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

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#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 Nov. 19, 2025

The Utah judge who struck down the state legislature’s proposed congressional map as “an extreme gerrymander” has faced threats of impeachment – and violence.  Florida’s legislature scheduled its initial congressional redistricting committee meeting for Dec. 4th.

Last week, Judge Dianna Gibson struck down the GOP-majority legislature’s proposed map as violating the Utah constitution’s criteria for fair redistricting. Her decision was met with a call for her impeachment by Republican Representative Matt MacPherson, and unspecified threats of violence from others.   

In a rare public statement, the Utah Judiciary called for civility, respect and constructive dialog.  QUOTE, “Threats of violence against judges or court personnel are unacceptable, dangerous, and may violate state or federal law. Any conduct aimed at causing fear for a ruling or undermining the safe operation of the justice system strikes at the heart of the rule of law. Such actions endanger not only the individuals targeted but the functioning of the justice system itself.”

In other midterm gerrymandering news, the Florida House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting scheduled its first session for December 4th.  Florida’s announcement follows abandoned efforts to gerrymander more seats in Indiana and Kansas.  Voters passed Florida Congressional District Boundaries Amendment 6 in 2010 to ensure fair districts, but the legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis have largely ignored the constitution’s criteria. 

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Utah Judge Rejects Legislature’s Gerrymandered Congressional Map, Choosing a Map Which Follows the State Constitution Instead

Utah News Dispatch – Utah judge faces impeachment threats after ordering congressional map with 1 Democratic seat

Utah News Dispatch – Utah judiciary issues rare statement addressing threats against judge in redistricting case

Utah Bar Association – Utah State Bar Statement on Call to Impeach Judge Gibson

Utah Judiciary – UTAH JUDICIARY RESPONDS TO THREATS IN REDISTRICTING CASE

Florida Politics – Florida House moves forward with meeting on redrawing Florida’s congressional lines

WJHG – Redistricting committee expected to meet in December

BallotPedia – Florida Fair Districts Now Amendments 5 & 6

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters UT, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause FL,

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 #FairMaps #Florida #Utah #BetterBoundaries #Proposition 4 #TrumpGerrymandering

The post Utah Judge Who Struck Down ‘Extreme Gerrymander’ Threatened with Impeachment and Violence; Florida Redistricting Starts Dec. 4 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 19, 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.

Utah voters passed the Better Boundaries Proposition 4 in 2018, setting standards for competitive, nonpartisan redistricting.  Utah’s legislature, in an effort to retain partisan power, gutted that amendment.  The state supreme court just ruled for the voters.

Proposition 4 enacted the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act.  It explicitly prohibited dividing districts in a manner to favor or disfavor any incumbent, candidate, or political party.  It also minimized the splitting of municipalities into different districts; required that districts be geographically compact and contiguous; and followed “communities of interest” standards. 

In response, the GOP-dominated legislature severely amended the statute with Senate Bill 200, removing the ban on partisan gerrymandering and clawing back its redistricting power.  In maps drawn for the 2020 redistricting cycle, liberal strongholds were diluted in Salt Lake County and other areas to preserve that dominance.

In 2022, the League of Women Voters Utah and other democracy groups challenged the maps, and questioned the legislature’s authority to override the people’s vote.   On July 11th, the court ruled that the legislature could NOT override the intent of the voters, only change it to codify or enhance the amendment.

Justices returned the case to a lower court, but said they may address the partisan gerrymandering portion of the case should it not be resolved by the lower court and legislature.   We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – Utah Proposition 4, Independent Advisory Commission on Redistricting Initiative (2018)

Utah News Dispatch – Utah Supreme Court hands big win to plaintiffs in anti-gerrymandering lawsuit
Utah Supreme Court (via Democracy Docket) – League of Women Voters Utah v. Utah State Legislature
Democracy Docket – Utah Supreme Court Reinstates Challenge to Repeal of Anti-Gerrymandering Initiative

Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, ACLU of Utah

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Utah #UtahNews #BetterBoundaries #Proposition4 #FairMaps #NoGerrymandering

The post Utah Voters Fought Back After Their Fair Voting Districts Constitutional Amendment was Gutted by an Anti-Voter Legislature.  They Won.  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 18, 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.

Racing the clock, the Louisiana legislature meets this week to hash out new court-ordered Congressional voting districts, with two of them being majority Black.  They’re also considering new state supreme court districts.

In November 2023, the Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ordered Louisiana’s legislature to draw new Congressional maps. In a state with an almost one-third African American population, Black voters demanded that they be given a second district to elect the candidate of their choice under the Voting Rights Act Section 2.  Currently, only one of six Congressional districts is majority Black. GOP leaders attempted to block the decision, but ultimately were given until January 31 to pass new maps.

The Louisiana Illuminator reports newly sworn-in Governor Jeff Landry, a supporter of the current maps as attorney general, told the legislature it was out of legal options, and to pass new Congressional AND state supreme court maps with two majority-Black districts.  The state supreme court districts in Louisiana have been litigated for decades.

Both maps passed out of their committees Tuesday.  In calling the special session, Gov. Landry also asked the legislature to close the state’s primaries by prohibiting unaffiliated and third-party voters from participating, unless the parties decide to allow it. 

The maps must be adopted before the end of the special session, January 23rd.  

We have links to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – Appeals Court (Finally) Finds Louisiana Congressional Map was Discriminatory; Orders New Maps to Be Drawn by January 15
Democracy Docket – 5th Circuit Sets Timeline for New Louisiana Congressional Map Ahead of 2024 Elections
Louisiana Illuminator – Both parties push for Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district
Louisiana Illuminator – Map with 2nd Black Louisiana Supreme Court district clears House committee
Associated Press – Proposed Louisiana congressional map, with second majority-Black district, advances
Louisiana Illuminator – How Gov. Jeff Landry is proposing to ‘close’ Louisiana’s primaries

Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU Louisiana,  Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRightsAct #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering  #lalege #lagov

The post Louisiana Legislature Hashes Out New Court-Ordered Congressional Maps with Two Majority Black Districts appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 14, 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.

There was another plot twist in New York’s redistricting drama, as New York’s highest court threw out a special master’s Congressional maps, and directed the state’s redistricting commission to try again.

Voters established the partisan-appointed New York Independent Redistricting Commission, or IRC, in 2014, in hopes of ending partisan gerrymandering.  It didn’t.  The advisory-only IRC deadlocked, instead submitting only one Democratic-map and one Republican-map, with the legislature rejecting both.  The Democrat-dominated legislature then gerrymandered the map for partisan advantage. 

Those maps were thrown out by an appeals court in 2022, and a special master drew the more competitive maps used during the midterm election, flipping six Congressional seats Republican. Democrats sued, arguing that the IRC never fulfilled its constitutional duty of having two attempts at drawing maps.

December 12th, a state appeals court agreed, throwing out the special master’s more competitive maps, and mandating that the redistricting commission draw new ones, saying in its ruling,  “We are holding the IRC and legislature to what the Constitution demands and will do so as often as necessary to secure compliance with its mandate.” 

The decision could have consequences far beyond New York, potentially shifting control of the U.S. Congress.  Will the IRC deadlock again?  Will NY legislators listen to voters and draw competitive maps? 

Stay tuned for more drama at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – Will an Appeal Give New York’s Bipartisan Redistricting Committee Another Chance to Draw Fair Maps?
Associated Press – New York’s high court orders new congressional maps as Democrats move to retake control of US House
Politico – New York’s high court just blew up the fight for control of the House
Democracy Docket – New York’s Highest Court Orders New Congressional Map for 2024
New York Court of Appeals – In the Matter of Anthony S. Hoffmann, et al.,  v.  New York State Independent
Redistricting Commission, et al.,
Princeton Gerrymandering Project – New York Congressional Maps
Brennan Center for Justice – What Went Wrong with New York’s Redistricting

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause NY,   NY Civil Liberties Union, New York Law School Census and Redistricting Institute, Empire Center

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #NYPolitics #NewYorkPolitics

The post Plot Twist in New York’s Ongoing Redistricting Drama, as Appeals Court Throws Out Competitive Maps Drawn by a Lower Court’s Special Master appeared first on American Democracy Minute.