Two days after his inauguration, Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order restoring voting rights to over 100,000 Kentuckians with past convictions. Iowa now remains the only state to permanently bar people with past convictions from voting. Less than a week after that, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill restoring voting rights to over 80,000 New Jerseyans, thereby joining 18 other states and DC that allow people who are on probation or parole to vote. Read more about the Brennan Center’s work to ensure every American can vote.

The Brennan Center recommends state and local governments use the funds to do the following: hire additional cybersecurity staff, replace paperless machines with equipment that uses paper ballots, upgrade critical infrastructure like voter registration systems, build robust resiliency plans so election jurisdictions can recover in the event of a cyberattack, and conduct post-election audits. The Brennan Center also urges Congress to use its oversight authorities to ensure the money is spent on these pressing security needs. Read our statement.

With the end of the year approaching, trends in crime for 2019 are snapping into focus. They offer some good news, including decreases in violent crime that offset a spike from 2015 and 2016 in many places. But there are also some reminders of the need for innovative solutions to urban violence. Our Justice experts break it down.

Unfair cash bail practices result in dramatically different consequences based on race or wealth. Some states and cities are making progress, but much more work is needed to bring fairness to this corner of the criminal justice system. Learn more in this Brennan Center Explainer.

Brennan Center Insiders know: as we begin the last year of President Trump’s term, your support for our democracy has never been more important. When you give to Brennan Center you are part of a powerful movement to make democracy work — for everyone. Make your gift by December 31 and it will be doubled.

Effective resiliency plans will help safeguard against Election Day disruptions. Our Election Reform experts wrote a detailed guide and provided a checklist to assist election officials as they revise and expand their plans to counter cybersecurity risks ahead of the 2020 election. Read the report and download the checklist.
 

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