Several times a year, the Brennan Center publishes roundups of state voting legislation around the country. Since the 2020 election, this legislation has taken on new importance in state legislatures, with lawmakers aggressively attempting to limit voting access and roll back gains in turnout.
Thus far in 2023, lawmakers have passed at least 13 restrictive laws in 11 states. Overall, at least 323 restrictive bills have been introduced in 45 states. Restrictive legislation makes it harder for eligible Americans to cast their ballots.
Last year, the Brennan Center also began tracking another category of legislation that subverts democracy: election interference legislation. These measures allow for partisan interference in the election process, including directing new resources to pursuing the prosecution of election officials for ordinary conduct, establishing biased election review processes, or prohibiting the use of machines to count ballots for any election. These bills stand to not only harm existing election administration, but they also undermine voters’ faith in the security of elections. Thus far, at least 4 states have passed 5 election interferences laws. Overall, at least 78 election interference bills have been introduced in 20 states.
During the same time frame, pro-voter legislators have pushed back, seeking to expand access to the vote. Expansive laws outpace the number of restrictive laws passed. At least 13 states passed 19 expansive laws. Overall, at least 569 expansive voting bills have been introduced in 49 states.
