GOP States Moving Fast to Disenfranchise Voters for the 2022 Mid-Terms

The 2021 legislative sessions have begun in most states, and state lawmakers have introduced hundreds of bills aimed at election procedures and voter access — vastly exceeding the number of voting bills introduced by roughly this time last year.

In a backlash to historic voter turnout in the 2020 general election, and grounded in a rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities, legislators have introduced well over four times the number of bills to restrict voting access as compared to roughly this time last year. Thirty-three states have introduced, pre-filed, or carried over 165 restrictive bills this year (as compared to 35 such bills in fifteen states this time last year.  Arizona leads the nation in proposed voter suppression legislation in 2021, with 19 restrictive bills. Pennsylvania comes in second with 14 restrictive policy proposals, followed by Georgia (11 bills), and New Hampshire (10 bills).

Nearly half of restrictive bills introduced this year seek to limit mail voting. Legislators are taking aim at mail voting at every stage, with proposals to circumscribe who can vote by mail, make it harder to obtain mail ballots, and impose hurdles to complete and cast mail ballots.  In addition to restrictions targeting voters, other bills have proposed limits on ballot counting, including more burdensome signature matching requirements, and earlier submission and postmark deadlines in order for votes to count. 

Legislators in eighteen states have introduced 40 bills to impose new or more stringent voter ID requirements for in-person or mail voting.  Many of these states are also trying to slash voter registration opportunities, making it harder to register, restrict who can register, outlawing same day and/or voting day registration, and eliminating automatic voter registration.  Twelve states have introduced 21 different bills that would expand voter roll purges or adopt flawed practices that would risk improper purges.

The Brennan Center for Justice maintains a comprehensive listing of restrictive and expansive state voting legislation by bill number.  You can find the most up-to-date number of voting bills here.