The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 31, 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.

While we wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on former President Trump’s appeal to the Colorado 14th amendment ballot eligibility decision, we have updates on other recent state cases. 

In Massachusetts on Jan. 29th, the state’s ballot law commission ruled against two challenges, saying that the body did not have jurisdiction.  In Maine, a court kept Trump on the ballot after the Secretary of State’s decision to remove him, pending the U.S. Supreme Court appeal in February. 

An Illinois Board of Elections’ hearing officer said Tuesday that the Board of Elections can only rule on Illinois election code matters, not the U.S. Constitution, and recommended dismissing the case.  But Capital News Illinois reports that the judge also said that if the board chose not to dismiss, QUOTE “President Trump engaged in insurrection, within the meaning of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, and should have his name removed from the March, 2024 primary ballot in Illinois.” 

States having already dismissed challenges include Washington, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon and New Hampshire, some which could be reconsidered based on the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Ten more minor cases remain pending. Several others have been withdrawn by the plaintiffs, according to Lawfare. 

We have links to more information on these challenges at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – Court Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility are Pending in 17 States.   Losses in Colorado & Michigan are Being Appealed.
PBS Newshour – Supreme Court to hear Trump ballot case that could upend 2024 presidential election
The Hill – Trump candidacy challenge dismissed in Massachusetts
The Hill – Maine judge defers decision on Trump 14th Amendment question until Supreme Court rules
CNN – Illinois election board hears objection to Trump candidacy based on January 6 insurrection

Capital News Illinois – State election board to rule on challenge to Trump candidacy
Lawfare – Tracking Trump Section 3 Challenges
CNN – Tracking the major 14th Amendment efforts to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot

Groups Taking Action:
Free Speech for People, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW)

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #14thAmendment #BallotDisqualification #Insurrectionists

The post The U.S. Supreme Court hears the Appeal of Donald Trump’s Eligibility in February, But Where Do the Many State Cases Stand? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 1, 2023

Gerrymandering Cases Still Percolating in Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Arkansas, and Utah

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

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

Three years into the every-10-year redistricting cycle and challenges are still percolating around the country.  We have short updates from Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Arkansas, and Utah.

Two cases contesting Georgia’s congressional districts as racial gerrymanders violating the 14th amendment may be going to trial.  Common Cause v. Georgia, which includes another case, NAACP v. Georgia had pre-trial hearings on Monday.

The cities of Boston, Massachusetts and Jacksonville, FL just approved new voting district maps.  WBUR reports that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed new city council maps after a judge threw out existing maps as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.  The Florida Times-Union reports that the City of Jacksonville twice redrew its school board maps after a federal court decision favored civil rights and citizens groups.  A settlement forces the city to use maps drawn by the plaintiffs until 2030.

KSL Salt Lake reports that democracy groups filed suit claiming that Utah’s legislature created “an extreme partisan gerrymander” after ignoring the state’s independent redistricting commission and creating its own, highly partisan congressional districts. 

An appeal on Arkansas’ congressional map was dismissed last week, with a three judge panel ruling that a group of Black voters failed to prove that racial gerrymandering was the primary factor in diluting their voting power.  

We have more on these cases and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
All About Redistricting – Common Cause v. Georgia / Raffensperger
Democracy Docket – Massachusetts Boston City Council Redistricting Challenge
WBUR – Mayor Michelle Wu signs off on new Boston electoral map
Florida Times-Union – Jacksonville City Council approves redistricting settlement 15-3

KSL Salt Lake – Watchdog groups back lawsuit against Utah’s redistricting, allege partisan gerrymandering
Democracy Docket – Federal Court Dismisses Challenge to Arkansas Congressional Map

Groups Taking Action:
Georgia:   Common Cause GA,  Georgia State Conf. of the NAACP
Boston:  NAACP Boston Branch, MA Voter Table, New England United for Justice, La Colaborativa
Jacksonville:   Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, Florida Rising, NAACP Jacksonville Branch, ACLU of Northeast FL
Utah:  League of Women Voters Utah,  Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Arkansas:  Christian Ministerial Alliance Little Rock, ACLU Arkansas

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!
#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps

The post Gerrymandering Cases Still Percolating in Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Arkansas, and Utah appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 18, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Try Out Ranked Choice Voting – Election: Practice Ranked-Choice Voting: Favorite Alaska Wild Animal
NBC News – Following a big year, more states push ranked-choice voting 

CT Mirror/Hartford Courant – Could CT get ranked-choice voting? There’s a bill submitted that calls for it.
Westword – Should Denver Switch to Ranked-Choice Voting?
Alaska Beacon – Five takeaway lessons from Alaska’s first ranked choice election

Groups Taking Action:
FairVote (national), List of State RCV Groups, Alaskans for Better Elections, Democracy Maine

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

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

2023 appears to be a breakout year for Ranked Choice Voting, also known as Instant Run-Off.  The system has a years-long track record in Maine, successful use in Alaska last year, and adoption by over 50 municipalities.   And there are proposed bills in several state legislatures this year.

Instead of voting for just one person, Ranked choice voting allows a voter to vote for multiple candidates, ranking them in order of preference.  If a candidate gets 50% plus 1 vote, they win.  If 50% is not reached by one candidate, the lowest vote-getter is eliminated, and those votes are distributed to the voter’s second choice.  Rounds continue until a candidate exceeds 50% plus one vote.  

Polling after Alaska’s 2022 elections showed that over 85% of Alaskans thought it was simple to do.   So far in 2023, NBC News reports that RCV bills have been introduced in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Missouri, Montana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Jersey, and New York.  Some are considering implementation for federal & state elections, some just for primaries, and others are authorizing use in cities and towns.  In Georgia, legislators are questioning the price tag of a separate run-off Senate election, which could have been avoided in November with Ranked Choice voting. Virginia is already testing it, and has bipartisan support.

Try out ranked choice voting at our website, and find resources to learn more, at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post Ranked Choice Voting May Have a Breakout Year in 2023 with Bills Proposed in 9 States appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for December 30, 2022

Listen!

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – Americans rejected election denial and adopted reforms. Let’s build on that in 2023
NPR – 2020 changed how America votes. The question now is whether those changes stick
Alaska Bulletin – Five takeaway lessons from Alaska’s first ranked choice election
Roll Call – At the Races: What pushing for voting rights accomplished
City & State NY – What you need to know about New York’s new statewide public campaign finance program

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

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

While many states implemented intentional barriers to voting and ignored partisan gerrymandering, some forward-looking states enacted pro-voter democracy reforms, helping to make voting accessible to all of their citizens.

On the federal front, while the Freedom to Vote and For the People acts failed in the U.S. Senate, the Electoral Count Reform Act passed, helping to prevent another election subversion.  

Approving ballot questions, Connecticut and Michigan added more in-person early voting in 2022.   Georgia begrudgingly allowed early voting for the U.S. Senate runoff election, after democracy advocacy groups filed suit.  And despite the Georgia legislature’s anti-voter SB 202 implementation, advocacy groups mobilized record turnout. 

Massachusetts formalized on-demand mail-in voting, where voters can request electronically to be added to an ongoing vote-by-mail list.  Nevada implemented a permanent mail-in voting program in 2022, and took its first step toward single ballot open primaries and ranked choice voting.   Alaska debuted its “top four” open primary and ranked choice voting system in June for a special election, and 85% of voters thought it was simple to use.

Just after the November midterm, New York State implemented a small-donor campaign financing system, where candidates can earn matching funds by seeking out smaller contributions, reducing influence and enabling less affluent candidates to run.  And Arizona banned dark money in state elections.

Read more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   For the American Democracy Minute.   I’m Brian Beihl.

The post Among Growing Anti-Voter Legislation, There Were Some Democracy Reform Successes in 2022 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

Listen!

Today’s Links:
Articles:
Read the bill:   MA Senate Bill 2924
WBUR/AP – Gov. Baker signs bill ensuring mail-in ballots, early voting in Massachusetts
AP – State high court hears arguments in GOP mail-in voting suit
CBS – Republicans challenge Massachusetts’ new mail-in and early voting law
Groups Taking Action:  Common Cause Massachusetts,  Massachusetts Voter Table, League of Women Voters MA, MassPower

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

With so much bad democracy news lately, we’re happy to share good news from Massachusetts, where Republican Governor Charlie Baker has signed new legislation which expands early voting, expands voting by mail, and extends the voter registration deadline before an election.

Massachusetts had previously limited early voting to the Presidential and midterm elections, but has now expanded it to all elections.  The new law also requires cities of 25,000 people or more to have Saturday and Sunday hours, and adds a week of early voting.

Mail voting has also expanded.  A portal will be created for Massachusetts voters to apply for early voting by mail with no excuse needed, allows for return by mail or dropbox, requires accessible ballots for the disabled, and facilitates mail voting by eligible incarcerated voters.

Voter registration deadlines have been moved closer to the election, ending at 5 p.m. 10 days prior, vs. the previous 20 days.  It also adds voter registration documents in Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese, and authorizes additional languages as necessary.   Massachusetts already has automatic voter registration which allows voter registration at the DMV and other agencies, but now allows someone to opt-out by contacting the agency later. 

Convenient voting helps people exercise their freedom to vote and promotes participation in their democracy, a concept that all Americans should stand for.    Details on the new Massachusetts law are linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Granny D said “Democracy is not something we have, but something we DO.” 

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

The post American Democracy Minute for July 8, 2022: Massachusetts’ Republican Governor Signs Bill to Expand Early Voting & Mail Voting, Extend Voter Registration Dates appeared first on American Democracy Minute.