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.
This year, lawmakers have enacted restrictive voting legislation at almost the same pace as election interference legislation. Restrictive legislation makes it harder for eligible Americans to cast their ballots. Election interference legislation allows for partisan interference with the elections process, including meddling with the partisan makeup of county boards of elections, criminalizing election officials for ordinary conduct, or directing new resources to pursing election crimes. These bills stand to not only harm existing election administration, but they also undermine voters’ faith in the security of elections.
In 2022, at least seven states enacted 10 laws that make voting more difficult – of these, 5 laws in five states are in place for the midterms. Overall, at least 405 restrictive voting bills have been proposed in 39 state legislatures.
Also this year, at least seven states have enacted election interference laws that are in place for the midterms. Overall, at least 151 election interference bills have been introduced in 27 states.
During the same timeframe, pro-voter legislators have pushed back, seeking to expand access to the vote and build on the momentum that led to the biggest voter turnout in over a century in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Twelve states have enacted laws expanding the right to vote. Overall, at least 628 bills with expansive provisions have been proposed in 44 state legislatures and Washington, DC.
