As of Tuesday, Iowans can begin requesting absentee ballots for the upcoming midterm elections, and as the process takes shape, advocates for people with disabilities hope the state is done enacting voting restrictions.

In 2021, the state adopted a series of election policy changes, including reducing the early voting period and limiting who can help deliver an absentee ballot.

Brooke Lovelace, executive director of the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council, said the new restrictions are on top of barriers disabled voters routinely face.

"Transportation to the voting places is always an issue, and sometimes the voting places still are not accessible," Lovelace pointed out. "The poll workers may not be completely trained on how to best support a person with a disability."

Lovelace emphasized they want state lawmakers to realize this ahead of next year's legislative session. Earlier this year, Republicans wanted to add more restrictions, including a specific identification requirement for absentee ballots. The measures did not pass, but some are worried they will be floated again.

GOP supporters of the changes said it is a matter of election integrity. Such arguments are made despite election authorities noting instances of fraud are rare.

Lovelace noted the best way to improve the process is by boosting access, especially for overlooked populations.

"Everybody has a right to have their voices heard at the polls, and that includes people with disabilities," Lovelace argued. "There's lots of decisions that are made for people with disabilities without them being at the table, and their voting rights is something that they still have control over, and should."

In the 2020 election, nearly 62% of people with disabilities around the U.S. voted, up from 56% in 2016, and Lovelace added they do not want to hinder the progress.

The Council is pooling resources to educate individuals about the changes, and grants are available for self-advocates to train others how to vote.

A federal judge has blocked a 2022 Arizona law that voting-rights advocates say would have made it harder for some Native Americans to vote.

House Bill 2492 required that all registered voters provide proof of a physical address to cast a ballot. But the Native American Rights Fund contends more than 40,000 homes located on reservations do not have a physical address.

Allison Neswood, staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, is pleased with the decision, which ensures that citizens living in tribal communities can vote.

"Wanting to make sure that a new law that's sort of targeting the specific structural issues that Native Americans face was really important, I think, for the tribes who participated in the case, and who brought the issue forward and wanted to make sure that these addressing issues didn't get lost," she contended.

Neswood explained the judge's ruling means the bill's addressing requirement must be liberally interpreted so that no one is required to have a standard street address in order to vote. This also means a voter's identity can be verified at the polling place using an Arizona-issued ID that lists a P.O. box or any tribal identification document.

Neswood argued cases like this show tribal members care a lot about being able to exercise their voting rights - and will defend those rights when threatened. She added Native Americans across the country face what she calls "overlapping barriers," which can make civic engagement more challenging in these communities.

"These systemic issues stacked on top of each other make it harder for Native Americans to access the ballot," she continued. "And then, of course, just because of the historical treatment of Native American people, we have higher rates of poverty, higher rates of homelessness, which just increases the challenges of navigating all of those barriers."

She added using addresses in voter registration and election processes already make it hard for Native Americans to participate in elections, even without the new law. Last year, then-Gov. Doug Ducey signed the law, citing efforts to instill election integrity and prohibit attempts to vote illegally.

This coming Saturday, North Dakotans will get a chance to see how election workers go to great lengths to ensure a safe and secure voting process. Those hosting a film screening say the timing is crucial given the current political environment.

The League of Women Voters is offering a free viewing of the documentary "No Time to Fail" in Bismarck - and virtually, too.

The film provides a behind-the-scenes look at election staff in Rhode Island, at the height of the pandemic during the 2020 vote.

Kathy Tweeten is president of the League's Bismarck-Mandan chapter. She said she thinks the project dispels misinformation still being floated out there, such as electronic machines compromising elections.

"It's a paper ballot that's put in the machine," said Tweeten, "which counts the votes, and it's still available for auditing after Election Day and all the ballots have been cast."

There's an effort to get a ballot question before North Dakota voters, asking to overhaul election policies, such as banning the machines.

And the League recently took legal action to block a lawsuit seeking to limit the counting of mail-in ballots. Those behind such efforts often cite the need to bolster election integrity.

Meanwhile, the screening begins at 1 p.m. in the North Dakota Heritage Center. It also will be shown online at that time.

Nationwide, analysts say the fallout from the 2020 election has fueled more hateful rhetoric toward election workers, making recruitment harder. Tweeten said she hopes the film inspires more people to take on these roles.

"It's not an easy job but it's a very rewarding one," said Tweeten. "And I hope more people will take the opportunity to work at the polls or at least become an observer, so you know what's going on."

She reinforced what other election experts have noted: These workers are part of the communities they serve, and they receive training before helping out at a polling site.

After Saturday's film screening, there will be a panel discussion including election staff and the McKenzie County Auditor.

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




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It's Hispanic Heritage Month, and one Nevada organization wants Latinos to realize the power they can have when they are more politically engaged. The U.S. Census Bureau says Hispanics and Latinos make up over 30% of the state's population.

With the group Battle Born Progress, Latino Anti-Disinformation Manager Maite Guerra said politicians are already campaigning around this fact for the next elections.

Guerra added that the Nevada Hispanic population is hungry for reputable information and resources, especially in their native Spanish. So, Battle Born Progress is now working on an information hub for Spanish speakers across the Silver State.

"While it's not up yet, it is something we are planning to do," said Guerra. "Something else that we are doing is fact checking a lot of right-wing politicians - so, just making sure that what is being said in the political sphere is accurate, and not targeting our community."

Guerra said having accurate, accessible information is critical.

The Latino research organization Equis released a report exploring 2022 voting trends and how those portend for 2024.

It found Latino voters who see the economy as their top issue voted overwhelmingly Republican, but at lower than expected rates.

Those who prioritize abortion access were a smaller group and voted Democrat - but at higher than predicted rates.

Guerra said one of her organization's partners, Make the Road Nevada, will hold an immigrant career summit this month to help empower the Latino community.

Topics will include everything from how to get a business license to becoming familiar with the citizenship solicitation process.

"I think a lot of people maybe don't know how to take that step on how to become a citizen," said Guerra. "Being able to provide those resources is really important, and I think overall builds engagement towards our community, because I think it shows that we care."

Guerra encouraged Nevadans to enjoy the Hispanic Heritage Month events happening around the state - but to also not forget that learning more about their local issues and politics will be helpful year-round.