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State of Election Administration Legislation 2025 Year-End Report: State action
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Past reports |
Absentee/mail-in voting • Early voting • Electoral systems • Voting rights for convicted felons • Private funding • Primary systems • Redistricting • Voter identification |
December 16, 2025
By Ballotpedia staff
State action
Republican trifectas
Arkansas
Arkansas has adopted 64 bills and resolutions related to elections, the most of any state. Included among these are nine bills Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) signed changing parts of the ballot initiative process:
- SB 102, which applies state initiative requirements to local petitions, including requiring background checks, requiring paid canvassers to be United States citizens, and prohibiting pay-per-signature for local option election petitions.
- HB 1221 provides that signatures and ballot language certified for an initiative or referendum petition expire on the date of the next general election.
- HB 1222 allows the state attorney general to reject proposed initiatives if they find that the proposal is in conflict with the U.S. Constitution or federal laws. It also prohibits sponsors from filing conflicting or duplicate measures.
- SB 207 requires canvassers to notify petition signers that petition fraud is a criminal offense and makes failure to notify a Class A misdemeanor.
- SB 208 requires a signer to present a photo ID to a canvasser prior to signing an initiative petition.
- SB 211 requires each canvasser to submit a sworn affidavit to the secretary of state certifying that they complied with all laws related to canvassing, perjury, forgery, and fraudulent practices in signature gathering before counting signatures collected by the canvasser.
- SB 188, SB 209, and SB 210 all became law on March 12. In order, the bills add new publication requirements for approved initiative petitions; expand the secretary of state’s discretion to reject signatures if they find that a canvasser has not complied with state law; and require a petition signer to read the title of the petition in the presence of the canvasser, and canvassers to swear in an affidavit that each signer read the ballot title of the petition.
Besides SB 188, which passed unanimously, only one other bill—SB 102—received some support from Democrats. The remaining seven bills advanced largely along party lines.
State Sen. Kim Hammer (R), who was a sponsor of all but two of the bills, said, “I think what we’ve done is we’ve brought some clarity to some gray areas.” On March 11, the League of Women Voters filed a proposed ballot question with the secretary of state that aims to roll back many of the changes to the initiative process. Bonnie Miller, president of the organization’s Arkansas chapter, said, “We believe filing this amendment is prudent because politicians have continually attacked Arkansans’ constitutional right to petition our government.” Read more about legislation related to ballot access above.
Huckabee Sanders also signed into law legislation that:
- Bans the use of ranked-choice voting (read more above),
- Prohibits the pre-filing of any information on voter registration forms, and,
- Prohibits foreign nationals from donating directly or indirectly to ballot measure committees and requires these committees to affirm in campaign finance reports that they have not knowingly received contributions or expenditures from prohibited sources.
- Moves the state’s regular primary to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March, the same date that it already holds presidential preference primaries, and establishes uniform election dates for school board elections as the state primary election date in even-numbered years and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March in odd-numbered years.
Click here to see all new election laws in Arkansas.
Louisiana
Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed two bills moving back Louisiana’s 2026 primary elections. Previously, the spring municipal and party primaries were scheduled for April 18, 2026, with the municipal general election and party primary runoff scheduled for May 30, 2026. Under Senate Bill 1, the primaries will now occur on May 16, 2026, with the municipal general election and party primary runoff scheduled for June 27, 2026. Senate Bill 2 moved five statewide ballot measure elections to May 16.
The move would give lawmakers more time to potentially redraw the state’s congressional maps if the U.S. Supreme Court rules in the state’s favor in Louisiana v. Callais. That case challenges the state’s current congressional districts, while the state of Louisiana has asked the court to rule Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as unconstitutional.
Landry signed 18 other pieces of election-related legislation in 2025. Those bills include:
- HB 420, which ends the state’s recognition of the Independent Party and prohibits future party names from including the word “independent.” The bill also requires that any voters registered with the Independent Party have their registration changed to “No Party” and requires that the same thing occur for any future parties that are dissolved. Finally, the bill changes the requirements for being a recognized political party.
- HB 323, allowing school boards and municipalities to hold elections alongside the fall gubernatorial election cycle, rather than the congressional election cycle, starting in 2031.
- HB 693, which changes several existing campaign finance rules, including expanding the definition of political committees, creating new parameters for what campaign funds can be spent on, and raising financial reporting thresholds, among other changes. It also prohibits foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making or promising to make contributions in connection with a ballot measure, the recall of a public officer, or any political committee.
- HB 405, requiring the Secretary of State to publish information on all Election Code changes passed by the legislature, including links to the enacted statutes.
- HB 577, which creates a procurement process for purchasing new voting machines, sets standards for potential contractors, and creates a mechanism for resolving disputes during procurement.
- SCR 35, which requires the legislative auditor to review the Department of State’s election-related policies, procedures, and practices and compare those practices with those in other states. The audit would be conducted again after the 2028 presidential election and every four years thereafter.
Landry vetoed one bill, HB 206, which would have prohibited an election official from entering into a consent decree to change election procedures without legislative approval. It also would have banned officials from entering into settlements related to redistricting.
Montana
Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed 36 bills into law, the fifth-most of any state in 2025. That includes changes to the state’s absentee ballot return process, same-day voter registration and voter ID.
On May 5, Gianforte signed HB 719, which requires applicants to provide their date of birth when registering to vote. It also mandates that electors write their date of birth on the signature envelope when voting by absentee ballot. Election officials must notify voters if they fail to provide their date of birth when returning an absentee ballot. The law was implemented for the November election.
Gianforte also approved SB 276, which requires photo IDs used for voting to be current and valid, and allows student IDs from certain Montana colleges and universities to be used to vote.
The law also eliminates an alternative process for verifying identity if a legally registered voter casts a provisional ballot but lacks the required ID. Previously, voters without a photo ID could cast a provisional ballot if they provided a form of non-photo ID, such as a current utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck, and sign a sworn statement that the voter has a reasonable impediment to meeting the ID requirements.
Gianforte signed SB 490, which requires individuals who wish to register to vote in a federal election on Election Day to do so by 12 p.m. Previously, same-day registration for federal elections was allowed up until the close of polls on Election Day. The bill also prohibits voter registration on the Monday before the election and allows it between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the Saturday before the election.
“It’s hard to do a good job when you’re grinding away on a long day from 8 a.m. until 4 a.m., or whatever hours after four o’clock, because there’s a lot of work to do whenever the polls close,” said Sen. Mike Cuffe (R), SB 490’s author. Zuri Moreno, state legislative director for the advocacy group Forward Montana, said the bill “just takes away that opportunity for working folks and young folks and rural people across the state."
Other new laws this year include:
- HB 413, which establishes that a person may not gain temporary residence in a county or the state of Montana if they relocate for temporary purposes, such as temporary work, training, or an educational program, and do not intend to reside there permanently at the conclusion of their stay.
- SB 25, which bans artificial intelligence deepfakes within 60 days of an election unless the content includes a specific AI-generated disclosure. The bill creates certain exceptions for news coverage, satire, and networks airing campaign advertisements, and allows a candidate or political party harmed by a deepfake to file a civil lawsuit to stop or prevent the violation.
- HB 818, which bans foreign nationals from contributing to or making direct or indirect expenditures on any statewide ballot issue. The bill also makes it a crime to solicit, accept, or receive contributions from a foreign national related to a statewide ballot issue.
- HB 201, which requires individuals paid to gather petition signatures to verbally disclose their name, the state they live in, and their status as a paid signature gatherer to anyone they approach about signing a petition. They must also wear a badge displaying this information.
- SB 11, which creates new policies for local ballot measures, including mandating that a petition or resolution to place a local ballot issue must embrace only one comprehensive subject and requiring signatures from at least 15% of registered voters from the last general election to force a vote.
- HB 39, which repeals a provision prohibiting political parties from making contributions to a judicial candidate.
- HB 770, which requires candidates to file campaign finance reports even if they have no contributions or expenditures to report. It also mandates that candidates who do not comply with reporting requirements be excluded from the ballot.
New Hampshire
Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed 15 Republican-sponsored bills into law including bills that expand voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements for absentee voters and mandate more frequent voter list maintenance activities. Ayotte signed three additional bills, two with bipartisan sponsorship and one with Democratic. New election laws this year include:
- SB 287 requires voters requesting an absentee ballot to include a photocopy of a valid photo identification or a notarized signature with the absentee ballot application. Voters may also present photo identification at a town clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot.
- SB 218 requires voter registration applicants using the state's absentee registration affidavit to provide a photocopy of a valid identification and documentation verifying the voter’s citizenship and residence.
- SB 221 requires certain voter list maintenance activities to occur annually instead of at least once every 10 years and lengthens the period of inactivity required before an official may cancel a voter’s registration from four to five years.
- SB 43 removes a prohibition on wearing clothing that explicitly advocates for or against any candidate, political party, or measure while actively engaged in registering to vote or voting at a polling place.
- HB 154 allows voters to request that their ballot be counted by hand.
- Bipartisan-sponsored HB 67 requires the secretary of state to provide all towns with accessible machines for voters with disabilities for local elections.
- Democratic-sponsored HB 464 prohibits candidates that appear on the ballot from participating in the vote counting process. It makes exceptions for certain candidates for local offices that may be involved in the process of counting ballots.
New Hampshire is now the third state to require voters to submit a photocopy of their identification with all absentee ballot applications made by mail, joining Alabama and Kentucky. Several other states require first-time voters requesting an absentee ballot to submit a photocopy of their ID. In Alabama, the requirement is stipulated by the secretary of state, who has the authority to set the form of the absentee ballot application under a state law passed in 2024. Alabama had a Republican trifecta and a Republican secretary of state when the provision was added. Kentucky had a divided government when its law was passed.
The new laws follow recent changes requiring voters and voter registration applicants to take more steps to prove their identity before voting. Last year, Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed HB 1569 into law, requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. That law took effect after the November general election. New Hampshire is one of seven states to pass such a law, although not all of those laws are in effect. That bill also eliminated the use of affidavit ballots that permitted voters to attest to their citizenship and residency under penalty of perjury. If challenged, a voter who used an affidavit ballot was required to provide proof of citizenship and residency within seven days of voting to have their ballot counted. Now, a voter must present valid documentation before voting or at the polling place.
Texas
Texas adopted 49 new election laws, the second most of any state. On Aug. 29, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed HB 4, creating a new congressional map for the state. On Dec. 4, after a legal challenge, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that Texas could use the map for 2026 elections. Click here to read more about redistricting in Texas.
Among the other bills Abbott signed is SB 2753, which moves the start of early voting later, but extends early voting to weekends and the four days leading up to Election Day.
The new law requires early voting to begin on the 12th day before Election Day and end on the day before the election, and to include weekends and holidays during the period. Previously, early voting began on the 17th day before an election and ended on the Friday before the election, and in-person early voting was not available on weekends. For elections occurring on the state's uniform May election date and for runoff elections, early voting will start on the ninth day before Election Day.
The Republican-sponsored bill received mixed support in the Texas Legislature. In the Texas House of Representatives, the final version of the bill passed 84-45 on June 1 with 21 legislators not voting. Both Democrats (23-25) and Republicans (61-20) split their votes in the chamber. The final version of the bill passed the Texas Senate 21-10 along partisan lines on the same day.
Counties will have until Aug. 1, 2027, to implement the changes. Texas will become the 23rd state where the early voting period ends the day before Election Day, and the 12th state where early voting begins less than two weeks before the election, while 31 states will remain where early voting begins sooner. Three states—Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire—do not have in-person early voting.
Other changes to election procedures include three bills granting local jurisdictions the authority to consolidate or align election dates, thereby eliminating some off-cycle elections: SB 1494, SB 914, and HB 3546. All three bills had Democratic or bipartisan sponsorship.
Other new laws include changes to polling place procedures, voter list maintenance, and prosecutorial authority for election offenses:
- HB 493 prohibits a person who has been convicted of a felony of the first or second degree from serving as a poll watcher.
- SB 985 allows election officials to consolidate election precincts for any election if there is a precinct that serves less than 3,000 voters.
- SB 1470 requires the secretary of state to reciprocally share driver’s license or ID data with other states to identify voters who may have changed addresses, became disqualified, or are registered in multiple states.
- SB 1682 requires election officials to record previous residential addresses of voter registration applicants that indicate they have previously resided outside the state. Officials must compile and submit this data monthly to the secretary of state, to be shared with officials in other states.
- SB 12 establishes that the attorney general has jurisdiction to prosecute and represent the state in the prosecution of an election-related criminal offense and authorizes the attorney general to direct a county or district attorney to prosecute an election-related criminal offense that occurs in their jurisdiction.
Click here to see all new election laws in Texas.
Utah
Utah lawmakers adopted 27 election-related bills and resolutions, including an overhaul of voting methods in the state. On March 26, Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed HB 300, which schedules an end to Utah’s all-mail voting system in 2029. In all mail voting systems voting is conducted primarily by mail and all eligible voters receive a mail-in ballot for each election. Under HB 300, voters will be required to request to receive a ballot by mail. The bill also added new ID requirements for mailed ballots and provided that voters who cannot meet these requirements must vote in person. Utah is one of eight states with universal mail-in voting, and the only Republican trifecta that uses the system.
Utah House Speaker Rep. Mike Schultz (R) said, “We are in the same category as Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii and Vermont. As a conservative state, that is not a list I am proud to be part of.” A number of county clerks in the state, the officials primarily responsible for administering elections across the state, criticized the legislation. Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie (R) said, “It is not a great bill. I love vote-by-mail. It’s been very successful, and it’s worked very well in the state of Utah.” A number of clerks removed their opposition to the bill after lawmakers made amendments. Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch (R) said, “A big reason why we did that is because we received assurances from sponsors that they would continue to work with us to fix the remaining issues we have to help make sure voters aren’t hurt.”
The bill also specified what type of identification is eligible to be used at an in-person polling place. Currently, state law requires a voter to present ID but does not stipulate what type. The new law still allows voters to present a different ID, but clerks would have discretion to decide whether “the voter has presented valid voter identification.”
Lawmakers also passed SJR 2 along party lines, certifying a ballot measure that will appear on voters’ ballots in 2026 to create a 60% vote requirement for ballot initiatives increasing or expanding taxes. All Democrats in the statehouse voted against the resolution. Another ballot measure referral, HJR 10, which changes publication requirements for ballot initiatives, received unanimous support in the legislature.
Several other bills related to elections passed at least one chamber of the legislature but failed to progress, including HB 445 which would have eliminated same-day voter registration in the state. Utah is one of 22 states with same-day registration, six of which are Republican trifectas.
As of Dec. 8, Utah was one of five states that was scheduled to use a new congressional map for 2026 elections. Unlike the other four states, Utah’s new map was not the result of legislative action, but rather court-ordered. On Dec. 7, Gov. Cox called a special session and said, “Most items are intended to facilitate the state’s appeal of recent court decisions regarding redistricting.”
Wyoming
Gov. Mark Gordon (R) approved a series of new election-related laws this year, including a ban on ranked-choice voting, changes to restoration voting rights procedures, and a restriction on who may distribute absentee ballot applications. Separately, Gordon allowed HB 156 to go into law without his signature, which requires documentary proof of citizenship and residence to register to vote or change a voter registration. Gordon said he supported the idea but that he was “unclear why the Legislature and the Secretary of State included an arbitrary thirty-day residency requirement when reiterating the Wyoming Constitution's original requirement of one year would have conformed more closely with the framers original intent.” He also said another part of the bill left requirements for election administrators unclear.
- HB 156 requires documentary proof of citizenship and residency to register to vote or update a voter registration, including to change party affiliation. The bill stipulates that a voter must have been a state resident for at least 30 days before voting in an election, and allows a voter to attest to their residency in lieu of providing proof.
- HB 165, banned ranked-choice voting for any election. For more on RCV, see above.
- SF 9 removes the possibility for an individual convicted of a federal felony from regaining the right to vote. It also requires the automatic restoration of voting rights to persons convicted of nonviolent felonies in Wyoming or another state after the completion of their sentence, including probation and parole. Previously these voters rights were restored automatically only in certain circumstances.
- SF 78 prohibits anyone other than a county clerk, the secretary of state, or their designees from distributing absentee ballot request forms unless specifically solicited by a voter.
- HB 337 prohibits foreign nationals or governments from contributing to ballot measure committees or otherwise supporting statewide initiatives or referendums. The new law provides enforcement of the prohibition by civil action and makes Wyoming the tenth state, and fourth Republican trifecta to have such a law. Ohio lawmakers adopted a similar law in 2024.
- HB 228 prohibits the use of private funding for election administration. Twenty-eight states have similar laws, all adopted since 2020. Only one state with a Republican trifecta, New Hampshire, remains without regulations on private election administration funding.
- On maintaining voter rolls, HF 318 requires new sharing of data related to citizenship between the secretary of state and the state’s department of transportation. It also authorizes the secretary of state to use the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to check registered voter’s citizenship status. SF 165 allows clerks to email a voter whose registration may be canceled, in addition to mailing them as previously required by law.
Gov. Gordon also vetoed one bill, HB 79. The legislation would have required that, for bond elections on a day other than a general election date, at least 25% of the number of voters at the last general election must participate for the question to pass. In his veto message, Gordon said he “believe(s) the process it creates impermissibly infringes on citizens’ fundamental right to vote.”
Democratic trifectas
California
California lawmakers passed 29 election-related bills and resolutions, the most of any state with a Democratic trifecta. Among the legislation that Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law was ACA 8, a legislative referred constitutional amendment that created Proposition 50. Voters approved the amendment and new congressional maps 64.4%-35.6% in November. Click here to read more about redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
Other changes to election laws in California include new rules for processing and counting ballots, an earlier deadline to cure absentee ballots, an overhaul of campaign finance filing procedures for candidates, and prohibiting payment for voter registration.
Lawmakers framed several of the new laws as intended to facilitate the earlier delivery of unofficial election results. California typically takes longer to deliver election results than most other states. This is partly a result of the state’s all-mail voting system, as election officials must complete certain administrative steps, known as processing, before counting vote-by-mail ballots. California currently allows election officials to begin processing mail-in ballots 29 days before an election, the fourth-earliest of any state. AB 16, which Newsom signed on Oct. 1, allows officials to start processing ballots sooner—at any point after they mail ballots to voters. State law does not set a maximum number of days before an election when election officials can start mailing out ballots.
On Oct. 3, Newsom signed bills on reporting requirements for counted ballots and timelines for curing ballots, both of which also affect how quickly unofficial results are reported.
AB 5 requires election officials to count most ballots and release a tally of those ballots no later than 13 days after an election. Previously, no such deadline existed, and most states do not have a specific deadline for counting ballots and reporting results. The new law makes an exception for certain types of ballots, including those that election officials receive more than four days after the election. California law directs election officials to count all valid ballots received up to seven days after an election, as long as the ballot is postmarked by Election Day.
AB 827 moves the latest possible date that election officials can notify a voter about a signature defect from the 22nd day after the election to the 14th, and moves the latest possible day for a voter to cure a ballot from the 28th day to the 22nd day after an election, for regular statewide elections.
AB 5 and AB 16 passed the California Legislature with unanimous support. AB 827 passed the California Assembly 60-5, with two Republicans joining 58 Democrats in voting for the bill. It passed the California Senate 30-5, with all voting Republicans in opposition.
Newsom did not release a statement regarding any of the bills.
AB 5 sponsor Assem. Marc Berman (D) wrote, “This bill seeks to maintain voting accessibility and security while also speeding up vote counting by establishing clear and achievable metrics for when the vast majority of ballots must be counted and races decided.” The committee report for the bill stated that Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D) had submitted a letter "[raising] the fiscal issues to comply with this 13-day deadline, the numerous types of exemptions provided by this bill, and the vagueness of the deadline extension process."
AB 16 sponsor Assem. Juan Alanis (R) said that the bill “will allow us to begin verifying signatures, processing ballots, and preparing them for machine counting without compromising the integrity of the election process. … We owe it to our constituents to make sure that their voices are counted as quickly and accurately as possible.” The committee report for AB 16 stated that most election officials in the state already process ballots before Election Day, and said: “it is unclear whether this bill would have a significant effect on the speed at which election results are finalized. On the other hand, this bill would allow elections officials to begin processing those ballots slightly earlier under circumstances, which could improve efficiency of elections officials’ operations.”
Assem. Berman also sponsored AB 827. Berman said that “because there is not a uniform date when counties certify elections, a voter may not know the date by which to make the correction and could inadvertently miss the deadline. AB 827 would provide voters with greater certainty if they are notified of a missing or non-matching signature, ensuring that everyone is operating on a level playing field.” The committee report stated, “While setting an earlier cure deadline may allow some counties to certify their election results earlier than in the 2024 general election, it may also reduce the number of ballots that are able to be counted if voters do not complete the cure process by the earlier deadline.”
Other new laws include:
- SB 398 prohibits knowingly paying or offering money or other compensation to someone to vote or register to vote. It explicitly exempts offering transportation to vote, and granting time off to vote from this prohibition.
- AB 1249 modifies in-person voting procedures before an election, including by requiring counties to provide at least one early voting location that is open for at least six hours on the Saturday before an election. It also requires elections officials to provide accessible voting equipment compliant with federal disability standards and to provide notice of satellite voting locations at least two weeks before voting may occur at the location.
- AB 808 made various changes to the state’s campaign finance regulations and procedures. Notably, it required the secretary of state to establish an electronic filing system accessible to candidates, campaigns, and other entities required to file campaign finance statements and reports.
- SB 621 repeals outdated statutes related to voter registration for military and overseas voters and clarifies that these voters are included under the state’s standard registration statutes which permits registration up to and including on Election Day.
- AB 1411 requires certain counties to develop and implement a voter education and outreach plan to identify and register eligible but unregistered voters, and encourage participation in the electoral process. Plans must include information on topics including voter registration, vote by mail procedures, in-person voting opportunities, language accessibility, and key election dates and deadlines. The bill requires the secretary of state to provide an outreach template to county election officials.
Click here to see all new election laws in California.
Colorado
Colorado became the ninth state to adopt a state-level voting rights act when Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed SB 1 into law on May 12. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures:
| “ | State VRAs parallel or build upon the federal VRA’s approach to combating voting discrimination. … These state VRAs mirror the federal VRA in many ways and are often more detailed than the federal act, because the meaning of the federal VRA has been interpreted by courts over time beyond the statutory text. Some state VRAs codify these interpretations in their text. While the federal VRA covers political jurisdictions ranging from congressional districts to counties and townships, state VRAs generally cover local jurisdictions and do not apply to congressional districts.[1] | ” |
In several states, including Colorado, this includes granting individuals a private right of action to bring lawsuits against state or local officials to enforce voting laws or protections. The final version of SB 1 passed the Colorado House of Representatives 59-3 with bipartisan support, and the Colorado Senate 20-12 along party lines with all Republicans in opposition.
Among other changes, SB 1:
- Prohibits any political subdivision from taking actions that cause, will cause, or are intended to cause a material disparity in voting access or participation between protected classes and other eligible voters.
- Requires major parties to provide a method for voters to participate in a primary ornominating convention if they are unable to attend in person.
- Extends electioneering prohibitions to include activities near ballot drop boxes.
- Prohibits placing unnecessary burdens on jailed individuals that prevent or hinder access to election information, voter registration, or ballots.
- Requires the secretary of state to collect and maintain data on voting-age population, and citizen voting-age population—disaggregated by race, ethnicity, language minority status, and disability status—at the precinct, district, or county level.
Among other new laws, lawmakers adopted:
- HB 1327 requires proponents who submit five or more drafts on the same subject matter within the same initiative cycle to also submit a comparison chart that explains or visually shows the differences among the drafts. It also requires the proposed ballot title to indicate whether the initiative will modify or repeal existing law or create a new law.
- HB 1225, which creates civil penalties for intimidating, threatening, coercing, or attempting to do so against another individual for voting or attempting to vote, or helping another person to vote or attempt to vote. It also presumes that an individual is engaging in prohibited intimidation if they carry a visible firearm, imitation firearm, or toy firearm while interacting with or observing voting or other voting-related activities.
- Bipartisan-sponsored SB 172, which authorizes a special district’s governing body that is elected by district to cancel an election for one or more of those election districts if there is not more than one candidate for that office, allowing for the partial or full cancellation of the special district election.
Governor Polis also vetoed one bill, bipartisan-sponsored SB 77, which would have expanded the timeline for a records custodian to respond to a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request, unless the request was made by a journalist. Sen. Cathy Kipp (D), one of the bill’s sponsors, said, “I think it is a very fair bill that we worked for a couple years on in order to get it into a good place. We have several elements of the bill that are good for both requestees and for requesters, and I think it would make things easier.” In his veto letter, Polis wrote, “The bill leaves the custodian with far too much power to define who is and is not a member of the media, and what is and isn’t news… To ensure fairness and confidence in public transparency, all legitimate requests for public transparency under CORA should be treated equally under the law, without preference for some requestors over others.”
Maine
Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed 10 election-related bills into law, the third most of any Democratic trifecta. New laws address different parts of election administration including changes to primary ballot access, clarifications of registration deadlines, and establishing an earliest date for in-person absentee voting. Some highlights include:
- Omnibus LD 1977 made changes to several aspects of elections. It:
- Allowed parties to decide whether unaffiliated voters can sign petitions to qualify a candidate for the party’s primary ballot. Previously, state law specified that only registered party members could sign primary nominating petitions.
- Required voters registering in person to provide proof of identity and residency.
- Clarified voter registration deadlines by aligning language in different parts of law.
- Changed various rules related to party ballot access, such as permitting parties who fail to qualify for the ballot to submit a request to the secretary of state to retain its enrolled voters if it intends to seek requalification in the next election cycle. Click here for a summary of all provisions in this bill.
- Republican-sponsored LD 158 established that in-person absentee voting must begin at municipal clerk’s offices on the 30th day before an election. Previously, law did not specify when in-person absentee voting began, meaning that LD 158 sets both an earliest and latest date for the start of in-person absentee voting.
- Bipartisan-sponsored LD 1635 requires a recount upon the majority vote of the municipal officers if a municipal referendum passes or fails by less than 1% of all the votes cast.
- Bipartisan-sponsored LD 1702 prohibits individuals from gathering nominating petition signatures or collecting campaign contributions on public property within 250 feet of a polling place.
- Democratic-sponsored LD 9 made various changes to campaign finance laws, including creating new disclosure requirements for certain communications campaigns. It also established a penalty of up to 500% of the contribution amount on any person who makes, permits, or accepts a contribution made in the name of another person, thereby obscuring the source of the contribution.
Legislators also passed Democratic-sponsored LD 1666 through both chambers—largely along party lines—but later agreed to recall the bill from the governor’s consideration. The bill would have expanded the state's use of RCV to include general and special elections for governor, state senator, and state representative. Currently, Maine is one of two states—alongside Alaska—that use RCV for at least some statewide elections. Maine uses RCV for congressional and all other statewide elections besides governor and Legislature. State law also authorizes municipalities to adopt the electoral system for local elections.
Maryland
Maryland has enacted 25 election-related bills and resolutions, the most of any state with a Democratic trifecta. While most new laws make technical changes to election procedures, state lawmakers also adopted SB 259, overhauling how local election boards plan and receive approval for local election administration decisions.
The new law requires each local election board to submit an election plan (rather than a polling place plan) to the State Board of Elections for approval at least 7 months (rather than 6 months) before each statewide primary election. The election plan must include details about polling locations, early voting, drop box availability, and an analysis on how to maximize voter participation in the county and precinct. The new law requires local officials to take into consideration factors such as accessibility to historically disenfranchised communities, voter concentration, and public transportation when developing election plans. Local election boards must hold public meetings before adopting or changing an election plan, and must receive approval for their election plan from the state board of elections.
The bill passed the Maryland Senate 43-2 with 11 Republicans in favor and two against, and passed the state’s House of Delegates 117-119 with Republicans in the chamber splitting 20-19 in favor of the bill.
Other new laws include:
- SB 93 requires local boards of elections to send a notice about the availability of absentee ballot applications alongside sample ballots and additional election mailings. It does not apply to voters on the permanent absentee voter list and for elections conducted entirely by mail. It passed the legislature with one vote against across both chambers.
- HB 983 creates the Language Assistance Program. Under the program, the state board of elections must determine if there is a significant need for a local election board to provide voting materials and services in a language other than English. If so, the local board must provide translated materials, signage, and interpretation at polling places and early voting centers, with assistance and funding from the state board.
- SB 308 extends the requirement that polling places have an equal number of election judges from each major and principal minority political party to include chief election judges.
- SB 313 modifies post-election audit procedures by, among other changes, defining an automated software audit as an audit of “electronic images of ballots cast in an election using software that is independent of the voting system,” and grants the state board of elections authority to conduct an automated software audit after a statewide election. The bill also grants local boards more discretion to conduct local risk-limiting audits.
- HB 945 tweaked the gubernatorial primary date, moving it from the last Tuesday to the fourth Tuesday in June.
New Jersey
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed A 5116 into law, which abolishes the use of the county line ballot design and replacing it with a system that groups offices on the ballot into blocks of candidates and places a number next to the name of each candidate. The bill also allowed candidates running as a slate for an office with more than one open seat to appear together on the ballot.
This comes after a U.S. district court judge blocked the use of the county line ballot design in the state’s 2024 Democratic primary after three candidates, including then U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D), sued to block it. Read more about that case here. Kim, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, criticized the new bill, writing, “Almost exactly a year ago I testified in court to fix NJ’s broken ballot and make our politics more fair. The simple premise was to have every candidate treated exactly the same on the ballot. The bill signed today falls short of what voters deserve.” In a statement, Democrats in the Assembly said, “The bill creates a fair ballot for all candidates, and it is in line with everything the legislature has done to protect and expand voting rights and ensure citizens’ trust our political process.” Two Republicans joined four Democrats to sponsor the bill and it passed both chambers of the legislature with comfortable majorities. In 2025, New Jersey will hold elections for state executive offices, including governor, state legislature, and various municipal offices. The new law will be in effect for these elections.
Gov. Murphy also signed S 3990 into law, extending the early voting period for primary elections, beginning with 2025’s June primary. The legislation extends the early voting period to begin seven days before the primary date for all primaries. Previously, early voting began three days before a primary except during a presidential primary year when it began five days in advance. The early voting period for general elections remains unchanged at nine days. A small group of Republicans in each chamber joined all voting Democrats to pass the bill.
Many candidates in New Jersey will face higher signature thresholds for nominating petitions after Gov. Murphy signed A 5117 on Feb. 3. The bill increases the signature requirement to be placed on the ballot for various offices, including state executive, congress, county offices, and school boards.
For boards of education, the requirement increases from 10 signatures to 25, while for congressional candidates the number increases from 200 to 500, and for state legislative candidates, from 100 to 200. The changes are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025, and are therefore in effect for elections occurring this year. The bill passed both chambers of the legislature along party lines, with all Republicans opposing the changes.
Finally, S 3850 permits county boards of elections to extend the distance prohibiting electioneering to 200 feet, up from 100, outside the entrance of any polling place or a ballot drop box. Murphy signed the bill on July 8.
Gov. Murphy was term-limited and could not run for re-election this year. For the 2025 session, Democrats held a 52-28 majority in the lower chamber, and a 25-15 one in the senate.
New Mexico
New Mexico became the ninth state to require a semi-closed primary system for congressional or state-level offices under legislation signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D).
SB 16 allows unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections by requesting a ballot from a major political party. The voter would only be temporarily affiliated with that party and would not have to change their voter registration. The changes took effect on July 1, 2025, and will be first used in the June 2026 primary election.
Previously, New Mexico had closed primaries, where only registered party members or voters affiliated with a party were allowed to vote. Unaffiliated voters could not vote unless they chose to change their registration to affiliate with a major party.
The bill passed on a 27-11 vote in the New Mexico State Senate, with 10 Republicans and one Democrat opposing the legislation, with four members absent. It was passed in the New Mexico House of Representatives on a 36-33 vote, with 24 Republicans and nine Democrats voting no, with one member absent.
“With more participation, we get better electoral outcomes,” Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) said after the bill’s passage. Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Anthony Thornton (R) said, “I think we are actually disempowering the people who have put their heart and soul into candidacy.”
Five other election-related bills also were enacted, including:
- HB 101, which allows non-certified, commissioned police officers to possess a firearm within 100 feet of a polling place or 50 feet of a ballot drop box. Previously, only certified officers could carry a firearm in those locations.
- HB 298, which makes several changes to local election laws, including laying out a process for filling a mayoral vacancy and changing how local governing bodies approve ordinances to increase or decrease the number of members on their bodies.
- HB 244, which increases the minimum age for magistrate judges from 18 to 28 at the time of the election.
Divided governments
Arizona
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has vetoed 29 election-related bills, the most of any governor. She vetoed seven bills last year. Included among the rejected bills are proposals related to absentee/ mail-in voting, early voting, voter list maintenance, voter ID, and the electoral college.
Hobbs vetoed HB 2703 on Feb. 18. It would have made a number of changes to state election laws, including:
- Extending the early voting period and the deadline to request an emergency absentee ballot from Friday before an election to Monday before an election.
- Eliminating emergency voting provisions during the period between Friday and Monday before an election.
- Extending the ability of election officials to process early and absentee ballots during this period.
- Making other changes to the administration of absentee voting, including requiring voters on the state’s active early voting list, a version of a permanent absentee voting list, to verify their status as mail voters every two or four years, depending on the county.
Supporters of the bill said that it was intended to streamline the ballot counting process and delivery of election results. Critics said that the bill went much further than that and added steps that make it harder to vote. In her veto message, Hobbs focused on a provision of the bill that would have removed school principals’ ability to deny requests to use their school as a polling place under certain circumstances, as well as the amendments to permanent mail voting lists, saying, “While I too want faster election results, the solution should not needlessly restrict Arizona citizens’ freedom to vote, or undermine the learning and safety of students in public school districts. This legislation effectively ends the Active Early Voting List, something that has nothing to do with faster election results.” President of the Senate Warren Petersen (R) said, “The Governor’s veto is a huge mistake. This was a missed opportunity to increase voter confidence and reduce frustration on election night.”
Other vetoed bills include:
- HB 2206, that would have created new rules related to participation in multistate data registration compact, and would have created an obstacle to Arizona’s continued participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).
- SB 1052 would have removed the eligibility of a U.S. citizen who has never resided in the country from voting in the state.
- HB 2440, which would have prohibited the attorney general from bringing criminal charges or civil action against a county supervisor for voting against the certification of the canvass of an election if the vote is based on a good faith belief in “unresolved issues that materially affect the integrity or accuracy of the election results” and documentation, such as “official reports, audits, sworn affidavits or expert testimony.”
- SB 1441, that would have made school board elections partisan. Currently, five states require partisan school board elections, while in five states both partisan and nonpartisan school board elections are possible. In the remaining 40 states, school board elections are nonpartisan.
- SB 1001, in addition to modifications to absentee and early voting that Hobbs vetoed in other legislation, would have required election officials to remove a voter from a permanent absentee voter list if they returned a ballot in person after 7 p.m. on the Friday before the election without providing an ID.
- HB 2649 would have affirmed the legislature’s support for the electoral college.
In Arizona, a two-thirds majority is required to override most vetoes.
Kansas
Kansas has a Democratic governor and Republicans have a veto-proof legislative majority in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature. Republicans used their majorities to override both election bills that Gov. Laura Kelly (D) vetoed this year:
- SB 4 moves up the deadline to return advance voting ballots—how Kansas refers to absentee and mail ballots—to the close of polls on Election Day. Previously, election officials accepted ballots postmarked by Election Day and received by the third day after the election.
- SB 5 restricts the use of federal funds provided by the federal government for the purposes of election administration. The bill requires an explicit state appropriation before any federal funds may be used for election-related expenditures. The bill says that no governmental agency “shall knowingly accept or expend any moneys, directly or indirectly, from the federal government, except as provided in any acts of appropriation or as otherwise provided by state law, for any expenditures related to conducting, funding or otherwise facilitating the administration of an election pursuant to law or for any election-related activities.”
Both bills received unanimous Republican support, while just one Democrat voted in favor of SB 5 and none supported SB 4. No Democrats voted to override either veto.
Gov. Kelly signed 10 bills and became the first Democratic governor to approve a bill banning ranked-choice voting when she signed SB 6 on March 26. The bill passed largely along party lines, but two Democrats in the Kansas House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill.
Kansas lawmakers also referred two constitutional amendments to voters. The first, SCR 1611, would change the selection method for the state’s supreme court. The Republican-supported measure passed along party lines and, if approved by voters at the 2026 general election, would create direct elections for justices. Under the currency system, the governor appoints justices from a list created by a nominating commission.
The other, HCR 5004, will ask voters whether to amend the state constitution to say: “No person shall be deemed a qualified elector unless such person: … Is a citizen of the United States” instead of “Every citizen of the United States” is a qualified elector. Voters in eight states passed similar measures in 2024.
Other new laws include:
- HB 2022, which eliminates various possible election dates and changes the definition of special election to mean any election that occurs on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March or on the same day as the general election or primary.
- HB 2106, which restricts foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns and requires campaign finance reports to include a certification stating: (1) the committee has not knowingly accepted any contributions or expenditures—directly or indirectly—from a foreign national, and (2) each donor listed is not a foreign national and has not knowingly received more than $100,000 in contributions or expenditures from a foreign national within the four years before making their contribution or expenditure.
Nevada
Nevada is one of three states with a Republican governor where Democrats control both chambers of the legislature. Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) vetoed 12 election-related bills during the 2025 legislative session, the third most of any governor. This included bills related to voter ID, primary participation, processing mail ballots, residency requirements for elected officials, and voter registration:
- AB 499 would have required in-person voters to present a valid photo ID and would have asked voters to provide the last four digits of a qualifying ID when returning an absentee ballot. The bill also included an expansion of drop box availability which Lombardo vetoed as AB 306 earlier in the year.
- AB 597 would have allowed unaffiliated voters to vote in major party primaries. These voters would have remained unaffiliated after voting in a party primary, but the bill would have required county clerks to record the voter’s ballot choice in the statewide voter registration list.
- AB 534, among other changes to election law, would have required–instead of authorized– the processing of mail ballots to begin 15 days before the election and would have required officials to process each ballot within 24 hours of receipt. It also would have established an election administration grant program for local governments administered by the office of the secretary of state, and changed the deadline before an election to register and automatically receive a mail ballot to 18 days, instead of 14.
- SB 428 would have required elected officials to maintain residency in their elected district during the duration of their term. It also would have required elected officials to take an oath of residency and an oath that they not be obligated to support any person for appointments, employment, or judicial decisions as an elected official. Under the bill, the state’s attorney general to initiate proceedings to declare a public office vacant when an incumbent refuses to relinquish office after a disqualifying event.
- AB 422, would have permitted the use of tribal IDs for same-day registration during early voting and Election Day registration and clarified which forms of identification also serve as proof of residency, which is required for in-person same-day registration. It also would have stipulated that automatic voter registration through state agencies closes on the 18th day before an election. Under existing, there is not a specified close to automatic voter registration before an election.
Fourteen election-related bills did become law, including:
- AB 148 requires mail ballots to be delivered in a specific timeframe—on or after the fifth Monday before the election but not later than the fourth Monday before the election. It also requires county clerks to distribute a sample ballot and a polling place notice to each registered voter before the deadline for distributing a mail ballot.
- AB 123 prohibits making threats against or intimidating a candidate for public office that would reasonably place the candidate or their family in fear of bodily harm or property damage. Such threats must be intentional and exclude constitutionally protected speech, including political hyperbole.
- AB 367 requires the secretary of state to provide voting materials and election information on its website in all federally required languages, or the seven most commonly spoken languages in the state, as well as in American Sign Language.
- AB 3 allows candidates to use campaign funds for personal security.
Voters will also decide on a constitutional amendment at the November 2026 general election that would establish a voter ID requirement for in person voting. Nevada is one of 14 states that do not require most voters to provide ID.
Virginia
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed 16 bills, the second most of any governor. Democrats hold a 21- 19 majority in the state Senate and a 51-49 majority in the House of Delegates. Virginia will hold elections in 2025 where voters will elect a governor, other state executive offices, and the House of Delegates. Youngkin is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Among Youngkin’s vetoes are:
- SB 1009 would have created new tabulation guidelines and reporting requirements for elections that use ranked-choice voting. The bill also required the state election board to provide a determination of feasibility to any jurisdiction that decides to conduct an election using RCV. Currently, state law permits elections for members of a county board of supervisors or a city council to use RCV. Most Republicans opposed the bill’s advancement.
- HB 2277 that created penalties for members of local electoral boards that neglect or refuse to certify the results of an election, and allowed the State Board of Elections to remove an official who does not carry out their duties as stipulated in state law. The Democratic-sponsored legislation passed both chambers along party lines.
- HB 2276, which would have created new criteria for matching voter information to VLM data sources, including by implementing a “confidence score” system whereby the Department of Elections use a points-based system to determine match confidence, assigning point values to matching fields such as Social Security number, DMV ID, name, birthdate, and address. Among other changes to VLM procedures, the bill would also have required the department to annually review all data sources used in voter roll maintenance to evaluate their accuracy, completeness, and reliability.
- HB 2002 would have restricted the ability of registrars to cancel voter registrations, including when a voter temporarily lives outside the U.S., such as active duty members of the military and their spouses or dependents. It also stipulated that a registrar can only cancel a registration based on data or reports provided to them by the Department of Elections or an approved state agency. The bill passed largely without Republican support.
Among bills that did receive Youngkin’s approval were:
- Democratic-sponsored HB 1735, which extends the voter registration deadline from 21 days before an election, and 13 days before a special election, to 10 days.
- Bipartisan-sponsored HB 2165, which requires the state board of elections to create new guidance on the prohibition of the personal use of campaign funds, and authorizes a new review process for related complaints.
- Republican-sponsored SB 1174 which extends a prohibition on the dissemination of campaign materials in restricted areas to include materials related to referendums and initiatives.
- Bipartisan-sponsored SB 1044 requires local officials to report the number of provisional ballots cast, the number of valid provisional ballots cast, and the results of valid provisional ballots cast in each precinct separately from in-person voting results and provides a deadline.
The General Assembly also adopted several resolutions related to elections:
- SJR 248 proposes a constitutional amendment that would restore voting rights to individuals convicted of a felony after the completion of their sentence. Under current law, individuals must apply to the governor for the restoration of voting rights after serving their sentence. When Gov. Youngkin took office in 2021, he announced that he would not continue the policy of former governors Bob McDonnell (R), Terry McAuliffe (D), and Ralph Northam (D), of automatically restoring voting rights to individuals with a felony conviction upon completion of their prison sentences, and instead returned to a case-by-case consideration of appeals for restoration. The resolution would need to pass again with a simple majority during next year’s legislative session for the measure to appear on the ballot in November 2026.
- SJR 253 creates a commission to study the effects of moving some or all of Virginia’s state or local elections to even-numbered years in order to coincide with the federal election cycle. The resolution requires the commission to deliver a report to the General Assembly ahead of the 2027 regular legislative session.
Wisconsin
On April 1, Wisconsin voters approved Question 1 62.8%-37.21% at the state’s April 1 general election, codifying a requirement that voters present a photo ID at the polls in the state constitution.
Wisconsin statutes already required voters to provide photo identification in most circumstances when voting. Legislators voted along party lines to approve the amendment for a second time, with the state Senate passing the measure 17-15 and the state Assembly approving it by a 54-45 vote. In Wisconsin, a proposed amendment must pass two consecutive sessions of the legislature before it can be presented to voters.
“There are so many things we cannot do in our lives anymore without having some proof of identity. This isn’t some revolutionary concept that hasn’t been tried at all,” said Sen. Howard Marklein (R). Lisa Hassenstab, public policy manager for Disability Rights Wisconsin, said, “When we’re looking at an issue like photo ID requirements for voting that potentially have the ability to disenfranchise folks, I don’t think that makes our elections any more safe and secure.”
Gov. Tony Evers (D) signed two other election-related bills in 2025:
SB 126 makes a number of election-related changes. The bill creates confidentiality protections for former election officials that prevent their personal information from being publicly accessible other than their name, city, and state of residence. It also establishes protections for clerks or officials who act as whistleblowers in witnessing and reporting election fraud or irregularities and delays the implementation of a law enacted in 2024 that requires local candidates and groups to file campaign finance information with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission.
AB 149 clarifies that a chairperson of the state party committee can nominate presidential electors, even if the party lacks candidates for state senate, assembly, or state officers. Previously, those candidates were required to meet to nominate the presidential electors under state law.
Evers also vetoed two bills, making Wisconsin one of seven states to have multiple election-related vetoes.
SB 270, which Evers vetoed on Dec. 5, would have allowed individuals aggrieved by a decision of the Wisconsin Elections Commission to more easily appeal the decision in state court.
Currently, a voter can file a complaint with the commission, alleging an election official didn’t follow state law. If they disagree with the commission’s ruling, they can appeal in state court but, under a 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, can only do so if they have suffered an injury to a legally recognized interest as a result of the decision. SB 270 would have allowed individuals to appeal regardless of whether they suffered an injury to a legally recognized interest.
Evers also vetoed AB 87, which would have added new conditions for restoring voting rights to individuals disqualified due to a criminal conviction. Currently, individuals must complete their term of imprisonment or probation before having their voting rights restored. The bill would have added a requirement stating that a person must first pay all fines, costs, fees, surcharges, and restitution and complete any court-ordered community service related to their sentence before having their voting rights restored.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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About the authors
Joe Greaney and Andrew Bahl are staff writers on Ballotpedia's Law Team.
Law Team Managing Editor Janie Valentine reviewed the report and provided feedback, as did Senior Editor Norm Leahy, and Associate Director of Features Cory Eucalitto.
See also
- Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
- About Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
- Voting laws in the United States
- Election Policy
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
