Congress recently cleared legislation to extend government funding into March, but one Arizona elections official would like to see federal lawmakers include funding for election administration and security.
Patty Hansen, recorder for Coconino County in Northern Arizona, has been involved with elections administration for 36 years, and said with the continuing exodus of many election recorders and directors in recent years because of increased threats and harassment, what remains is what she called a "huge institutional void."
She pointed out in rural counties such as hers, funding to improve election systems would go a long way.
"Some jurisdictions are wealthier than others and have a better tax base," Hansen observed. "I do think it is something the federal government should be looking at for providing the necessary funds across the nation because elections are the foundation of our democracy."
Seven of 10 Americans believe the federal government should be just as, if not more, responsible for election funding than local municipalities and states. Hansen contended investments are needed to ensure successful elections around the country, although she is not in favor of the federal government taking over administration of elections. She sees the current decentralized system as a way to keep elections safe and secure.
Sunwoo Oh, senior associate of policy and political affairs for Stand Up America, argued the election industry is not receiving proper investment. Oh said a bipartisan group of local and state election officials got together and estimated it would take at least $53 billion over 10 years to repair and modernize the nation's election infrastructure.
"We've been working to try to get more consistent and predictable funding from Congress to help support local administrators to get the resources they need," Oh explained. "And help modernize the election infrastructure that is super outdated in most of the jurisdictions."
Oh contended voting machines around the country are outdated and lead to delays and snags in the voting counting process, but stressed it does not mean election integrity is not being upheld. It is one of the ways she would like to see the federal government step up and help.
Disclosure: Stand Up America contributes to our fund for reporting on Campaign Finance Reform/Money in Pol, Civic Engagement, and Civil Rights. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
get more stories like this via email
The League of Women Voters of Florida is taking a personal approach to restoring voting rights for returning citizens.
The group is sending thousands of handwritten postcards to people with felony convictions, many of whom are unaware they may already be eligible to vote. The postcard initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure people know their rights and have the legal support they need to navigate Florida's complex voting restoration process.
Cecile Scoon, copresident of the League of Women Voters of Florida, described the importance of direct outreach to returning citizens and said the postcard campaign has made a significant impact.
"I have personally looked at people's records and they were not voting for over 10 to 20 years, but they didn't know that their felony charge was dropped to a misdemeanor," Scoon outlined. "So, 'I never filed a court paper.' I just read their records and that person was voting, like, within a week -- crying, excited."
The League's efforts began with Florida's 2018 passage of Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to most people with felony convictions. However, added fines and fees requirements created barriers, and while the state introduced a process to verify voter eligibility, advocates said it remains too complex and confusing for many returning citizens.
Scoon highlighted the challenges posed by the state's requirement, emphasizing incomplete or missing records often prevent people from proving they have paid their fines and fees.
"We proved that many of the records were lost, but the government was saying, 'You have to show me that you paid it.' If someone diligently looked for their records, 20 or 30% can't find them all," Scoon explained. "So, how are you going to prove you paid something, then there's no record, or they paid, and the probation office moved and didn't keep the record?"
She noted the League is advocating for legislative reforms to simplify voter eligibility verification. Despite challenges, like returned postcards due to the transient nature of returning citizens, Scoon pointed out they have managed to reach 5,000 people with felony convictions and yielded positive results.
She added anyone who needs assistance from the League's pro bono attorneys can call 407-710-5496 or email canivote@lwvfl.org.
Disclosure: League of Women Voters contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
get more stories like this via email
Arkansas lawmakers are at the Capitol today for the start of the 95th Legislative session. Over the next 88 days, legislators will discuss more than 2,000 bills that have been filed since November.
University of Arkansas Political Science Professor Andrew Dowdle said legislators will also attempt to implement bills passed during the first term of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
"Part of that is the Learns Act, where about half of all new state spending is going to private school vouchers," said Dowdle. "There was also an Arkansas Forward report to try to find savings in state government."
He said the report includes measures to slash $300 millions from the state's budget in six years, and a plan to pay state workers more competitive salaries.
One of Sanders' more controversial plans is to build a new 3,000-bed prison in Charleston, in Franklin County. Dowdle said the proposal has received pushback from residents in the area.
"Nobody seems to want a prison in their own neighborhood," said Dowdle. "You usually end up finding more support for prisons in rural areas at times where you end up having higher times of unemployment, and I don't think Charleston would really see itself in that light."
State Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, has filed a draft bill opposing the new prison.
His proposal addresses reducing overcrowding in county jails by investing in new construction, expansions, or renovations in jails with the highest prisoner backlog.
get more stories like this via email
The Wyoming Legislature's General Session starts Tuesday and voting-rights advocates in the state are watching several proposals they worry could hinder people's ability to vote.
Bills under consideration would prohibit the use of drop boxes to deliver completed ballots, reduce the accessibility of absentee ballot request forms and change the proof-of-residency rules for voter registration.
Marissa Carpio, policy director for the Equality State Policy Center, said the bills are priorities for the Freedom Caucus, a Republican faction that now has a majority lead in the House.
"They coin it as 'election integrity' bills to clean up what they perceive as voter fraud," Carpio explained. "Let me be clear, there are no widespread instances of voter fraud in Wyoming."
Carpio pointed out the bills would disproportionately affect elderly, rural and Native voters.
According to the Heritage Foundation, there have been four cases of election fraud in Wyoming in the last 23 years, including three people who registered with incorrect addresses and one convicted felon who cast a ballot.
Carpio argued the state's election organizers should get credit for their success.
"We have county clerks across the state that are so dedicated to the process of our election," Carpio pointed out. "They're real, hardworking people out there that deserve recognition for the fact that our elections run so well. And the upheaval of these processes could really hurt."
The Freedom Caucus has listed "election integrity" legislation first on its "five and dime plan," which details the five pieces of legislation it aims to pass in the first 10 days of the session, according to its website.
Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.
get more stories like this via email