Tuesday, September 17

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Ohio Supreme Court issues blow to anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative

• In a 4-3 decision yesterday, the Ohio Supreme Court largely upheld Republican-written language for a ballot initiative to reform redistricting and end gerrymandering in the state this November. The organizers of the measure say the language is deceptive and biased.

  
  

• In her dissenting opinion, liberal Justice Jennifer Brenner said the state Supreme Court “should be requiring a nearly complete redrafting of what is perhaps the most stunningly stilted ballot language that Ohio voters will have ever seen.”

Voting rights groups file lawsuits in New Hampshire and Florida

• A youth voting group filed a lawsuit to block New Hampshire's new law that will require voters to provide citizenship documents to register and vote. The group claims the law — which will take effect after the election — is unconstitutional.

  
  

• A Florida nonprofit organization sued over a state voter registration policy that the group says causes applications to be rejected due to minor typos and disproportionately impacts Black voters, violating federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

  
  

Arizona data error could disenfranchise nearly 100,000 voters

• Arizona officials announced a “data coding oversight” in the state’s elections systems is jeopardizing the eligibility of nearly 100,000 registered voters to cast a ballot in state and local races, less than two months until the November election.

  
  

• At the heart of the issue is Arizona’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement, which is among the most restrictive voter laws in the country.

  
  

• Maricopa County asked the Arizona Supreme Court to rule that the nearly 100,000 voters in question can only vote in federal races, not local and state races, this fall.

THE SCOREBOARD

Since Jan. 1, 2023

U.S. House will vote on budget bill containing SAVE Act tomorrow

• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) said the House will vote tomorrow on a six-month budget bill that includes the SAVE Act, legislation to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Read here to learn about what’s in the bill and why last week's vote was canceled.

Republicans sue Wisconsin city over poll worker selections

• Two Wisconsin voters, backed by the Republican National Committee (RNC), filed a lawsuit today claiming the city of Racine intentionally hired nonpartisan poll workers instead of partisan poll workers nominated by the local Republican Party, violating state law.

Texas AG appeals rejection of his attempt to block voter registration efforts

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) appealed the rejection of his request to block Bexar County from sending over 200,000 voter registration applications to residents. A state court said his motion is moot because the county sent out the forms already.

Happy National Voter Registration Day!

• President Joe Biden issued a proclamation declaring that today is National Voter Registration Day. To check if your voter registration is accurate and up to date, visit Vote.org now.