India begins launching “pink booths” to encourage female voting
“Pink booths” feature an all-female staff – including police and security personnel – and childcare facilities in order to encourage women to vote.
Elections
Denver voters approve decriminalizing “magic mushrooms”
Denver voters approved a measure to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. Psilocybin has been touted for treating a variety of psychological issues, including depression.
Ohio congressional map is illegal gerrymander, federal court rules
The ruling, by a three-judge panel from the Federal District Court in Cincinnati, ordered new maps to be drawn by June 14 to be used for the 2020 election, when Democrats will fight to preserve their House majority.
Alphabet’s Jigsaw extends its cyber protections to Europe’s upcoming elections
Jigsaw, the Alphabet unit that aims to make the world safer through technology, is expanding its Project Shield technology that protects against distributed denial of services attacks to European political organizations, campaigns, and candidates.
New York legislators pass sweeping overhaul of restrictive voting laws
The measures, planned by Democrats who reclaimed control of all levers of state government for the first time in modern memory, would allow voters to cast their ballots early or by mail for the first time in state history.
Gun control groups eclipse NRA in U.S. election spending
Amid a numbing succession of mass shootings, gun control groups outspent the National Rifle Association in the midterm election cycle.
Massachusetts voters uphold transgender rights law
The Yes on 3 campaign described Massachusetts as the first state in the nation “to successfully defend transgender rights by popular vote.”
Colorado elects nation’s first openly gay governor
Colorado Democratic US Rep. Jared Polis will be his state’s next governor, becoming the nation’s first openly gay man elected to a governor’s mansion.
Record number of women heading to U.S. Congress
More than 100 women were projected to win seats in the House of Representatives, easily shattering the record.
Florida restores voting rights to more than 1 million former felons
Amendment 4 automatically reinstates voting rights for people with felony convictions upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole and probation.