The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 10, 2025

On the ballot with Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race April 1st was a question to enshrine a voter ID requirement into the state’s constitution.  Voter ID is popular in Wisconsin and elsewhere, but comes with unintentional – or perhaps intentional, consequences.

A 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center found 82% of Americans favored government-issued ID for voting, and Wisconsin already has a voter ID law in place since 2011.  The recent ballot question asked whether voters should be required to present a valid photo ID, but deferred to state law as to the type of ID.  It passed 63% to 27%.  

At the moment, the state accepts a Wisconsin driver’s license or non-driver ID, military ID, U.S. passport, tribal ID card, student ID card, naturalization papers, or a VA health card.  But the devil, as they say, is in the details.

While Wisconsin allows some student IDs, Votebeat reports that IDs from the 50,000-student University of Wisconsin – Madison and other campuses are NOT acceptable for voting.  The state offers a free ID for voting, but requires applicants to appear in person at the DMV with citizenship, residency or other documents.  Disability activists say 11 of Wisconsin’s DMV offices are not handicapped accessible.  

We’ve linked to more on Wisconsin’s voter ID amendment  at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Pew Research Center – Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday
Wisconsin Public Radio – Voter ID in Wisconsin: What to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 referendum
BallotPedia – Wisconsin Question 1, Require Voter Photo ID Amendment (April 2025)
Wisconsin Legislature – 2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2
Votebeat Wisconsin – Wisconsin voters to decide whether to put photo ID requirement in constitution
Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation – Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes – petition process
Wisconsin Examiner – Wisconsin voters approve constitutional amendment to enshrine voter ID law 

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU WI, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, League of Women Voters WI

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterID #Wisconsin #WIConstitution

The post Wisconsin Voters Enshrine Voter ID in Their Constitution.  Voter ID is Popular with Voters, But Comes with Consequences appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 11, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Oregon’s legislature took a step March 7th to limit the influence of money in politics by capping campaign finance contributions.  But it may preempt an even stricter ballot initiative.

HB 4024 limits campaign contributions for individuals and corporations to $3,300 per election, or $6,600 for both the primary and general.  Small donor political committees could accept up to $250 from individuals, which can then give up to $10 per donor per election to statewide candidates.   Membership organizations such as unions and business groups could contribute a maximum $26,400 to a statewide candidate per election.  

Initiative Petition 9, backed by Honest Elections Oregon and other democracy groups, had stricter limits and more disclosure requirements for groups doing political spending.  HB 4024 requires groups spending $50,000 or more to disclose an individual donor who contributed $5,000 or more. ID 9’s proposed disclosure threshold was $1,000, and forced those donors to register with the state.   It also completely banned direct corporate contributions to candidates.   

While democracy advocates don’t think HB 4024 goes far enough, reporting by the Oregon Capital Chronicle suggests campaign finance activists saw it as “better than nothing.”  Governor Tina Kotek is expected to sign the bill, and backers may withdraw IP 9 and another union-backed initiative.

We have more on HB 4024 and the groups taking action at   AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Oregon Legislature – Summary for HB 4024
Oregon Legislature –  Bill Text for HB 4024
Oregon Capital Journal – Oregon is one signature away from ending unlimited campaign contributions
Initiative Petition 9 – Summary

Groups Taking Action:
Honest Elections Oregon, Common Cause Oregon, League of Women Voters

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OregonPolitics #MoneyinPolitics #CampaignFinanceReform

The post Oregon Legislature Passes Campaign Contribution Limits and Disclosure, Dodging an Even Stricter Ballot Initiative appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 21, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

While New York’s bipartisan redistricting commission struggled, the successful California Citizen Redistricting Commission maps were passed unanimously in 2021 with no litigation.  New York’s commission deadlocked, and was overruled by a Democratic-dominated legislature which drew its own gerrymandered maps. Those were later thrown out by the court, and the Congressional map is STILL being contested.  

Unlike New York’s 10-person, politically-appointed board, California uses an extensive application process for its 14-person board, using the California State Auditor’s office to review and recommend 120 qualified candidates.  The top 60 candidates are put into pools of Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated. The California Assembly is then allowed to strike up to eight candidates per pool.  The remaining candidates are the first eight members, who choose the remaining six members, two out of each of three pools. 

Unlike New York, California’s commission follows strict rules about “communities of interest,” putting shared common interests like water systems and school districts over mapping for partisan power.  While analysis by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project shows a Democratic lean versus other map options, proposed state assembly, senate, and Congressional maps received a unanimous vote of the commission.   There were NO court challenges to the maps.

One more big difference:  While New York’s legislature could overrule its commission, California’s Commission has the final say.

Find out more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
New York Independent Redistricting Commission – Background on the Commission
Brennan Center for Justice – What Went Wrong with New York’s Redistricting
California Secretary of State – California Redistricting
California Citizen Redistricting Commission – What is the Commission?
California Citizen Redistricting Commission –  REPORT ON FINAL MAPS
CalMatters – No legal battles for California’s new election maps. But what lessons can be learned?
Princeton Gerrymandering Project – California

Groups Taking Action:
ACLU or Northern California, Common Cause, League of Women Voters CA, #CaliforniaPolitics

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #CitizenRedistricting #CaliforniaPolitics

The post Why was California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission Successful, While New York’s Commission Resulted in Gerrymandering & Court Cases? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 25, 2023

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

We have updates on stories we’ve been following, including Arizona candidate Kari Lake’s election challenge, and Shasta County, California’s decision to hand count ballots.

First to Arizona, where Monday, the remaining claim in Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s lawsuit challenging her loss has finally been dismissed.  Lake, who disputed the 2020 Presidential election then her own 2022 election,  contended that signatures on mail-in ballots weren’t properly verified, a claim for which the judge said she had provided no credible evidence that violated the law.  Lake lost the election to Gov. Katie Hobbs by over 17,000 votes.  It’s unclear whether Lake will appeal.

Last week, a recall of Shasta County, California Commissioner Kevin Crye moved forward, with approval of the recall petition language.   KRCR reports that a citizens group now must collect over 4100 signatures to put the recall on the November ballot.  Crye is allied with MyPillow CEO and election denier Mike Lindell.

Crye and the conservative majority of the Shasta County Commission voted in March to replace existing Dominion Voting Systems tabulators with a system to hand-count ballots, at a cost of almost $1 Million dollars.   Shasta County has 111,000 registered voters, and hand counting is expected to take over a week and cost the county tens of thousands more in labor costs.   

We have more on these stories and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Courthouse News Service – Kari Lake loses election challenge
Democracy Docket – Arizona Judge Issues Final Blow to Kari Lake’s Six-Month Election Contest

NBC News – (2022) Arizona Governor’s Race Results
KRCR – A look inside Shasta County’s voting change; what state, local officials are saying
KRCR – Petition to recall Shasta County Supervisor Kevin Crye passes review “with flying colors”
Sacramento Bee – In Shasta County, moderate Republicans and union organizers push back on ‘far-right extremism’

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause Arizona, States United Democracy Center, Recall Kevin Crye,  United Public Employees of California

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElectionDeniers

The post Election Denier Updates: AZ Gubernatorial Candidate Kari Lake Loses Election Challenge; Shasta County CA Commissioner Recall Moves Forward appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 16, 2023

Since this broadcast, the Ohio legislature has passed a state constitutional amendment and a bill re-establishing an August date for a special election in hopes of pushing through its 60% margin for approval of a citizen ballot initiative. Brian Beihl will return with new episodes on Wednesday.

The post Rebroadcast from March 10, 2023: State Legislatures Attempting to Limit Voter Power by Making Citizen Ballot Initiatives Harder to Win appeared first on American Democracy Minute.