The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for July 31, 2025

The federal 8th Circuit Court appears intent to block redistricting and voting rights cases by individuals and advocacy groups.  July 29th, the 8th Circuit issued another finding that individuals and groups can’t sue using the Voting Rights Act.

This is the third such negative ruling on the “private right of action” in two years, but for the moment, it still only applies to the seven states in the 8th Circuit:   Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 

In a 2023 Arkansas case, an 8th Circuit panel ignored decades of settled law and found that the Arkansas Conference of the NAACP and the voters it represented did not have standing to bring a complaint under VRA Section 2.  Instead, it gave the U.S. Justice Department the sole authority to bring Voting Rights Act complaints.   Legal scholars deemed it a fringe ruling because historically, 90% of voting rights cases are brought by individuals and advocacy groups. 

The July 29th decision involved a challenge by an Arkansas group which assists new citizens with voting.  An Arkansas voter suppression law barred the group from helping more than six citizens, though the Voting Rights Act Section 208 allows such assistance.

If appealed, it’s unclear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will stand on precedent, or back the 8th Circuit’s crusade against voting rights.

We’ve linked to the decision at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (2023) Radical Federal Court of Appeals Ruling Deals Another Blow to Voters, Democracy Groups and the Voting Rights Act
American Democracy Minute – Eighth Circuit ‘Private Right of Action’ Ruling Temporarily Halted by Justice Kavanaugh in Case by North Dakota Tribal Nations
Brennan Center for Justice – The Newest Attack on the Voting Rights Act
Arkansas Advocate – US appeals court overturns ruling that said Arkansas law violated voting rights
8th Circuit Court of Appeals (via Democracy Docket)  – Arkansas United; L. Mireya Reith v. Arkansas

Groups Taking Action:

Arkansas United, Legal Defense Fund, ACLU, Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, Arkansas Public Policy Panel

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Arkansas #PrivateRightofAction #VotingRights #VRA

The post Can Individuals or Advocacy Groups Sue in Voting Rights Cases?  The Magic 8th Circuit Ball Says ‘No’. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 6, 2025

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed two election bills May 2nd, one of which includes provisions for poll workers to challenge the citizenship of voters in the polling place, a ban on ranked choice voting, and a higher bar for third parties. 

Among several new provisions, House File 954 authorizes state election officials to access to federal agency databases and gives local election officials authority to challenge citizenship of a registered voter at the polls.  A recent presidential executive order now allows personal information sharing from federal agencies to state election officials. 

If a voter is not able to provide documentation at the polls, they would be forced to use a provisional ballot.   Only days before the 2024 election, the Secretary of State’s office challenged the eligibility of over 2,100 registered voters.  Most were naturalized citizens or data errors, while 277 were registered noncitizens. Of those, only 35 voted, out of over 1.7 million cast.  Pro-voter groups argue such mass challenges intimidates legitimate naturalized citizens from voting. 

Two provisions in 954 attempt to protect major party power.  It bans ranked choice voting for any election in Iowa, and raises the bar for third parties to field candidates.  Third parties now need to garner 2% of the vote in three consecutive elections to qualify for the ballot. 

We have more on HF 954 at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Iowa Secretary of State – Iowa Secretary of State’s audit of voter registration lists finds 277 confirmed noncitizens registered to voteIowa Capital Dispatch – Iowa secretary of state says 277 noncitizens confirmed to be on Iowa’s voter rolls
Des Moines Register – After flagging 2,000+ ballots, Iowa secretary of state says 35 noncitizens voted in 2024Iowa Legislature – House File 954

The Gazette – Iowa poll workers can question voters about their citizenship under new law
Iowa Capital Dispatch – Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bills on election recounts, voter citizenship verification
Brennan Center for Justice – Citizenship & Voting

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU Iowa, LULAC

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NoncitizenVoting #Iowa #VoterSuppression #VoterChallenges 

The post Iowa Gov. Signs Bill Banning Ranked Choice Voting, and Allowing Poll Workers to Challenge Citizenship Status of Voters  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 8, 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.

The Republican-dominated Iowa House passed regulations March 5th which would require voters to return mail ballots the day BEFORE election day. House File 2610 also stops use of ballot drop boxes, bans ranked choice voting, and allows felons to run for federal office.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that if the bill becomes law, county election commissioners must send absentee ballots no later than 22 days before election day. But it also requires that all mail-in absentee ballots be returned by 5 pm the day BEFORE election day to be counted.   

For voters who forget, or don’t allow enough time for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver, ballot drop boxes would no longer be available under HF 2610.  Almost 14,000 Iowans used a drop box in the 2022 midterm.  

Falling in line with other red state legislatures, the bill bans use of ranked choice voting in any Iowa election, despite increasing popularity with voters.  

And in a provision aimed at protecting former President Donald Trump, the bill also would allow felons to run for FEDERAL office.  The Iowa constitution currently bans felons from voting or running for office, though Gov. Kim Reynolds restored those rights by executive order in 2020 for felons having COMPLETED their sentences.  The bill now heads to the Iowa Senate.

We have the voter suppression bill’s text, and groups taking action at   AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Iowa House – Text of House File 2610
Iowa Capital Dispatch – House votes to require mailed ballots to arrive before Election Day
Des Moines Register – Iowa House passes new voting restrictions. How they would affect you:
Iowa Secretary of State – Felon Voting Rights

NPR – Governor Acts To Restore Voting Rights To Iowans With Felony Convictions

Groups Taking Action:
Disability Rights Iowa,  LULAC Iowa, Better Ballot Iowa,  League of Women Voters Iowa

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterSuppression #Iowa #IowaPolitics #VotingRights

The post Iowa House Bill Requires Mail Ballots to Be Returned Before Election Day, Bans RCV, and Allows Convicted Felons to Qualify to Run in Federal Elections appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 1, 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.

Last year, we followed the exodus of nine states from the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, driven by baseless conspiracy theories. The states which left are finding it hard and expensive to replace ERIC’s expertise.   At least one state wants back in.

ERIC, then a 31-state cooperative founded in 2012, finds duplicate, deceased and moving voters.  In 2022, conservative conspiracy theorists claimed ERIC was controlled by liberal billionaire George Soros.  Election deniers pressured election officials and legislators in Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, who caved and pulled out of ERIC.  

Then came the hangover.  Great reporting by the Center for Public Integrity and Votebeat shows states buying more expensive data services, creating their own, or entering into agreements with nearby states.  

EagleAI, a service pushed by the same conspiracy theorists, compares publicly-available information like death notices, but reportedly had false positives and security issues.  Texas created its own system, which Votebeat reported costs as much as ERIC, but exchanges less data with fewer states.  Virginia paid a private data processing company, which rented outside data lists.  Some states agreed to exchange data, but Votebeat reporting suggests the lists are cleaned less often. 

BallotPedia reports that the Virginia legislature is considering returning the state to the ERIC cooperative, while California and Hawaii are considering joining.  

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
NPR – (2023) How the far right tore apart one of the best tools to fight voter fraud
Democracy Docket – Cleta Mitchell Couldn’t Overturn the 2020 Election, So Now She’s Suppressing Voters
American Oversight – AMERICAN OVERSIGHT RELEASES REPORT ON ANTI-ERIC PUSH AND ITS THREAT TO 2024 ELECTION 
Votebeat via Louisiana Illuminator – Documents show Republican-led states struggling to clean voter rolls after leaving ERIC
Center for Public Integrity – States ditched an election partnership. Voters will feel the consequences.
BallotPedia – 2024 Voter list maintenance legislation

Groups Taking Action:
Brennan Center for Justice, Campaign Legal Center, ACLU Ohio, League of Women Voters

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ERIC #ElectionIntegrity #ConspiracyTheories #ElectionDeniers

The post After Caving to Conspiracy Theorists, States Which Left ERIC Now Using  Weaker & More Expensive Alternatives; At Least One State May Rejoin ERIC. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

January 21st was the 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates of money in political campaigns.   In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, over $300 Million dollars has already been spent in just three early races. 

CNN reports that $77 Million dollars was spent in the New Hampshire Primary by SuperPACs, candidates and other political groups.   New Hampshire’s population is just 1.4 million people, and an estimated $55 dollars in advertising was spent for every man, woman and child, in the Granite State.   An estimated turnout of 410,000 voters calculates to $188.00 spent per Primary vote. 

Democracy group End Citizens United said over $11 Billion dollars has been spent in federal elections since the 2010 court decision.  Most spending in elections now comes not from candidates, but political action committees allied with them.  End Citizens United notes that 96% of outside, non-candidate spending has occurred since the Citizens United decision.  

In the early Republican races alone, NPR reports that Nikki Haley’s campaign spent $9.3 Million dollars.  Her SuperPAC and Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity Action spent $62.8 Million.  The DeSantis’ campaign and PACs spent a combined $60 Million dollars, and Trump a combined $54 million.  

We have more primary spending data and the groups taking action at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CNN –  New Hampshire ad spending tops $77 million as Haley and Trump fight to the finish
NPR – $300 million worth of ads have hit voters ahead of the first GOP primary contests
NH Secretary of State – SOS Predicts Presidential Primary Turnout
End Citizens United – End Citizens United Statement on the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United

Brennan Center for Justice – Citizens United Explained
Open Secrets – (2020) More money, less transparency: A decade under Citizens United

Groups Taking Action:
End Citizens United, Issue One, Open Democracy Action, Common Cause, Public Citizen, Equal Citizens

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OverturnCitizensUnited #DarkMoneyOutVotersIn #EndBigMoney

The post By the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United, SuperPACs and Candidates Spent Over $300 Million in IA, NH & SC appeared first on American Democracy Minute.