge has ruled that Elon Musk's America PAC can continue awarding $1 million to voters in swing states, despite allegations of it being an illegal lottery. The recipients are not chosen randomly but are selected by the group, with the final recipient already determined. Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner had sued to stop the giveaway, citing potential election law violations. Musk's PAC has been actively campaigning for Donald Trump, and recipients must align with the group's values and serve as spokespeople.
Georgia lawmakers have passed new election laws, including rules to challenge voter eligibility, expanding access for independent candidates, and restricting who can serve as election workers. These changes come amid concerns about the impact of conspiracy theories and false claims of election fraud, with Democrats arguing that the new rules could embolden individuals driven by conspiracy theories. The impact of these changes on voter confidence and the upcoming elections remains to be seen.
Democrats in the Minnesota House of Representatives have introduced a bill, HF 3447, to expand absentee ballot laws by requiring temporary voting locations on college and university campuses, arguing that it would remove barriers to participation for young adults. Republicans push back, stating that current laws already allow equal opportunity for college students to vote and that the bill would be an unfunded mandate for counties. Critics also argue that the bill is biased against Republican voters and could increase costs for counties. The House Elections Committee voted to put HF 3447 to a floor vote on a Democrat party-line voice vote.
Tennessee Republicans are considering a bill to prevent Democrat Gloria Johnson from simultaneously running for U.S. Senate and seeking reelection to the state House, sparking debate over dual candidacy laws and potential consequences for political allies and enemies. The proposed change would ban candidates from appearing on the ballot for different offices in one election and holding multiple elected offices at once, with similar restrictions in place in other states. The move has raised questions about the impact on candidates' campaigns and the potential for abuse of power, while also drawing attention to past instances of dual runs and the legal battles surrounding them.
Washington state election officials confirmed that Donald Trump's name will remain on the GOP primary ballot after a lawsuit attempting to disqualify him based on the 14th Amendment was dismissed by a state judge. The primary is scheduled for March 12, and this decision follows similar victories for Trump in other states. The judge ruled that Washington state laws do not provide for the extensive fact-finding required to determine Trump's eligibility based on the 14th Amendment, unlike in Colorado where he was disqualified.
The US Supreme Court rejected the "independent state legislature" theory, which argued that state legislatures have the authority to set election rules with little oversight from state courts. The decision was made in a case about North Carolina's congressional map. The court maintained the power of state courts to review election laws under state constitutions, while urging federal courts to "not abandon their own duty to exercise judicial review."
Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as prosecutors accused him of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 US election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. Prosecutors in Manhattan allege that Trump falsified business records to conceal a violation of election laws during his successful 2016 campaign. Trump faces a separate criminal probe by a county prosecutor in Georgia into whether he unlawfully tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state.
Florida Senate Republicans have released a 98-page comprehensive elections bill that includes a provision designed to undercut legal arguments that were made by those who were charged as part of a crackdown on voter fraud announced last August by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The lengthy bill also changes campaign finance deadlines, speeds up when local officials must scrub voter rolls for dead and ineligible voters and increases fines on voter registration groups if they break the law. Democrats and voting rights groups widely criticized a 2021 law that place a two-ballot limit on how many mail-in ballots someone could gather for elderly or sick voters.