In an open letter, dozens of scholars from prestigious universities warned that American democracy is at risk. “We, the undersigned, are scholars of democracy who have watched the recent deterioration of U.S. elections and liberal democracy with growing alarm. Specifically, we have watched with deep concern as Republican-led state legislatures across the country have in…
The Land of Lincoln is set to permanently expand voting rights in the state. All that’s needed is Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature, which he has promised. Illinois was one of several states that expanded voting rights last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, Illinois extended early voting hours, allowed curbside voting, and…
Voting should be a quick and simple process. In many places, you can show up at a polling place, request a ballot, verify your identity, and fill out the ballot in 15 minutes. But states with a history of racial discrimination are often different. They may erect artificial barriers that are meant to deter –…
Governor Eric Holcomb announced today that Indiana’s May 5 primary has been delayed until June 2. Holcomb signed Executive Order 20-07 directing that the primary be rescheduled. Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson and the chairs of the state Democratic and Republican parties agree with the delay. “As Indiana’s Chief Election Officer, it is my…
Senator Joe Donnelly has come out in support of a constitutional amendment that seeks to curtail the massive amounts of campaign spending that now dominate federal elections in the United States. “I am concerned about how recent Supreme Court decisions, including Citizens United, are impacting our elections and electoral process,” Donnelly said. “In the wake…
The vote center concept appears to be dead in St. Joseph County, at least for now. The St. Joseph County Election Board decided to not move forward with the planned implementation of vote centers in 2015. Vote center implementation was previously delayed due to concerns over the public’s familiarity with the plan. The proposed vote…
Indiana University South Bend is hosting the second in a series of four public hearings for a proposed shift to vote centers in St. Joseph County. As we reported, the proposal would condense St. Joseph County’s 154 polling precincts into 40 separate vote centers. Currently, county voters only have one specific polling location. The new…
“All politicians are the same” is a common refrain you hear from voters these days. Tired of an era dominated with partisan gamesmanship, negative attack ads, and slick politicians whose word is about as trustworthy as a mule, many voters have simply given up on the process entirely, handing over their fate to a select…
Early voting has begun in St. Joseph County and across Indiana. The practice of early voting is increasingly popular with voters across the country as it greatly expands opportunities for voting. A number of important races are taking place in the area, including the race between Jackie Walorski and Joe Bock for Indiana’s 2nd Congressional…
Nearly 700,000 registered voters in Indiana have been put on an “inactive” list that puts them on track to eventually being purged from the voter rolls. The Indiana Secretary of State’s office justifies the move as identifying “outdated and inaccurate voter registration information to help counties improve the accuracy and integrity of Indiana’s voter registration…
