THE GOOD:
Last week, the Michigan State House passed legislation to enhance Michigan's current system for automatically registering voters when they apply for a driver's license unless they choose to opt-out.
These bills also include automatic voter registration when citizens apply for Michigan's Medicaid program or when returning citizens seek to reinstate their driver's license. Additionally, other state agencies may also be authorized to automatically register voters in the future.
THE BAD:
In a series of votes last week, the North Carolina House and Senate, where Republicans hold narrow supermajorities, overturned two vetoes by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
One law would eliminate a three-day grace period to receive and count absentee ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day, which could negatively impact North Carolina voters. The other removes the governor's authority to appoint members to the State Board of Elections. Historically, this board consisted of five members, with the governor's party having control over three of those seats. However, starting on January 1, the board will expand to eight members, leading to an even 4-4 split. This change may result in potential deadlocks within the board, which could reduce the number of local early in-person voting locations.
THE UGLY:
Over the past weekend, Louisiana witnessed its lowest voter turnout in a gubernatorial election in twelve years — comparable to the historically lackluster participation in 2011 when former Governor Bobby Jindal effortlessly secured re-election due to the absence of a well-organized opponent.
This year, approximately 280,000 fewer ballots were cast than in 2019, when Governor John Bel Edwards faced two challengers in his re-election bid. The number of voters decreased by approximately 52,000 compared to Edwards' initial run in 2015.
The most significant declines in voter turnout were in the northern Louisiana parishes of Richland, East Carroll, and West Carroll, where participation plummeted from over 50% in 2019 to less than 38% this year. Notably, New Orleans saw a 30% reduction in turnout compared to 2019. Despite these disheartening numbers, it's essential to remember that there is still an opportunity to vote in Louisiana this fall. Runoff elections are scheduled for November 18th for critical positions including Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer.
