Hand-counted ballots, voter ID rules: How GOP lawmakers want to change Ohio elections

After signing one of the strictest voter ID laws in the country, Gov. Mike DeWine said the issue of election integrity in Ohio is settled.

Some of his fellow Republicans in the Legislature appear to disagree.

A bill introduced earlier this month would further tighten the state’s voter ID rules, allow the hand-counting of ballots in certain cases, and require voting machines and electronic poll books to meet strict cybersecurity rules. The proposal comes over a year after DeWine signed a bill that enacted the photo ID requirement and other changes to the voting process.

Unlike that law, House Bill 472 deals with complex, behind-the-scenes procedures for administering elections. Rep. Bernie Willis, R-Springfield, said the measure aims to revise outdated standards and ensure Ohio has a plan should it fall victim to cyberattacks before an election.




https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/23/ohio-republicans-voter-id-law-election-security/73423189007/

Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners to void registrations

Kenyatta and Pinsley vie for Democratic Party nomination for auditor general

Democratic voters in Pennsylvania head to the polls on Tuesday to select their party’s nominee for a wide variety of statewide and local offices. In the race for auditor general, the state’s fiscal watchdog, Democratic Party voters will decide between two candidates from the eastern region of the commonwealth: state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley.

Kenyatta made history in 2018 by becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He’s hoping to make history again on Tuesday by becoming the first Democrat of color to serve as the state’s auditor general. If he wins the nomination, it would be the first time two Black auditor general candidates have faced off in the state’s general election, as he would be up against incumbent Tim DeFoor.

Since being elected to the state House, Kenyatta has become a well-known progressive voice in his caucus and has also been one of President Joe Biden’s surrogates on the campaign trail in and beyond the Keystone State.

“I have the personal and professional experience that makes it clear I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one. I was raised by working class parents in a working class neighborhood and understand in my bones the impact of a government program that delivers or doesn’t,” Kenyatta told the Capital-Star in a Q&A. “I also have the professional experience serving in the state house for over half a decade working on budgets and serving on relevant committees like the Finance, State Government, and Commerce committees.”




https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/kenyatta-and-pinsley-vie-for-democratic-party-nomination-for-auditor-general/

Voters choosing nominees for attorney general in Pennsylvania's top statewide race

Voters across Pennsylvania on Tuesday will choose the Republican and Democratic nominees to run in a wide-open race for the commonwealth’s top law enforcement position in November.

The winner of the November election will take over from Attorney General Michelle Henry, who Gov. Josh Shapiro appointed to his unfinished term last year. Henry said at the time she would not seek election.

Without an incumbent, five Democrats and two Republicans ran for their parties’ nominations for attorney general in the November election.

While the Pennsylvania Republican party endorsed York County District Attorney Dave Sunday over state Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware), the Democratic Party did not endorse, leading to a competitive race.

On a crowded Democratic ballot are former Philadelphia Chief Public Defender Kier Bradford-Gray, former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan, state Rep. Jared Solomon, and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.




https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/voters-choosing-nominees-for-attorney-general-in-pennsylvanias-top-statewide-race/

Bizzarro and McClelland seek Democratic nomination for Pa. treasurer

emocratic voters will choose between State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) and small business owner Erin McClelland for their party’s nomination for Pennsylvania Treasurer.

The winner will face Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity who is unopposed in the Republican primary. Garrity has held the office since 2020 and will be running for a second and final term.

The state Treasurer is responsible for managing the collection and spending of billions of public dollars — basically, they ensure state revenues make it to the right accounts, and that that money is invested wisely and spent when and where lawmakers and state agencies intend. The Treasurer’s duties also include overseeing investment funds like the ones that pay state employee pensions, and also oversee the distribution of unclaimed property held by the state.

Bizzarro has served in the state House since 2013 and is the chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee. He told the Capital-Star that his experience and networking in government would help him make the office more efficient......

Erin McClelland campaigned on her experience as a small business owner, telling the Capital-Star, “I am the only one in the race that has actually made a payroll as well as worked in the public sector.”




https://penncapital-star.com/election-2024/bizzarro-and-mcclelland-seek-democratic-nomination-for-pa-treasurer/

Elections board asks federal judge to dismiss lawsuit challenging Md.'s elections system

Attorneys representing the Maryland State Board of Elections are asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges voter roll irregularities and other election law violations in the state.

Two groups — Maryland Election Integrity LLC and Missouri-based United Sovereign Americans — filed suit in March against the state board for maintaining inaccurate voter registration lists and violating federal election law. Earlier this month, the groups asked U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher to issue an injunction against the state that could derail the May 14 primary and possibly the general election in Maryland.

On Monday, an attorney representing the board responded, asking Gallagher to dismiss the lawsuit or, at a minimum, deny the request for the restraining order.

“The companies’ complaint, however, fails to vest this Court with jurisdiction to entertain their accusations; and fails to factually allege a claim upon which relief could be granted. The companies allege no ‘injury in fact’ explaining how their allegations of election maladministration injured any individual member,” wrote Daniel M. Kobrin, an assistant attorney general representing the Maryland State Board of Elections.




https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/04/23/elections-board-asks-federal-judge-to-dismiss-lawsuit-challenging-md-s-elections-system/

NM: Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries

It’s a safe bet Democrats will barrel into 2025 with their supremacy intact at the New Mexico Legislature. Barring an unexpected shock during this year’s elections, Democrats’ stranglehold on power is assured.

Going into the 2024 contests, Democrats control nearly two-thirds of all seats in the House and nearly three of every five seats in the Senate.

The question going into the June primary election is whether the party’s progressive wing will continue to increase power in the Legislature or will more centrist Democrats hold ground.

This year’s effort by progressives is the latest in a long standing campaign, stretching back to the mid-2000s, to bring more progressives into the Legislature. In 2008, progressives successfully replaced a slate of centrist Democrats with newly minted candidates who are now political veterans, including the launch of current Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s political career, who joined the Senate that year.





https://sourcenm.com/2024/04/23/progressives-going-after-incumbents-in-hot-democratic-primaries/

Opinion: The Left Needs to Handle Its Antisemitism Problem--NOW

In recent days, we have witnessed chaos on and around the Columbia University campus, as threats against Jewish students have created an intolerable and combustible atmosphere.

A woman attempting to hide her identity held up a sign with an arrow pointing toward pro-Israel students that read “Al-Qasam’s Next Target,” a reference to Hamas’ military wing. Other protesters told students, “Go back to Europe. Go back to Poland.”

Another protester shouted, “The 7th of October is going to be every day for you,” in reference to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Others sang a chant, which included the words, “We support Hamas’ fight!” and “Hamas we love you. We support your rockets too!” An Arab-Israeli journalist was allegedly assaulted by agitators. These are just a few of the alleged threats and assaults that have been documented on or near this campus.

While protests of all kinds are often marred by fringe actors—doing and saying terrible things that don’t represent the views of the larger group—it’s difficult to watch the videos and not conclude that there is blatant antisemitism at play among at least some of these pro-Palestinian protesters. Even if they’re a minority of the larger movement, what we’re seeing on and around the campus of one of the most hallowed institutions of higher education in America are not merely peaceful calls for a ceasefire or more humanitarian aid into Gaza.......

If you are a prominent progressive influencer, pundit, or elected official (looking at you, Squad members), this is the time for you to go on the record and say that the antisemitic “fringe” of this movement—ostensibly in support of Palestinian rights and an end to the war in Gaza—does not speak for the larger group.





https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-left-needs-to-handle-its-antisemitism-problemnow?ref=wrap

Grindr sold HIV status of "potentially thousands" of users to advertisers, lawsuit says

Hundreds of people who use Grindr — a dating and social networking app for the gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community — have filed a lawsuit claiming the company monetized sensitive information such as HIV status without users’ consent.

In the suit, which was filed in the U.K., the plaintiffs alleged Grindr disclosed user information about their health, sex lives and sexual orientation to advertisers without user knowledge — breaching data protection laws.

More than 670 people have signed their names to the class action, and “thousands” more Grindr users are interested in joining the suit, according to London-based law firm Austen Hays, which filed the suit.

“Grindr owes it to the LGBTQ+ community it serves to compensate those whose data has been compromised and have suffered distress as a result, and to ensure all its users are safe while using the app, wherever they are, without fear that their data might be shared with third parties,” said Chaya Hanoomanjee, managing director of Austen Hayes.


https://thehill.com/business/4614940-grindr-sold-hiv-status-of-potentially-thousands-of-users-to-advertisers-lawsuit-says/

Judge strikes down North Carolina felon voting law

But on Monday, U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs wrote that the law “was enacted with discriminatory intent, has not been cleansed of its discriminatory taint, and continues to disproportionately impact Black voters.”

Though Black Americans make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, one-third of Black men have at least one felony conviction, according to a 2017 report.

Black North Carolinians account for nearly 53 percent of the state’s prison population — though they make up only 21.5 percent of North Carolina’s overall adult population, according to a 2016 report from the nonpartisan racial justice organization NC CRED.

In 2020, the North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute Inc. and Action NC brought the suit to court, arguing the law violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause by targeting Black voters.





https://thehill.com/homenews/race-politics/4615114-judge-strikes-down-north-carolina-felon-voting-law/