The Independent View: Electionline Weekly July-26-2018

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation: Maryland Reps. John Delaney (D-6th District) and Andy Harris (R-1st District) have introduced a Bill that would Mandate that Vendors associated with Federal Elections be Owned and Controlled by U.S. Companies. Delaney’s and Harris’ Bipartisan Bill would take effect in 2020 and create a Database to make it easier to establish that an Election Vendor is not Foreign-Controlled.

Another Bill, introduced by Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th District) and Co-Sponsored by Pennsylvania Rep. Robert Brady (D-1st District) and California Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-19th District) would take effect in 2018 and would Bar States from entering agreements with Election Vendors “controlled by persons who are not citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.”

Illinois: Gov. Bruce Ruaner has Signed a Bill into Law that will Officially shutter the DuPage County Elections Commission and move the responsibilities of the County’s Elections to the County Clerk’s Office.

Nevada: The City Councils in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas have Approved an Agreement with Clark County that will allow Voters in Municipal Elections to cast Ballots at Vote Centers regardless of Jurisdiction. The move is aimed at bolstering Turnout. Boulder City and Henderson Officials have already Approved a similar Agreement.

Ohio: House Bill 18 is on the way to Gov. John Kasich’s Desk. The Bill would Eliminate unnecessary Special Elections in order to Fill a Congressional Vacancy. The Bill would Eliminate the need to hold an Election if only One Candidate qualifies for the Ballot.

Tennessee: By an Unanimous Vote, the Memphis City Council voted Down a Referendum to place a Charter Amendment on the November 2018 Ballot to Repeal Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), Locally called Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), for Electing City Council Seats.

Legal Updates

Florida: U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said this week that Officials showed “a stark pattern of discrimination” by Blocking Early Voting Sites on State College and University Campuses. Walker issued a Preliminary Injunction that Directs the Chief Elections Official, Secretary of State Ken Detzner, to tell All 67 Counties that they can Use Campus Buildings for Early Voting this Fall. Detzner has until Friday to tell the Judge he will Obey. Walker Ruled that a 2014 State Opinion that Banned Early Voting on Campus Violates Three Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

A Three-Judge Panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard Arguments in the ongoing Case against the State’s Process of Restoring Voting Rights to former Felons.

Iowa: Polk County District Judge Karen Romano has Granted a Temporary Injunction Blocking some Provisions of the State’s Voter ID Law for the 2018 Election. The Injunction requires the State to Restore its Early Voting Period to 40 Days. "The harm to the registered voters who may become disenfranchised or experience substantial obstacles in voting is greater than any harm to the state," she wrote in her Order. Secretary of State Paul Pate said the State will Appeal the Decision to the Iowa Supreme Court "immediately.”

Kansas: Secretary of State Kris Kobach recently filed a Statement with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals contending that U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson erred in deciding the State’s Voter Registration Law is Unconstitutional in Requiring that New Voters prove their Citizenship.

Minnesota: Jean Marie Studniski of Avon has pleaded Guilty to being an Ineligible Voter who knowingly Voted. Studniski Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election while On Probation for a Felony Conviction. She was sentenced to 20 Days Served and Five Years Probation.

New Hampshire: The State has recently submitting Court Filings seeking to have Six College Students Removed from the Lawsuit Challenging Senate Bill 3, arguing that the Students Lack the Standing to Challenge the Law, the Students can Legally Vote in New Hampshire under the New Law. The Bill will Alter the Definition of "Domicile" in New Hampshire's Voter Registration Law.

North Dakota: Secretary of State Candidate Roland Riemers, who did not get Enough Votes in the June Primary to Qualify for the Ballot has Appealed to the State’s Supreme Court to Force the Secretary of State’s Office to Conduct a Recount.

Tennessee: Opponents of a 2014 Ballot Measure have Appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Appeal continues the Challenge of the State’s Method of Counting Votes for the Ballot Measure. The Appeal asks the High Court to consider Two Questions: whether Election Officials conducted the Election in a Biased manner, and whether State Attorneys acted Lawfully in Filing their own Suit against the Eight Plaintiffs in the Case. The Supreme Court has Not yet Granted the Petition.

Brian “Wormy” Hodge was recently Charged with Witness Tampering, Conspiracy to Commit Voter Fraud, Five Counts of Vote Buying, and Witness Tampering stemming from a 2014 Monroe County Sheriff’s Election. Those Charges were Dropped when Hodge agreed to Plea to a Charge of Conspiracy to Pay/Offering to Pay for Voting.