GOP States Enact Nearly Triple the Number of Election Bills Than Democrat States

Election workers prepare mail-in ballots for scanning at the Lancaster County Government Center in Lancaster, Pa., on April 23, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

States enacted fewer election-related bills this year, with Republican trifecta states adopting new election laws at almost three times the pace compared to Democrat counterparts.

As of April 26, U.S. lawmakers from 31 states have adopted 175 new election-related laws this year, according to an April 30 report by Ballotpedia.

This is lower than the 207 bills approved by 33 states last year during the same period but higher than 2022’s 102 bills.

So far this year, Republicans have sponsored 87 and Democrats 30. This continues the trend from 2023 and 2022, when more Republican-sponsored bills were enacted. Thirty-five bills had bipartisan sponsorship, and 23 were introduced without partisan sponsorship.

Lawmakers from 14 states with Republican trifectas—where the party holds the governor’s office and both houses of the legislature— have enacted 94 election-related bills this year, down from 142 in 2023.

Twelve states with Democratic trifectas have approved 35 bills, up from 34 last year. Five states with divided governments adopted 46 new laws, up from 31.

Ballotpedia found 2,865 election-related bills that were active in state legislatures. Municipal election procedures (298 bills) were found to be the most common topic among active bills. This was followed by voter registration (273), ballot access for candidates (221), and in-person voting and polling places (195).

The report highlighted three noteworthy issues that are the focus of election bills—ranked-choice voting (RCV),  private funding of election administration, and signature verification laws.

Arizona, Indiana, and Wisconsin already prohibit using private funding to administer elections. These states are now advancing bills that would add more restrictions to the existing bans.

Three states—Arizona, Indiana, and Washington—have enacted new laws that establish or add to signature verification procedures for ballots.

Meanwhile, bills prohibiting ranked-choice voting were progressing in Republican-controlled legislatures. Kentucky banned RCV after its legislature overrode a veto of HB44, becoming the sixth state to adopt such a policy.

Oklahoma’s legislators passed a similar proposal in HB3156, which is awaiting Republican Gov. J. Kevin Stitt’s signature. Bills banning RCV have been passed in at least one chamber in six more states, five of which have Republican trifectas.

Out of the total number of bills enacted this year, states with Republican trifectas accounted for 55.1 percent, those with Democratic trifectas 20.3 percent, and states with a divided government 24.7 percent.

There have been 77 election bills that have passed both chambers but require action from the governor, out of which 52 are in Republican trifecta states.

Trump Backs Citizenship Requirement

One of the election integrity bills introduced by Republicans this year is backed by former President Donald Trump.

The bill was announced by President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) during an April 12 press conference at the Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

“What we’re going to do is introduce legislation to require that every single person who registers to vote in a federal election must prove that they are an American citizen first,” Mr. Johnson said. Noncitizens would be removed from voter rolls.

“Congress has this responsibility. We cannot wait for widespread fraud to occur … especially when the threat of fraud is growing with every single illegal immigrant that crosses that border,” the House speaker stated.

He expects the bill to receive widespread support from Republicans and force Democrats to declare publicly where they stand on the issue.

In Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed bill SB 1 last month, which introduces stringent rules against ballot harvesting.

Anyone who knowingly receives payment or gifts for handling another individual’s absentee ballot could be convicted of a Class C felony and end up in prison for up to 10 years. A person who pays a third party to pre-fill or handle absentee ballot applications could face up to 20 years in prison.

“Here in Alabama, we are committed to ensuring our elections are free and fair,” Ms. Ivey said in a statement. “Under my watch, there will be no funny business in Alabama elections.”

In February, the Wisconsin assembly passed a bill requiring political groups and candidates to reveal whether they used content generated via artificial intelligence in their communication materials and ads. Those who fail to comply face a $1,000 penalty per violation.

Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Dist. 98), the bill’s sponsor, called the measure “an important first step to provide clarity to voters that protects the integrity of our elections,” adding that it allows people to “determine fact from fiction.”

“It used to be that we could trust what we see with our eyes and believe what we heard with our ears, but that’s no longer the case. With artificial intelligence, it’s getting harder and harder to know what is true,” he said.

AI can be scary, “especially when you think of the possibilities when it comes to misinformation and misleading people, especially in things as important as elections.”

While Republican states are pushing bills strengthening election integrity, some Democrat states like California are doing the opposite.

In February, California Sen. Dave Min (D-Dist. 37) introduced Senate Bill 1174, which prohibits local governments from enacting or enforcing rules that require voters to show identification proof at polling stations.