The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 25, 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.

Two significant wins for Ohio voters, with signatures certified for a citizen-led redistricting commission ballot measure, and a federal court ruling striking down a portion of a state voter suppression law.

Ohio Capital Journal reports that the Citizens Not Politicians redistricting ballot measure had 535,000 of their signatures from 58 counties certified July 23rd, successfully placing it on the November ballot.   The measure proposes a 15-member citizen commission of Republicans, Democrats and independents, none of whom can be current or former politicians or lobbyists. It also forbids redistricting for partisan advantage – gerrymandering – and requires a fully transparent process.  It’s likely the state GOP will mount a counteroffensive, since fair maps threaten its supermajority.

A federal judge struck down a provision in the HB 458 omnibus voter suppression law, which allows only immediate family members to assist disabled voters, and made non-family assistance subject to felony charges.  The ruling confirmed Section 8 of the Voting Rights Act allowing disabled voters to appoint the person of their choice to assist, and protects democracy groups and others from prosecution for doing so. 

The judge also dismissed a motion that the disabled voter did not have a “private right of action”.  That corrosive tactic was used successfully in an Arkansas case, and expected to be brought to the U.S. Supreme Court.

We’ve linked articles and the ruling at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – Following Three Chaotic Years of Politician-Run Redistricting, Ohio Organizers Submit Ballot Measure Signatures for Citizen-Led Commission
Ohio Capital Journal – Signatures certified: Ohio anti-gerrymandering amendment on its way to November ballot
Democracy Docket –  Ohio’s New Voter Suppression Law Unpacked
Ohio Capital Journal – Federal judge scraps Ohio’s narrow list of helpers for disabled voters
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO, EASTERN DIVISION – Ruling in League of Women Voters v.  Ohio Sec. of State Frank LaRose and the Republican National Committee

Groups Taking Action:
Citizens Not Politicians, League of Women Voters Ohio, ACLU Ohio

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #CitizensNotPoliticians #FairMaps #CitizenRedistricting #DisabilityRights #VRA #VotingRightsAct 

The post Signatures for Ohio Citizen-Led Redistricting Ballot Measure Certified; Ohio Disabled Absentee Voters Win in Federal Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 5, 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.

After three chaotic years with a politician-led commission and an anti-voter legislature failing to produce Ohio redistricting maps without gerrymandering, a ballot measure proposing a citizen-led redistricting commission will likely be put to the voters in November.

The Citizens Not Politicians campaign hopes to replace a redistricting commission which included the governor and party leadership, with an all-citizen independent commission. The current experiment lasted only six years, but long enough to further entrench GOP incumbents for a veto-proof majority in the state House and Senate.  The GOP holds 10 of 15 Congressional seats, garnering only 54% of the vote.

When maps were vetoed by the Ohio Supreme Court based on the state constitution’s provision that, QUOTE “No general assembly district plan shall be drawn primarily to favor or disfavor a political party,” the responsibility for drawing maps ping-ponged between the commission and the state legislature. 

Citizens Not Politicians proposes a 15-member citizen commission of Republicans, Democrats and independents, none of whom can be current or former politicians or lobbyists. 

It forbids redistricting for partisan advantage – gerrymandering – and requires a fully transparent process.  Organizers needed 413,000 voter signatures from 44 counties.   They submitted over 731,000 signatures from 57 counties.  

Secretary of State Frank LaRose, no friend to either fair redistricting or ballot initiatives, must now validate the signatures.   

We’ve linked to the ballot measure and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Legislative Budget Office/Office of Research & Drafting – Briefing on Ohio’s Legislative Redistricting Process
Common Cause – THE FIGHT FOR FAIR MAPS: A HISTORY OF OHIO’S REDISTRICTING PROCESS
Center for American Progress – Ohio votes under ‘extreme’ gerrymandering that favors Republicans
Citizens Not Politicians – Summary of Ballot Measure Proposal
Citizens Not Politicians –  Full Test of Ballot Measure Proposal
Statehouse News Bureau – Ohio redistricting issue likely this fall as group turns in more signatures than needed

Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio redistricting reform group submits more than 731,000 signatures, sets sights on November

Groups Taking Action:
Citizens Not Politicians, Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause Ohio, League of Women Voters OH, Fair Districts Ohio, Indivisible Central Ohio, People Not Politicians Ohio

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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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #OhioNews #OhioPolitics #Gerrymandering

The post Following Three Chaotic Years of Politician-Run Redistricting, Ohio Organizers Submit Ballot Measure Signatures for Citizen-Led Commission appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 21, 2023

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.

While New York’s bipartisan redistricting commission struggled, the successful California Citizen Redistricting Commission maps were passed unanimously in 2021 with no litigation.  New York’s commission deadlocked, and was overruled by a Democratic-dominated legislature which drew its own gerrymandered maps. Those were later thrown out by the court, and the Congressional map is STILL being contested.  

Unlike New York’s 10-person, politically-appointed board, California uses an extensive application process for its 14-person board, using the California State Auditor’s office to review and recommend 120 qualified candidates.  The top 60 candidates are put into pools of Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated. The California Assembly is then allowed to strike up to eight candidates per pool.  The remaining candidates are the first eight members, who choose the remaining six members, two out of each of three pools. 

Unlike New York, California’s commission follows strict rules about “communities of interest,” putting shared common interests like water systems and school districts over mapping for partisan power.  While analysis by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project shows a Democratic lean versus other map options, proposed state assembly, senate, and Congressional maps received a unanimous vote of the commission.   There were NO court challenges to the maps.

One more big difference:  While New York’s legislature could overrule its commission, California’s Commission has the final say.

Find out more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
New York Independent Redistricting Commission – Background on the Commission
Brennan Center for Justice – What Went Wrong with New York’s Redistricting
California Secretary of State – California Redistricting
California Citizen Redistricting Commission – What is the Commission?
California Citizen Redistricting Commission –  REPORT ON FINAL MAPS
CalMatters – No legal battles for California’s new election maps. But what lessons can be learned?
Princeton Gerrymandering Project – California

Groups Taking Action:
ACLU or Northern California, Common Cause, League of Women Voters CA, #CaliforniaPolitics

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #CitizenRedistricting #CaliforniaPolitics

The post Why was California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission Successful, While New York’s Commission Resulted in Gerrymandering & Court Cases? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.