Photo: File:2013 Cambridge Massachusetts November 5th; public domain
With many elections decided today by fewer than 1% of votes, election integrity has become more important than ever. Republican state legislatures should be taking decisive action to end opportunities for election fraud. So far this year there have been both bright spots and troublesome meddling when it comes to election integrity across the states.
Wyoming leads the way this year with HB 156 becoming law to ensure that voters have presented proof of their American citizenship and residency before casting a ballot. Wyoming’s Republican Gov. Mark Gordon feebly declined to add his signature to the legislation, which became law regardless.
Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is exactly in line with one of Trump’s early executive orders. Kansas and Arizona had previously enacted similar laws, but those have been blocked or tied up in court ever since. Wyoming would be wise to prepare evidence of election fraud in court when its new law is inevitably challenged.
On the downside, however, a liberal federal judge in Texas tossed out an election integrity law this spring that was originally enacted in 2021. Its aim was to reduce fraud in connection with mail-in ballots. Voters over 65 (which is a substantial percentage of the voting public) and those with disabilities are allowed to cast their votes by mail in Texas without giving a reason, but the Texas legislature added a requirement that voters include an ID number to ensure that ballots are legitimately mailed in by the person listed on it. This good law also required anyone assisting the voter to sign an oath under penalty of perjury to ensure its integrity.
In states with Republican trifectas (where Republicans control both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office), a total of 66 election-related laws have been enacted so far. Nearly three times that many have been working their way through state legislatures this spring.
This is the year to enhance voting security. With support from the federal level and a pivotal midterm election looming, states should have few priorities before securing their elections.
This post originally appeared at https://phyllisschlafly.com/liberalism-and-conservatism/elections/election-integrity-gains-at-state-level-2/
Phyllis Schlafly 