Brennan Center October Roundup: 22 States Enacted 47 Restrictive Voting Laws Since 2024; 32 States Enacted 61 Expansive Ones

The Brennan Center published its October 2026 voting-laws roundup on October 1, 2026. Since the 2024 election, lawmakers in 22 states have enacted 47 new restrictive laws that will make it harder for eligible Americans to register, stay on the voter rolls, or vote. Lawmakers in 32 states have enacted 61 expansive laws. Of the restrictive laws, 38 of these laws are slated to be in effect for the midterms; the rest take effect after the election or are blocked by court orders.

Voters in Mississippi, South Dakota, and Utah will face new requirements to provide documents such as a passport or birth certificate when registering to vote. In 2026, the Brennan Center found that no state has enacted an election interference law.

Counts reflect the Brennan Center’s own coding of restrictive and expansive laws. Related canon: 2026-08-26–five-state-citizenship-proof-enforcement-picture-diverges-two-enjoined-2026-midterms.