Latest Voting rights News
Supreme Court tossed out heart of Voting Rights Act a decade ago, prompting wave of new voting rules
ATLANTA (AP) — Within hours of a U.S. Supreme Court decision dismantling a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, Texas lawmakers announced plans to implement a strict voter ID law that had been blocked by a federal court. Lawmakers in Alabama said they would press forward with a similar law...
People with felony convictions can now vote in Minnesota; secretary of state celebrates
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — At a celebration of Minnesota’s new law that restores voting rights to people who have left prison, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon registered newly eligible voters Thursday, when the law went into effect. “It is the largest single act of...
Justice Dept. settles with New Jersey county over ballot languages, highlighting widespread barrier
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has reached a settlement with a New Jersey county over language barriers for Spanish-speaking voters, emphasizing a growing challenge for certain minority communities nationwide. The agreement with Union County comes after federal...
Lawsuit challenges Youngkin's limits on felon voting rights
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A discretionary process being used by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to decide which felons can get their voting rights back is unconstitutional and could lead to decisions based on an applicant’s political affiliations or views, a lawsuit filed Thursday argued. ...
Nevada lawmakers mull expanding voting access in jails
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Lawmakers in Nevada’s Democratic-controlled Assembly heard a bill Tuesday that would expand already-existing voting rights to pretrial detainees in jails, marking the latest effort to make voting easier for pretrial detainees that is playing out in different forms...
New Mexico governor signs bill expanding voter access
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s governor Thursday signed a Democratic-sponsored voting rights bill aimed at expanding access to the ballot and two other related measures. New Mexico was one of several Democratic-controlled states where lawmakers advocated for sweeping voter...
Voting rights effort targets those held in jails across US
CHICAGO (AP) — The voting precinct could have been any one of hundreds throughout Chicago, except that these voters in the first round of the mayoral election were all wearing the same beige smocks. And the security at this polling place wasn’t intended to keep disrupters and campaigners out,...
New Mexico Legislature passes sweeping tax-relief plan
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's Legislature passed a $1.1 billion tax relief package Saturday at the close of its annual session as lawmakers tapped a financial windfall from oil production in efforts to break through entrenched cycles of poverty with tax refunds to working families with...
Miami-based 777 Partners takes 64.7% stake in Hertha Berlin
BERLIN (AP) — Miami-based investment group 777 Partners has completed its 64.7% majority stake takeover of Hertha Berlin. The German soccer club said Saturday that 777 had acquired the company shares previously owned by Lars Windhorst’s investment group. Windhorst said in October...
Oregon looking at allowing people in prison to vote
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A bill that would allow inmates of prisons and jails in Oregon to vote in elections moved on Thursday toward a Senate floor vote with the approval of the judiciary committee, with Republican members voting against. The action on the bill in the...
