Hi John,
Since 2020, nearly every state in the country has made some change to their election laws.
Now, halfway through 2022, with midterm elections underway, election administrators and voters alike find themselves navigating some complex changes to the voting process – as well as an alarming increase in legislation interfering with the fair, nonpartisan administration of our elections.
In our latest report, “The State of State Election Law: 2022 Mid-Year Review,” our team takes a look at this new landscape of state election laws and changes to voter access across all 50 states.
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The good news is that we are seeing some states make tremendous progress in expanding participation in our democracy – whether on early voting or voting rights restoration – giving voters more options to make their voices heard and strengthening our election infrastructure.
But there are also some serious challenges ahead. Efforts by state legislatures to interfere with the democratic process are on the rise. Certain lawmakers are exploiting a historic distrust in our elections systems to change the rules for their own political gain.
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Meanwhile, new restrictive election laws have created serious obstacles. As we saw in the Texas primaries earlier this year, those who suffer from burdensome and carelessly-implemented election laws are often those already historically disenfranchised – such as Black and brown voters, low-income voters, and voters with disabilities.
We take a closer look at these trends in our report, as well as how new laws will impact the voter experience during a critical election year. We hope you’ll read and share this new resource.
I have faith that together we can tackle these challenges head on. It will take all of us to ensure the freedom to vote – the key to all other freedoms – is not only upheld and protected, but expanded and strengthened.
Sincerely,
Megan Lewis
Executive Director
Voting Rights Lab
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