Monday, Aug. 19

Over the past few days, readers have sent in questions and concerns about different voting issues they’re seeing on the ground. If you have questions about voting laws in your state, submit them below so Marc can answer them in this week’s Q&A.

THE SCOREBOARD

Georgia State Election Board continues to undermine democracy

• The GOP-controlled Georgia State Election Board passed a new rule on Monday giving county election officials more power to delay the certification of election results. This follows the passage of a rule on Aug. 6 that could result in this same outcome.

  
  

• Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R) said the State Election Board can’t force his office to reinvestigate claims of voter fraud from the 2020 election after a right-wing majority of the board asked him to do so earlier this month.

Republicans defend Georgia law that enables mass voter challenges

• The Republican National Committee and the Georgia GOP moved to defend a Georgia law that makes it easier for private citizens to challenge a person's voter eligibility. Advocacy groups contesting the law claim that it permits mass voter challenges based on unreliable and unvetted info.

Judge delivers loss to Pennsylvania voters

• A Pennsylvania judge said Butler County does not have to let voters correct "naked ballots" — mail-in ballots returned without inner secrecy envelopes — to ensure their votes are counted. The plaintiffs said they're considering an appeal.

  
  

• Friday’s ruling originates from a lawsuit filed in April by the ACLU of Pennsylvania on behalf of two voters who — in an effort to cure their naked ballots — cast provisional ballots on Election Day, which the county subsequently refused to count.

  
  

Federal judge dismisses pro-voting lawsuit in Tennessee

• A federal judge today dismissed a lawsuit from a voting rights group and individual residents challenging a Tennessee statute requiring voters to be “bona fide” members of a political party in order to cast a ballot in the state’s open primary elections or otherwise face a threat of criminal prosecution.

Democrats and pro-voting groups get involved in Arizona and Utah cases

• In Arizona, advocacy groups Voto Latino and One Arizona moved to defend Maricopa County's voter registration processes from a lawsuit filed by Stephen Miller's right-wing group. Miller's group alleges that Maricopa is not verifying the citizenship of voters.

  
  

• The Utah Democratic Party asked to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the state's congressional map. Democrats want to join local advocacy groups claiming the map unfairly favors the GOP and that lawmakers illegally repealed redistricting reforms.

Trial starts in case challenging Missouri voter suppression law

• A trial began today in a lawsuit challenging certain provisions of a Missouri law that criminalizes some voter engagement activities. Voting rights advocates argue the law chills their protected speech and expressive conduct.