States Range from Strict Voter ID to None, Election Attorney Weighs In | The States

Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, Vermont, and Alabama held primaries under widely varying voter ID requirements, with attorney Stephen Kaufman arguing that federal and state voter-ID/citizenship-documentation efforts amount to voter suppression rather than integrity measures. The U.S. Senate's Save America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, remains stalled short of the 60 votes needed, while a related California ballot measure (Proposition 39) requiring in-person voter ID and partial ID numbers on mail ballots faces ongoing litigation over ballot language. Also, in this episode: Wisconsin governor primary: Democratic candidates State Rep. Francesca Hong (44% in the latest poll), Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (22%), and State Sen. Kelda Roys are focused on affordability, health care costs, and child care subsidies, while Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany remains the frontrunner on pledges to freeze property taxes and cut regulations. The U.S. Justice Department deployed Civil Rights Division agents to monitor polling sites in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, prompting criticism from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, as voters choose nominees for governor (following Gov. Tim Walz's decision not to seek a third term) and several competitive congressional primaries. Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell is competing for the Republican gubernatorial nomination against House Speaker Melissa Demuth and Kendall Qualls, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar is among Democratic candidates for governor. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Suncor v. Boulder County Commissioners on October 5, addressing whether states can use local law to regulate out-of-state energy companies over climate-related conduct, with the 2022 pork-producer case National Pork Producers v. Ross seen as a key precedent; Justice Samuel Alito is confirmed to remain on the bench for the term's start. Economist Orphe Divounguy said June's owner's-equivalent-rent measure rose just 0.1% (the smallest increase since January 2021) due to a prior apartment-construction surge, but warned rent growth is now reaccelerating as builders pull back, with a persistent 4.3 million-unit gap between housing supply and demand. The Center Square's ongoing investigation found a North Carolina-funded nonprofit promotes gender-affirming care resources for minors despite a state law banning such treatments for children, and an Illinois nonprofit, Erase PTSD Now, has paid millions to businesses owned by its founder, Dr. Eugene Lipov. Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams said nearly 4,000 nonprofits receive government funding covering 50% or more of executive salaries, calling for mandatory annual audits of nonprofits receiving public money.     The States delivers taxpayer-focused reporting from around America, powered by The Center Square. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.