Skip to main content
Related Topic: Elections
Expand All

February 2025

Feb. 1, 2025, Legislative Action Bulletin

  • In session (as of Feb. 1): 45 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
    • Alabama starts session on Feb. 4, Florida on March 4, Louisiana on April 14, Nevada on Feb. 2 and Oklahoma on Feb. 3.
  • Introduced election-related bills (as of Feb. 1): 1,366

While it remains early in states' 2025 legislative sessions, some trends are beginning to emerge.

  • At least 26 states have introduced legislation related to absentee/mail ballot return or processing, including ballot receipt deadlines, who may return a ballot, when absentee ballot processing or counting may begin, and signature curing processes.
  • At least 30 states have introduced bills related to citizenship verification. These include requiring documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote, clarifying list maintenance procedures related to removing noncitizens from voter rolls and proposing constitutional language to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections.
  • At least 25 states have introduced bills related to voter ID, including adding a requirement to present a photo ID when voting, requiring indications of citizenship on state-issued identification cards, or which types of identification are acceptable for the purpose of voting.
    • Wisconsin's legislature passed a bill that will put a ballot measure to voters in 2026 seeking to add a constitutional provision requiring photo ID to vote. Photo ID is already required to vote in Wisconsin through statute.

NCSL's elections team compiles election-related enactments at the end of every year. There were 274 enacted bills in 2024 related to election administration. Major trends in 2024's enacted legislation included:

  • Voter registration and list maintenance: 45 bills.
  • Absentee and mail voting, including processing absentee ballots and applications and deadlines for return: 39 bills.
  • Use of AI in elections and campaigns: 19 bills.

For more legislative action and election administration research, reach out to NCSL's elections team using the contact form on this page.

Loading
  • Contact NCSL

  • For more information on this topic, use this form to reach NCSL staff.

Related Resources

NCSL Election Resources

The NCSL elections team provides a variety of resources on election issues, including but not limited to 50-state surveys on state laws, legislation databases, a monthly elections newsletter, enactment summaries and other publications.

What Americans Think About Voting | OAS Episode 227

Election expert Charles Stewart III, a professor at MIT, joined the podcast to discuss the results of his Survey of the Performance of American Elections, asking voters in every state and Washington, D.C., about their voting experience. His 2024 report from that survey offers a window into how Americans voted—not who they voted for— and if they were satisfied with their voting experience. 

Podcast
Loading
  • Contact NCSL

  • For more information on this topic, use this form to reach NCSL staff.