Latest news with #HelpAmericaVoteActof2002
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rep. Steny Hoyer draws a challenger who makes the age argument explicit
Rep. Steny Hoyer has drawn a primary challenger with a pointed message about the 85-year-old: The incumbent Maryland Democrat is too old to run again. Harry Jarin, a 35-year-old volunteer firefighter and emergency services consultant who once competed on 'Jeopardy!', launched his campaign Thursday because he said Democrats need to "stop treating congressional seats like lifetime appointments.' "When I started going around asking people whether I should do this, nobody could tell me that in their heart, they really thought Steny Hoyer at 89 years old [at the end of] the next Congress was the right person to represent us in this district,' Jarin said in an interview with POLITICO previewing his candidacy. Hoyer — who has not said if he will seek a 24th term — was first elected in 1981. While in office, Hoyer has been a stalwart supporter of the party's top issues. He was an early supporter of the ADA in 1990 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and as majority leader he played a key role in the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. A Hoyer spokesperson declined to comment. When Hoyer stepped back from leadership in 2022, he directly addressed his age, telling CNN: 'Have you heard I was 83?' 'I think all of us have been around for some time and pretty much have a feel for the timing of decisions. And I think all three of us felt that this was the time,' Hoyer said at the time, addressing his decision and the decisions of Nancy Pelosi and Jim Clyburn. As the party continues to reckon with its November loss to President Donald Trump, Democrats have been looking for ways to inject new voices into the conversation. Those arguing for change say bringing in new people will bring new ideas to Congress, as well as new strategies for reaching an electorate that has soured on their party. But Democrats have tread carefully around the issue of age, particularly around former President Joe Biden — even in the wake of fresh questions about whether his decision to run for reelection amid his deteriorating condition set the party back. Not Jarin. Jarin acknowledged that his differences with Hoyer are 'not necessarily ideological,' but rather rooted in his age. He cast the former majority leader as out of date with his approach, which he said was too incremental and unable to keep up in the changing media landscape that is so crucial to courting younger voters. "Steny is still operating in this 1980s information environment where maybe he does some media hits and he stands on the floor of the House and makes a speech to an empty chamber and nobody's watching," he said. "We're not reaching young voters." After a string of deaths among older Democratic members since the start of this Congress, Jarin said, it's time to make explicit the conversation about whether incumbents are too old to serve. 'I'm not trying to be cruel or callous," Jarin said, "but I want Democrats to win, and there are consequences for having this gerontocracy, and we have to reckon with that.' Hoyer, who long served as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's second-in-command in the House before the two stepped back from leadership, is one of several senior Democrats who are facing primary challengers from younger generations demanding new leadership. Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Pelosi (D-Calif.), have all drawn opponents from within their party. After drawing a challenger, Schakowsky announced she would no longer seek reelection. Democrats, of course, aren't the only ones to contend with age in office. Former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stepped back from his leadership role at the age of 82 after more than two decades of being the chief Senate Republican. And President Donald Trump, at 78, became the oldest president to be inaugurated in American history this January. The party has also been roiled by DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, who has pledged to spend big on primaries against 'ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel' members of his own party. Jarin has not spoken to Hogg about his potential support, but he flexed his ties to Democratic donors, including his husband, who he said bundled for Biden, and he thinks he will raise enough to put up a fight against Hoyer's $573,000 cash on hand. When Hogg announced his plan to primary incumbents, he specifically noted he would not back a Hoyer challenger. Jarin said that the party has work to do as it sorts through its election losses from last year. The party's focus on Trump, he said, has distracted from presenting an affirmative message to voters. 'We've been the anti-Trump party for the last 10 years, but what do we actually stand for?' he said. Jarin said Democrats at all levels know that having too many older members can be a problem and says there's plenty of private support behind him. But to win, his supporters will need to make their frustrations with older members clinging to their seats public.
Politico
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Rep. Steny Hoyer draws a challenger who makes the age argument explicit
Rep. Steny Hoyer has drawn a primary challenger with a pointed message about the 85-year-old: The incumbent Maryland Democrat is too old to run again. Harry Jarin, a 35-year-old volunteer firefighter and emergency services consultant who once competed on 'Jeopardy!', launched his campaign Thursday because he said Democrats need to 'stop treating congressional seats like lifetime appointments.' 'When I started going around asking people whether I should do this, nobody could tell me that in their heart, they really thought Steny Hoyer at 89 years old [at the end of] the next Congress was the right person to represent us in this district,' Jarin said in an interview with POLITICO previewing his candidacy. Hoyer — who has not said if he will seek a 24th term — was first elected in 1981. While in office, Hoyer has been a stalwart supporter of the party's top issues. He was an early supporter of the ADA in 1990 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and as majority leader he played a key role in the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. A Hoyer spokesperson declined to comment. When Hoyer stepped back from leadership in 2022, he directly addressed his age, telling CNN: 'Have you heard I was 83?' 'I think all of us have been around for some time and pretty much have a feel for the timing of decisions. And I think all three of us felt that this was the time,' Hoyer said at the time, addressing his decision and the decisions of Nancy Pelosi and Jim Clyburn. As the party continues to reckon with its November loss to President Donald Trump, Democrats have been looking for ways to inject new voices into the conversation. Those arguing for change say bringing in new people will bring new ideas to Congress, as well as new strategies for reaching an electorate that has soured on their party. But Democrats have tread carefully around the issue of age, particularly around former President Joe Biden — even in the wake of fresh questions about whether his decision to run for reelection amid his deteriorating condition set the party back. Not Jarin. Jarin acknowledged that his differences with Hoyer are 'not necessarily ideological,' but rather rooted in his age. He cast the former majority leader as out of date with his approach, which he said was too incremental and unable to keep up in the changing media landscape that is so crucial to courting younger voters. 'Steny is still operating in this 1980s information environment where maybe he does some media hits and he stands on the floor of the House and makes a speech to an empty chamber and nobody's watching,' he said. 'We're not reaching young voters.' After a string of deaths among older Democratic members since the start of this Congress, Jarin said, it's time to make explicit the conversation about whether incumbents are too old to serve. 'I'm not trying to be cruel or callous,' Jarin said, 'but I want Democrats to win, and there are consequences for having this gerontocracy, and we have to reckon with that.' Hoyer, who long served as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's second-in-command in the House before the two stepped back from leadership, is one of several senior Democrats who are facing primary challengers from younger generations demanding new leadership. Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Pelosi (D-Calif.), have all drawn opponents from within their party. After drawing a challenger, Schakowsky announced she would no longer seek reelection. Democrats, of course, aren't the only ones to contend with age in office. Former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stepped back from his leadership role at the age of 82 after more than two decades of being the chief Senate Republican. And President Donald Trump, at 78, became the oldest president to be inaugurated in American history this January. The party has also been roiled by DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, who has pledged to spend big on primaries against 'ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel' members of his own party. Jarin has not spoken to Hogg about his potential support, but he flexed his ties to Democratic donors, including his husband, who he said bundled for Biden, and he thinks he will raise enough to put up a fight against Hoyer's $573,000 cash on hand. When Hogg announced his plan to primary incumbents, he specifically noted he would not back a Hoyer challenger. Jarin said that the party has work to do as it sorts through its election losses from last year. The party's focus on Trump, he said, has distracted from presenting an affirmative message to voters. 'We've been the anti-Trump party for the last 10 years, but what do we actually stand for?' he said. Jarin said Democrats at all levels know that having too many older members can be a problem and says there's plenty of private support behind him. But to win, his supporters will need to make their frustrations with older members clinging to their seats public.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trump admin. sues North Carolina over voter registration records
May 28 (UPI) -- The Trump administration is suing North Carolina and the state's Board of Elections on accusations of maintaining voter registration records that include voters who did not provide required identifying information, in violation of federal law. The Justice Department filed the lawsuit Tuesday, alleging the defendants violated the Help America Vote Act of 2002 by using a state voter registration form that did not "explicitly require" a voter to provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Those who filled out the form, without providing the identifying information, were then added to the voter registration record. HAVA was sweeping voter reform legislation that included updated voter identification procedures. Under the law, a voter registration application must include either the applicant's driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The lawsuit alleges that a "significant number" of North Carolina voters who did not provide the required identifying information were registered to vote by election officials. "Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately and without fraud," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws." The lawsuit comes after Jefferson Griffin, a Republican Court of Appeals judge, finally conceded defeat to his Democratic opponent for North Carolina's state Supreme Court seat earlier this month, following six months of litigation over the legality of tens of thousands of votes cast in the election. Griffin lost to Associate Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes and sought to have some 60,000 ballots in six Democratic-leaning counties rejected on the same grounds that the Justice Department cited in its lawsuit on Wednesday -- the ballots were cast by voters, mostly in the military or overseas, who did not provide photo ID or an ID exception form. Democrats accused him of attempting to steal the election, and the state's high court ruled to uphold the validity of the votes cast. With Riggs' victory, the state's Supreme Court maintains a 5-2 Republican majority.
UPI
28-05-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Trump admin. sues North Carolina over voter registration records
The Justice Department under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sued North Carolina on Tuesday, accusing the state of failing to maintain accurate voter registration records. File Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo May 28 (UPI) -- The Trump administration is suing North Carolina and the state's Board of Elections on accusations of maintaining voter registration records that include voters who did not provide required identifying information, in violation of federal law. The Justice Department filed the lawsuit Tuesday, alleging the defendants violated the Help America Vote Act of 2002 by using a state voter registration form that did not "explicitly require" a voter to provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Those who filled out the form, without providing the identifying information, were then added to the voter registration record. HAVA was sweeping voter reform legislation that included updated voter identification procedures. Under the law, a voter registration application must include either the applicant's driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The lawsuit alleges that a "significant number" of North Carolina voters who did not provide the required identifying information were registered to vote by election officials. "Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately and without fraud," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws." The lawsuit comes after Jefferson Griffin, a Republican Court of Appeals judge, finally conceded defeat to his Democratic opponent for North Carolina's state Supreme Court seat earlier this month, following six months of litigation over the legality of tens of thousands of votes cast in the election. Griffin lost to Associate Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes and sought to have some 60,000 ballots in six Democratic-leaning counties rejected on the same grounds that the Justice Department cited in its lawsuit on Wednesday -- the ballots were cast by voters, mostly in the military or overseas, who did not provide photo ID or an ID exception form. Democrats accused him of attempting to steal the election, and the state's high court ruled to uphold the validity of the votes cast. With Riggs' victory, the state's Supreme Court maintains a 5-2 Republican majority.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Department of Justice suing North Carolina for ‘inaccurate voter list'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The State of North Carolina and its State Board of Elections are on the receiving end of a lawsuit claiming the state has failed to 'maintain an accurate voter list' in accordance with federal law. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had filed the lawsuit, which claims the state has directly violated the mandate laid out in the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The violation points to a registration form that the DOJ claims 'did not require a voter to provide identifying information such as a driver's license or last four digits of a social security number.' Once the forms were completed, voters were added to the state voter registration roll and some remain on it without the required information, the federal agency said. 'Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,' said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. 'The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws.' The USDOJ also referenced Executive Order 14248 signed by President Donald Trump on March 25 which was titled 'Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.' The DOJ says that order is about guarding against illegal voting, unlawful discrimination, and other forms of fraud, error, or suspicion. CBS 17 reached out for a response from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Its executive director, Sam Hayes provided the following statement on the lawsuit: 'I was only recently notified of this action by the United States Department of Justice. We are still reviewing the complaint, but the failure to collect the information required by HAVA has been well documented. Rest assured that I am committed to bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
