American Democracy Minute A 90 second radio news report & podcast on U.S. democracy issues %

Federal Court Allows Trump Order Federalizing Mail-In Voting Rules to Proceed Because Voters Haven’t Been Harmed – Yet

May 31, 2026May 31, 2026

Because no voters had yet been harmed, a federal district court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order federalizing mail-in voting rules. The order is widely seen as unconstitutional.

Federal Court Panel Rejects Alabama Congressional Map -Again- as Intentional Discrimination. State Officials Appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

There’s another showdown between the courts and the State of Alabama over congressional district maps, and it’s likely headed - you guessed it - back to the U.S. Supreme Court.

As Angry Voters Turned Out in Record Numbers for Early Voting, South Carolina Senate Decides to Abandon Trump-Pushed Redistricting Map

May 27, 2026May 27, 2026

The South Carolina Senate abandoned a plan May 26th to flip the state’s only liberal-leaning congressional district to conservatives. A ticking clock, over a hundred proposed amendments, and record early voting turnout appear to have been factors.

The Cost of Partisan Power: Mid-Decade Redistricting and Delaying Congressional Primaries Will Cost the Taxpayers Big Money

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026

States conducting mid-decade redistricting racked up big bills for the special sessions, special elections, delayed congressional primaries, infrastructure changes, and extra labor. And it’s taxpayers, not those doing the gerrymandering, who will foot the bill.

The Redistricting Arms Race was Fueled by Hundreds of Millions in Super PAC and 501C4 Dark Money from Both Sides in Virginia and California

May 25, 2026May 25, 2026

The redistricting arms race fights in Virginia, California and elsewhere were fueled by hundreds of millions of dollars from Super PACs and hard-to-track dark money groups. Contributions shattered Virginia’s previous record for ballot questions.