Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Photo: Scotty Perry/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Wednesday signed a bipartisan bill that expands voting access in the state.
Why it matters: The legislation, passed by the GOP-controlled legislature, comes as Republicans in other states push for more voting restrictions. Last month, Georgia became the first battleground state to pass a law curbing voting access.
- State lawmakers have introduced more than 360 restrictive voting or election bills this year, including more than 100 since mid-February, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
- Many would disproportionately affect voters of color, as well as those with disabilities.
Details: The Kentucky law establishes three days of in-person early voting.
- It also keeps in place some of the emergency features implemented due to the pandemic, including an online portal for absentee ballot registration, absentee drop boxes and voting centers where residents from any precinct can vote.
- It establishes a process to cure deficient absentee ballots and requires a gradual switch to equipment that can process paper ballots.
- The law gives state officials more authority to remove individuals from voter rolls if they have moved away and registered to vote in another state. And it prohibits and penalizes ballot harvesting, among other provisions.
Yes, but: "Kentucky already has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country," the Lexington Herald Leader notes.
What they're saying: “I firmly believe that we should be making it easier for Kentuckians to vote and participate in the democratic process,” Beshear said in a statement. “This new law represents important first steps to preserve and protect every individual’s right to make their voice heard.”
- Beshear also said that while he wanted more in the bill, the legislation is a "win for Kentucky."
- "While some states have stepped in a different direction, I'm really proud of Kentucky."
- Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, a Republican, added, "While other states are caught up in partisan division, Kentucky is leading the nation in making it both easier to vote and harder to cheat."