Early Voting

Record Voter Turnout on First Day of Early Voting in Texas

Election Law Society · January 16, 2017 ·

By: Justin D. Davenport

Early voting started enthusiastically in Texas on Monday, October 24, 2016. Several counties—including Travis, Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, and Hidalgo counties—broke first-day voting records. Most counties saw a marked increase from opening day of early voting in 2012. While some counties have had more modest increases of fifteen (Bexar) or thirty (Tarrant) percent, several counties nearly doubled turnout for the first day of early voting in Texas. Although a seeming paradox in a state with consistently low voter turnout, Texans are showing up early to vote in record numbers, and the Lone Star State has a long history of early voting laws to accommodate citizens who want to cast their ballots before election day.

Early Voting: Welcome to Massachusetts

Election Law Society · October 27, 2016 ·

By: John Jongbloed

This year’s election cycle will be the first in which Massachusetts citizens are permitted to participate in early voting in state elections. This recent development in Massachusetts’ election law is accompanied by several other changes and results from the enactment of An Act Relative to Election Laws, 2014 (HB 3788). More specifically, the reform bill provides for early voting in biennial state elections between eleven and two days before election day.

Vilified and Disenfranchised: Indiana’s New Law Blocks Sex Offenders from Common Polling Place

Election Law Society · November 30, 2015 ·

By: Jacob Kipp

The public’s sentiment toward sex offenders has long been overwhelmingly negative, fueling an ever-increasing number of legal restrictions. Perhaps the most reviled of all offenders are child molesters, which have been the target of national registration programs (though such registries are often over-inclusive). Those registries are widely used to restrict sex offenders from being anywhere near schools, parks, or youth centers. But what happens when sex offenders want to exercise their right to vote and are not allowed into their polling place because it happens to be a school?

Voting Laws Are Disabling The Disabled: Easy Nationwide Fixes To Re-Enfranchise Voters With Disabilities

Election Law Society · March 19, 2015 ·

By August Johannsen

Laws affecting voter participation are a current hot topic in the news. Voter identification, early voting, or redistricting laws are all working their way through the legal system almost certainly on their way to the Supreme Court (if they have not reached the high court already). There are mixed opinions on what these laws do. Supporters insist that the laws protect the integrity of elections by preventing voter fraud. Opponents vehemently argue that the laws are simply pretense for stopping poor and minority voters from exercising their rights at the polls. However, one group of minority voters, voters with disabilities, are severely impacted by election administration laws regarding the accessibility of elections. Their story has been largely ignored in the sound-byte thrusts and parries of the politicos and pundits. [Read more…] about Voting Laws Are Disabling The Disabled: Easy Nationwide Fixes To Re-Enfranchise Voters With Disabilities

Voting Before Election Day

Election Law Society · February 1, 2015 ·

By Jonathan Gonzalez

William & Mary Election Law Society students Carrie Mattingly, class of 2017, and Shana Oppenheim, class of 2016, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters of Virginia Education Fund, released a report in January on the benefits and challenges of implementing early voting in Virginia. The paper analyzes the current state of Virginia’s electoral infrastructure and makes recommendations based on the success of early voting in other states. Early voting in Virginia could alleviate congestion at polling places on election day, increase turnout, and trim the state’s budget while providing a convenience for all Virginians. The report is featured on electionlineWeekly http://www.electionline.org/index.php/electionline-weekly?showall=&start=2 and the full text can be found at http://www.lwv-va.org/files/pavp_2015_22_01_earlyvoting_williamandmary.pdf

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