Press Releases
Voter Registration Drives
Brennan Center Submits Testimony Challenging Florida’s Restrictive Election Law
The Brennan Center for Justice submitted written testimony in advance of today’s U.S. Senate hearing examining Florida’s new election law, H.B. 1355, stating that the law’s onerous restrictions on community-based voter registration drives are unconstitutional and offering solutions for modernizing the state’s voter registration system.
– 01/27/12
League of Women Voters, Rock the Vote, & Florida PIRG Ask Court to Block Voter Reg. Restrictions
The Brennan Center is representing three nonpartisan groups mounting a constitutional challenge to Florida's onerous new restrictions on community-based voter registration drives.
– 12/15/11
Civil Rights Groups Join Florida Voting Lawsuit, Will Defend Voting Rights Act
Yesterday, a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the National Council of La Raza and the League of Women Voters of Florida can intervene as defendants in a legal action over Florida’s new voting law, H.B. 1355, best known for its new, extreme restrictions on volunteer voter registration drives.
– 10/20/11
Study: New Voting Restrictions May Affect More than Five Million
New voting laws could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012, according to the first comprehensive study of the laws’ impact.
– 10/03/11
National Council of La Raza, LWV of Florida File in Court to Stop Anti-Voter Restrictions in Florida
Today, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and the League of Women Voters of Florida, organizations that work to encourage and promote civic engagement among Florida voters filed an intervention motion in federal court in Washington, D.C. to oppose controversial new restrictions on voting and voter registration imposed by a new Florida law, known as H.B. 1355.
– 09/09/11
Information Ahead of Senate Hearing on State Voting Legislation Threatening Voting Rights in 2011
Ahead of Sen. Durbin’s hearing today on new state voting laws and possible threats to voting rights and voter turnout nationwide, the Brennan Center provides background information to help put the hearing in context, including a summary of the legislation passed so far, and useful links to deeper analysis.
– 09/08/11
Civic Groups Write Justice Department, Urge Rejection of Florida Law Raising Roadblocks to Voting
The League of Women Voters of Florida, the Brennan Center for Justice, Democracia USA, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law today wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice urging the Department to exercise its authority under the Voting Rights Act to deny preclearance to discriminatory provisions of Florida’s omnibus 2011 election law, H.B. 1355, which will make it harder for Floridians to vote.
Authored by: Andrew Goldston, 646-292-8372
– 07/15/11
Civil Rights Organizations Request Halt on Implementing New Election Law
On behalf of a coalition of civil rights organizations and civic groups that assist with new voter registration, the Brennan Center for Justice sent a letter to Florida’s Secretary of State, requesting that Florida hold off on the premature implementation of the state’s newly-passed election law changes. The letter argues that immediate implementation of the new law would be unlawful under Florida statute and longstanding policy, as it would set up two sets of election rules for different parts of the state.
– 06/03/11
Brennan Center Applauds Ohio’s Bipartisan Election Reform WorkGroup
New York - Earlier this week, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner issued a final report to the House of Representatives regarding HB 260, introduced in August by Representatives Dan Stewart and Tracy Maxwell Heard.
– 09/24/09
New Ohio Election Bill Draws on Bipartisan Summit and Conference for Reforms to Ohio Election Law
Secretary Jennifer Brunner, Representatives Dan Stewart and Tracy Maxwell Heard introduced the Ohio Election Enhancements Bill. Drawn from the historic 2008 and 2009 election summits called by Secretary Brunner and chaired by the Brennan Center’s Lawrence Norden, the bill offers many reforms for Ohio’s Election System.
– 08/04/09