Posted by AzBlueMeanie: We have an injunction issued by the court today, Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Barred From Enforcement In November Election By Judge: A state judge on Friday barred enforcement of Pennsylvania's strict voter-identification law in the Nov. 5 general election. The state also cannot require local elections officials to verbally tell voters at … Read more
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Last year, Rep. Michelle Ugenti (R-Scottsdale) sponsored HB 2826 (consolidated election dates; political subdivisions), a bill providing for the consolidation of elections in the fall of even numbered years only. The law will apply to elections in 2014 and thereafter.
On Monday, Judge James E. Marner of the Pima County Superior Court entered his ruling after trial of this matter to the court in
City of Tucson v. State of Arizona et al. (Case No.
C20126272). Judge Marner ruled in favor of the Cities of Tucson and Phoenix, and against the Arizona legislature. The 10 page ruling is
Here.
Highlights from the Ruling as to Conclusions of Law:
A.R.S. § 16-204, as amended, conflicts with the city charters of Tucson and Phoenix by requiring the Cities to hold their candidate elections on even-numbered years rather than on odd-numbered years . . .
The Cities' decision of when to schedule candidate elections for mayor and Council elections is a matter of local concern. This includes the decision of whether to align with Federal/State/County elections on even-numbered years or to hold elections on odd-numbered years.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Steve Muratore at the Arizona Eagletarian blog has the latest on the redistricting cases proceeding in court, Harris v AIRC in the U.S.
District Court of Arizona, and Leach v AIRC in the Maricopa
County Superior Court, about set to go to trial this month. Redistricting — Leach hearing Tuesday morning.
Before there has been any decision rendered in these redistricting cases, and the lengthy appeals process that is certain to follow, the Arizona Republican Party has already begun plotting how it will undermine the voter-approved Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in 2020. Roll Call reports 2020 Redistricting? The Arizona GOP Is ON IT:
It’s never too early to start planning for redistricting, right?
On Monday, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham announced
he has formed a new committee of GOP election experts to monitor the
state’s independent redistricting process — in 2020.
Local Republicans remain angry after the party got shellacked in the
most recent congressional redraw ahead of the 2012 cycle. The next time
the decennial redistricting process come around — eight years from now,
after the 2020 cycle — the GOP does not want to be caught flat-footed
again.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a forceful and impassioned defense of
the Voting Rights Act on Monday, condemning laws and other moves in
some states that she said are reviving “old demons of discrimination.” Clinton
defends Voting Rights Act:
“Anyone that says that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in
American elections must not be paying attention,” said Clinton.
Clinton’s address to the American Bar Association’s annual meeting in
San Francisco was the first in what she said will be a series of major
addresses this fall about the challenges undermining Americans’ faith in
government.
“We do — let’s admit it — have a long history of
shutting people out: African Americans, women, gays and lesbians, people
with disabilities,” she said. “And throughout our history, we have
found too many ways to divide and exclude people from their ownership of
the law and protection from the law.”
Clinton criticized the
Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down Section 4 of the Voting
Rights Act, urging Congress to reconsider the 1965 landmark law and
calling on citizen activists to mobilize in their communities.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Republican Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina on Monday signed into law "the single worst voter
suppression law in the country."
Ari Berman of The Nation reported the new state law imposes voter-ID restrictions never needed before in
North Carolina, narrows the early-voting window, places new restrictions
on voter-registration drives, makes it harder for students to vote,
ends same-day voter registration during the early voting period, and makes it
easier for vigilante poll-watchers [i.e., the Tea Party's True The Vote] to challenge eligible voters. North Carolina Republicans Push Extreme Voter Suppression Measures.
The new law was immediately met with legal challenges in federal court questioning its constitutionality. Lawsuits filed after Gov. Pat McCrory signs voter ID bill:
Just hours after McCrory signed the bill, two separate lawsuits
challenging the law were filed in federal court in Greensboro. A third
lawsuit is expected to be filed in state court Tuesday. Congressman G.K.
Butterfield also asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to “take swift
and decisive action by using any legal mechanisms” to protect North
Carolina’s voting rights.
“With one stroke of the pen, McCrory has
effectively reversed 30 years of progress and reinstated practices
similar to the discriminatory ‘Southern Strategy’ adopted by the
Republican Party in the ’60s and ’70s,” said Butterfield, a former N.C.
Supreme Court justice. “Without question, today is a shameful day for
Republicans in North Carolina.”