American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast

Federal Agency CISA Helps States Harden Election Systems. It’s Now Under Attack by Its Own Administration

January 30, 2025January 30, 2025

Last April, federal cybersecurity agency CISA issued warnings to election officials on how to combat a Russian online scheme to mislead American voters in the 2024 election. CISA is now under attack by its own administration.

‘Let America Vote Act’ in Congress Would Encourage States to Allow Unaffiliated Voters to Vote in Primaries

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025

American voters identifying as “independent” are the largest group of voters, at 43%, according to recent Gallup polling. Depending on what kind of primary election your state parties have, millions of unaffiliated voters may not be able to vote. A bill in the U.S. House called the “Let America Vote Act” would change that.

Majority-Minority Voting Districts Give Minority Voters a Fair Chance to Elect Proper Representation. The Equal Protection Clause is Now Being Used to Try to End Them

January 28, 2025January 28, 2025

There are 141 majority-minority congressional voting districts in the U.S., out of 435. A new conservative legal tactic has emerged, arguing such districts harm White Americans, and citingthe Equal Protection Clause, originally passed to end state discrimination against Black Americans.

What is the Equal Protections Clause and How Have Interpretations of It Changed?

January 27, 2025January 27, 2025

The Equal Protection Clause, embedded in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, is now being used to dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act, opening the door to even more voter suppression. What’s its history, and why is it being used now?

Trump’s DOJ Reverses Position on Pending Voting Rights Act Case, Signaling Further Attacks on Fair Voting Districts for Minority Voters

January 26, 2025January 26, 2025

The Biden administration’s solicitor general submitted a Supreme Court brief in 2024, supporting fair Congressional voting maps in Louisiana under the 1965 Voting Rights Act. January 24th, a Trump DOJ official rescinded that brief, saying it no longer represented the U.S. Government.