California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill extending automatic voting by mail and three bills increasing election transparency and integrity.

The marquee bill signed Monday, Assembly Bill 31, requires county elections officials to mail a ballot to every active registered voter for all elections.

The bill additionally extended the window for mail ballots to be sent to elections offices to seven days after the election.

California automatically sent ballots to voters the starting in early days of the pandemic.

During the 2020 presidential election, California saw a record-breaking 70% participation, the highest voter turnout since 1952.

Assembly Bill 319 forbids foreign governments or foreign principals from making a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure in connection with a state or local ballot measure or election.

Assembly Bill 1367 would make a person who uses campaign funds in a manner that violates the provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974 and results in an egregious personal benefit liable in an administrative or civil action brought by the commission for an amount of up to 2 times the amount of the unlawful expenditure.

Senate Bill 686 requires a limited liability company that qualified as a committee or a sponsor of a committee under the act, as specified, to file a statement of members with the Secretary of State.

The bill requires the statement to include a list of all persons who have a membership interest in the LLC of at least 10% or who have made a capital contribution of at least $10,000 to the LLC after it qualified as a committee or sponsor of a committee, or within the 12 months before it qualified.

These bills become effective January 1, 2022.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte repealed two executive orders issued by former Gov. Steve Bullock.

Executive Order 15-2018 required companies to report political spending if they wanted to bid on large state contracts.

The order also required companies bidding for certain state contracts to disclose political donations made within 60 days of an election.

The second order allowed county election clerks to expand voting by mail for the November general election to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The order also required counties to offer in-person voting, but it did not require polling places to be open on election day.

The Legislature concluded its special session late Wednesday night after three days of protests and public outrage regarding the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Three bills were sent to Gov. Brad Little’s desk, including two election related bills and a bill shielding businesses and schools from coronavirus-related lawsuits.

The election related bills would guarantee in-person voting would be allowed in some form across Idaho.

This was guaranteed regardless of any emergency orders in effect.

The bills would also buy more time for county clerks to process the expected large influx of mail-in ballots for the November election.

Gov. Little has five days from the time he receives the bills to either sign them or veto them.

If he does neither, the bills will become law automatically.

Gov. Steve Bullock announced Thursday Montana counties have the option to hold the November general election by mail.

If counties decide to hold a mail-in ballot election, ballots will be sent on October 9.

Return postage will be provided.

Voters will still be able to vote in-person if they choose.

Gov. Bullock allowed counties to hold a mail-in ballot primary election in June.

Ultimately, all 56 counties used mail ballots for the primary, which had record turnout.

State legislators passed a bill Sunday adding Nevada to a growing list of states mailing all active voters ballots ahead of the November election amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill now heads to Gov. Steve Sisolak.

If he signs it as expected, Nevada will join seven states planning to automatically send voters mail ballots.

These states include California and Vermont, which moved earlier this summer to adopt automatic mail ballot policies.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced he wants to postpone the presidential primary and state Supreme Court elections scheduled for Tuesday, April 7.

Evers is calling the Legislature into a special session on April 4 to take up legislation to avoid in-person voting.

The legislation calls for an all-mail election with a deadline of May 26 to return ballots.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-27 on March 29 suspending rules under Michigan election law for elections on May 5.

Additionally, the Governor instructed local clerks, county clerks, and election administrators to immediately begin preparations to conduct the election primarily by mail.

The Department of State may assist with the mailing of absent voter ballot applications and preparation of postage-prepaid absent voter ballot return envelopes for the return of voted ballots.

Gov. Whitmer is encouraging all voters to vote by absentee ballot.

However, each jurisdiction must maintain at least one location on election day where any voter can appear in-person to receive and submit a ballot.

The Election Commission has suspended the normal requirements for absentee balloting in the June 2 presidential and state primary elections.

Gov. Eric Holcomb postponed the presidential and state primary elections to June 2 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Indiana Election Commission Order 2020-37 authorizes the temporary suspension of the state’s statutory absentee voting eligibility requirements.

This will allow all voters to cast their ballots by mail.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order extending vote-by-mail for three upcoming elections.

The order comes as part of government efforts to protect public health and combat the spread of coronavirus.

Under the executive order, county election officials are to distribute vote-by-mail to all voters eligible to participate in the special elections.

The elections include the special election for the 28th Senate District, a runoff election for the 25th Congressional District, and a special recall election held in the city of Westminster.

In addition to calling for changes to the way the upcoming special elections are conducted, the governor’s order also extends the deadlines for the ballot counting, tabulation and other responsibilities related to California’s presidential primary election for 21 days.

This will allow for the implementation of appropriate social distancing measures.