The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 6, 2025

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed two election bills May 2nd, one of which includes provisions for poll workers to challenge the citizenship of voters in the polling place, a ban on ranked choice voting, and a higher bar for third parties. 

Among several new provisions, House File 954 authorizes state election officials to access to federal agency databases and gives local election officials authority to challenge citizenship of a registered voter at the polls.  A recent presidential executive order now allows personal information sharing from federal agencies to state election officials. 

If a voter is not able to provide documentation at the polls, they would be forced to use a provisional ballot.   Only days before the 2024 election, the Secretary of State’s office challenged the eligibility of over 2,100 registered voters.  Most were naturalized citizens or data errors, while 277 were registered noncitizens. Of those, only 35 voted, out of over 1.7 million cast.  Pro-voter groups argue such mass challenges intimidates legitimate naturalized citizens from voting. 

Two provisions in 954 attempt to protect major party power.  It bans ranked choice voting for any election in Iowa, and raises the bar for third parties to field candidates.  Third parties now need to garner 2% of the vote in three consecutive elections to qualify for the ballot. 

We have more on HF 954 at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Iowa Secretary of State – Iowa Secretary of State’s audit of voter registration lists finds 277 confirmed noncitizens registered to voteIowa Capital Dispatch – Iowa secretary of state says 277 noncitizens confirmed to be on Iowa’s voter rolls
Des Moines Register – After flagging 2,000+ ballots, Iowa secretary of state says 35 noncitizens voted in 2024Iowa Legislature – House File 954

The Gazette – Iowa poll workers can question voters about their citizenship under new law
Iowa Capital Dispatch – Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bills on election recounts, voter citizenship verification
Brennan Center for Justice – Citizenship & Voting

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU Iowa, LULAC

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NoncitizenVoting #Iowa #VoterSuppression #VoterChallenges 

The post Iowa Gov. Signs Bill Banning Ranked Choice Voting, and Allowing Poll Workers to Challenge Citizenship Status of Voters  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 28, 2025

Georgia law allows unlimited challenges by voters to the eligibility of other citizens registering or voting. Before a hotly-contested U.S. Senate runoff elections in 2021, an activist group challenged over 364,000 voters.  The case is now before an appeals court. 

Remember the Georgia legislature’s notorious SB 202, prohibiting “line warming”, the giving out of food and water for voters forced to wait in long lines to vote?  That is only one of many barriers in the law targeting voters of color.   Another allows citizen activists unlimited challenges to the eligibility of other citizens to register and vote, often using inaccurate, unreliable or hearsay information.  

At issue are mass challenges to over 364,000 mostly Black and Hispanic voters by True the Vote, the Texas group which brought you the discredited “2000 Mules” conspiracy theory documentary.  Georgia’s Fair Fight Action sued, but a federal district court said voters testifying didn’t provide enough evidence to rise to a Voting Rights Act violation.  

In Fair Fight’s 11th Circuit appeal on May 13th, two judges in the three judge panel voiced concern over the legal foundation of the lower court’s decision.  One judge suggested that the intent of voter suppression was enough to be a violation of the VRA, even if citizens voted successfully, according to reporting by the Georgia Recorder.  Expect a decision in the coming weeks.
We have more on the case at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Legal Defense Fund – LDF’s Lawsuit Challenging Georgia’s Voter Suppression Law
Brennan Center for Justice – (2024) New Georgia Law Spurs Bogus Challenges to Voter Eligibility
U.S. District Court via Democracy Docket – 2020 Complaint by Fair Fight Action

Texas Tribune – (2022) She helped create the Big Lie. Records suggest she turned it into a big grift.
NBC News – Conservative activists find errors in software they hoped would root out voter fraud
Georgia Recorder – Federal court might revive Georgia lawsuit claiming mass challenges violate Voting Rights Act
Court House News – 11th Circuit looks for voter intimidation in 2020 election challenges by conservatives

Groups Taking Action:

Fair Fight Action, Legal Defense Fund, ACLU GA

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Georgia #VoterSuppression #SB202 #VoterChallenges

The post 2020 Mass Challenges of 364,000 Georgia Voters Under Scrutiny by Federal Appeals Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 23, 2025

The “Independent State Legislature Theory” met a skeptical U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 in Moore v. Harper, a North Carolina gerrymandering case. The Michigan GOP tried to employ the fringe theory to undo Michigan’s Question 2 citizen initiative, but the U.S. Supreme Court refused the case May 19th.

Proponents argue the Independent State Legislature Theory gives legislatures ultimate power over federal election rules, based on a widely dismissed interpretation of the elections clause of the U.S. Constitution.  In North Carolina’s case, the legislature admitted it gerrymandered, but said it had the final say, and the courts and governor had no jurisdiction.

In 2022, Michigan’s “Promote the Vote” Question 2 ballot initiative passed 60% to 40%.  It enshrined multiple voting rights in the state constitution, including 9 days of early voting, guaranteeing the right to vote without harassment, offering a permanent vote by mail list, and mandating drop boxes and several other important voting reforms. 

Eleven GOP legislators tried to invalidate the ballot question, using the ISL theory. They argued only the state legislature could make election law  – not those pesky constituents.  The Michigan Supreme Court dismissed the case in April 2024, and on May 19th, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. 
We have more on ISL and the Michigan case at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – Moore v. Harper, Explained
American Democracy Minute – SCOTUS Hears Arguments on Dismissing Moore v. Harper; Democracy Advocates Divided
American Democracy Minute – (2022) Citizen Initiative Protecting Voting Rights Passes in Michigan
Michigan Advance – GOP lawmakers petition U.S. Supreme Court to hear case against Michigan election laws
Campaign Legal Center – (2022)  What Voters Need to Know About the Independent State Legislature Theory
Bridge Michigan via Votebeat – US Supreme Court rejects Michigan GOP bid to overturn new voting rules

Groups Taking Action:

Michigan Alliance for Retired Americans,  Detroit Downriver A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Detroit Disability Power

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers

The post Michigan GOP’s ‘Independent State Legislature Theory’ Case Rebuffed by U.S. Supreme Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 22, 2025

The New Hampshire Senate killed a bill requiring absentee voters to include copies of citizenship documents when requesting and returning absentee ballots.   In a separate court case in April, voters challenged the state’s proof of citizenship law for in-person registration.

For decades, a prospective New Hampshire voter could provide documents to prove domicile and U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, or, when those documents weren’t available, use a sworn affidavit under penalty of fines or imprisonment.  Under that system, there has never been any evidence of widespread illegal or noncitizen voting in New Hampshire. 

Then in 2024, New Hampshire became one of the first states to further restrict its proof of citizenship rules.  It ended use of affidavits entirely, requiring voters to provide a documentary birth certificate, U.S. Passport, naturalization papers or other documents proving citizenship to register.  No documents, no voting.   

HB 217 went even further, requiring absentee ballot users, including nursing home and homebound voters, to provide those documents with their absentee requests and ballots. Fortunately for Grandma, and the 1 in 9 Americans who don’t have access to those documents, the bill was killed May 15th. 

April 23rd, arguments by pro-voter groups and voters were heard in federal district court in an effort to strike down the 2024 proof of citizenship law, after dozens were turned away in local elections earlier this year.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

NH Secretary of State – REGISTERING TO VOTE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
NHPR – Federal judge hears arguments over NH’s proof of citizenship voting law
Associated Press – New Hampshire town elections offer a preview of citizenship voting rules being considered nationwide
NH Legislature via LegiScan – Text of HB 217, killed by the NH Senate
New Hampshire Bulletin – Senate advances anti-sanctuary city bills, but stops short on other House priorities

Groups Taking Action:

Coalition for Open Democracy, League of Women Voters NH, ACLU NH

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers

The post NH Senate Kills Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship with Absentee Ballots; Challenge to 2024 NH Proof of Citizenship Law Heard in Federal Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 21, 2025

Special Note from the Host:   You may notice some slurring of my speech during this and upcoming reports. May 9th, I suffered an attack of Bell’s Palsy which has affected the right side of my face and impacts my speech.  This is being treated, and recovery is expected within 2 to 3 weeks.  Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Since 2005, the State of Indiana allowed voting-eligible students to use their student IDs to vote.  April 16th, Governor Mike Braun signed SB 10, which included banning use of student photo IDs for voting without evidence of misuse.  That law is headed to court.

The bill’s sponsor said in a January statement, “There has been a growing concern about election security in recent years, and it is our role to ensure that our voter identification process is secure and accurate.” 

There are over 436,000 college students in Indiana, and additional voting-eligible high school students.   In Bloomington, home to Indiana University, two-thirds of student voters used their student ID to vote.

The conservative Heritage Foundation’s own voter fraud website shows only 59 voter fraud convictions of any kind since 2003, none of which appeared to be student voters.  Though, ironically, one conviction was a former Indiana Secretary of State.  Between 2004 to 2024,  there were between 2.4 and 2.9 million voters in every presidential election. 

The Indianapolis Capital Chronicle reports that Count US IN and Women4Change Indiana brought suit in U.S. District Court, calling the law a QUOTE “Surgical attack on young voters” and charging the law violates both 1st Amendment and 14th Amendment rights by creating a burden without justification.

We have links to the suit and more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.  

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Indianapolis Capital Star – Indiana elections chief defends voting ban on ‘unsecured’ student IDs after legal challenge
Indiana General Assembly – SB 10 
The Indiana Citizen – ELECTION SECURITY OR DISENFRANCHISEMENT? 
Indiana Senate Republicans – Doriot: Bill to strengthen Indiana’s elections passes committee
Indianapolis Star – ‘Attack on young voters’: Indiana faces lawsuit over new law banning student IDs for voting  

Groups Taking Action:

Count Us IN, Women4Change Indiana, Campus Vote Project

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Indiana #StudentID #VoterSupression #SB10

The post Indiana Bans Student IDs as Voter ID; Challengers File Suit Contending Law is a ‘Surgical Strike on Young Voters’ appeared first on American Democracy Minute.