Voting laws in the United States
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Election law encompasses a wide array of issues, including voter registration, ballot access, early voting, absentee/mail-in voting, and voter identification requirements. The laws governing the administration of elections can vary significantly from state to state and even between jurisdictions within states.
This page contains information on the following topics:
For more information about election legislation, visit Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Federal election laws
Voting Rights Act
- See also: Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a federal law that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. The act was passed in 1965 with the intent of enforcing the Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The act contains provisions that prohibit state and local governments from passing voting laws that result in discrimination against a racial group, such as enacting literacy tests and other devices that have historically been used to disenfranchise racial minorities.[1][2]
In addition to the general provisions that apply nationally, the act also contains special provisions, such as Section 5, that apply only to specific jurisdictions. Section 5 prohibits certain districts from implementing any change in voting law without prior approval from the United States Attorney General or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Shelby County v. Holder, a 2013 United States Supreme Court case, struck down the coverage formula used to determine which jurisdictions were subject to Section 5 as unconstitutional, rendering Section 5 unenforceable.[1][3]
Help American Vote Act (HAVA)
- See also: Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) is a federal election law. The act, which was approved by the 107th United States Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002, created the Election Assistance Commission, provided for the replacement of outmoded voting equipment, and established new minimum administration standards for federal elections. The law was written, in substantial part, as a response to the controversy surrounding the contentious presidential election of 2000.[4]
The Help America Vote Act appropriated federal funds to be disbursed to the states for the purpose of updating voting equipment and election administration procedures. As of October 1, 2015, approximately $3.3 billion had been awarded under the act. The law established the Election Assistance Commission, which disburses HAVA funds to the states and assists in ensuring compliance with the law. The law also mandated that any new registrant must provide either a driver's license number or the last four digits of his or her Social Security number at the time of registration.[4]
State election laws
The table below includes links to Ballotpedia's overview pages for election laws and legislation in each state, as well as each state's official election statutes.
State-level election legislation
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments.
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language.
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
Election legislation by state
Select a state on the map below to read more about election laws and legislation in that state.
Election legislation by topic
For more information about election legislation by topics, see the links below:
- Absentee/mail-in voting legislation in the United States, 2024
- Early voting legislation in the United States, 2024
- Electoral systems legislation in the United States, 2024
- Felon voting rights legislation in the United States, 2024
- Legislation governing private funding for election administration in the United States, 2024
- Primary systems legislation in the United States, 2024
- Redistricting legislation in the United States, 2024
- Voter identification legislation in the United States, 2024
See also
- Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
- Ballotpedia's The Ballot Bulletin
- Voting Rights Act
- Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 OurDocuments.gov, "Transcript of Voting Rights Act (1965)," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ History.com, "Voting Rights Act," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ SupremeCourt.gov, "Shelby County Alabama v. Holder, Attorney General, et al.," accessed July 21, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moritz College of Law–The Ohio State University, "The Help America Vote Act: An Overview," accessed July 7, 2016
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