Daily Docket — Tuesday, Jan. 10

Light blue banner with text that reads ''FROM MARC The Courts Protected Democracy in 2022.'' with a dark blue button that reads: ''Read Now.'' To the left is a square graphic: red background with blue image of report card that reads ''REPORT CARD: Voter suppression laws: F, GOP Litigation Effort: B+, GOP Litigation Successes: D, Protect Voting: A+, Expand Voting: A-'' and ''PASS'' in a circle at the bottom and an scale imprinted on the envelope behind the report card.

Here are some updates from today.

On Monday, the New York Senate approved a bill that would effectively rescind an archaic ban on giving food and water to voters waiting at the polls, also known as a line-warming ban. The current law is also the subject of ongoing litigation.

Missouri Republicans introduced a dozen bills to make it harder for Missouri voters to amend the state constitution. The bills would raise the threshold to approve amendments, increase the number of voter signatures required to get on the ballot and more.

Last Friday, Pennsylvania Senate Republicans proposed an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would require all voters to prove their identity before voting. An identical proposal passed the Pennsylvania Legislature during the 2021-2022 session.

The Associated Press reported that over 16,000 mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania were disqualified during the 2022 midterm elections, a majority from Democratic voters. Learn more about how this staggering number of ballot rejections follows a surge of litigation on the topic.

Listen to our latest episode of Defending Democracy. In this bonus podcast, Marc and Paige discuss Ohio’s new voter suppression law, exactly what it does, why it’s so harmful to voters and the lawsuit already filed challenging it.

Here’s what to expect coming up.

Tomorrow, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hold oral argument in a lawsuit challenging Arkansas’ state House map for diluting the voting strength of Black Arkansans in violation of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Last year, a federal judge ruled in this case that there is no private right of action under Section 2 of the VRA — a startling assertion that only the U.S. Department of Justice, not private individuals or organizations, can bring lawsuits under this provision.

Also tomorrow, a Pennsylvania court will hold oral argument in a lawsuit challenging Democrats’ ability to control the speakership of the Pennsylvania House and call special elections for three vacant House seats.

Can’t get enough news? You can always find more details about these updates on our News Alerts page.

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