Brennan Center on the State of Voting

The Brennan Center released a report this week on the state of voting in the run-up to the 2014 election.  Among the highlights:

• Since 2010, 22 states have implemented new voting restrictions, including voter ID requirements, requirements that make registration harder, restrictions on early voting, and restrictions on restoring voting rights for people with past criminal convictions.  The report says that "[p]artisanship played a key role" and that "[r]ace was also a significant factor" in enacting restrictions.  The 2014 election will be the first election for new restrictions in 15 states, possibly leading to problems on Election Day as those states implement the restrictions for the first time.
• There are ongoing cases challenging restrictions in seven states--Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.  More may come.
• Since 2012, 16 states have passed laws to make it easier to vote, including laws that modernize registration, inrease early voting opportunities, allow pre-restration of 16- and 17-year-olds, restore voting rights to people with past convictions, ease voter ID burdens, and expand access by language and absentee voting.  These laws will be in effect in 11 states in the 2014 election.