The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 25, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision will likely be released early next year, and its rehearing in October was one of the big voting rights stories of the year.   Brian is off for a couple of days, so we’re rebroadcasting this story from October.   Happy holidays!

The conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court appeared to agree Oct. 15th with arguments that the Voting Rights Act Section 2’s majority-minority voting districts conflicted with the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.  A decision is expected next year. 

Chief Justice John Roberts signaled that the court’s 2023 Milligan precedent – a very similar case – may not apply to Louisiana vs. Callais.  Justice Kagan later pointed out the court rejected several similar arguments by the State of Alabama defending its discrimination. 

Louisiana argued that court-mandated majority-minority districts giving minority voters an equal chance to elect a candidate of their choice, puts the state in a position to discriminate against other voters.

Justices Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett both voiced support for an “end point” to sunset such opportunity districts.  The court’s Gingles Test, used to determine if a group qualifies for such a district, was also questioned by the conservative justices. 

In her opening argument, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s Janai Nelson said that should the court strike down Section 2, it would be a QUOTE  “. . . a staggering reversal of precedent that would throw maps across the country into chaos.”  There are 148 VRA majority minority districts in 28 states, according to BallotPedia. 

We linked a transcript of the arguments at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

NAACP Legal Defense Fund – Louisiana v. Callais:  Protecting fair representation for Black voters in Louisiana and safeguarding the Voting Rights Act
U.S. Supreme Court – Transcript of Oral Arguments in Louisiana v. Callais
Supreme Court Oral Arguments – Audio with transcript on Louisiana v. Callais
SCOTUS Blog – Court appears ready to curtail major provision of the Voting Rights Act
BallotPedia – Majority Minority Districts

Groups Taking Action:

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

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 #USSupremeCourt #SCOTUS #Louisiana #LouisianavCallais #RacialGerrymandering, #VotingRightsAct #VRA 

The post Outlook for the Voting Rights Act Dims, as Court’s Conservatives Appear to Turn Away From Their Own Precedent appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 19, 2025

In 2022, New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu vetoed radically gerrymandered congressional districts, saying the map QUOTE, “Didn’t pass the smell test.”  Current GOP Governor Kelly Ayotte stated she’s not supportive of mid-decade redistricting, but two GOP legislators are proposing a 2026 bill anyway.

With already-gerrymandered state senate, house and executive council districts, New Hampshire’s legislature has been GOP-dominated over the last decade.  Federal seats are a different story.  New Hampshire has only two congressional seats, both held by Democrats, as are both U.S. Senate seats.

After Sununu’s 2022 veto, the New Hampshire Supreme Court later appointed a special master which drew the current maps by only adjusting the previous districts.  

Speaking on WMUR in August, Governor Ayotte said QUOTE, “The timing is off for this because we are literally in the middle of the census period, and when I talk to people in New Hampshire, it’s not at the top of their priority list.”  

State senator Dan Innis, co-sponsor of HB 1300, said in a separate August WMUR interview, that he doesn’t want to gerrymander, but wanted accurate districts in his state. He said he wants to apportion districts, QUOTE, “Where they should be.” Previous maps packed Democrats into Congressional District 2, and manipulated District 1 to lean Republican.   If it passes and Ayotte vetoes the bill, an override is unlikely.  

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

NH Public Radio – (2022) Sununu rejects latest congressional map from GOP lawmakers, leaving N.H.’s districts up to the courts

The Portsmouth Herald – As redistricting battles heat up in other states, Ayotte says no to redistricting in NH
WMUR – Little momentum seen for congressional redistricting in New Hampshire
WMUR – Dan Innis calls for redistricting as he seeks Trump endorsement
New Hampshire General Court – HB 1300 as Introduced by Rep. Ankarberg, Straf. 7; Sen. Innis, Dist 7 

Groups Taking Action:

Open Democracy Action, NH Campaign for Voting Rights, League of Women Voters

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to 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 #Gerrymandering #FairMaps #TrumpGerrymandering

The post Joining the Mid-Decade Gerrymandering Arms Race, Two NH GOP Legislators Propose Bill to Redraw the State’s Congressional Maps in 2026 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 12, 2025

Turnout of younger voters surged in the recent New York City mayoral race and the 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

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 #YouthVote #YoungerVoters #YouthTurnout 

The post Younger Voters Showed Up and Made a Difference in 2025’s High Profile Elections, Says Recent Tufts University Study appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 10, 2025

After the U.S. Supreme Court majority’s tacit approval of Texas congressional gerrymandering, efforts are ramping up in Indiana and Florida. In Missouri, though, a federal judge has stopped GOP efforts to derail a citizen ballot initiative to overturn that state’s Trump-requested gerrymandering.

In Missouri, pro-voter group People Not Politicians submitted over 300,000 signatures December 9th to qualify a citizen ballot initiative. It attempts to overturn President Donald Trump’s congressional district gerrymandering effort.  Just over 110,000 signatures are required, but need to be from 5% of voters in six of eight congressional districts.  

The day before, a federal district judge ruled that signatures collected after the legislature passed the gerrymandered map, but before Missouri’s governor signed it into law, could be counted, affecting about 92,000 signatures.    

December 5th, Indiana’s House approved a Trump-requested gerrymandered congressional map which split blue districts in Indianapolis and Gary to be red-leaning, likely resulting in all GOP delegation. The Indiana Senate Elections Committee advanced that map to the full Senate, though it’s still unclear whether the senate has the votes to pass it. 

Florida’s constitution forbids partisan gerrymandering, but nonetheless, Florida’s House redistricting committee held its first meeting on December 4th. 

We’ve linked to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (Nov. 17) Congressional Gerrymandering Arms Race Updates:  Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, California and Florida
Missouri Independent – Federal judge rejects Missouri AG’s push to block referendum on gerrymandered map
NBC News – Group seeking to put Missouri’s GOP-drawn congressional map before voters submits signatures
Indiana Capital Chronicle – Indiana House approves redistricting bill, sending issue to state Senate
WLRN – Florida starts redistricting talks in a growing battle for House control in 2026 elections
Florida Phoenix – DeSantis says Florida ‘will be forced’ to redistrict because of pending U.S. Supreme Court decision
Florida Phoenix – Florida Democratic House Leader calls plan to redraw congressional map ‘illegal’

Groups Taking Action:

People Not Politicians MO,   AllINforDemocracy, Equal Ground

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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

Find all of our reports atAmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX
Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Gerrymandering #Missouri #Florida #Indiana #FairMaps #TrumpGerrymandering  #2026Midterms

The post After the SCOTUS Texas Congressional Gerrymandering Decision, Battles Continue in Missouri, Indiana and Florida appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 8, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court handed the State of Texas and the Trump administration a huge win December 4th, overruling a district court panel’s compelling racial gerrymandering findings.  The gerrymandered maps likely deliver five more GOP congressional seats in the 2026 midterms. 

The majority’s opinion leaned heavily on their Alexander v. South Carolina NAACP opinion, and the “too close to the election” Purcell decision to undermine the District Court’s decision.   The majority wrote, “The District Court failed to honor the presumption of legislative good faith by construing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against the legislature,” UNQUOTE.  Invoking the Purcell principle, the majority further argued that the District Court improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing confusion.

Justices Kagan, Jackson and Sotomayor condemned the use of Purcell when the Texas primary could be moved and the general election was 11 months away.  Their dissent pointed to the District Court’s due diligence, with 3,000 documents, nine days of testimony, and 160-page opinion, when the majority’s ruling was “based on its perusal, over a holiday weekend, of a cold paper record.”

Justice Kagan wrote: “Today’s order disserves the millions of Texans whom the District Court found were assigned to their new districts based on their race.  Because this Court’s precedents and our Constitution demand better, I respectfully dissent.”

We have the opinion at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (Nov. 20) Trump-Requested Texas Congressional District Gerrymandering Blocked by Federal Court Panel 
American Democracy Minute – (Nov. 26) The Purcell Principle, Often Used in the SCOTUS Shadow Docket, Will Be Argued in the Texas Gerrymandering Decision.  What is it?
U.S. Supreme Court – GREG ABBOTT, ET AL. v. LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS, ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR STAY (Includes Dissents)
SCOTUS Blog – Supreme Court allows Texas to use redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory
NPR – Supreme Court lets Texas use gerrymandered map that could give GOP 5 more House seats

Groups Taking Action:

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC),  NAACP, MALDEF

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook 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 #Texas #TexasGerrymandering #RacialGerrymandering #USSupremeCourt #SCOTUS

The post U.S. Supreme Court Majority Embraces Texas Redistricting, Ignores District Court Panel Racial Gerrymandering Findings appeared first on American Democracy Minute.