American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast

DC Democrats Attempt to Block Citizen Initiative Proposing Ranked Choice Voting and Semi-Open Primaries in City Elections

August 13, 2023December 30, 2023

Democrats in the District of Columbia have sued the DC Elections Board to prevent a citizen ballot initiative proposing ranked choice voting and semi-open primaries, claiming it would violate the city charter, and confuse Black and Hispanic voters. Many major party leaders perceive open primaries as an existential threat to power, despite its popularity with voters.

Should Commodities Traders Be Able to Gamble on Who Wins Control of Congress?

August 10, 2023December 30, 2023

Should investors be able to bet on who wins the control of Congress? A commodities trading company wants to sell “futures” contracts based on the outcome of elections.

Ohio Voters Defeat Republican Effort to Raise Citizen Ballot Initiative Passage to 60% in Pro-Voter Victory

August 9, 2023December 30, 2023

With an unofficial 57% to 43% margin, Ohio voters soundly defeated the effort by the Republican-majority legislature to raise the threshold for passage of citizen ballot initiatives. Issue one would have also required minimum numbers of qualifying signatures in 88 counties rather than the current 44.

Oregon Expands Automatic Voter Registration, Protects Voters Who Move In-State From Losing Eligibility, and Seeks Funding for Dropbox Security

August 8, 2023December 30, 2023

Three bills signed by Oregon’s governor August 4th expand Automatic Voter Registration, protect voters who move within the state from losing eligibility, and allow the state to seek federal funding for dropbox security.

Tuesday’s Ohio Special Election Attempts to Take Away Simple Majority Rule for Ballot Initiatives. Now the Legislature is After Ranked Choice Voting.

August 7, 2023December 30, 2023

The Ohio special election on Issue 1, the legislature’s attempt to raise the threshold to pass a citizen ballot initiative to 60%, is Tuesday, Aug. 8th. Now, in an effort to wrest even more power from its citizenry, an Ohio legislator has introduced a bill going after ranked choice voting.