Daily Docket — Monday, May 1

Here are some updates from today.

• Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D), the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker, and four of her constituents filed a lawsuit challenging Zephyr’s censure last week by the Republican-controlled Montana Legislature for her comments during a debate on a bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors. As a result of the censure, the lawsuit argues that the Republican legislative leadership “deprived [Zephyr’s] 11,000 constituents of the right to full representation in their government.”

• Florida’s omnibus voter suppression bill is awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) signature after it passed both chambers last Friday.

Here's what to expect in the courts this month.

To prepare you for the month ahead, we’ve outlined what courtroom activity and fillings we anticipate as well as what outstanding decisions we are watching for.

Key dates and case developments:

• May 2, 2023: Hearing in a lawsuit challenging the use of electronic voting machines in Georgia.

• May 11, 2023: Oral argument in a lawsuit challenging New Hampshire’s state Senate and Executive Council maps for being partisan gerrymanders that violate the state constitution. 

• May 11, 2023: Oral argument in a lawsuit challenging Franklin County, Washington’s hybrid electoral scheme for its three-member county commission, alleging that it dilutes Latino voting power in violation of the Washington Voting Rights Act (WVRA). On appeal, an intervenor argues that the WVRA violates the Washington and U.S. Constitutions. 

• May 12, 2023: Hearing in lawsuit filed by an “election integrity” group that argues that California voting laws, regulations and guidelines that have created universal mail-in voting, opened online voter registration, allowed for community ballot collection, regulated poll observers and otherwise expanded voting are unconstitutional.

• May 16, 2023: Oral argument in a lawsuit challenging an Arizona voter suppression law that, among other restrictive provisions, requires county recorders to cancel a voter’s registration if they receive confirmation that the voter is registered to vote in another Arizona county.

• May 16, 2023: Oral argument on motion for a new trial in an election contest filed by failed Arizona attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh (R), who lost the November 2022 election to Kris Mayes (D).

• May 18, 2023: Hearing in federal court in three separate redistricting lawsuits in Georgia. 

• May 30, 2023: Hearing in a state-level lawsuit that challenges Arkansas’ use of electronic voting machines.

Some decisions we're waiting for:

• A Republican lawsuit in Pennsylvania over a Republican-backed law expanding mail-in voting;

• A lawsuit filed on behalf of League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa challenging the state’s failure to provide non-English election materials;

• Multiple Wisconsin lawsuits over mail-in voting and 

• The two major voting rights cases of the U.S. Supreme Court this term, Allen v. Milligan and Moore v. Harper.

As always, keep an eye on our Cases page for real time updates on any developments in these lawsuits and others.

Can’t get enough news? You can always find more details about these updates on our News Alerts page.

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