SEATTLE -- An effort in Washington's largest city aimed at making elections better reflect the will of voters is getting some new funding.

The Center for Election Science is making a $70,000 grant to Seattle Approves, and four other groups around the country.

Seattle Approves wants to change the city's primary elections so that voters select all the candidates they support, rather than just one.

Logan Bowers, a former Seattle city council candidate, saw voters struggle with a crowded field of candidates, and thinks approval voting would make the process easier.

"If there's two candidates that have similar views, they don't have to worry that their vote is going to be split, and then both candidates will lose," Bowers explained. "And so, the net result of that is, the candidates who make it through tend to be favored or approved by more voters than the current system."

The grants are being made to groups to fund polling and legal services for potential campaigns. Voting reform groups were also chosen in the San Francisco Bay Area; Austin, Texas; Missouri and Utah.

Troy Davis, a volunteer for Seattle Approves, said the group will see if the City Council is willing to pass the reform. If not, they could gather signatures to put approval voting on the ballot next year.

Davis argued the change would make elections more democratic.

"It's the most effective, easiest to adopt, lowest-cost; really one of the only, few things we can do to make a huge impact for essentially no trade-offs," Davis contended. "If we were designing elections today, this would already be the case."

Debra Morrison, another volunteer for the group, said she doesn't like to choose favorites.

"For me as a voter, it's much easier for me to say, 'Well, I like these three people. I don't necessarily have a strong opinion about which one I like the best or the second-best,'" Morrison pointed out.

Seattle is ripe for election reform.

In 2015, it became the first city to create a "democracy voucher" program, which allots voters four $25 vouchers they can give to any eligible candidate in municipal elections.

Community groups are coming together to expand voting rights to all Connecticut residents.

The Connecticut Right to Vote Campaign says it aims to ensure all lawful permanent residents would be able to vote, as well as encourage them to turn out for local, state and federal elections.

The campaign's centerpiece is HJ 26, a bill that would allow lawful permanent residents to vote.

Helen Quinonez, a community organizer with Make the Road Connecticut, said the campaign and bill have widespread support.

"We don't have only the support from the community who are not able to vote now; we have the support from the community who actually can vote," she said. "But we need to increase the vote participation in Connecticut, because a lot of people don't go to vote in local, municipal elections."

Despite support for the campaign and the bill, Quinonez acknowledged it may take five years to accomplish their goals, given the current political climate. As President Donald Trump continues to support mass deportations, groups working for immigrants' rights want Connecticut lawmakers to bolster state immigration laws to better protect residents.

A crux of the campaign will center on using voting rights in local and municipal elections. State data show declines in voter turnout across local and federal elections.

Ariana Fernandez, a community organizer with United Parents and Students, said educating people about voting will be a big part of their efforts - helping them understand the importance in their own lives of being able to vote.

"The biggest way to have a voice in their child's education is through a vote and deciding who represents whatever education matters that affect their children," she said. "So, as an example, the Board of Education - and we know during these local elections, there's a lot of parents who are left out of that voting process."

She pointed out if people who live and work in the state can't vote, it's a form of taxation without representation. It's estimated that immigrants in Connecticut contribute more than $406 million a year in taxes to the state's economy.

Michigan's congressional delegation has "aced" the National Environmental Scorecard, earning a perfect 100% in 2024.

The League of Conservation Voters uses the scorecard to track lawmakers' votes on a range of bills relating to the environment and democracy - from climate change and wildlife conservation to environmental justice.

Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both D-Mich., scored 100%, with lifetime scores of 91% and 94%, respectively.

Nick Dodge, communications manager for Michigan's League of Conservation Voters, explained why the state consistently stands out on the scorecard.

"Water is pretty much everywhere around here, and people have a true connection to it," he said. "The people that we send to Congress get that and understand that. Anyone that goes to Congress and votes against our water, they can expect to hear that from their constituents."

The national average scores show a stark contrast between parties, with Democrats generally scoring higher than Republicans. The League said it aims to use the scorecard to hold elected officials accountable and inform voters ahead of elections.

The majority of Republican politicians view environmental policies as examples of government overreach, while most Democrats view them as a pressing need for climate action. Dodge expressed concern over the obvious divide.

"We see environmental issues as nonpartisan," he said. "You're talking about clean air to breathe, safe water to drink. To us, those shouldn't be - and are not - partisan issues."

Of Michigan's neighbors, Ohio's delegation scored 25%, Wisconsin's scored 50% and the Indiana delegation got a zero.

The National Environmental Scorecard is updated each year to reflect the most recent congressional votes.

An Alabama group is urging lawmakers to simplify the voter restoration process for people who have lost their right to vote. In Alabama, more than 8% of adults, or one in 13 people, are disenfranchised, according to The Sentencing Project.

JaiGregory Clarke, Birmingham organizer with Faith in Action Alabama, warns that the number is likely to increase due to House Bill 100, which expands the list of crimes that can strip voting rights. He said the law bars thousands from the ballot, including people who were previously eligible to vote. His organization is pushing for reforms to ensure that once individuals have served their time, they can fully participate in democracy.

"If someone re-enters the community, if they've served their time and they've paid their debt to society and they're active, meaning they are employed and are paying taxes, then they should absolutely have voting rights or say in the policies that govern our community," Clarke said.

Clarke explained that regaining the right to vote in Alabama is a complicated and costly process. People must complete their sentence, pay all fines, fees and restitution - which can total thousands of dollars - and then apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote, or CERV.

To change that, Clarke said voting-rights advocates are backing Senate Bill 7. If passed, the bill would introduce several major changes to Alabama's voting system. It would allow same-day voter registration, eliminate the need for an excuse to vote absentee, and create a statewide voter database. Clarke believes the bill would make the voting process fairer and more accessible, and added that it would not only streamline the process of restoring voting rights but also expand access to voting across the state.

"What it proposes is a complete overhaul of the way people get their voting rights back in Alabama," Clarke said.

The bill would also establish an Alabama Voting Rights Commission to oversee election changes and require preclearance for certain decisions at the state and local levels - ensuring new policies don't unfairly impact eligible voters. Sponsored by Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, the legislation is currently awaiting committee action.