elections
Noncitizens allowed to vote in some local elections, spurring backlash from GOP
A few cities and towns around the U.S. are letting noncitizens vote in local elections, and more could follow. In response, Republicans see a chance to turn opposition to noncitizen voting into a national rallying cry. On March 14, Washington, D.C., became the latest city to approve noncitizen voting, when a bill allowing the District’s […]
GOP state officials at U.S. House hearing push back against federal election oversight
WASHINGTON — Republican election officials from Florida, Ohio and Louisiana on Friday detailed to lawmakers on a U.S. House Administration panel the success of their states’ handling of the 2022 midterm elections and said they can run their own elections without federal intervention. The chair of the Elections Subcommittee, Florida GOP freshman Rep. Laurel Lee, […]
Heightened requirements to put measures on the Arkansas ballot awaits Sanders’ signature
A proposed Arkansas law that would make it harder for citizen-led petitions to qualify for the statewide ballot passed the Senate and went to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk Monday. House Bill 1419 would require canvassers to gather signatures from at least 50 counties — up from the 15-county threshold laid out in Article 5 […]
Protesters gather at Arkansas Capitol to oppose wide range of legislation targeting civil rights
A crowd of about 75 people gathered Thursday afternoon on the Arkansas Capitol steps so legislators would know that the people they represent “are not sitting quietly” in the face of attacks on their rights, said Kymara Seals, a co-organizer of the protest. “We are at our house, the people’s house,” Seals said to a […]
Arkansas group pitches hand-count elections to counties as Legislature prepares to weigh in
An Arkansas group with connections to former President Donald Trump is traveling the state with a pitch to county quorum courts: ditch the voting machines. Instead, the Arkansas Voter Integrity Initiative urges counties to rely on paper ballots marked and counted by hand. The group had existed in relative obscurity since it was formed last […]
SESSION SNAPSHOT: Tough love at the Arkansas Capitol as bills stall, fail in Week 6
We start our recap of the sixth week of the 2023 Arkansas legislative session wishing you a happy #arlegvalentines. As for the news, there was a lot of it, but fewer major announcements, hearings and debates than in recent weeks. Here are some highlights from Week 6: Lawmakers filed a host of election legislation on […]
Arkansas Senate committee votes to forbid absentee ballot drop boxes
A group of Arkansas senators recommended Thursday that the full Senate pass a ban on ballot drop boxes — a process that isn’t happening in Arkansas. Bill sponsor Sen. Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs) said Senate Bill 258 would prevent the use absentee ballot drop boxes, which he called a “beacon of mistrust,” from coming to […]
Woman jailed for collecting 4 ballots in Arizona sparks fear of voting in majority Latino city
This story was produced in partnership with Type Investigations, with support from the Fund for Constitutional Government. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA — The small city of San Luis is tucked away in the far corner of Arizona, closer to Mexico than to any major U.S. city. The community is nearly 95% Latino and tight-knit — the […]
Organizations recruiting more women for public office
The 2022 election is barely behind us, but Stephannie Lane Baker is already thinking about recruiting candidates, specifically women, for the next election cycle. “If we are going to make progress, we have to do the work year-round…that’s how you change the face of power in Arkansas,” she said. As the executive director of Emerge […]
Our new governor must invest in education
Arkansas just made history with the election of Sarah Huckabee Sanders as our first female governor. Her success in her role as governor will depend heavily upon her investment in education. K-12 education issues were a top concern for voters, and her actions on these will be pivotal for our students, families, communities, and the […]
Future of U.S. election law at stake as Supreme Court hears North Carolina case
WASHINGTON — North Carolina Republicans appeared to have at least three of the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative justices on their side Wednesday in a case that could determine the future of elections nationwide and leave decisions about federal elections in the hands of state legislatures and beyond the reach of state courts. The Supreme Court […]
Dozens of mayoral seats up for grabs in Tuesday’s runoff elections
Thirty-four mayoral races will be decided in Tuesday’s runoff election. Seventeen include incumbents like Linda Newbury in Union County. The Felsenthal mayor is facing Theresa Howard after both candidates received 24 votes in the general election. More than 70 elections for mayoral, city council and school board positions are occurring in thirty-nine counties statewide. There […]