voting Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Gov. Jay Inslee Signs Bill To Restore Voting Rights To Washington Parolees

By NWPB News April 8, 2021

File photo, Dec. 2020. State Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, holds blank voter registration forms as she poses for a photo at her home in Bremerton, Wash. Simmons was incarcerated herself before being released and becoming a lawyer, and then winning a state House seat in 2020. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday signed a bill automatically restoring voting rights to people who have been released from prison after committing felonies, even if they are still on parole — a measure sponsored by a lawmaker who was herself formerly incarcerated. Read More

Idaho Legislature Passes Bill Aimed At Making Citizen Initiatives Harder To Get On Ballot

By NWPB News April 7, 2021

Amy Pratt personally collected more than 1,000 signatures to help get Proposition 2 on the ballot. It's the first time she's been politically active and she has no plans of stopping. CREDIT: JAMES DAWSON / BSPR

Legislation making it more difficult to get initiatives or referendums on ballots is heading to the governor, who has hinted of a possible veto. The House voted 51-18 on Wednesday to approve the measure backers said is needed because the current process favors urban voters. It passed the Senate 26-9 last month. Those numbers are enough to overcome a veto. Read More

MLB Moves All-Star Game To Colorado Amid Uproar Over Georgia Voting Law

By NPR News April 6, 2021

Major League Baseball's 2021 All-Star Game will be played in Colorado's Coors Field, the league says, after it canceled plans for Atlanta to host baseball's midseason centerpiece. The change came in response to Georgia's controversial new voting law, which the MLB says is against its values. Read More

Washington Legislature Passes Bill Granting Voting Rights To Felony Parolees

By NWPB News March 26, 2021

Washington state lawmakers have voted to automatically restore voting rights to people who have been released from prison after committing felonies, even if they’re still on parole. With the support of majority Democrats, the state Senate passed the measure 27-22 Wednesday night, following earlier approval by the House. It now heads to Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who is Read More

Georgia Governor Signs Election Overhaul, Including Changes To Absentee Voting

By NPR News March 25, 2021

Voters stand in line to cast their ballots during the first day of early voting in the U.S. Senate runoffs at Lenora Park in Atlanta in December 2020. CREDIT: Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed a massive overhaul of election laws, shortly after the Republican-controlled state legislature approved it. The bill enacts new limitations on mail-in voting, expands most voters' access to in-person early voting and caps a months-long battle over voting in a battleground state. Read More

Voting After Prison In Washington

By Murrow News - Albert James March 12, 2021

Covering a bill making its way through Olympia that could impact the voting rights of 26,000 people. Continue Reading Voting After Prison In WashingtonRead More

We’re Working On ‘Re:building Democracy’ In This Statewide Initiative. Here’s How To Watch And Join

By NWPB News March 10, 2021

Deepening polarization is eroding faith in the electoral and democratic process on which our democracy depends. What can we do to cultivate mutual respect, repair damaged relationships, and reweave a civic fabric frayed from years of growing division? Read More

High Noon For The Future Of The Voting Rights Act At The Supreme Court

By NPR News March 2, 2021

The U.S. Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 majority, is to consider a case that could gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965. CREDIT: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday in a major voting rights case that could give state legislatures a green light to change voting laws, making it more difficult for some to vote. Continue Reading High Noon For The Future Of Read More

Idaho Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Bill To Make Permanent Absentee Ballot Counting Change

By NWPB News February 18, 2021

The Idaho Senate meets in the Statehouse on Feb. 18, 2021, in Boise. The Senate voted 35-0 to make permanent changes in Idaho's absentee ballot counting intended to speed up the process. CREDIT: Keith Ridler/AP

Legislation to make permanent changes in Idaho’s absentee ballot counting procedure passed the Senate on Thursday and is headed to the House. The state Senate voted 35-0 to approve the bill intended to speed absentee vote counting. It was used in the last general election and spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. Read More

Dominion Voting Systems Suing Rudy Giuliani For Defamation

By NPR News January 25, 2021

Rudy Giuliani, seen here on Jan. 6 with Chapman University law professor John Eastman, speaks in Washington at a rally in support of former President Donald Trump. Dominion Voting Systems, a frequent target of Giuliani, is suing him for defamation. CREDIT: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Dominion Voting Systems has filed suit against former President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani over baseless claims he's made that Dominion was at the center of a scheme to perpetuate widespread election fraud. Continue Reading Read More

Now Is A Good Time To Talk To Kids About Civics

By NPR News January 19, 2021

If you've been riding an emotional, politics-fueled rollercoaster in 2021 (not to mention 2020), believe us: Your kids have noticed. Here's a quick primer from Life Kit on how to talk with your kids about politics — and, even get them thinking about civics. Continue Read More

Dominion Voting Systems Employee Sues Trump Campaign And Allies, Alleging Defamation

By NPR News December 22, 2020

Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's personal attorney, with lawyer Sidney Powell last month in Washington. They, the Trump campaign and others face a lawsuit by an employee of Dominion Voting Systems, a vendor that has been the subject of disinformation from Trump and his allies. CREDIT: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

A top employee of Dominion Voting Systems, who has gone into hiding after becoming the subject of conspiracy theories on the right since the election, is suing the Trump campaign, a number of campaign surrogates and pro-Trump media outlets, alleging defamation. Read More

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Republican Bid To Reverse Pennsylvania Election Results

By NPR News December 8, 2020

The lawsuit argued a 2019 state law authorizing universal mail-in voting was unconstitutional and that all ballots cast by mail in the general election in Pennsylvania should be thrown out. Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court Read More

Federal Judge Dismisses Effort To Throw Out Drive-Through Votes In Houston

By NPR News November 3, 2020

Voters drop off mail-in ballots last month at a drive-through polling place in Houston. Some 127,000 voters cast their ballots at drive-through locations in the Houston area. CREDIT: Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The decision means about 127,000 ballots cast by drive-through voting in the Houston area will be counted. It follows a similar ruling by the Texas Supreme Court on Sunday. Continue Reading Federal Judge Dismisses Effort To Throw Out Read More

FACT CHECK: President Trump Falsely Claims That Votes Shouldn’t Be Counted After Election Day

By NPR News November 1, 2020

President Trump told supporters during a rally in Dubuque, Iowa, that the results of the presidential race should be known on election night. CREDIT: Mario Tama/Getty Images

"I think it's terrible when we can't know the results of an election the night of the election in a modern-day age of computers," Trump said. But the vote totals are never fully counted the same day. Continue Reading Read More

Despite Intense Interest In Election, Washington Voter Registrations Lag Compared To 2016

By Austin Jenkins October 31, 2020

Washington's August 4 primary ballot is chock full of candidates even though traditional campaigning has, in many cases, been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. CREDIT: Washington Secretary of State's Office

According to figures provided by the Secretary of State’s office, 513,000 people registered to vote in Washington prior to the 2016 election. So far this year, this state has seen approximately 440,000 new registrants, a 14 percent drop compared to four years ago. However, the last two months have shown something of a rebound. Read More

Why Washington Accepts Ballots Postmarked By Election Day Well Into November, Unlike Oregon

By Austin Jenkins October 28, 2020

A ballot drop box in Thurston County, Washington. While ballots must be returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, they can still be counted if they come in through the mail weeks later as long as they're postmarked by Election Day. CREDIT: Austin Jenkins/N3

Washington’s latitude about late-arriving ballots stands in stark contrast to Oregon, and more than half of states, where ballots must arrive by Election Day. In fact, by allowing ballots to still be counted nearly three weeks after the election, Washington has the most generous policy in the nation, according to a recent analysis. Read More

Elections Officials Say There’s No Evidence Washington State Systems Have Been Compromised

By Austin Jenkins October 23, 2020

A person drops off a ballot for Washington state's primary election, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, at a collection box at the King County Administration Building in Seattle. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

State and local election officials in Washington said Thursday that election systems here are secure and haven’t been hacked. Those assurances follow multiple reports in recent days of efforts by foreign actors to interfere with the upcoming national election. Read More

Idaho Votes: Deadline To Request Absentee Ballot Is Oct. 23. Can Register In-Person Until Nov. 3

By NWPB News October 22, 2020

State elections officials said Idahoans should not worry about the security of their ballot if they vote absentee. Idaho has used the same basic absentee voting procedures since 1972. So the process is not new to elections officials, even though they are expecting a significant increase in absentee ballots due to the pandemic. Read More

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Pennsylvania Can Count Ballots Received After Election Day

By NPR News October 20, 2020

A voter casts her early-voting ballot at a drop box outside City Hall in Philadelphia on Oct. 17. Mark Makela/Getty Images

Pennsylvania Republicans had sought to block the counting of late-arriving ballots, which the state's Supreme Court had approved last month. Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court Rules Pennsylvania Can Count Ballots Received Read More

Poll: Most Voters Expect Some Intimidation, But They’re Voting In Record Numbers

By PBS Newshour October 17, 2020

Voters wait in line as the polls open at Pierce Park Baptist Church in Boise, Idaho, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. CREDIT: Otto Kitsinger/AP

A majority of Republicans, Democrats, Independents, men and women from across the country, of all ages and races, are expecting some or many attempts to block people from voting, according to the latest PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll, conducted less than a month before Election Day. In November 2016, 57 percent of registered voters anticipated attempts to thwart voting; that Read More

Judge Blocks Trump Campaign Attempt To Limit Use Of Drop Boxes In Pennsylvania

By NPR News October 10, 2020

In this May 2020 photo, a voter casts her mail-in ballot at in a drop box in West Chester, Pa., prior to the primary election. On Saturday a federal judge blocked a Trump campaign lawsuit to limit the use of drop boxes in the state. CREDIT: Matt Rourke/AP

Republicans have challenged state laws that they say will lead to voter fraud. The judge said the Trump campaign's concerns were mere speculation. In reality, voter fraud is extremely rare. Continue Reading Judge Blocks Trump Read More

Texas Governor Limits Ballot Drop-Off Locations To One Per County; Some Officials Vow To Fight It

By NPR News October 2, 2020

Jonathan Lucero and Valeria Gutierrez prepare to receive ballots at the El Paso County Courthouse during the presidential primary in March. Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered order a limit to the number of places where voters can hand deliver mail-in ballots. Some county officials worry it will lead to confusion and voter suppression. Continue Reading Texas Read More

Rule Changes In Swing States Mean More Votes Will Count, Results May Take Longer

By NPR News September 24, 2020

A worker prepares absentee ballots for mailing at the Wake County Board of Elections in Raleigh, N.C., earlier this month. Gerry Broome/AP

Changes in Wisconsin and North Carolina mean absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day will count, if received within six and nine days of the election, respectively. Continue Reading Rule Changes In Swing States Mean Read More

Washington State Elections Officials Warn Of Misleading Information On USPS Post Card

By NWPB News September 15, 2020

This election mailer was sent out nationally to every postal customer in September 2020. But Washington state election officials say it's confusing and inaccurate for Washington voters in the already all-vote-by-mail state.

The move by the USPS prompted a scramble by county auditors who run elections in their counties and the Washington Secretary of State’s office, which oversees elections statewide, to put out public messages to clarify the process. Read More

How To Register To Vote In Washington State: Everything You Need To Know For 2020

By NWPB News September 9, 2020

The 2020 Washington presidential primary ballot requires voters to select a party, which is new, and many people don't care for it. CREDIT: Scott Leadingham/NWPB

Whether you’re new to Washington state or just making sure you are fully prepared to vote in the Nov. 3 general election, here’s what you need to know about voting (plus lots of links for voters who live outside the state or have recently moved). Read More

‘Finish The Fight’ Book Paints A Different Picture Of Women Who Pushed For The Right To Vote

By NPR News August 26, 2020

Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote, by Veronica Chambers and the Staff of The New York Times Versify

The 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment offers an opportunity to take a closer look at stories of women of the movement — those we think we already know, and those that have been lost to history. Continue Reading Read More

Security And Ballot Drop Boxes In Washington: How It Works

By NWPB News August 23, 2020

This ballot drop box in Pierce County is an example of one of the quarter-inch thick steel ballot drop boxes that local elections officials commissioned and designed with security in mind. CREDIT: Melissa Santos/Crosscut

Washington state has laws in place to prevent that. And the state, which has been all-vote-by-mail since 2011, has a decade of experience with ballot boxes that counters the president’s claims. Continue Reading Security And Ballot Drop Boxes In Read More

New Research Suggests In-Person Voting May Be Less Risky Than Previously Thought

By NPR News August 22, 2020

A man checks to cast his ballot in Kenosha, Wis., on April 7. A new study suggests that in-person voting in that Wisconsin primary did not produce a surge of new coronavirus cases. CREDIT: Kamil Krzaczynski /AFP via Getty Images

The report concludes Wisconsin voters who braved the pandemic and went to the polls in April did not see a surge in COVID-19 infections, although another study reaches the opposite conclusion. Continue Reading New Research Read More

Susan B. Anthony Museum Rejects President Trump’s Pardon Of The Suffragist

By NPR News August 21, 2020

This 1895 portrait of Susan B. Anthony was painted by Carl Gutherz when Anthony was president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, a group dedicated to women's voting rights. Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery

The director of the museum, Deborah L. Hughes, suggests that the best way to honor Anthony would be to take a clear stance against voter suppression and to advocate for human rights for all. Continue Reading Susan B. Anthony Museum Read More

In Senate Hearing, Controversial Postmaster General Vows USPS Can Handle Mail-In Ballots

By NPR News August 21, 2020

In this image from video, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a video virtual hearing before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on the U.S. Postal Service during COVID-19 and the upcoming elections, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (US Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs via AP)

The U.S. Postal Service has suffered from financial problems for years, but Louis DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser, chose this summer to cut some overtime, withdraw sorting machines and impose other operational changes that have effectively reduced the system's throughput. Read More

5 Things You Might Not Know About The 19th Amendment, Passed 100 Years Ago

By PBS Newshour August 19, 2020

Suffragists in parade, ca. 1910-1915. Photo Courtesy Library of Congress/ Bain News Service

One hundred years ago, both chambers of Congress passed the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed American women the right to vote. The landmark amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution the following year, in August of 1920. Continue Read More

Postmaster General Suspends Controversial USPS Changes Until After Election

By NPR News August 18, 2020

A group of protesters demonstrate in front of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's home in Greensboro, N.C., on Sunday. Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images

Louis DeJoy, an ally of President Trump, has come under fire in recent weeks for what's viewed as directives to slow down USPS in order to suppress absentee or mail-in votes. Continue Reading Postmaster General Suspends Read More

President Trump Admits He Opposes USPS Funding For Vote-By-Mail, But Reverses Self Hours Later

By NPR News August 13, 2020

Washington state primary election ballot for the Aug. 4, 2020 all-vote-by-mail election. CREDIT: Scott Leadingham/NWPB

President Trump told Fox Business Network that he's against additional funding and election assistance for the U.S. Postal Service in order to sabotage efforts to expand mail-in voting. Continue Reading President Trump Admits He Read More

Breaking Down Dynamics Of Washington’s Aug. 4 Primary, With A Crowded Race For Governor

By Austin Jenkins August 3, 2020

While turnout in November could easily top 80 percent, Washington’s August primary typically draws 40 percent or less of the electorate. We break down the dynamics of this year's unusual election season during the coronavirus pandemic. Read More

A Dog Days Of Summer Primary And A Ton Of Candidates: Guide To Washington’s Statewide Races

By Austin Jenkins July 15, 2020

Washington’s typically sleepy August primary will test the endurance of voters as they navigate a larger-than-usual crop of candidates. The robust turnout of would-be officeholders may be, at least partially, the result of the state making it easier to qualify for the ballot in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Read More

Kansas GOP Rep. Steve Watkins Charged With Felonies Over Voter Registration At UPS Store

By NPR News July 15, 2020

Rep. Steve Watkins, R-Kan., pictured in 2018, called the charges "hyperpolitical." CREDIT: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

The charges, filed Tuesday, stem from Watkins registering to vote using the address of a UPS storefront. Continue Reading Kansas GOP Rep. Steve Watkins Charged With Felonies Over Voter Registration At UPS StoreRead More

Déjà Vu All Over Again: Suit Alleges Latinx Voters Disenfranchised By Yakima County Election System

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa July 13, 2020

Dulce Gutierrez, right, Assistant Mayor of Yakima, speaks Jan. 5, 2018, during a news conference at the Capitol in Olympia about the need to address voter access in the state.

Yakima County is being sued over how it runs elections. In a lawsuit filed Monday, plaintiffs argue the current at-large voting system dilutes Latinx votes. That would violate the Washington State Voting Rights Act. A 2012 lawsuit against the city of Yakima claimed a similar disenfranchising voting system. Federal courts agreed in that case. Read More

Supreme Court Upholds Laws Punishing ‘Faithless Electors’ In Case Involving Washington Voter

By NPR News July 6, 2020

The federal Supreme Court will decide whether Electoral College delegates are required to support the presidential candidate who wins their state.

Monday's decision brought a sigh of relief from election experts, who worried that if Electoral College delegates were free to vote as they chose, the 2020 election would have turned into a free-for-all, with no rules to prevent corruption and manipulation, with delegates offered gifts and even cash for their votes, and blackmail also a possibility. Read More

This November, Election Night Could Stretch Into Election Week Or Month

By NPR News June 13, 2020

Nina Ahmad declared victory as the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania auditor general nine days after the state's June 2 primary. CREDIT: Matt Rourke/AP

Mail ballots take longer to process than votes cast in person. So, despite what some politicians may say, experts say it's not a sign of nefarious activity when results take days to come in. Continue Reading This November, Election Night Read More

Idaho Primary Election Results Show Familiar Names Returning To November Ballot

By Doug Nadvornick June 3, 2020

The matchups have been set for Idaho’s November election. Results were announced Tuesday night in the state’s first all-mail primary election. Continue Reading Idaho Primary Election Results Show Familiar Names Returning To Read More

Need A Witness For Your Mail-In Ballot? New Pandemic Lawsuits Challenge Old Rules

By NPR News June 1, 2020

An election worker in Renton, Wash., begins processing mail-in ballots during that state's presidential primary in March. Varying state-by-state requirements around signatures and other rules have become the focus of legal fights as absentee voting expands due to the pandemic

Among the main targets are requirements such as signing a ballot envelope, or getting a witness or notary to sign it. Small details matter a lot and could affect the outcome in November. Continue Reading Need A Witness For Your Read More

Pandemic Puts A Crimp On Voter Registration, Potentially Altering Electorate

By NPR News May 26, 2020

A voter registration volunteer in Philadelphia in 2018. New registrations had surged going into 2020 but have dropped off dramatically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Most places where Americans usually register to vote have been closed since March. It's led to a big drop in new registrations right before an election that was expected to see record turnout. Continue Reading Pandemic Puts A Crimp Read More

President Trump Repeats Unfounded Claims About Mail-In Voting, Threatens Funding To 2 States

By NPR News May 20, 2020

People stand in line at a Detroit polling place during Michigan's March 10 presidential primary. Because of the pandemic, the state's top election official is sending absentee ballot applications to every registered voter for August and November elections.

Elections are run by state and local governments, and it's unclear what legal means the president would have to withhold funds from the states. Continue Reading President Trump Repeats Unfounded Claims About Mail-In Read More

In Case Featuring Washington, Justices Fear ‘Chaos’ If Electoral College Delegates Have Free Rein

By NPR News May 13, 2020

Under state laws, Electoral College delegates are pledged to cast their ballots for the candidate who carries the popular vote in their state. But in 2016, seven cast votes for other candidates. Continue Reading Read More

Feds Warn States That Online Voting Experiments Are ‘High-Risk’

By NPR News May 11, 2020

Electioneers greet voters outside the Hamilton County Government Center

As some states turn to Internet voting to increase accessibility for vulnerable populations, the federal government sends out an eight-page report detailing the risks. Continue Reading Feds Warn States That Online Voting Experiments Are Read More

Ballot Printers Increase Capacity To Prepare For Mail Voting Surge

By NPR News May 4, 2020

Runbeck Election Services oversees production of tens of millions of mail-in ballots for elections nationwide in Phoenix, Ariz. With many states expected to expand mail-in voting for November, experts warn that existing ballot printing services could quickly become overwhelmed. CREDIT: Ash Ponders for NPR

With mail-in voting set to grow due to the coronavirus, experts warn that the companies that print ballots could get overwhelmed. One of the country's biggest vendors is ramping up capacity quickly. Continue Reading Ballot Printers Increase Read More

New Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Mail Voting As Pandemic Changes Public Life

By NPR News April 28, 2020

Voting pins and stickers lie next to a ballot box earlier this year during early voting at the King County Elections

Despite a partisan divide over increasing absentee voting, about half of all Republicans support universal access to a mail ballot, according a new Pew Research poll. Continue Reading New Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Read More

States Have Made Major Changes In Coronavirus Fight. See What Yours Is Doing

By NPR News April 13, 2020

Voters line up at Riverside High School for Wisconsin's primary election on April 7 in Milwaukee, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. CREDIT: Morry Gash/AP

As confirmed cases of the virus surge, state leaders are trying to slow its spread with sweeping measures. Here's a look at the rules enacted in all 50, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Continue Reading States Have Made Read More

Jay Inslee Takes Heat From Fellow Democrat Over In-Person Voter Registration During Pandemic

By Austin Jenkins April 9, 2020

If Washington voters don't mail in ballots, they can return them in person to drop boxes like this one at the Yakima County Elections Office. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

But because of COVID-19, Paddy McGuire said Mason County has closed his building and he doesn’t think in-person registration is a safe idea. So, he asked the governor’s office to use its emergency powers to waive the requirement for this election. The answer back, he said, was “no.” Read More