skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, February 24, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Donald Trump will meet the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at the White House today, on the third anniversary of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.; Anti 'processed food' push could backfire on GA, US plant-based products; Fraud-fighting experts warn of rise in scams after L.A. fires; Livestock industry flexes muscle over Democrat-controlled CO Legislature.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Today is the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some federal workers return to the office after telework agreements are terminated; and environmental groups sue the Trump administration over its offshore drilling policy.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Taos County Sheriff says he won't conduct raids or round ups of immigrants, New Hampshire worries a dearth of charging stations will force tourists driving EVs to pick another vacation destination, and Southern states improve education with workarounds.

Report Cites 'Flawed' Voter Purges as Unfair

play audio
Play

Friday, August 11, 2023   

There are many good reasons for states to update their voter rolls in preparation for elections, but a new report contended many are too zealous about it, jeopardizing some people's right to vote.

When people die or move out-of-state, their names may be removed from voter rolls. However, the report from the democracy and economy think tank Dēmos found more than 19 million voters were "purged" from the rolls between the 2020 and 2022 general elections, and said more than one-quarter were dropped for flawed reasons, like inactivity.

Angela Hanks, chief of programs for Dēmos, said they evaluated 10 states' voter removal laws and safeguards. Michigan scored 52% for its removal policies.

"The impact is often disproportionately on voters of color, on naturalized citizens, and on other marginalized or underrepresented communities," Hanks pointed out. "That is really why we are looking into this, is because when states pursue these flawed practices, it means that people who are eligible to vote can't vote, and that is a problem for our democracy."

Eighty of Michigan's 83 counties voted to pass Proposal 3 in 2018, by the advocacy group Promote the Vote. It allows for same-day voter registration along with other voting access in the state, indicating widespread support for increasing access to the ballot.

Purging practices vary by state, and the Dēmos report finds no state has a great model to prevent erroneously removing eligible voters.

Hanks noted Dēmos also looked at the safeguards to give people some recourse if they were incorrectly removed from the voter rolls.

"And the most harmful are those 'use it or lose it' laws -- the 'if you don't vote in the Federal election, we'll take you off the rolls,' -- that remove individuals for nonvoting," Hanks contended. "Those laws are especially concerning, because again they tend to block access to people who can't make it to every federal election. And those reasons could be really anything."

Michigan scored well, at 80%, for its voter safeguards. The state allows same-day registration, both during the early voting period and on Election Day, giving voters who may have been erroneously removed from the rolls the ability to cast a regular ballot. But voters cannot do so at the polling place; only at the county clerk's office.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's proposed budget estimates total revenues of $55.453 billion, and total spending of $55.234 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Illinois' Legislative Latino Caucus and Black Caucus have responded to Governor JB Pritzker's budget address he delivered last week, and each …


Health and Wellness

play sound

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Environment

play sound

By Olivia Herken for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indep…


New York City's program is the only one charging drivers to get into the congested area, but New York isn't the only city with congestion pricing. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

As the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to end New York City's congestion pricing program, the move is getting some pushback from people who …

Environment

play sound

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its revocation of President Joe Biden's …

More than 60,000 people in Oregon could benefit from expanding food benefits to undocumented residents. (Franco Capotosti/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Amal Ahmed for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Oregon News Service reporting for the Yes! Media/Sentient/Just and Climate-…

Social Issues

play sound

California is bracing for large-scale immigration raids - and groups that advocate for children are speaking out against the climate of fear…

Social Issues

play sound

Scams are on the rise in the wake of the Los Angeles fires, according to a warning on social media from the Pasadena Police Department - so experts …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021