DES MOINES, Iowa -- While they pore over the changes, Iowa's county auditors still have reservations about a new law that drastically alters several of the state's election procedures.

Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed a bill pushed by Republicans which, among other things, reduces the early voting period from 29 days to 20 days. It also shortens the window for requesting absentee ballots.

Ryan Dokter, president of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors and Sioux County auditor, said any time there's a change, it can produce a challenge because you have to re-educate voters.

He also said the absentee provisions could put even more of a strain on election staffs.

"When you start shortening windows, that means we'll need more people to process the voters in an efficient manner," Dokter explained.

He noted there is concern about language threatening auditors with fines and jail time if they don't comply with the law. Generally, he explained, that is not something election officials willfully do.

The change was spurred by a handful of auditors last year sending out pre-filled absentee ballot request forms.

Supporters of the changes argued they are meant to restore integrity in the election system, but the law is being challenged in court by a Latino civil rights group, which calls the move unconstitutional.

Sue Lloyd, Buena Vista County auditor, said they will get the job done, but added it might be harder for smaller offices to deal with absentee demand, especially in a presidential election.

She questions the fairness of putting auditors in the spotlight over what some describe as a politically-motivated law.

"We're here to do our job regardless of whether we're Republican or Democrat," Lloyd asserted. "We're doing the best we can. We want fair elections. We want to help the voters as much as we can to make sure that they have their right to vote."

She is concerned about restrictions on drop boxes and satellite voting and how it will impact her county's operations.

Voters' rights groups also worried about limiting access to marginalized voters.

Despite his concerns, Dokter acknowledged there are a few provisions that might be helpful to offices, including closing the polls at 8:00 p.m. instead of 9:00 p.m. He stressed it helps because election workers tend to be older.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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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.