Welcome to the September edition of The Lever, featuring expert insights and analysis from Voting Rights Lab. Today, we’re exploring five trends identified by our state election experts that will have major impacts on in-person voting in the 2024 elections. 

Plus, we’re highlighting the potential for election misinformation to be spread through popular AI chatbots; examining the implications of new voting laws in seven battleground states; and lifting up the mobilization efforts of the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable.

ELECTION WATCH 2024: CHANGES TO IN-PERSON VOTING SINCE 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the 2020 election, from record numbers of voters casting their ballots by mail to the lowest recorded turnout of voters to in-person polling places in 30 years. 

Since then, nearly all states have implemented some changes to the rules and regulations governing elections. Our election experts examined these changes and identified five major trends that will impact the in-person voting experience:

  1. States offering fewer polling places.

  2. States expanding opportunities for in-person, early voting.

  3. States enacting stricter voter identification laws.

  4. States changing voter assistance requirements.

  5. States expanding laws around observing and challenging elections.

Read our latest blog post to learn about what to expect when voting in person, either before or on Election Day.
READ OUR ANALYSIS

BY THE NUMBERS

 

25%

That’s how many responses from commonly-used AI chatbots could “dissuade, impede, or prevent” people from exercising their right to vote, according to a recent report from the Center for Democracy & Technology.

In the report, “Generating Confusion,” researchers tested five chatbots with 77 prompts about voting and elections. The answers yielded concerning results – with over one third including incorrect information.

The report focuses on the implications of these new sources of misinformation for voters with disabilities at a time when chatbot usage is gaining broad popularity. One figure cited in the report suggests that 14% of American adults are at least somewhat likely to use AI to source information on elections.
LEARN MORE FROM STATESCOOP

WHAT WE'RE READING

As voters head to the polls across the country, many will encounter significant changes in how their local and state elections are run. 

Voting Rights Lab recently spoke with U.S. News & World Report to offer our analysis of new election laws and policies in seven key states – and how these dramatic changes could impact the election.

“We've seen every single state in this country has adjusted its election systems in some way since 2020. So that in itself is a really significant trend…These elections are going to be very different in many places this year than they were in 2020.” – Liz Avore, senior policy adviser, Voting Rights Lab
READ THE FULL ARTICLE

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Mississippi is one of just three states that does not offer early voting to all residents, and one of only eight states with no option for online voter registration. Most Mississippi voters must cast their votes in a single 12-hour window on Election Day. This poses a significant challenge for many working people, especially those with child care and caregiving responsibilities.

To help address these challenges, the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, a group affiliated with the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, has been hard at work organizing “Power of the Sistervote Boot Camps,” a project of their Sistervote initiative. These boot camps are designed to encourage voter mobilization and engagement in the election process through a lens that centers Black women’s experiences and responsibilities.

“Good things do come from the South, and we know that Black women have been a part of making that happen.” – Cassandra Welchlin, executive director, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable
LEARN MORE FROM THE 19TH

THE MARKUP


The Markup is Voting Rights Lab’s weekly law and policy update, powered by our Voting Rights Tracker. If you’d like to get these insights straight to your inbox, head here to sign up. Here’s a preview of what we’re watching this week:

Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring counties to reject mail ballots received in ballot envelopes with incorrect or missing dates, even if they are received on time.

Michigan: The state Senate passed a package of bills, collectively referred to as the Michigan Voting Rights Act, designed to protect voting rights in the state.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE MARKUP
Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here to get your own edition of The Lever delivered each month.

Like our work and want to help make it happen? Make a tax-deductible contribution to Voting Rights Lab here.
Voting Rights Lab
611 Pennsylvania Ave SE | Suite 201 | Washington, DC 20003

We're grateful for your interest and support, but if you'd prefer not to receive emails from the Voting Rights Lab, click here to unsubscribe.