In a major victory for the voters of Colorado, the state's legislature passed a bill that would greatly expand voting rights. The Senate has to pass a minor amendment before the legislation goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) for signature. The new law would implement same-day registration, automatically send mail-in ballots to every voter and create a statewide voter database to prevent fraud that would be updated in real-time.

Despite a widespread pattern of state legislatures attacking the voting rights of Americans, the Brennan Center for Justice shows, in a new report, that states have actually been much more likely in 2013 to seek to expand voting rights than to limit them.

Despite a slate of state legislation attacking the rights of voters, a number of states are advancing legislation that would enhance the ability of U.S. citizens to exercise their right to choose their representatives. Among the most likely advances in voting rights in the states:

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today in the case of Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona Inc., determining the constitutionality of Arizona’s Prop. 200, a law that requires voters to present certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship when using the federal form to register to vote at the polls.

The historic bond between the labor and civil rights movements will be celebrated this weekend as the AFL-CIO honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision that collective action—whether at the voting booth or at the workplace—mobilizes participants to continue their work to make King’s dream a reality.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to lift 30-year restrictions on a Republican National Committee (RNC) program that intimidates voters in communities of color. The Supreme Court did not comment on this decision. 

The restriction came about after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) sued the RNC for enlisting off-duty sheriffs and police officers to patrol polling places in minority precincts in New Jersey during a 1981 gubernatorial election. The next year, the RNC agreed not to carry out some programs it claimed were designed to combat voter fraud and to have the other reviewed by a federal court.

Faced with a shrinking margin for the 2013 legislative session, Michigan Republicans not only majority-muscled through a “right to work” for less bill in its lame-duck session that stood little chance of passage next year, but several other last-minute controversial measures as well.

The United States should adopt a universal and automatic voter registration system to boost participation and ensure all citizens have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said this morning.

Speaking to the Funders' Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP), Trumka said a strong and growing grassroots democracy movement needs to come together to “push back against the next wave of state-level attacks on the right to vote.”

If you live in an area of New York state that was hit by Hurricane Sandy last week and need information about voting tomorrow—if your regular polling place will be open, if it’s been moved, what hours it will be open—visit the New York State AFL-CIO’s special voting update website.   

You will find links to your county’s Board of Elections and other agencies, plus information on last-minute get out the vote volunteer opportunities.

We're getting down to the wire and here's a reminder to get your "vote hands" ready for Nov. 6. Call our Election Protection Hotline if you experience any problems at the polls: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683). You also can text REPORT to 235246 (standard data and messaging rates may apply) and someone from the rapid response team will get back to you.