Our democracy is strongest when everyone has a voice. That point was proven this month when tens of millions of voters cast their ballots.

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Welcome to the November edition of The Lever. Our democracy is strongest when everyone has a voice. That point was proven this month when tens of millions of voters cast their ballots all across the country on or before November 8.

In this month's Hot Policy Take ([link removed]) , we look at the 2022 ballot measures that will change how voters participate and elections are run in states all across the country. High-profile initiatives in Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut, and more will see changes to election laws ahead of the 2024 presidential election, and some may set the stage for legislative action in just a few short months.

As we talk about pro-voter ballot measures, there's perhaps no better group for this month's partner spotlight than Michigan's Promote the Vote ([link removed]) campaign. After seeing overwhelming statewide support for the state's Proposal 2, Michigan is poised to see significant improvements to election administration and voter access ahead of the 2024 election.

Lastly, don't forget that many state legislative sessions will begin in little more than a month – and lawmakers in three states have already begun to pre-file bills ([link removed]) . Make sure to bookmark the State Voting Rights Tracker ([link removed]) to stay on top of the legislative rush and up-to-date on the latest proposals to change voting and election laws in all 50 states and DC.


** HOT POLICY TAKE
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Democracy was on the ballot during the 2022 midterm elections. Considerable attention was directed toward races for governor, secretary of state, and attorney general given the role each may play in election administration or oversight – rightly so with a number of candidates continuing to advance the baseless conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen.

But that's far from the whole story.

Also before voters were more than a dozen ballot measures that would change how elections are run in states all across the country.

In this month's Hot Policy Take, “Democracy on the Ballot: The Fate of 2022 Voting-Related Ballot Initiatives ([link removed]) ", we look at the outcomes and implications of elections-related ballot measures voted on in Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut, Nevada, and several other states.
READ THE HOT POLICY TAKE NOW ([link removed])


** BY THE NUMBERS
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58

That’s the number of elections bills Texas legislators have already pre-filed for the 2023 session ([link removed]) . One trend emerging in these pre-filed bills is the increased criminalization of elections ([link removed]) . Some of the proposals are targeted at voters ([link removed]) and would make attempting to vote while ineligible a felony-level crime. Other pre-files are targeted at election officials ([link removed]) . One such bill ([link removed]) would empower the attorney general to remove election officials from office, levy $25,000 fines against them, and force local prosecutors to maximally prosecute them.

Since the Texas legislature only meets every other year, and Republicans named elections as their top priority for 2023 at the state party convention, we expect this session to be a busy one for the Lone Star State.
SEE OUR TRACKER FOR MORE ([link removed])


** WHAT WE'RE READING
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Florida, Georgia, and Virginia were quick to task law enforcement with investigating election-related crime and misconduct following the 2020 presidential election. These investigations underscore a growing movement to criminalize elections and election officials alike, and raise serious concerns over the potential to undermine trust in elections and intimidate voters. That said, efforts in each state are off to a sputtering start – some due to gravely-flawed investigatory practices, some because election issues simply haven't materialized.

The Associated Press has more ([link removed]) :

"State-level law enforcement units created after the 2020 presidential election to investigate voter fraud are looking into scattered complaints more than two weeks after the midterms but have provided no indication of systemic problems.

Paul Smith, senior vice president of the Campaign Legal Center, said there are real issues related to election security, including protecting voters, poll workers and elections staff, and securing voting equipment. But he said Republican steps to boost what they often refer to as “election integrity” to combat voter fraud often are about something else... 'It’s a myth that’s created so they can justify making it harder for people to vote,' he said."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ([link removed])


** FROM OUR PARTNERS
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Looking for a masterclass in conducting a powerful, statewide pro-voter ballot initiative campaign? Look no further than Michigan's Promote the Vote ([link removed]) . The group led the charge to pass Michigan Proposal 2 with a resounding 60 percent of the vote, strengthening election administration and expanding access to the ballot box for voters all across the Wolverine State. Their efforts will see massive improvements to the state's elections ahead of the 2024 election, and showcased that Michiganders are overwhelmingly pro-democracy.
LEARN MORE ([link removed])


** THE MARKUP
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The Markup is VRL’s weekly legislative update for voting rights insiders. Here’s a snippet from ([link removed]) l ([link removed]) ast week's edition ([link removed]) – a sample of what you can expect each week:

Ohio legislators revive 18-month-old bill, propose restrictions on voting. Lawmakers unveiled ([link removed]) a substitute for H.B. 294 ([link removed]) , originally introduced in May 2021, late last week. The proposed substitute bill, which has not yet been adopted by the House Government Oversight Committee, would prohibit officials from mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications to voters; limit drop box placement; restrict voters’ ID options; and remove provisions in the original bill facilitating voter registration at the DMV. Legislative leaders hope to pass the bill before the end of the year.

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