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RandySF's JournalBexar County sticks with state voter registration system for March primary, despite fall backlog
Bexar County’s elections department will continue to use the state’s system for processing voter registrations through the March primary election — the same software the county used in the fall when it faced a backlog of more than 70,000 registrations just weeks before early voting.
County commissioners still plans to select a private contractor for the software the county uses to store its database of registered voters, match them with the correct voting precinct and ensure they get the right ballot at the polls. But that won't happen in time for the spike in voter registrations expected ahead of the March 3 primary.
Elections administrator Michele Carew said she’s confident the state’s Texas Election Administration Management system, or TEAM, will get the county through that spike.
"They haven’t let us down yet,” Carew said. "I mean, if you think about the November election, they came through on everything we needed for that. I’m very confident.”
https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/bexar-county-voter-registration-march-election-21281844.php
DNC warns states that complied with DOJ voter roll demand may have violated federal law
Democrats warned 10 states Friday that they may have violated federal election law after entering into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to share sensitive voter data.
In response, Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, advised Democrats to “think twice before interfering in a federal investigation,” arguing that such actions could amount to obstruction of justice.
“Organizations should think twice before interfering in a federal investigation and encouraging the obstruction of justice,” Dhillon posted on social media. “Unless they’d like to join the dozens of states that are learning their lesson in federal court.”
In letters to election leaders in each of these states — which include Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah — Democratic National Committee (DNC) litigation director Daniel Freeman warned that entering into such an agreement “appears to require violations of the [National Voter Registration Act]” — most notably a provision that bars states from removing voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election.
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/dnc-warns-states-that-complied-with-doj-voter-roll-demand-may-have-violated-federal-law/
What to know about Pennsylvania's upcoming special elections
ollowing resignations in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, four seats in the chamber will be up for grabs in special elections scheduled for February and March.
The resignations came after several lawmakers formally submitted their resignations after they won elections for local office in November. The lawmakers who have since departed the chamber are former state Reps. Torren Ecker, Dan Miller, Lou Schmitt and Josh Siegel.
Dates for all four of the special elections are set after House Speaker Joanna McClinton signed writs of election to fill the now-vacant seats.
https://www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/2026/01/what-know-about-pennsylvanias-upcoming-special-elections/410599/?oref=cspa-homepage-river
DNC threatens to sue Nebraska over potential deal to remove voters flagged by feds
LINCOLN — The Democratic National Committee has threatened to sue Nebraska over any potential agreement with the Justice Department requiring election officials to remove allegedly ineligible voters identified during federal reviews of state voter rolls.
The letter, obtained by the Examiner, was sent Friday morning, says the DNC wants to “ensure” the state and the secretary of state are aware of federal constraints on voter registration list maintenance and wants the state not to pursue any “unlawful removals from its official list of eligible voters in elections for federal office.”
“The DNC sends this letter in the hope that the imminent violations … may still be avoided,” part of the letter to Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen reads. “Nonetheless, the DNC stands ready to issue a formal notice should evidence of ongoing violations come to light. In the event that your office believes further conversations might help avoid a violation of federal law, I would be happy to discuss this matter with you or your staff.”
The letter, from DNC Litigation Director Daniel J. Freeman, outlines how the potential agreement would “violate” federal election law, pointing to the National Voter Registration Act. The DNC argues “a systematic purge” of registered voters would lead to “errors that remove registrants who remain eligible under state law.”
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/09/dnc-threatens-to-sue-nebraska-over-potential-deal-to-remove-voters-flagged-by-feds/
Ballots on Catalyst, Cascadia zoning election to go out next month
Greeley residents will begin receiving ballots regarding the special election for the Catalyst and Cascadia projects no earlier than Feb. 3, with ballots for overseas and military voters sent on Friday.
The city will hold a special election for ballot measure 1A on Feb. 24, giving voters the opportunity to decide whether to repeal the zoning for the Catalyst and Cascadia properties. The zoning ordinance was approved by the council in August and was quickly challenged by local issue committee Greeley Demands Better, which circulated a petition to force the council to either repeal the zoning ordinance or bring it to a vote.
On Thursday, Greeley Demands Better co-chairs Brandon Wark and Rhonda Solis sent a letter to the council demanding that they stop spending and exercise the project off-ramps until the residents have the opportunity to vote. The letter listed possible off-ramps including repealing the zoning and canceling the election.
“As sponsors of the Referendum, we have substantial and well-documented concerns about the City’s continued spending and financial
exposure,” the letter reads. “We urge you to take immediate action to protect taxpayers by stopping all discretionary spending and exercising the off-ramps and contingency provisions available under the existing agreements.”
https://www.greeleytribune.com/2026/01/09/special-election-1a-cascadia-catalyst/
Former city employee formally challenges eligibility of Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley to run for re-election
A former city of Asheville employee who previously sued the city alleging racial discrimination in a commission appointment has formally challenged the eligibility of Asheville Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley to run for re-election based on questions about her residency.
“It appears from recent news stories that the candidate may not meet residency or eligibility requirements for this position,” John P. Miall Jr. wrote on the challenge form submitted to the Buncombe County Board of Elections Thursday, adding that his evidence consisted of “multiple news stories that the candidate has residences in at least two states.”
Miall told Asheville Watchdog that he filed the challenge because he expects the “highest standards of everything – honesty, competency – among our elected officials. And I think any of us as citizens and taxpayers have a right to ask questions.”
Mosley has received primary-residence tax benefits on a home in Atlanta throughout her six years on the City Council while also submitting election documents showing she lives in Asheville, a requirement of the office, Asheville Watchdog reported in December.
https://avlwatchdog.org/former-city-employee-formally-challenges-eligibility-of-vice-mayor-antanette-mosley-to-run-for-re-election/
Florida readies for election year with disputed voter ID bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — A bill filed for the upcoming legislative session aims to tighten Florida’s voter registration rules, looking to ban out-of-state voters and require proof of citizenship.
Last session, State Representative Berny Jacques (R-Seminole) was determined to get his voter ID bill across the finish line but struggled to make it onto the House and Senate floors, facing sharp criticism from Democrats inside at the statehouse.
The bill would remove individuals off of Florida’s voter registry who have out-of-state drivers’ licenses, while also requiring non-citizens to have “NC” now marked on the back of their IDs.
“We have to stay on offense. We have to make sure that we continue to secure elections and one avenue where we can do that is to make sure that non-citizens never make it on our rolls,” Jacques said.
https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-readies-for-election-year-with-disputed-voter-id-bill/
Oregon election officials to begin purging rolls of inactive voters
As Oregon kicks off a general election year, Secretary of State Tobias Read is taking what he says is the overdue step of cleaning up the state’s voter rolls.
That process could lead to the cancellation of as many as 800,000 registrations. That’s the number of voters Read says are currently classified as “inactive” on the voter rolls. To be clear, inactive voters do not receive ballots, but their names remain on the rolls.
The cleanup comes as Oregon’s first-in-the-nation vote-by-mail system is under intense scrutiny. President Donald Trump, who blamed mail-in ballots, among other bogeymen, for his defeat in 2020, has amplified historical criticism of Oregon’s system.
Trump’s Department of Justice has sued Read’s office, seeking information about Oregon voters (that litigation is pending in U.S. District Court in Eugene). Judicial Watch, a conservative Washington, D.C., foundation, sued Read’s predecessor, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, in 2024, seeking a cleanup of voter rolls (that litigation is also pending). And currently, a group seeking to end vote by mail at the ballot is suing to overturn results of a transit district election in Douglas County and hoping to use that case to discredit mail ballots.
https://www.sweethomenews.com/oregon-election-officials-to-begin-purging-rolls-of-inactive-voters/
Arapahoe-Holbrook Public Schools first to hold special election requesting tax authority override
The Arapahoe-Holbrook Public School District will be the first in the state to hold a special election for a Tax Auhtority Override after the passage of LB 243 by the Nebraska Legislature in the spring of 2023. LB243 was the school district property tax limitation act.
Arapahoe-Holbrook Superintendent Bob Drews says the school district for years has been conservative with their spending, and tax askings, but LB243 took away the school districts ability to tax up to $400 thousand the first year it was implemented.
Drews elaborates more on, if this special election is voted in favor of, this money won’t be used like a school bond issue.
There are two ballot questions, the first requesting additional tax authority of up to $750,000 for the next fiscal cycle (2026-27). The second ballot question is a request the district be allowed additional spending authority of up to $300,000 for that same fiscal cycle.
https://ruralradio.com/kuvr/news/arapahoe-holbrook-public-schools-first-to-hold-special-election-requesting-tax-authority-override/
Congressman Mike Quigley to run for mayor of Chicago in 2027, saying city is "in crisis"
Saying "Chicago is in crisis," U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley said he plans to run for mayor in 2027, even as he is in the midst of a congressional re-election campaign.
Quigley's name has been floated in previous election cycles, but he's never dipped his toe in the race until now.
The nine-term congressman, who is running for re-election in 2026, explained why he wants the top job on the 5th floor at City Hall.
"Chicago is in crisis. I love this city. I've given most my adult life to public service in Chicago. But I see it in a situation where someone has to lead at a time when there's a lack of leadership. Willingness to make extortionary difficult decisions; those are the kind of decisions I've made my entire public life," he said.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/congressman-mike-quigley-running-for-mayor-chicago-2027/
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