Elections
The Voting-Rights Firewall — 2026 State-Legislative Session
38 states passed voting-rights legislation this session. 21 tightened access; 17 expanded it. Carla W. read every bill.
In the 2026 state-legislative session, thirty-eight states passed legislation touching voting rights. The split is close to even.
Restrictive states (21)
Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Iowa continued their multi-year pattern of narrowing mail voting, shortening early-voting windows, and adding voter-ID requirements. Nineteen bills passed with veto-proof majorities. The DOJ under this administration has declined every preclearance-style challenge.
Expansive states (17)
Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico expanded automatic voter registration, restored voting rights to formerly incarcerated citizens, and codified drop-box access into state law. Michigan's reforms are the model — sponsored by the Voting Rights Coalition, drafted with input from municipal clerks.
Where the litigation goes
Twelve of the 21 restrictive laws are already in federal court. The 5th, 8th, and 11th Circuits are the venues — traditionally hostile to voting-rights plaintiffs. The 4th and 9th Circuits, where three of the challenges landed, are friendlier.