NEW: Voting rights are on the ballot today in three key states: Virginia, New York, & Pennsylvania. My new story looks at the key ballot measures, legislative & governor elections, & judicial elections that could reshape voting rights [thread 1/9] dailykos.com/stories/2021/1…
Virginia Dems have passed dozens of voting reforms since taking power in 2019 for the first time in decades, passing automatic & same-day voter registration, an Election Day holiday, & much more. But that progress is threatened if the GOP wins today
https://twitter.com/DKElections/status/1378390067928961026?s=20
VA's last 2 Dem governors used executive orders to end lifetime felony disenfranchisement, leaving only those in prison unable to vote. But if Glenn Youngkin (R) wins, he could restore a racist Jim Crow remnant that until 2016 had banned 1 in 5 Black voters, 5x the rate of whites
Virginia Dems passed a constitutional amendment this year to permanently end felony disenfranchisement for everyone not in prison, but it would have to pass again after 2021 & win a voter referendum. If the GOP flips the state House, they'll likely block it & other voting reforms
Virginia is 1 of just 2 states alongside SC where legislators elect state Supreme Court justices, & the party that wins the state House today may determine whether 1 conservative & 1 liberal justice each remain on the bench. VA's court is very important for redistricting too
New York is voting on 3 constitutional amendments:
Prop 1: Redistricting reform (more on that next)
Prop 3: Allow same-day voter registration
Prop 4: Allow no-excuse absentee voting
Like VA, NY Dems have passed a ton of laws making voting easier since 2019
dailykos.com/stories/2019/1…
Prop 1: Redistricting reform (more on that next)
Prop 3: Allow same-day voter registration
Prop 4: Allow no-excuse absentee voting
Like VA, NY Dems have passed a ton of laws making voting easier since 2019
dailykos.com/stories/2019/1…
Experts disagree on whether NY's badly drafted 2014 amendment requires 2/3 or 50%+1 for Dem lawmakers to override the bipartisan redistricting commission. Dems' convoluted 2021 Proposal 1 would lower it to 60% if not 50%+1—but it may not matter since they have 2/3 majority anyway
New York Dems' redistricting amendment Prop 1 would also implement several nonpartisan reforms by:
Banning prison gerrymandering;
Freezing the state Senate at 63 seats;
Limiting how Senate districts can split cities; & Authorizing a state-run census if the federal one is tainted
Banning prison gerrymandering;
Freezing the state Senate at 63 seats;
Limiting how Senate districts can split cities; & Authorizing a state-run census if the federal one is tainted
Lastly, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court has been a key bulwark against GOP gerrymandering, striking down the GOP's congressional gerrymander in 2018 & drawing a fairer map, & they protected voting access amid the pandemic. Dems could grow their 5-2 majority to 6-1 if they win today
https://twitter.com/DKElections/status/1453000951695089672
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