Tuesday, September 10

Georgia and Arizona judges dismiss lawsuits filed by GOP election officials

• In a win for voters, a Georgia judge dismissed a lawsuit from a Republican Fulton County election board member — who refused to certify the county's May primary — asking the court to rule she has the legal right to refuse to certify.

  
  

• An Arizona judge dismissed a lawsuit from a Mohave County official asking whether he could hand count ballots, ruling the issue is not yet relevant. Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) said hand counting is illegal in Arizona, but the issue may be revived closer to the election.

Following lawsuit, Michigan official swears he’ll certify election results

• After being sued for saying he won't certify the 2024 election if it's "stolen" from former President Donald Trump, a Republican member of the Kalamazoo, Michigan canvassing board signed a sworn affidavit pledging to certify the results this November.

North Carolina has to remove RFK Jr. from ballots, delaying voting

• The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the ballot, forcing local election boards to bear the cost of reprinting upwards of 2 million ballots and further delaying the start of absentee voting in the Tar Heel State.

  
  

• Liberal Justice Allison Riggs dissented: "Elections—the cornerstone of our democracy—are not games or exercises in ego-stroking. With a disturbing disregard for the impact on millions of North Carolina voters [RFK Jr.] seeks to have his cake and eat it, too."

THE SCOREBOARD

Since Jan. 1, 2023

Democrats push for passage of four federal voting rights bills

• Congressional Democrats, including Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), announced a renewed push for a federal voting rights legislation package and called for making voting rights bills exempt from the filibuster.

  
  

• The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), the Freedom to Vote Act, the Native American Voting Rights Act and a DC Statehood bill comprise the pro-democracy package being discussed less than two months from the 2024 election.

DOJ issues guidance on removing voters from state rolls

• The U.S. Department of Justice issued guidance on Monday reminding states that federal law prohibits most voter registration cancellations from happening within 90 days of a federal election, including removals initiated by mass voter challenges.

November ballot initiative could codify abortion rights in Arizona

• Since 1864, Arizona has imposed dangerous abortion bans that put politicians, not women, in control of reproductive care. But an initiative on November's ballot will give voters the power to reclaim their rights, Dawn Penich of Arizona for Abortion Access argues in a new piece.