Amid a major push to pass HR1 in the Senate, President Biden signed another executive order on Sunday (March 7) to increase access to voting for federal offenders.
According to information from the White House, Biden’s executive order modernizes the voting website Vote.gov, requires federal agencies to expand voter registration, provide more access to voting and registration for detained prisoners and probationers, examine barriers to voting for people with disabilities, and improve tracking of overseas voters who vote (including active duty military).
“The executive order would direct the Attorney General to establish steps to provide information related to voter registration and voting and, to the extent practicable, facilitate access to voter registration for eligible individuals in federal prisons.” The White House said in the fact sheet.
The executive order also directs the attorney general to help individuals who have committed crimes obtain proper identification to meet the voting requirements of their states. Biden also asked that the U.S. Marshals Service (U.S. Marshals Service) contract include additional language to facilitate mail-in voting for offenders who are eligible to vote.
The White House fact sheet also said the executive order aims to “increase access to voter registration and voting information by leveraging the resources of the federal government.
The executive order directs the head of each federal agency to prepare a plan within the next 200 days on how his or her agency will facilitate voter registration. Potential projects may include distributing mail-in ballot applications and registration applications to voters at agency-sponsored events, promoting voter registration through agency websites, etc.
On Wednesday, March 3, the House passed the HR1 election reform bill (also known as the “For the People Act”) under Democratic control, which includes legislation to promote automatic voter registration, restore voting rights for felons after they have served their sentences, expand early voting rights, and expand absentee This legislation includes the promotion of automatic voter registration, restoration of felon voting rights after completion of prison sentences, expansion of early voting rights and expansion of absentee voting rights.
In addition to easing voter eligibility requirements, HR1 also provides for a cap on campaign financing, plans to upgrade the District of Columbia to a state, and allows the use of public funds to support campaigns, among other things, which is believed to either permanently change the U.S. election system and ensure that Democrats do not lose future elections.
Last Wednesday, hours before the bill was voted on, a group of 20 state attorneys general, led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, sent a joint letter to House and Senate leaders criticizing the bill as unconstitutional and asking Congress not to legislate the bill.
The next day (last Thursday), Biden celebrated the House’s passage of HR1 and said he would sign it into law if the Senate passed it as well. Biden said the United States “desperately” needs to protect voters’ rights to vote and “strengthen” democracy, and he vowed to work with Congress to “refine and advance” the bill.
HR1 was opposed by all Republicans, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed it as an attempt by Democrats to use their “temporary power” to ensure they never lose it.
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