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Election News This Week

Federal Update: This week, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to officials in Minnesota pushing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to let the federal government access the state’s voter rolls and public assistance data. “I am confident that these simple steps will help bring back law and order to Minnesota and improve the lives of Americans,” Bondi wrote in her letter to the governor Saturday, which accused state officials of “anti-law enforcement rhetoric” and “putting federal agents in danger.” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon responded with a statement Sunday saying: “The answer to Attorney General Bondi’s request is no.” Simon called Bondi’s letter “an outrageous attempt to coerce Minnesota into giving the federal government private data on millions of U.S. Citizens in violation of state and federal law,” and said it followed “repeated and failed attempts by the DOJ to pressure my office into providing the same data.” Bondi said the federal government needs access to state voter roll data to “confirm that Minnesota’s voter registration practices comply with federal law.” In his response, Simon noted: “Attorney General Bondi knows full well that the Governor has no formal role in managing our elections or maintaining our voter registration system. She is also well aware that this specific request is the subject of active litigation with our office.” “It is deeply disturbing that the U.S. Attorney General would make this unlawful request a part of an apparent ransom to pay for our state’s peace and security,” Simon added. “More broadly, the federal government must end the unprecedented and deadly occupation of our state immediately.”

Fulton County News: Officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Fulton County elections warehouse this week. A court order signed by Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas authorized agents to seize all physical ballots from the 2020 election in Fulton County, all ballot images and Fulton County’s 2020 voter rolls. In the warrant, federal officials said they were seeking the following Fulton County records:

• Physical ballots from the 2020 general election, in-person, absentee and other ballots and absentee ballot envelopes.
• Tabulator tapes for every voting machine used.
• Ballot images produced during the original ballot count beginning on Nov. 3, 2020.
• Voter rolls from the 2020 general election from absentee, early voting, in person, and any other voter roll.

“We are aware of the ongoing law enforcement activity involving the FBI at the Fulton County warehouse,” said Cae’Lenthya Moore, the executive assistant to Fulton County Clerk Ché Alexander. “At this time, we are only aware of activities involving the warehouse location.” Fulton County Elections Board Chair Sherri Allen told reporters that “Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections has always, and will continue to maintain fair, transparent and accurate elections.”  “We have fully complied,” she told the Georgia Recorder. “We will always comply with law enforcement and with the rule of law.” Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said he has not been told where the ballots will be taken upon leaving the warehouse, and that he can no longer guarantee they will remain safe and secure. Audits of the 2020 election in Fulton County, he added, have repeatedly been found to be accurate. “That election has been reviewed, it’s been audited, and in every case, every instance, we get a clean bill of health,” he said. Federal officials informed reporters at the site Wednesday afternoon that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was en route and may brief the media. She arrived hours later and was spotted in the warehouse as agents collected evidence, giving her a project presence in a domestic law enforcement case. She declined to speak publicly. Election scholars were quick to condemn the action. “I’m not aware of something like this happening ever before,” said Rick Hasen, a professor at the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. “The idea that federal officials would seize ballots in an attempt to prove fraud is especially dangerous in this context when we know there is no fraud because the Georgia 2020 election has been extensively counted, recounted and investigated.” Experts said the action in Fulton County had triggered fears of federal interference in this year’s midterm elections. “It’s a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to expand federal control over our country’s historically state-run election infrastructure,” said Derek Clinger, a senior counsel at the State Democracy Research Initiative, an institute at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Winter Weather: Winter weather caused issues for early voting in several states this week. In Louisiana, early voting for the state’s Feb. 7 Special Legislative Primary Election was canceled on Monday due to frigid conditions. It resumed on Tuesday. Early voting for New York City’s Feb. 3 special elections was suspended on Sunday and Monday due to an incoming winter storm, the city Board of Elections said Friday. “There is also a special election in Buffalo, but I don’t believe the weather will be severe enough to affect this early voting on Sunday in Buffalo,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the time. The New York State Board of Elections plans to add additional hours to make up for lost voting time, Hochul said. And early voting was delayed in multiple jurisdictions in Texas. Tarrant County Elections said Saturday afternoon that polling locations will be unavailable on Sunday due to inclement weather and safety concerns. All early voting polling locations in Collin County were closed through Monday. And in Harris County, all early voting locations were closed on Sunday and Monday due to the weather. The Texas Civil Rights Project on Sunday filed a lawsuit against the county on behalf of organizations Houston Justice and Pure Justice, asking to add Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 to early voting. On Monday, Judge Latosha Lewis Payne granted the groups’ request. According to her order, the county is required to operate the same early voting locations that were set for Monday on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the Sunday polling places would have to be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Thursday. 

Public Opinion: A majority of registered voters believe the state of U.S. democracy is “weak” and many support election reforms they think would lessen political division in the country, including opening party primaries to all voters and prohibiting partisan gerrymandering, according to a new poll released this week. More than half of voters (53%) classified U.S. democracy as “weak” and only 40% considered it to be “strong,” according to a survey of 1,500 registered voters conducted between Jan. 9 and 11 by RealClear Opinion Research. Of those voters, 87% said they are concerned about political division and 71% said they are in support of broad primary election reform which would require states to hold open primary elections in which all voters could participate, not just those with certain partisan affiliations or registrations. Nearly three in four (73%) of survey respondents said they agree open primaries would lead to better candidates who appeal to a majority of voters, and 72% agreed open primaries would lead to a Congress that better represents the people. Alternatively, 60% of those surveyed said they support “top two” elections (in which all candidates are listed on the same ballot and the top two vote getters advance to the general election) and 62% support a ranked-choice “top four” election (in which the top four vote getters advance to the general election and then voters rank those candidates, so an instant runoff determines the winner). Forty-five percent of respondents said they think opening party primaries would reduce political polarization in America, and 41% think a ban on partisan gerrymandering would do the same.

Personnel News: Joe Villanueva was appointed to serve as the Johnson County, Indiana Election Board’s Republican representative. Christina “Tina” Espinoza, deputy county clerk, has announced her candidacy for Alamosa County, Colorado Clerk and Recorder. The Charles County, Maryland Democratic Central Committee selected Jacqueline Briscoe to fill a vacant seat on the county board of elections. Rebecca Brewer is the new Wiscasset, Maine town clerk. Faith Melton has been sworn in as the new Taft City, California clerk. Katy Dupont is the new Swampscott, Massachusetts clerk. 

Ballot Measures, Legislation & Rulemaking

Arizona: An election measure that would ask Arizona voters if they want Florida-style elections is one step closer to appearing on their ballots. The House Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections Committee passed House Concurrent Resolution 2001 with a 4-3 vote along party lines on Jan. 21. The GOP measure, titled the “Arizona Secure Elections Act,” is intended to deliver faster Election Day results by changing voter identification and mail-ballot requirements. If the resolution passes the Legislature and is approved by voters in November, the deadline to cast an early ballot would move to 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day. It would also require all voters to provide government-issued identification before casting their ballot and require mail voters to confirm their address each election year. Currently, the Active Early Voting List removes voters from the list if they fail to vote in two consecutive federal elections. Hobbs vetoed a prior version of the measure in the 2025 legislative session. Now, Republicans have decided to bypass the governor and ask voters directly if their proposal should become law. 

Florida: A bill that would require the state of Florida to develop and maintain a centralized database to provide individuals with felony convictions the information to determine whether they are eligible to have their voting rights restored moved through its first committee stop this week. The proposal (SB 132), sponsored by Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, comes more than seven years after Floridians approved a constitutional amendment to restore the voting rights of felons who had completed their sentences. However, the Legislature passed a requirement that they needed to pay off all their financial obligations imposed by a court to fully restore their voting rights. That legislative measure limited the pool of Floridians who were initially thought to be eligible to vote when the measure was approved by more than 65% of the voters in November 2018. It also created doubt and in some cases resulted in people being arrested after believing that in fact they were eligible to vote. Polsky’s legislation would require the Florida Commission on Offender Review to create a website no later than July 1, 2029, to provide individuals who have been disqualified from voting based on a felony conviction (other than murder or a felony sexual offense) “clear instructions” about getting their voting rights restored and to register to vote. Polsky’s bill passed unanimously in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. A companion bill (HB 273) has been filed in the House by Rep. Felicia Robinson, D-Miami Gardens.

A related measure (SB 748) sponsored by Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee, was also approved by the Senate committee. Her bill would require that sentencing scoresheets include a notice informing defendants about the effect of their sentences on their voting rights. It would be required that defendants must receive a copy of the scoresheet containing this notice before sentencing. (A companion bill — HB 467 — has been filed in the House by Miami Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt).

The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee is giving good marks to SB 564. The proposal from Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough would hold that the ban on privately funded election-related expenses would not prohibit students who are registered or preregistered to vote from voluntarily helping poll workers in exchange for community service hours that apply to Bright Futures scholarships. Students can preregister on their 16th birthday. The bill would take effect July 1, meaning that eligible students could begin participating in the process during the August Primaries this year if it becomes law. An amendment was adopted at this committee stop clarifying how the community service hours would be applied to high school graduation or post-graduate financial aid. Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland spoke on behalf of the bill, as he has previously in the process. He explained how he wished his grandson, currently in high school, could volunteer and “learn about elections” to get community service hours. The bill would create a pathway for students to work early voting, and potentially would create a pipeline for young poll workers, Holland added.

Hawaii: State GOP lawmakers recently rolled out their priorities for the legislative session. A top piece of legislation targets corruption and government reform in Hawaiʻi by having voters choose a chief election officer rather than have the position appointed. Scott Nago, the current chief election officer, has been the target of harsh criticism over his job performance, though a majority of the Hawaiʻi Elections Commission supports him. House Bill 1761 would also increase access to voter service centers open on election day, require signature verification of ballots in the presence of official observers, abolish ranked choice voting, alter the mandatory recount process and use physical ballots during election audits. Garcia called HB 1761 the “election integrity bill,” but he rejected any notion that the title is in any way related to people like Donald Trump who question the outcome of the 2020 presidential contest. “The bill has nothing to do with Trump at all,” he said. “This is just common sense realities. We need in-person access on election day. We need trust in the election system.” Garcia said his caucus did not take a position on eliminating Hawaiʻi’s mail-in voting system, something the Elections Commission has proposed but that Democratic leaders have already rejected.

Idaho: Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, is bringing back a proposal to eliminate the option to use a signed affidavit to prove identity at the election polls. Lenney proposed the bill in the Senate State Affairs Committee to repeal the part of state law that allows for registered voters to sign an affidavit to prove identity as an alternative to photo identification in order to vote.  Lenney called the voter affidavit a “loophole.”  The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office has data on voter ID methods used from 40 of Idaho’s 44 counties, according to the office’s Communications Director Chelsea Bishop. In the November 2025 election, 587 people were recorded as using an affidavit to vote, according to the office. In the November 2024 election, 1,245 used the method. Lenney introduced a similar bill last year, but it never received a hearing. In 2023, Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene, proposed a bill to eliminate the voter affidavit, but it died in a 33-36 vote in the Idaho House of Representatives, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. 

Iowa: A bill is being considered in the Senate that requires Iowans to prove they are US citizens before they would be allowed to register to vote. The proposal said election officials can use the federal SAVE program otherwise known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement System. It does give someone the ability to appeal the election officials decision to a judge. Technical concerns were brought up during the subcommittee on how this would work with already existing laws and same day voter registration. “Absolutely it is very important that all voters who are eligible to vote should be able to vote and I’m concerned that there will be a negative impact in regard to this in just the logistics of how this all works,” State Sen. Cindy Winkler said. The bill did advance but Republicans said they want to review it to ensure it will work logistically.

Missouri:  Lawmakers are debating a bill that would restore the secretary of state’s investigative and subpoena powers for election fraud cases — a tool the office lost when it expired last August. Representative Brad Banderman, R-St. Clair, is the bill’s sponsor. He said no matter which party holds the office, the secretary of state should have this power. “This is very important to create a transparent legal process within our state,” said Banderman. “And if there’s a credible complaint, the Secretary of State’s Office, no matter who that might be, no matter what party, should have the ability to get the information when they feel like the complaint is credible. If it’s frivolous, they shouldn’t pursue it. And we have guardrails on what frivolous is.” The bill also makes several administrative updates, including extending certain business‑filing fees through 2031, adding citizenship‑status checks to voter registration data, and making small technical corrections to election‑complaint procedures.

A bill introduced to the House Elections Committee would require citizenship status to be shared between the Department of Motor Vehicles and the secretary of state. House Bill 2125, introduced by Rep. Brad Banderman, R-St. Clair, expands on existing law. The law requires the secretary of state and the director of Department of Revenue to match information in the voter registration database with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Right now, that information includes an individual’s first and last name, date of birth, and Social Security number. The bill would add requirements that these departments check the citizenship status of individuals. The biggest pushback came to a section of the bill that reinstates the secretary of state’s power to investigate and subpoena individuals based on suspected election offenses. The power expired last August. The claims can be made by anyone to the secretary’s office. The section speaks specifically on “credible” and “frivolous” claims, however some lawmakers were left uncertain on how these claims would be categorized.

On a voice vote the House Elections Committee voted to remove a provision in a larger elections bill that would return the state to a presidential primary system instead of caucuses. The measure also extends the period for “no-excuse absentee” voting from two to four weeks.

The committee then voted 13-1, with two abstentions, to send the bill to the full House for debate. The committee also removed another provision in the bill which would have moved the line protecting voters from solicitations like last-minute candidate appeals or petition signature gathering from 25 feet to 50 feet from the entrance to polling stations. The bill would also change where a small number of voters, eligible under federal law to register on election day, must report to cast a ballot. Instead of a local polling station, the bill would change the location to offices of the election authority.

Nebraska: Two proposals with competing visions for the future of voting in Nebraska show some differences between how the two major political parties approach voting regulations. Both state constitutional amendments were heard recently in the Nebraska Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. One, from a Democrat, would lower the voting age to 16 from 18. The other, from a Republican, would tweak the state constitution to say only U.S. citizens can vote in elections, which is already a requirement. State Sen. Barry DeKay’s Legislative Resolution 283 would specify in the state constitution that only U.S. citizens can vote in all Nebraska elections. DeKay said he wants to “make it clear” on who can and can’t vote because, to him and others, he said, there is some “ambiguity.” Currently, the section of the state constitution that details who can vote — Article VI, Section 1 — says “every citizen.”  State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha made the case for his Legislative Resolution 284, which would let Nebraska voters consider lowering the state’s voting age to 16 from 18.  McKinney said he wants to get younger people “more engaged in the political process.” He said it’s an opportunity to make sure younger people are prepared to lead. “We make a lot of decisions here that’re gonna affect them for the rest of their lives … [and] they have no say so,” McKinney said. 

Oklahoma Ballot Measure: Open primary supporters said they turned in more than the number of needed signatures to get the issue on the ballot. Proponents of State Question 836 said they submitted over 200,000 signatures to the Oklahoma Secretary of State for verification. The proposed constitutional amendment required 172,993 signatures. “We are able to turn in these signatures today because hundreds of hardworking volunteers from every corner of the state stood in the wind, bitter cold, and the snow – even through the holidays – to get this on the ballot,” said Ken Setter, a supporter. “They did that because they understand that we can’t fix what’s broken in our state until we fix how we choose our leaders.” If approved by voters, State Question 836 would require candidates for most elected offices to appear on a single primary ballot. Party affiliation would be listed. All voters would be allowed to participate in the primary, regardless of party affiliation or lack of it. The top two vote getters, regardless of party, would advance to the general election. Currently, Oklahoma has a closed primary system, although state law allows recognized political parties to open their elections to unaffiliated voters. Democrats in the past have allowed independents to vote in their primaries, but Republicans and Libertarians have not. All partisan primary elections will be closed to independents for the next two years after the State Election Board said no party notified them that they’d be open to independent voters. 

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania: In a 9-2 vote, the Luzerne County Council rejected a proposed election protection ordinance. Supporters said the ordinance would expand law enforcement’s options to protect election workers from harassment, intimidation, retaliation, and the malicious public release of private information. Critics asserted laws already are on the books for such crimes and that the wording of the new ordinance could subject those expressing election-related concerns to retaliation and stifle their right to free speech. Nearly 40 citizens weighed in both for and against the proposal during a required public hearing that ran for an hour and a half, with 26 of the commenters advocating ordinance approval. County Election Director Emily Cook submitted a written comment reiterating she does not support the ordinance, maintaining it “does not enhance protections for workers in any meaningful way” and is “ineffective and serves only as a symbolic gesture — a public relations effort that creates the illusion of action without delivering substantive results.”

South Dakota: A legislative committee approved an election-related bill, despite warnings it will fail in court.  The measure would prohibit the use of paid petition circulators, a practice the U-S Supreme Court endorsed in the late 1980’s.  Committee members voted to recommend its passage by the full House, saying it may be time for the Supreme Court to reconsider.

Another Committee took up the emotionally charged debate over a proposal to do away with voting machines and return to hand-counting ballots.  Critics of the machines, like computer expert Rick Weible of Elkton, say the machines open the door to fraud.  The bill died in committee, 5-3.

A legislative committee approved a bill this week that would remove phone numbers, home addresses and email addresses for law enforcement officers and judges from the state’s publicly available voter roll. Katie Hruska, the governor’s general counsel, said the disclosure makes judges and law enforcement officers vulnerable to bad actors. The Governor’s Office requested the legislation. “Certainly the goal of transparency is always there, but it should never drop to the side in favor of reckless distribution of personal information,” Hruska said. The bill originally would have removed the same information from the records of people elected or appointed to state and federal offices.

A bill that would have allowed on-demand ballot printing for elections in South Dakota has died in the Senate State Affairs Committee.  Senate Bill 28 would have allowed county auditors to purchase machines that print ballots on demand for Election Day. Supporters say the machines would cut back costs and time for printing bulk batches and having them shipped to precincts in a short amount of time.

Utah: Senate leadership is proposing an “omnibus” elections bill — this one twice as long as 2025’, at 157 pages — that would address a series of concerns about election oversight, voter identity and transparency that are shared by GOP leaders. The bill, SB194, sponsored by Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, combines a half-dozen ideas represented in other proposed pieces of legislation to produce a mega bill that McKell believes will “give confidence to voters.”  McKell’s bill would make more than a dozen major changes to Utah elections, including a measure requiring a lieutenant governor to create an official policy of recusal when an apparent conflict of interest exists, and to lay out procedures for designating a temporary replacement. Multiple proposals to overhaul election oversight were proposed and then dropped last year, following complaints about the practice of the lieutenant governor overseeing his or her own reelection. Another major change in McKell’s bill would narrow Utah’s broad “private” designation for voter records. The provision would make names on Utah voter rolls public — as they are in most other states — unless a voter is able to specify a clear threat that justifies withholding that information. McKell’s bill also overlaps with HB209, sponsored by Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, which passed the House along party lines this week. The bill would create a process for county clerks to verify documentary proof of U.S. citizenship during voter registration, in accordance with the Utah Constitution. McKell’s bill would also update the system he helped put in place during the 2025 legislative session as co-sponsor of HB300, along with Rep. Jefferson Burton, R-Salem. McKell’s bill, and a standalone bill, HB311, sponsored by Burton, would both amend HB300 to require county clerks to continue using ballot affidavits to verify voter identity if a voter signature does not match that on record, even if the voter has provided valid ID numbers. The bill would also: Ensure individuals appointed to fill a vacancy belong to the same party as the prior officeholder at the time the officeholder was elected. Decrease the number of signatures a candidate would need to gather to qualify for a primary election in a county race. Remove the requirement for the Office of the Legislative Auditor General to perform an elections audit every other year.

A separate bill, HB361, introduced by Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, would create an Elections Oversight Task Force and a process to select “a conflict of interest elections officer” to take the lieutenant governor’s place for elections in which the lieutenant governor is a candidate.  

Virginia: Virginia Democrats rolled out a package of bills designed to curb federal immigration enforcement activities in the commonwealth. The lawmakers framed their effort as a public safety measure to protect the state’s immigrant communities and other residents, following deadly clashes between ICE agents and protesters in Minnesota. The proposals, which have been filed but not yet advanced through committee, would restrict where and how federal immigration and border patrol agents can operate and limit cooperation from state and local authorities. At a morning news conference at the state Capitol in Richmond, Democratic lawmakers said the legislation aims to prevent what they described as aggressive, unaccountable federal enforcement actions from taking place in Virginia communities and to ensure immigrants and other residents can access schools, hospitals, courthouses and polling places without fear. HB 1442 would prohibit immigration enforcement activity within 40 feet of polling places, locations where election results are being certified, or recount sites. Lopez said the legislation is meant to ensure that voters are not deterred from participating in elections.

Washington: Democrats in the state Legislature are pushing changes they say will restore integrity to Washington’s venerable initiative process. Opponents contend the moves will effectively block residents’ direct path to the ballot to pass laws of their own making. Bills introduced in the House and Senate would bar paying a person for each signature they collect. And they would allow legal action against those suspected of violations. The legislation also would add a new step at the front end of the process by requiring a person, at the time they fill out paperwork and pay the fee for an initiative, to also submit signatures of 1,000 registered voters as a show of support for a proposed measure. Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, said he drew up Senate Bill 5973 out of concern that this form of direct democracy has been co-opted by big money interests. Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, sponsor of the House legislation, said initiatives are a powerful tool of the citizenry and the bill is about making the initiative process “more perfect.” 

West Virginia: A bill introduced in the House of Delegates would significantly reduce who can vote by absentee mail ballots in elections. House Bill 4691, which is currently in the House Judiciary Committee, would mandate that only active members of the U.S. Armed Forces and those who are handicapped or disabled be permitted to vote by absentee ballots beginning in the 2026 primary election. The move would exclude those out of the country for business or school, whose employment – either because of hours or distance – would prevent them from voting in person, those temporarily living outside their home county or those who are eligible to vote but confined to a prison, home detention or hospital.

Wyoming: Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray recently announced his top five legislative priorities in anticipation of the Wyoming Legislative Budget Session that begins next month in Cheyenne. Gray said that as Secretary of State and Wyoming’s chief election official, he will continue our work on conservative, election integrity measures. Gray said his top five priorities are requiring pen to paper ballots as the default method of voting in Wyoming; increasing Wyoming’s chain of custody procedures by banning ballot drop boxes and ballot harvesting; strengthening Wyoming’s Voter ID law by eliminating Medicare, Medicaid, and student IDs as acceptable forms of identification for voting; instituting hand tabulation verification of voting machines for recounts and audits; and amending Wyoming’s Constitution to ban dual citizenship for voting and holding office.

Legal Updates

Alaska: Supporters of Alaska’s election system filed a lawsuit against the Alaska Division of Elections alleging that the state’s description of a roll-back-the-clock ballot measure is biased and inaccurate.  The state has defended its language, with a spokesperson calling it “accurate, neutral, and consistent with prior initiatives.” This fall, voters will be asked with Ballot Measure 2 if they want to return Alaska’s election system to what it was in 2020. The state’s description would be printed on ballots alongside the measure.  Until 2020, political parties determined who could vote and run in primary elections, voters were required to pick just one candidate in the general election, and people could donate secretly to nonprofits that could then pass money to candidates. In November 2020, Alaskans approved Ballot Measure 2, which put all political candidates for an office into the same primary election. The top four advance to a general election that uses ranked choice voting. Nonprofits that donate to political candidates are required to disclose their donors. In 2024, an effort to repeal the primary and general election changes failed by 737 votes out of 320,985 cast statewide. The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit are AFL-CIO president Joelle Hall, state Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, and former Juneau city council member Barbara Blake. All three are represented by attorney Scott Kendall, the prime author of the 2020 ballot measure that installed the current elections system. The suit was organized by the Alaskans for Better Elections Foundation, Kendall said. Alaskans for Better Elections supported the 2020 measure and has opposed prior efforts to repeal it.  “I think (Alaskans) should know that the ballot language that has been offered by the Division of Directions is materially inaccurate, and in some cases, says the measure does the opposite of what it does, and it omits very significant changes the measure will make,” Kendall said by phone.

Georgia: U.S. District Court Judge C. Ashley Royal has dismissed a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, placing another roadblock in the path of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to obtain sensitive voter information from states across the U.S.  Georgia is now one of at least three states in which federal judges have dismissed lawsuits seeking sensitive voter information. The lawsuit was filed in December, with the Department of Justice arguing that Georgia’s unredacted voter registration list was needed as part of an ongoing investigation into “Georgia’s compliance with federal election law.” In her ruling Royal sided with the secretary of state, writing in his order that the Macon-based court lacked jurisdiction over the case “because the Attorney General’s demand was not made, and the demanded records are not located, in the Middle District of Georgia.” Raffensperger had previously sent Justice Department officials some of the state’s voter registration data, but he argued that state law prohibited his office from divulging the Social Security numbers, full dates of birth and driver’s license numbers of Georgia residents. He also maintained that stance in the face of an escalating pressure campaign from some state lawmakers and members of Georgia’s State Election Board urging him to turn over the data. On Wednesday, DOJ officials refiled the lawsuit against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger seeking Georgia’s unredacted voter data, this time in an Atlanta-based court in the Northern District of Georgia, where Raffensperger’s primary office is located.

A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit unanimously decided late last week to uphold U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee’s ruling that found the lawsuit filed by the Coalition for Good Governance, an election security group, and others failed to prove they were harmed by the 2021 state law. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger praised the 11th Circuit ruling and credited the voting law for making Georgia elections more secure. “This ruling is another win in our battle to protect the integrity of our elections,” Raffensperger said in a statement Monday. “Rest assured, we will stand firm no matter what group tries to interfere.”

North Carolina: The College Democrats of North Carolina are fighting the removal of early voting sites on college campuses, claiming that the state’s election board is violating the 26th Amendment by abridging their right to vote based on their age. The organization and a handful of students filed suit against the state’s board along with two county election boards, claiming that the removal of early voting sites on three college campuses — including the country’s largest public historically Black university, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University — trampled on their First and 14th Amendment rights. The state board’s decision to remove the sites two weeks ago created needless barriers to young people voting, without furthering any state goals, the plaintiffs argued in their suit. They asked the court to step in to ensure sites are available on campuses for the start of early in-person voting on Feb. 12. The schools — Western Carolina University, University of North Carolina Greensboro and NC A&T — collectively serve over 40,000 students and the early voting sites have been present for multiple election cycles. The early voting sites are especially relevant, the plaintiffs say, because unlike at Election Day locations, early voting sites allow same-day voter registration and also facilitate changes to voter registration information. The students called the removals “a surgical restriction on young voters’ access to early voting opportunities.” They contend that the decisions to eliminate the voting sites are unlikely to significantly reduce cost or logistical burdens, and dispute that the sites were underutilized.

Oregon: U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking Oregon’s unredacted voter rolls in another setback to wide-ranging efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to get detailed voter data from states. Kasubhai said he would dismiss the suit and issue a final written opinion in the coming days. The updated docket for the case showed that Oregon’s move to dismiss the case was granted. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield welcomed the move. “The court dismissed this case because the federal government never met the legal standard to get these records in the first place,” he said in an emailed statement. “Oregonians deserve to know that voting laws can’t be used as a backdoor to grab their personal information.” The Justice Department declined to comment. Kasubhai called for the hearing in Oregon’s lawsuit so that attorneys on both sides could provide additional arguments on how Bondi’s letter was relevant in interpreting the “basis and purpose” of the department’s request for voter data. The department argued it had authority under the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to request voter records, as the law says such records are to be made available to the U.S. Attorney General upon a demand in writing that states the basis and purpose of the request. Yet Kasubhai said the department’s August letter did not satisfy the law’s requirement for stating a basis and purpose when requesting voter records. He added that he read the congressional record of the time when the law was passed, and found it was “unequivocal” on the release of records being associated with investigations involving discrimination in elections.

South Carolina: Residents of the Palmetto State challenged a law in the Fourth Circuit this week that restricts some voters under age 65 from casting absentee ballots. The plaintiffs — Trudy B. Grant, Sarah Krawcheck, Nashonda Hunter, Max Milliken and Caleb Clark — argue the law violates their right to vote on account of their age. The South Carolina Election Commission contends that absentee voting is a privilege and the law does not infringe on the constitutional right of voters to cast a ballot in person on Election Day. The panel of three judges seemed skeptical of arguments that an age-based requirement for absentee voting did not invoke the 26th Amendment, which prohibits the denial or abridgment of a citizen’s right to vote based on age. South Carolina’s absentee voting law prohibits residents under the age of 65 from casting an absentee ballot unless they fall into one of seven categories based on factors like military service, employment, illness, incarceration, physical health or absence during the election. The voters filed suit in December 2023 in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina, arguing that a straightforward reading of the 26th Amendment prohibits age-based requirements for absentee voting. U.S. District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks granted the South Carolina Election Commission’s motion for summary judgment in March. She wrote in an opinion the law does not abridge the plaintiffs’ right to vote but merely extends the privilege of absentee voting to older residents.

Texas: Judge David Alan Ezra of U.S. District Court in Austin dismissed a lawsuit filed by conservative activists who challenged the use of electronic voting equipment to randomly number ballots in Texas on the grounds that the practice compromised ballot secrecy. Ezra ruled that the case, filed in 2024 by longtime Texas election activist Laura Pressley and voters from three counties, was moot, because the Texas Secretary of State’s Office has since prohibited counties from using electronic pollbooks to generate and print numbers on ballot paper. He also wrote that two of the counties named in the suit, Williamson and Bell, had taken steps to eliminate the use of pollbooks to number ballot paper, and that the third, Llano County, doesn’t use them for that purpose. In court filings, Pressley argued that ballots in the three counties she named in the lawsuit included unique identifier numbers generated and randomized by electronic pollbooks, the devices that are used to check in voters at polling places. Pressley alleged that these numbers were key in allowing ballots to be traced back to voters, though she didn’t specify how. 

Virginia: U.S. District Judge John Gibney ruled in favor of two disenfranchised Virginia voters, concluding the state’s broad felon disenfranchisement policy violates a 150-year-old federal statute. “For well over a century, the Commonwealth of Virginia has disobeyed a federal law designed to protect the right of former enslaved people to vote,” Gibney wrote. “Nearly one hundred and twenty-five years after Senator Glass pleaded to ’emancipate Virginia’ from Black voters, a class of would-be voters appears before this court asking for true emancipation at the commonwealth’s ballot boxes.” Gibney, a Barack Obama appointee, granted an injunction barring Virginia from disenfranchising anyone whose convictions stem from felonies created after 1870, when Congress passed the Virginia Readmission Act. Not long after passing the Reconstruction Era law, Virginia lawmakers widened the net of felons they could disenfranchise. Gibney ruled that the act trumps any subsequent constitutions the commonwealth adopted. “If its amended constitution disenfranchises someone for any other reason, the commonwealth violates the act,” Gibney wrote. “Any other reading ignores ordinary meaning and contravenes statutory structure.”

Wisconsin: Dane County Circuit Court Judge Everett Mitchell denied the Legislature’s motion to intervene in a lawsuit challenging statewide voting laws that disenfranchise some disabled voters after four months of deliberating.vThe underlying lawsuit was filed in April 2024 by Disability Rights Wisconsin, a local chapter of the League of Women Voters, and four disabled voters who are suing over the current voting scheme that prevents visually impaired voters from receiving and marking ballots electronically.vThis, they say in a 57-page complaint, disenfranchises disabled voters who can’t cast their ballot without the help of another person. Wisconsin law only allows military voters and those who are overseas permanently to receive an electronic ballot via an online portal or email. Mitchell allowed the Legislature permissive intervention — which is when the court uses its discretion to allow a third party with similar interest in the outcome of a lawsuit to become a party — alongside the attorney general’s office representing the elections commission. Attorney General Josh Kaul appealed the intervention order, which the appeals court overturned and remanded to the lower court with instructions to provide clearer reasoning on the issue. Mitchell reversed course on the question in a long-awaited order that hit the docket this week, handing a victory to Kaul and reasoning this time that the Legislature’s intervention would impede on the attorney general’s power to enforce election law. The Legislature has the “exact same interest” as the defendant in the case, the Wisconsin Elections Commission, according to Mitchell. While the statute technically allows for their intervention, the law is overly broad and cannot apply to the facts of this case. “This case is about how the executive executes Wisconsin’s election code; our constitutional system of shared powers affords the Legislature no institutional interest of its own in how the executive does so,” Mitchell said in his 15-page decision.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: 2026, II, III | Ranked choice voting | State voting rights acts | Military & overseas voters | SAVE Act | Artificial Intelligence 

Arizona: Election security 

California: Turnout 

Florida: Primaries  

Hawaii: Free and fair elections

Idaho: Secretary of state 

Indiana: Ranked choice voting 

Iowa: Voting rights 

Massachusetts: Voter data

Michigan: Secretary of state

North Carolina: Early voting

North Dakota: Voter registration 

Ohio: Ranked choice voting | Voter intimidation | Trust in elections | New voting rules 

Tennessee: Election security 

Wisconsin: Absentee voting 

Wyoming: Election legislation, II, III 

Upcoming Events

2026 NASED Winter Conference: Twice a year, National Association of State Election Directors members gather to discuss the latest developments in election administration. Members of the public are welcome to attend at the non-member registration rate. Please refer to the NASED website for information about the 2026 Winter Conference. When: Feb. 1-3, 2026. Where: Washington, DC. 

Oregon Association of County Clerks (OACC) Mid Winter Conference: The Oregon Association of County Clerks hosts two conferences every year. The Mid-Winter Conference is held in Marion County and the Annual Conference is held in the county of the current OACC President. When: February 2-5. Where: Salem. 

Massachusetts Town Clerks Association (MTCA) Winter Conference: The Massachusetts Town Clerks Association will hold its Winter Conference at the Devens Commons Center in Devens. When: February 4-6. Where: Devens.

130th Annual County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas (TAC) Conference: The County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas will hold its annual conference in San Marcos. When: February 10-13. Where: San Marcos

EAC Election Audit Standards Hearing: On Wednesday, February 18, join the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for a hearing on Election Audit Standards in the agency’s Washington, DC hearing room. During the event, election officials and audit professionals will discuss ways they are effectively using audits to boost public trust in elections. This event will be livestreamed on the EAC’s YouTube channel  and held in person. When: February 18, 1:30pm Eastern. Where: Online and Washington, DC.

2026 NACo Legislative Conference: The NACo Legislative Conference brings together nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that matter most to county governments. Attendees will experience timely, high-impact policy sessions and will interact with executive branch officials, members of Congress and their staff. When: February 21-24. Where: Washington, DC. 

Election Center February Workshop: Focusing on interaction and sharing of practices selected by members to receive People’s Choice Awards, the February Workshops formalize those critical conversations that happen at conferences during meals, in the hallways, & the hotel lobby. The agenda augments the award-winning member presentations with applicable research and resources.Two CERA core courses and one renewal will be held following the workshop.  When: February 25-27. Where: Jacksonville, Florida. 

Election Center April Workshop: In April, the focus is on state associations and state trainings both by modeling conference formats, facilitation techniques, and potential content resources.  The Coalition of Election Association Leaders (CEAL) guides state groups in their maturation process with mentorship and networking opportunities. When: April 22-24. Where: Chicago.

Job Postings This Week

electionlineWeekly publishes election administration job postings each week as a free service to our readers. To have your job listed in the newsletter, please send a copy of the job description, including a web link to mmoretti@electionline.org.  Job postings must be received by 5pm on Wednesday in order to appear in the Thursday newsletter. Listings will run for three weeks or till the deadline listed in the posting.

Communications Fellow: The Communications Fellow will report to the Communications Specialist and work in collaboration with the Communications and Content Teams to amplify CEIR’s work supporting elections and election officials. These outreach efforts include writing blog posts and social media content, assisting with editing CEIR videos, creating new CEIR graphics, generating ideas for new content products, and monitoring news for stories relevant to CEIR’s work. The Communications Fellow will also provide logistical support for CEIR webinars and media briefings. The Communications Fellow may have the opportunity to propose one or more projects in support of CEIR’s efforts to reach new audiences in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections. This Fellowship is a full-time, term-limited position planned to last 12 months (anticipated March 2026 through February 2027). This Fellowship is an entry-level role, and all interested candidates with a relevant college degree or equivalent work experience are encouraged to apply. Salary: $55,000. Deadline: January 30. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Director of Election Information Technology, King County, Washington– King County Elections (KCE) seeks a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as our Director of Elections Information Technology (Division Director – Technology). The Director of Elections Information Technology will report to the elected Director of Elections, serve as a member of the Department’s Leadership Team, and lead and support a highly skilled team to achieve excellence in election technology, security, and administration. This role will play a key part in developing departmental goals, strategies, and initiatives, driving the adoption of new technologies within KCE, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. This is a unique opportunity to inspire and empower a team, drive the adoption of new technologies within KCE, identify opportunities to bring innovation to the forefront of our operations, and significantly impact the future of election administration in one of the most populous and diverse counties in the United States.  This is a hybrid position that performs work remotely and on-site. As a leadership team member, this position is expected to work on-site frequently during active elections. Salary: $166,509 – $211,060. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Operations & Workforce Manager, Charleston County, South Carolina–  The Board of Voter Registration and Elections is an award-winning organization dedicated to excellence in electoral processes. Our mission is to daily serve the Charleston County voting constituency with Vigilance, Objectivity, and Transparency in a manner that promotes due diligence Excellence in all aspects of Elections Management. We are committed to continuous improvement, innovative practices, and exceptional service to our community, ensuring every voter’s voice is heard.   Are you driven by a passion for democracy and civic engagement? Join the Board of Voter Registration and Elections as the Election Operations and Workforce Manager and play a critical role in delivering seamless, fair, and accessible elections. Key Responsibilities: Poll Worker Recruitment and Management; Polling Location Management; Liaison and Community Engagement; Support for Election Operations on Election Day and Early Voting; and Team Leadership. Salary: $68,140 – $89,252. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Service Manager, Arapahoe County, Colorado– The Arapahoe County government serves its communities in ways both obvious and obscure. As the beating heart of local and regional government, we’re here for our neighbors on their best days—and their worst. We share our residents’ goals of preserving our quality of life and strive to be the place we’re proud to call home. The Election Service Manager performs managerial level administrative, supervisory, and professional work in carrying out a comprehensive public facing service operation. This position specifically supervises the Election Services team, which includes voter service polling center logistics, election/ballot security, ballot processing and election systems maintenance. Salary: $77,439.18 – $123,701.24 Deadline: February 26. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Software Specialist, Printelect– Printelect is a dynamic and well-established regional election technology & services company with a proven track record in ballot printing, mail services, and a diverse portfolio of election products. With over fifty employees and one hundred twenty years of industry-leading experience, we take pride in our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. We partner with local governments throughout Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to provide products, services, and support for the conduct and administration of Federal, State, and local elections. Job Duties and Responsibilities: Work with our county and city official customers to translate their jurisdictional requirements and candidate data into formats used by voting equipment software. Utilize proprietary election management software, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Suite to build jurisdiction-specific databases, format paper and electronic ballots, and configure voting equipment to utilize those datasets. Provide phone and on-site support for our customers and troubleshoot any issues that arise. Communicate and cross-train with internal departments to facilitate accurate election preparation and good customer service. Develop a comprehensive understanding of all manufacturer hardware and software manuals, and be able to effectively communicate that information to team members and customers. Stay up to date on all new software updates and hardware offerings. Participate in on-site customer training and election day support. Salary: $55,000-60,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections & Voter Registration Director, Athens-Clark County, Georgia–The purpose of this position is to serve as the Chief Registration Officer and Election Supervisor for Athens-Clarke County, ensuring the lawful, secure, and transparent administration of all voter registration and election activities. The Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of election planning, voter registration, ballot preparation, election equipment, polling locations, and results certification in compliance with federal, state, and local laws. This role manages staff and budget, oversees process improvements and emergency preparedness, and maintains accurate and accessible election records. The Director serves as a key advisor and partner to the Board of Elections, collaborates with state and local stakeholders, and acts as a visible spokesperson to strengthen voter education, engagement, and public confidence in the electoral process. Salary: $99,902.00 – $119,007.00 Annually. Deadline: February 23. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Project Manager, Riverside County, California– The County of Riverside’s Registrar of Voter is seeking a qualified Elections Project Manager to join their Administrative Team in Riverside. The Elections Project Manager is a management level position reporting to the Assistant Registrar of Voters, with no direct supervisory responsibility. The position is responsible for managing all Registrar of Voters process improvement initiatives and major operational projects. This role applies comprehensive knowledge of elections functions, programs, and services to ensure projects align with County goals and strategic priorities, while identifying, analyzing, and resolving issues encountered during project development and implementation. The position provides high level project, analytical, and budget period support to five managers including Fiscal, Voter Services, Operations, Outreach, and the Public Information Officer. Key responsibilities include coordinating staff, contractors, County departments, and external agencies; managing contracts related to voting technology, election equipment, and services; collaborating with Purchasing to ensure timely acquisition and delivery; supporting operational needs to conduct elections; performing major project analysis under agreement and contract requirements; developing and presenting reports for County and community submission; and delivering presentations and analysis during the budget process. The ideal candidate for the Elections Project Manager position will possess a strong combination of technical expertise, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with experience managing projects within an elections office or a comparable public-sector elections environment. The most competitive candidates will have proficiency in project management methodologies, ideally with PMI certification, and a proven track record of successfully managing complex projects from initiation to completion. They will demonstrate strong presentation skills and the ability to analyze data to inform decision-making and reporting. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are essential for collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including staff, contractors, County departments, and community members. The role requires the ability to work independently, manage competing deadlines, and maintain flexibility in scheduling to meet operational and project demands. Bilingual in Spanish is highly desired but not required. At this time, the position has the opportunity for a hybrid telework schedule based on business need, however job expectations, at times may require in person interaction. Telework may change at any time and you will be expected to report to the office. The incumbent will be required to work in the office full time during elections due to the volume of work. Salary: $97,289.00 – $138,984.00 Annually. Deadline: February 9. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Specialist – Incoming Ballots, Pierce County, Washington– Pierce County Elections is looking for an experienced professional to join our team as the Incoming Ballot Election Specialist. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing the mail sorting process and managing USPS-related operations. This position plays a pivotal part in ensuring that ballots are accurately sorted, processed, and prepared for ballot opening and tabulation. You will have experience with mail processing technology and a strong understanding of the logistics involved in ballot handling. Your expertise will be key to maintaining the integrity of the election process and ensuring a smooth experience for voters. Salary: $36.36 – $45.99 Hourly. Deadline: February 5.  Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Supervisor – Voter Services, Pierce County, Washington– Pierce County Elections is seeking an experienced election professional to join our growing team. This new position will oversee the Voter Registration team and play a key role in helping Pierce County establish two additional vote centers, expanding beyond our current location. You will have a strong understanding of the technology and processes involved in voter registration and elections. This expertise will be essential in providing guidance, feedback, and performance evaluations to our award-winning team. You will work under the direction of the Elections Manager and help ensure the success of our operations. Learn more about Pierce County Elections (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJF04cnqWxY) Salary: $41.00 – $52.11 Hourly. Deadline: February 5. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Regional Sales Director – Pacific West, Runbeck–The Regional Sales Director is responsible for leading high-value sales efforts, managing key client relationships, and driving revenue growth through strategic account development. This role requires a seasoned sales professional with a proven record of exceeding sales targets, developing new business opportunities, and nurturing long-term client partnerships. The Regional Sales Director acts as a trusted advisor to clients, aligning solutions with their business objectives while contributing to the company’s overall sales strategy and success. Territory will cover California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Sales Director, Civix Software Group– We are seeking an experienced Sales Director responsible for promoting and selling Civix software solutions to new and existing clients. This role focuses on GoElect, GoRegister and GoEthics software solutions. The Sales Director will focus on building pipeline, developing relationships and driving revenue growth in the Western Region of the US. This includes state-level agencies, election commissions and City and County government entities to drive the adoption of our market-leading technology that provides transparency and builds public trust in state and local government. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Training Program Manager, Charleston County, South Carolina– Democracy works best when every election runs flawlessly—and that starts with exceptional training. As Training Manager for the Board of Voter Registration and Elections, you’ll empower our poll managers and staff to deliver elections that are fair, accessible, and trusted by every voter in Charleston County. The Board of Voter Registration and Elections is an award-winning organization dedicated to excellence in electoral processes. Our mission is to daily serve the Charleston County voting constituency with Vigilance, Objectivity, and Transparency in a manner that promotes due diligence Excellence in all aspects of Elections Management. We believe that people are the foundation of successful elections. That’s why training is not just a task—it’s a core function of our mission. When our teams are prepared, voters can be confident that their voice will be heard, and their ballot counted. As Training Manager, you are not simply teaching procedures—you are building trust in the democratic process. You will design and deliver training that helps every poll manager, staff member, and Board member understand the importance of their role, perform it with confidence, and meet the highest standards of service to our voters. Salary: $68,140.00 – $82,000.00 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Voter Services Manager, Arapahoe County, Colorado– The Voter Service Manager performs managerial level administrative, supervisory, and professional work in carrying out a comprehensive public facing service operation. This position specifically supervises the Voter Services team, which includes voter registration maintenance, GIS/Address Library, public information reporting and the election phone bank. Salary: $77,439.18 – $123,701.24. Deadline: February 4. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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