The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 17, 2025

In 2024, a ballot measure to replace Ohio’s dysfunctional politician-led redistricting process with an independent citizen-led process had its description rewritten by state officials to sink it.  Now, Ohio officials are trying to sink two more measures they don’t like, and the U.S. Supreme Court is now involved. 

Some background.  Ohio’s “fair & truthful” ballot measure requirements allows the state to modify a ballot measure’s description to make it accurate for voters.  But can it use that authority to manipulate the process and block citizens from moving their ballot measure forward?

Organizers tried for two years to get the language okayed to gather signatures for the “Protecting Ohioans’ Constitutional Rights” measure, giving citizens the private right to sue the state and removing the “qualified immunity” that police and government officials are currently given.  

While organizers have acted in good faith, Federal District Court Judge Karen Nelson Moore wrote that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost found fault and rejected the proposed amendment language EIGHT TIMES, and found the reasons “dubious.” The three-judge panel ruled 2-1 that Ohio was restricting the organizers’ speech and must approve the measure’s description.

But April 9th, Yost appealed to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh for an emergency stay of the 6th Circuit’s order, which Kavanugh immediately granted despite the sketchy circumstances. We’ll continue to watch this situation.  We have the 6th Circuit’s decision at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Statehouse News Bureau – Group behind qualified immunity amendment sues Ohio Attorney General over latest rejection
Ohio Attorney General –  Unapproved language of  “Protecting Ohioans’ Constitutional Rights” measure 

6th Circuit Court of Appeals –  Opinion in Brown v. Yost
U.S. Supreme Court – Yost’s Application to Justice Brett Kavanaugh for Emergency Stay
U.S. Supreme Court – Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s order, staying the 6th Circuit
Courthouse News Service – Supreme Court keeps Ohio’s qualified immunity ballot initiative on ice

Groups Taking Action:

Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Ohio #BallotMeasure #Suppression #DaveYost 

The post State of Ohio Embroiled in Another Fight Over Manipulating Citizen Ballot Initiatives It Doesn’t Like.  Now the U.S. Supreme Court is Involved. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 15, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Our series on keeping our Presidential election from being overturned by bad actors explained how the new Electoral Count Reform Act clarifies federal and state rules.  But we’ve also learned how the blocking of election certification by rogue county election boards is still a possibility.  A new report recommends ways of stopping those disruptions. 

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, issued a report Aug. 13th outlining the threat of partisan actors using their positions on county election boards to block certification. This election, U.S. Constitutional and statutory deadlines require certification by December 11th.  By that date, all recounts and litigation must be complete.

CREW’s report states, “State laws make clear that certification is non-discretionary. It is not an opportunity for county officials to politically grandstand, lodge protest votes against election practices they dislike or investigate suspected voter fraud.”

The organization recommends that state officials communicate NOW to county election officials, making their duties clear, and detailing the penalties for non-compliance.  Michigan’s Secretary of State recently issued such an advisory.

States should also be prepared to request emergency orders by the state supreme court, having state personnel step in, and removing obstructionist county officials if necessary.  

What if state officials won’t certify the election?  More on that scenario tomorrow.   The CREW report is linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Protect Democracy – Election certification, explained
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – Summary – Election certification under threat
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – Full Report – Election certification under threat

Election Reformers Network – Helping States Comply with the Electoral Count Reform Act
Brennan Center for Justice – Election Denial Can’t Overcome Election Certification Protections

Groups Taking Action:

CREW, Protect Elections

Check Your Voter Registration:

• U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
• USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
• Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
• Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
  
  

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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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers #CountyElectionCertification 

The post New Report Recommends State Officials Be Proactive to Keep Rogue County Election Boards from Not Certifying Elections  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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Today’s Links

Articles:

Towns Square Live – Delaware Judge Halts Mail-In Voting
Democracy Docket – Delaware Judge Strikes Down No-Excuse Mail-in Voting, Upholds Same-Day Registration
Associated Press –  Judge says Delaware vote-by-mail law is unconstitutional

Groups Taking Action:   Delaware Voting Rights Coalition, League of Women Voters Delaware

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

We reported earlier this summer on the passage of a no-excuse mail-in voting law in Delaware.  September 14th, a Delaware state court judge struck down the law as contrary to the state constitution.

Delaware had passed SB 320 in June, which would allow voters to vote by mail without having to give an excuse.   But the Delaware constitution currently allows for the use of an absentee only when the voter is outside the state, in the armed forces, unable to vote due to job requirements, sick or disabled, on vacation, unable for religious reasons ,or in government service outside the country.

Town Square Live and Democracy Docket report that Republican members of the legislature sued, and Chancery Court Vice Chancellor Nathan Cook ruled that despite Delaware’s tradition of a robust voter participation, the state constitution left him no choice but to issue an injunction on the law.  

Vice Chancellor Cook also noted in his ruling that “it bears repeating that the express purpose of election laws in this state is to provide for ‘free and equal’ elections where Delawareans have an ‘unfettered’ right to vote—one of ‘the most fundamental of our rights.’”   He went on to suggest that the Delaware Supreme Court may want to reconsider past decisions on mail-in voting.

Past attempts at bills changing the state constitution to allow no-excuse mail-in voting have failed.   To read more about the decision and groups taking action, see links at AmericanDemocracy Minute.org.   

Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we HAVE, it’s something we DO!”  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl

The post ADM for Sept. 19, 2022: Delaware Court Strikes Down New No-Excuse Vote by Mail Law appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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Today’s Links

Articles:
Detroit News – Word spacing issue keeps abortion rights amendment from ballot; court fight expected
Promote the Vote 2022 Statement – STATE BOARD DEADLOCKS ON KEY MICHIGAN VOTING RIGHTS BALLOT INITIATIVE, CAMPAIGN VOWS TO TAKE CASE TO COURT
BallotPedia – Michigan Right to Voting Policies Amendment (2022)
Citizens Research Council of Michigan – Michigan’s Citizen-Initiative Petition Process in 2022: A LOT of Ballot Proposals
PBS – Why an obscure Michigan board has the power to reject a ballot initiative on abortion rights
Groups Taking Action
Promote the Vote 2022 Coalition, League of Women Voters Michigan, Michigan League for Public Policy, Michigan State Conference of the NAACP

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

We told you about the ballot initiative proposing election reforms in Arizona  which failed under suspicious circumstances.   Now, another ballot initiative in Michigan has also been stalled due to partisan gamesmanship.

The Promote the Vote initiative gathered 664,000 signatures of registered voters, verified by the Michigan Bureau of Elections, and 200,000 more than needed.   But the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, a four person board with two Republicans and two Democrats deadlocked on allowing the initiative to go forward. 

The Promote the Vote initiative would prohibit harassment at the polls;  allow military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day; allow voters without an ID to sign an affidavit and vote under penalty of law; create a single application to vote absentee; allow the use of drop boxes; implement nine days of early voting; require disclosure of all campaign donations; and allow the board of canvassers to certify elections only on the results of the ballots cast.

Like Arizona, forces opposing the freedom to vote stopped the initiative despite it having met all the criteria.   The same Michigan Board of Canvassers also blocked an initiative which would have enshrined abortion rights as part of the Michigan constitution, deadlocking 2-2.

The next step for both of the initiatives is a decision from Michigan’s Supreme Court, which has a 4-3 Democratic majority. 

We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.

Granny D said Democracy is not something we HAVE, it’s something we DO!   

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl. 

Links to articles and the group behind the initiative are at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.

Granny D said, Democracy is not something we HAVE, it’s something we DO!  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl

Links to articles and groups taking action are at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we HAVE, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl

The post ADM for Sept. 6, 2022: Michigan’s “Promote the Vote” Initiative Had Required Signatures, But Still Blocked by State Board appeared first on American Democracy Minute.