ALBUQUERQUE, N. M. – One expert in New Mexico doesn't think including a question about citizenship on the 2020 U.S. Census will affect the results nearly as much as critics claim.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has called inclusion of the citizenship question "untimely, unnecessary and untested." But Lonna Rae Atkeson, director of the Center for the Study of Voting, Elections, and Democracy at the University of New Mexico, says people who are skeptical of the government's motives may already be unresponsive to inquiries about their households.

"There could be a small decline, and I think it's likely there would be a very small decline,” says Atkeson. “But those people who are already afraid to talk to the government? They're not going to respond anyway, whether that question is on there or not. If you have that distrust, you're not going to participate."

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the question is necessary to provide accurate citizenship data to the Justice Department.

The census has about a 70 percent response rate, and most immigrants live in states that did not support President Donald Trump. Some Democrats warn that an inaccurate census count could unfairly affect the reapportionment process that determines who controls the House of Representatives in the decade that follows the census.

Atkeson notes the census has always been a tool for the controlling political party.

"We can look back and see this politicization of the census, whoever is the out-party. And I mean some of it is real alarm, but some of it is also this politicization," she says.

The question about U.S. citizenship hasn't been included on the census since 1950.

Atkeson says even if people choose not to participate, the Census Bureau sends out workers to follow up.

"They physically send people out to those households, they knock on their doors and they ask them those questions,” she says. “And if those people still won't answer those questions, then they actually go to their neighbor and they ask those questions."

New Mexico is one of twelve states that has signaled its intention to sue the Trump administration over including a citizenship question.


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ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- There is no federal or statewide race this fall, but Iowa voters in many cities will still head to the polls for municipal and school elections.

County auditors hope they are informed about sweeping changes the state adopted this year dealing with voting.

In March, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill, which, among other things, reduces the early voting period from 29 days down to 20. And, with a few exceptions, mail-in ballots will no longer be accepted after Election Day. They have to arrive by the time polls close that day.

Ryan Dokter, auditor of Sioux County, said without the typical barrage of campaign messaging, voters might not be aware of the changes.

"City [and] school elections tend to be a little bit lower turnout, unless there's something that really gets people excited to be voting," Dokter observed. "These kind of sneak up on people a little bit, so we're trying to get the word out as best we can."

Supporters of the GOP-backed law claimed it restored public faith in the election system, but opponents argued it will suppress votes. The law is being challenged in court by the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa.

Dokter is also president of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors. He noted after the law was passed, there were special elections in a few locations, but added this is the first big test auditors will face since the controversial changes took place.

"We've had some training on that from the Secretary of State's office," pointed out. "On the back end of things for county auditors and their staff, there's a lot more changes than meets the eye for voters."

He feels local election offices will be prepared to serve voters this fall.

Under the law, auditors can no longer designate special sites for early voting. It can only happen if enough voters sign a petition. Another provision enacts tougher penalties, including a felony, for auditors who aren't in full compliance with the statute.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvanians will vote this November to elect judges in the state's three appellate courts, and a virtual candidate forum next week will allow voters to get to know those running for the Commonwealth, Superior, and Supreme Court positions who will make influential decisions.

Two seats are up for grabs in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court, and one each in its Superior and Supreme courts. Pennsylvania differs from some states in that it votes for judges in partisan elections, rather than by merit selection.

Debbie Gross, CEO of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, said it limits the information voters can gather from candidates as they are expected to remain impartial in light of issues that could arise on the bench.

"You can't ask them how they feel on a controversial topic because all these types of cases could potentially reach the court, even a decision over the pandemic and the masks," Gross explained. "You can't ask a judge any of these questions when these are real cases that they may be deciding in the near future."

You can register online to join the candidate forum at 7:00 p.m. next Monday, Sep. 20. The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania for the Nov. 2 election is Oct. 18.

In off-year elections, Pennsylvania often sees low voter turnout. During the May 2021 primary, participation was sparse, compared with the record-breaking 70% of the state's eligible population who voted during the 2020 presidential election.

Meghan Pierce, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, said it's important for residents to be civically engaged since the elected judges could play a big role in issues such as redistricting in the future.

"I think what a lot of voters don't realize is, is how much responsibility judges really carry, and how decisions that they make really affect all aspects of their lives," Pierce pointed out. "Judges are also elected for a really long time. So, it's really important to do your research on the candidates. Who we elect in November really matters in the long term."

The forum will be moderated by attorney Maureen McBride, a co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Appellate Advocacy Committee.

CROSBY, N.D. -- North Dakota's county auditors are busy this fall preparing property tax bills, but they also have elections in the back of their minds, and some wonder if the challenges they faced in 2020 will resurface next spring.

The 2020 vote saw North Dakota shift to all mail-in voting for last year's primary due to the pandemic. Offices also reported a harder time recruiting poll workers because of health risks tied to COVID.

Gayle Jastrzebski, auditor and treasurer of Divide County, said amid another COVID wave, it is unclear how much the crisis will impact voting for next June's primary. She noted even though there was a slight return to normal last November, a lot of ballots were still mailed in.

"Even in the fall, when we had the one precinct open, three-fourths of our voters voted by mail-in, still," Jastrzebski pointed out.

She now wonders about preparing again for strong demand for absentee ballots. In last year's primary, the Secretary of State waived a requirement for counties to keep at least one polling location open, with all 53 adopting the mail-in approach. The office said it does not anticipate a similar move next spring.

Meanwhile, Jastrzebski acknowledged older poll workers might opt to sit out the June primary if case levels remain high.

Debbie Nelson, auditor of Grand Forks County, said getting enough people to work at polling locations remains a concern, especially if the pandemic stretches well into 2022. She emphasized it is not just hard on administrators. It could also discourage some people from casting their ballot if staffs are overwhelmed.

"(If) people have to wait in line too long, they will not vote," Nelson observed. "So, we want to make sure we do not have long lines. "

Past research from the Brennan Center for Justice has found that long lines can have an impact on voter turnout.

Nelson stressed fortunately for her, she was able to address poll-worker shortages in 2020 through a national website, which helps with recruitment in each state. She hopes it can be effective next year as well.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.