A roundup of recent voting news
In Virginia, a federal judge partially struck down the state’s felony disenfranchisement rule, potentially restoring voting rights to hundreds of thousands. In North Carolina, more than 70,000 residents must update their voter registrations with identification documents or face issues at the ballot box. And at the federal level, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act, potentially disenfranchising millions of Americans.
So, buckle up as we break down the wins, the setbacks, and the urgent fights ahead in the battle for our democracy. 
The Good
A federal judge in Richmond partially struck down Virginia’s felony disenfranchisement rule, potentially making hundreds of thousands of people eligible to vote again. The ruling states that Virginia can only strip voting rights for 11 specific common-law felonies from 1870, including arson, burglary, manslaughter, murder, and rape. Effective May 1, 2026, individuals convicted of more modern crimes, such as drug offenses, will have their voting rights restored. The ruling could also have broader implications, potentially opening up similar lawsuits in other former Confederate states with comparable Reconstruction-era laws.
What’s next? The state Attorney General will decide whether to appeal the ruling. Separately, Virginia voters will soon vote on a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights to anyone who completes a felony sentence.
The Bad
In North Carolina, more than 70,000 voters may have to vote with provisional ballots — which had a 60% rejection rate in the 2024 general election — unless they update their registration with a driver’s license, Social Security number, or other identification document. The requirement stems from a 2025 settlement with the current administration over registrations missing information required by federal law. Despite six months of outreach, fewer than 32,000 of the original 103,270 affected voters have corrected their registrations, with many of the affected residents being young voters. Adding to the challenge, voters now have only three days after Election Day to fix ballot problems, down from nine days under the previous law.
What’s next? Outreach efforts will continue before the May 2026 primary elections. State officials hope the issue will largely be resolved before the 2028 presidential election, though current progress suggests thousands may still be subject to the provisional ballot requirement in upcoming elections.
The Ugly
The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act — a dangerous attack on our freedom to vote that could block more than 21 million eligible Americans from casting a ballot. The SAVE America Act combines photo ID requirements with citizenship documentation mandates and would force states to check voter rolls against federal citizenship databases monthly. These requirements would disproportionately impact young voters, voters of color, seniors, women whose married names don’t match their birth certificates, and people who have recently moved.
What’s next? The SAVE America Act is part of a growing push by the White House to gain federal control over the country’s elections. The bill now heads to the Senate.