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Ohio elections don't require blind trust. Here's why | Opinion

Ohio elections don't require blind trust. Here's why | Opinion

Opinion: Every Ohio vote should be easy to cast and hard to manipulate.

Kansas Congressman Ron Estes Defends SAVE Act, Citing Voter Integrity Concerns

Kansas Congressman Ron Estes Defends SAVE Act, Citing Voter Integrity Concerns

Kansas Congressman Ron Estes is actively defending the Republican-backed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, emphasizing the critical need for voter identification and robust electoral integrity. Estes argues that common-sense voter ID laws are fundamental to maintaining public confidence in the electoral system, drawing parallels to everyday activities requiring identification such as boarding a plane or opening a bank account. He highlights instances in other states, like Oregon's vote-by-mail system and New Jersey's software error that led to non-citizens being registered, as evidence of vulnerabilities in current election processes. Estes also points to Maryland's 2026 primary, where a vendor error caused voters to receive incorrect ballots, leading to confusion and additional costs. He asserts that these examples underscore the necessity for federal action to prevent ineligible ballots from diluting the votes of eligible citizens. The SAVE Act, which has passed the House multiple times, a...

North Carolina Elections Board Rejects Sunday Early Voting in Several Counties

North Carolina Elections Board Rejects Sunday Early Voting in Several Counties

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has largely rejected Sunday early voting in multiple counties, siding with Republican preferences in many partisan disputes over early voting schedules. This decision came after 20 of North Carolina's 100 counties failed to reach an agreement on their early voting plans, pushing the final decisions to the state level. Republican board members, such as Four Eggers, cited Sunday as a day of rest and family time, and some local officials reported poll workers expressing a desire for Sundays off, particularly in areas with historically low Sunday turnout. However, Democrats on the board, including Siobhan Millen, argued that Sunday hours are crucial for working families and are popular with some Black churches for 'souls to the polls' events. The board also addressed disagreements over early voting site locations, with Republicans opposing on-campus sites at UNC-Greensboro, N.C. A&T State University, and Western Carolina University. The state board voted along party ...

NC Board of Elections Rejects Most Sunday Early Voting Hours Along Party Lines

NC Board of Elections Rejects Most Sunday Early Voting Hours Along Party Lines

The North Carolina Board of Elections, with its Republican majority, voted along party lines to reject most Sunday early voting hours in counties where local boards could not reach unanimous agreement on weekend schedules. Republicans on county boards argued against Sunday voting, citing low turnout and the belief that Sunday should be reserved for church and family. Conversely, Democratic members and advocates emphasized that Sunday hours provide crucial access for individuals with irregular work schedules, long commutes, or caregiving responsibilities. The contentious decisions were made amidst revelations that state Auditor Dave Boliek's office, through GOP operative Dallas Woodhouse, had influenced local county decisions on voting locations and hours, urging the removal of Sunday hours.

Trump Administration's Noncitizen Voter Fraud Hunt Yields Meager Results Despite Extensive Federal Resources

Trump Administration's Noncitizen Voter Fraud Hunt Yields Meager Results Despite Extensive Federal Resources

The Trump administration has launched an extensive initiative to identify and prosecute noncitizen voters, a claim President Trump has repeatedly made without substantial evidence. This effort has involved deploying agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a federal law enforcement agency typically focused on combating drug cartels and terrorism, to investigate leads across the country. Despite significant resources allocated, including the use of HSI's powerful databases and personnel, the results have been minimal. For instance, in Minnesota, after subpoenaing records for approximately 130 individuals, only one was referred for prosecution. ProPublica's investigation reveals that between January 2025 and May 2026, fewer than 150 alleged noncitizen voters were referred for prosecution nationwide, with only 41 ultimately charged with illegal voting or other election-related crimes. This is in stark contrast to the more than 150 million people who voted in the most recent presidential election. T...

Georgia Establishes Bipartisan Task Force to Enhance Election Integrity

Georgia Establishes Bipartisan Task Force to Enhance Election Integrity

Georgia has announced the formation of a bipartisan election integrity task force aimed at ensuring the state's elections remain free and fair. This new initiative will focus on several key areas: voter lists, election administration and misinformation, and county compliance and performance. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger discussed the task force, emphasizing that its members are well-respected former elected officials and top county election directors. These individuals are described as subject matter experts with extensive experience in the election space, capable of addressing questions, debunking rumors, and providing factual information. The task force is designed to bring together diverse perspectives to strengthen the electoral process and maintain public confidence in election outcomes.

Californians Prioritize Concerns Over Trump Administration's Election Interference Above Voter Fraud, Poll Reveals

Californians Prioritize Concerns Over Trump Administration's Election Interference Above Voter Fraud, Poll Reveals

A recent poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times, indicates that 61% of California voters view potential interference by the Trump administration in the upcoming November elections as a major concern. This figure slightly surpasses the 59% who cited possible foreign interference as a significant worry. In contrast, 41% of California voters identified voter fraud and 37% identified noncitizens voting as major concerns. The poll highlights a stark partisan divide, with 80% of Democratic respondents expressing concern about federal interference, compared to just 28% of Republicans. Conversely, 84% of Republican voters considered voter fraud a major concern, while only 21% of Democrats shared this view. The White House has dismissed these concerns, accusing Democrats of obstructing efforts to protect elections from fraud, including through the proposed SAVE America Act, which would mandate strict new ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements for voters nati...

Project Veritas Founder James O'Keefe Targets Minnesota Election Law with Undercover Video

Project Veritas Founder James O'Keefe Targets Minnesota Election Law with Undercover Video

Right-wing activist James O’Keefe, founder of Project Veritas, has released a heavily edited undercover video targeting a Minnesota election law that permits registered voters to vouch for prospective voters in the same precinct. O'Keefe and his associates, dressed in what they described as 'traditional Muslim attire,' visited polling places in southeast Minneapolis, speaking to poll workers in accented English. The video shows O'Keefe attempting to vouch for multiple individuals, asking if he could bring others back later. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has condemned the video, stating that poll workers reported the visits to local election officials and that law enforcement is reviewing the situation. Simon emphasized that vouching has historically had bipartisan support in Minnesota and that claims against it are false. According to Simon's office, vouching accounted for less than 0.6% of votes in the 2024 general election, with approximately 71% of those vouched for already registered but usi...

President Trump Advocates for Indian-Style Voter ID and Mail-Voting Restrictions in US Elections

President Trump Advocates for Indian-Style Voter ID and Mail-Voting Restrictions in US Elections

President Trump has publicly endorsed India's election system as a model for the United States, specifically highlighting its use of voter identification and limited reliance on mail-in ballots. In an August 18 Truth Social post, President Trump cited these aspects of the Indian model to bolster his argument for the SAVE Act, a legislative initiative aimed at implementing stricter voter identification and citizenship verification rules in the U.S. This advocacy comes amidst ongoing debates in the U.S. regarding election security and integrity. The discussion around election practices gained significant traction following the 2020 presidential election, where President Trump repeatedly claimed that expanded mail voting led to fraud, despite courts, state election officials, the Department of Justice, and numerous investigations finding no evidence of widespread fraud capable of altering the outcome. Historically, the U.S. has seen various methods of voter restriction, such as poll taxes and 'grandfather cla...

Idaho Governor Appoints Judge Jason Scott to State Supreme Court Vacancy

Idaho Governor Appoints Judge Jason Scott to State Supreme Court Vacancy

Idaho Governor Brad Little has appointed Fourth District Judge Jason Scott to the Idaho Supreme Court. Judge Scott will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Chief Justice Richard Bevan, effective October 30. Judge Scott, an Idaho native, holds an accounting degree from Idaho State University and a law degree from Duke University. He has served as a district judge in Idaho's Fourth Judicial District since 2014, presiding over significant cases including a legal challenge to the state's abortion ban and an open meetings lawsuit concerning the University of Idaho's attempted acquisition of the University of Phoenix. Prior to his judicial appointment, he spent 15 years at the law firm Hawley Troxell, with seven years as a partner, focusing on civil litigation. Governor Little expressed confidence in Judge Scott's thoughtful judgment, strong work ethic, and commitment to the rule of law. Separately, Idaho Supreme Court justices have elected Justice Robyn Brody to succeed Bevan as the new chief...

Rural Alaska Polling Place Experiences Significant Delays in Primary Election Opening

Rural Alaska Polling Place Experiences Significant Delays in Primary Election Opening

A polling place in Nunapitchuk, a village in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, failed to open on time for Alaska's primary election, according to an Alaska Native voting organization. The polling location remained closed until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, significantly reducing the voting window for the village's 343 registered voters to just three hours, compared to the 13 hours available to other Alaskan voters. Volunteers attempted to inform the Division of Elections about the closure earlier in the day. This incident is not isolated, as rural Alaska Native villages have experienced similar issues with polling places failing to open on time in previous elections, including the 2022, 2024 August primary, and 2024 November elections. Alaska lawmakers had previously passed legislation to improve rural voting access, which included hiring a rural voting coordinator, but Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed it in April, citing insufficient time for implementation before this year's election.

Former Colorado Clerk Tina Peters Considered for Shasta County Election Role After Prison Release

Former Colorado Clerk Tina Peters Considered for Shasta County Election Role After Prison Release

Tina Peters, the former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder who was convicted of tampering with voting machines and recently released from prison, is being considered for a role in Shasta County, California's elections office. Clint Curtis, the Registrar of Voters in Shasta County, announced on a local radio show his intention to hire Peters as the assistant registrar, weeks before the November election. Peters was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to nine years for breaching Mesa County’s voting machines in 2021 to prove the debunked claim that the 2020 election was rigged against President Trump. Her sentence was commuted by Colorado Governor Jared Polis in June, following pressure from President Trump. Curtis later clarified that Peters would be brought on as a consultant, assisting with the supervision of the November election, and would not have access to voting systems.