The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 10, 2026

Midterm Madness has started, and sadly, some federal and state officials are filling out their bracket with tactics to interfere with the outcome of the November 3rd election.  Early preparation can ensure you can vote and have it count. 

Today’s tactic, the SAVE America Act, actually includes several voting restrictions:  A voter ID requirement, proof of citizenship rules, and elimination of universal mail-in voting, to name a few. 

Pew Research found that 83% of Americans do support government-issued photo ID to vote.  But the SAVE Act narrows those options, eliminating all college IDs, Native nation tribal IDs without expiration dates, and other long-used methods.    

The SAVE ACT also mandates documentary proof of citizenship to register, but limits proof to birth certificates, passports, and naturalization papers, to which one in nine Americans don’t have ready access. Married names of an estimated  69 million women might not match those documents.  An estimated half of Americans don’t have a valid U.S. passport.  

Although the SAVE Act is unlikely to pass the U.S Senate, ten states have already passed similar rules, and obtaining those documents can take weeks or even months. Copies of birth certificates are generally available at county clerk offices in your place of birth.  Obtaining a U.S. Passport can take up to 8 weeks.  

Planning ahead can ensure you can vote, and have that vote count.   We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Pew Research – Majority of Americans Continue to Back Expanded Early Voting, Voting by Mail, Voter ID
Brennan Center – New SAVE Act Bills Would Still Block Millions of Americans From Voting
NPR – Trump says he won’t sign bills until Congress overhauls voting
Vote Riders – Guidance for Obtaining a Voter ID
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State 
National Conference of State Legislatures – Voter ID Laws

U.S. Passport Administration – Apply for Your Adult Passport

CDC – National Center for Health Statistics – Where to Write for Vital Records (Birth certificates, Marriage Certificates, etc)

Related ADM Reports:

American Democracy Minute – An Amped Up SAVE Act, the SAVE America Act, Passes the U.S. House and Heads to the Senate. Its Restrictions Could Disenfranchise Millions.

Groups Taking Action:

Vote Riders, Rock the Vote, League of Women Voters’ Vote411.org

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterRegistration #VoterSuppression #MidtermMadness #Vote411

The post Midterm Madness Week:  Planning Ahead Can Help Voters Lessen the Impact of the SAVE Act and Similar Voter Suppression Legislation appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 9, 2026

Turnout of younger voters surged in the 2025 New York City mayoral race and New Jersey and Virginia races for governor, according to a recent study by the Tufts University CIRCLE research center.

The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, conducted exit polling during the November 2025 election and found that in Virginia, 34% of younger voters aged 18 to 29 voted, up 7%, and a 29% turnout in New Jersey, up 9%.   In New York City, an estimated 28% of the age-group voted, compared with a 2013 average of the 30 largest U.S. cities at only 9%.  

Those younger November voters went overwhelmingly to Democratic candidates.  In New Jersey, gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill received 69% support from younger voters.  In Virginia, 70% voted for Abigail Spanberger for governor.  In New York City, 75% voted for Zohran Mamdani over former governor Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

In California, 80% of younger voters supported the Proposition 50 redistricting measure.

The surge comes during the passage in other states of strict domicile and voter ID rules targeting college students, under the guise of “election integrity.”  It’s not a coincidence.

We’ve linked the CIRCLE study at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

CIRCLE – Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement – Young Voters Power Mamdani Victory, Shape Key 2025 Elections
The Civics Center – These charts will change the way you think about youth voter turnout

State Court Report – (2024) The New Battle Over Youth Disenfranchisement
The Civics Center – Youth turnout in 2026 – Here’s what we already know about the youngest voters.Including a comparative view of the youngest voters in NH, VA, and MI.

Groups Taking Action:

VOTE.org, VoteRiders, RocktheVote.org

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #YouthVote #YoungerVoters #YouthTurnout 

The post Younger Voters Showed Up in 2025’s NY, VA & CA Elections, Says Recent Tufts CIRCLE Study appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 6, 2026

We have state briefs today. Virginia’s Supreme Court stayed a lower court order and allowed a ballot measure authorizing mid-decade redistricting.  Florida and Iowa advanced proof of citizenship legislation, and the Trump DOJ sued five more states to turn over their voter data.  

March 4th, the Virginia Supreme Court overturned a second injunction by a Tazewell County circuit court judge, and allowed a ballot initiative authorizing mid-decade congressional redistricting.  Early voting for the April 21st referendum begins March 6th.  The measure will likely result in the legislature gerrymandering four additional Democratic-leaning districts in a reaction to President Trump’s red state gerrymandering push.

Voting Rights Lab reports the Florida House passed HB 991, narrowing acceptable forms of ID for voting, and adding documentary proof of citizenship requirements for registration.  It now heads to the Senate.  The Iowa Senate passed SB 2203, mandating citizenship verification through the federal, and notoriously inaccurate, SAVE database. If citizenship can’t be verified electronically, voters must provide citizenship documents.  One in nine Americans don’t have ready access to those documents.

The Trump Department of Justice announced February 26th that it was suing Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey to obtain voter and election records for that SAVE database.  Thirty-one states have refused DOJ’s request, arguing it violates both state and federal statutes.   

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources: 
Virginia Supreme Court (via Virginia Mercury) – Decision in TEVEN KOSKI, ET AL., APPELLANTS v. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, ET AL.Virginia Mercury–  Early voting begins Friday for Virginia redistricting referendum 
Voting Rights Lab – Florida Legislature – HB 991
Voting Rights Lab – Iowa Legislature – SB 2203
U.S. Department of Justice – Justice Department Sues Five Additional States for Failure to Produce Voter Rolls
Brennan Center for Justice – Tracker of Justice Department Requests for Voter Information

Related ADM Reports:

American Democracy Minute – In VA, Same Judge, Different Objection to Ballot Measure to Authorize Redistricting
American Democracy Minute – Democrats in Virginia & Maryland Race to Match GOP-Gerrymandered Congressional Seats, But It’s Far From a Done Deal.
American Democracy Minute – U.S. DOJ Sues MA, CO, HI and NV to Turn Over Voter Registration Files, but Even Red States are Pushing Back

Groups Taking Action:

 Electronic Privacy Information Center,  Fair Elections Center, NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

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

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Virginia #Redistricting #Gerrymandering #Florida #Iowa #Proofof Citizenship #TrumpDOJ #VoterData

The post State Updates: VA Supreme Court OKs Ballot Measure – Again; FL & IA Advance Proof of Citizenship; DOJ Sues 5 More States for Voter Data appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 5, 2026

The March 3rd Texas state primary was marred by anger, confusion and disenfranchisement, as voters simply tried to vote.  Changes to party primary rules, an election department website crash, and conflicting court rulings meant many voters gave up or were turned away.

In Texas, political parties set most of the rules on how and where primary voting is done.  In January, voting machine conspiracies drove county GOP leadership in Dallas and Williamson counties to switch from county-wide voting, allowing a voter to go to any polling place in the county to cast a vote, to an assigned precinct with separate voting machines by party.  Votebeat Texas reports that Texas law forced Democrats to do the same. 

Tuesday, many voters traveled to their past polling place, or one nearer their job, only to be told they couldn’t vote at that location.  Compounding matters, 2 to 3-hour wait times were reported in Williamson County.  Tuesday afternoon, the Dallas County Elections Department website crashed, and couldn’t provide the correct precinct to voters.  The Dallas Morning News reported that frustrated voters with limited time headed to work or returned home.   

At the request of the Democratic Party, a district court ordered the polls open for two additional hours, later overruled by the Texas Supreme Court, which disenfranchised voters who were not in line by 7 pm.   

We have links to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Dallas Morning News – ‘Mass confusion’: How election day went awry for Dallas County voters
Votebeat Texas – Primary voters frustrated and confused after Dallas County switches to precinct-based voting
Votebeat Texas – Dallas and Williamson counties switch to precinct-level voting for primary election day
KUT News – Williamson County says full Republican election results will likely not be available until Wednesday
NBC News  – Voting confusion in Texas rooted in conspiracy theories about ballot counting

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters Dallas, Common Cause TX, ACLU TX

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, 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 #TexasPrimary #DallasCounty #WilliamsonCounty #Disenfranchisement #CountywideVoting

The post Conspiracy-Driven Change of Polling Place Rules and a Website Crash Causes Anger, Confusion and Disenfranchisement in Some Texas Counties appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for March 4, 2026

March 2nd, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency temporary stay, blocking a New York appeals court opinion upholding a remedial map for a New York City congressional district. Voters had argued the original map diluted minority voting power under the New York Constitution.

Black and Hispanic voters challenged the drawing of the Republican-leaning 11th Congressional District, serving Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, as having diluted their voting power.  New York Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman agreed, ordering New York’s independent redistricting commission to draw a new map which would give those voters a realistic chance of electing the candidate of their choice. The GOP appealed, lost in a New York appeals court, then asked for an emergency stay from the U.S. Supreme Court.  

Justices Kagan, Jackson and Sotomayor dissented, saying the U.S. Supreme Court ignored its recent position NOT to “meddle” in election law matters in state courts.  

In a hint of what is likely to come in the more consequential Louisiana v. Callais case, Justice Alito wrote that restoring Black and Hispanic voters to the district was, QUOTE, “. . . unadorned racial discrimination, an inherently ‘odious’ activity that violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause except in the ‘most extraordinary cases.’” UNQUOTE.

The original red-leaning district will likely stand for the 2026 midterms, pending the outcome of the state, not federal, appeals process.

We’ve linked to the high court’s opinion and more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

U.S. Supreme Court – NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS, ET AL. v. MICHAEL WILLIAMS, ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR STAY
SCOTUS Blog – Supreme Court grants Republicans’ request to pause order to redraw New York congressional map
City & State New York – SCOTUS sides with Malliotakis on redistricting case, in blow to NY Dems
Gothamist – Supreme Court halts redistricting fight over Staten Island’s NY-11 seat
NY Supreme Court for New York County – Decision & Order on Motion

Related ADM Reports:

American Democracy Minute – With Candidates Ready to File, SCOTUS Temporarily Blocks Ruling on Texas Racial Gerrymandering, Louisiana Gerrymandering Decision Still Pending
American Democracy Minute – (2025) What is the Equal Protections Clause and How Have Interpretations of It Changed? 

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters NYC,  NY NAACP

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

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

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #CongressionalDistrict #NYC #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt #Brooklyn #StatenIsland

The post U.S. Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay of NY Appeals Court Remedial Map Restoring Black & Latino Voting Power in NYC Congressional District appeared first on American Democracy Minute.