Last week the state legislature passed a package of election reform bills that includes early processing of absentee ballots, requires all indefinitely confined voters to provide identification, prohibits election officials curing ballots, implements text message notification when an absentee ballot is requested and returned, implements additional checks to prevent non-citizens from voting, and protects the integrity of ballots cast those in assisted-living facilities. Three election reform constitutional amendments were also passed which will be on a future statewide ballot.
Election integrity is critical. Legislators supporting these bills say they are “common-sense” reforms. Now we wait to see what the governor says. The constitutional amendments bypass the governor. Some could be voted on as soon as this coming April, which would impact the twenty-twenty-four elections.
