The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 29, 2025

Ohio has joined Kansas in eliminating a grace period for mail-in ballots arriving after election day.  A U.S. Supreme Court case from Mississippi could potentially eliminate mail ballot grace periods nationwide, disenfranchising tens of thousands. 

In March 2025, the GOP-dominated Kansas legislature repealed its 2017 three-day grace period law, and as of 2026, requires ballots to be received on or before election day.

With the erosion of U.S. Postal Service delivery standards, several states added grace periods to count late-arriving mail ballots.  But that was before President Donald Trump partially and baselessly blamed his 2020 loss on mail-in ballots, and in March 2025 issued an already court-challenged executive order requiring that all voting occur on election day.

On December 19th, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed SB 293, eliminating that state’s four-day grace period for absentee ballots.   About 8,000 ballots arrived after election day in 2024, according to Secretary of State testimony on the bill.  

DeWine said he QUOTE “reluctantly” signed the bill due to the pending U.S. Supreme Court case, Watson v. Republican National Committee, challenging Mississippi’s grace period law.   That case will be heard next year, and impacts as many as 14 other states with similar laws.

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House – PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Kansas Legislature – Senate Bill 4
Kansas Reflector – Kansas Legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill to limit advance voting
BOLTS Magazine – Trump Wants Mail Votes to Arrive By Election Day. Red States Are Rushing to Toe the Line. 
Ohio Capital Journal – Gov. DeWine weighing whether to eliminate Ohio’s absentee ballot grace period
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio Gov. DeWine signs property tax bills, ‘reluctantly’ approves new voting restrictions

Brennan Center for Justice – (2024) Mail Voting Accuracy

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU Ohio,  National Vote at Home Institute,  Ohio Voice

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 #VotebyMail #MailBallotGracePeriod #Ohio #Kansas 

The post Ohio Joins Kansas in Eliminating Grace Periods for Mail-In Ballots; A 2026 Mississippi SCOTUS Case Could Eliminate Them Nationwide appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Nov. 3, 2025

Ohio voters, who voted down a citizen-led independent redistricting commission in 2024, are seeing the consequences, as Ohio’s politician-led commission gerrymanders two more GOP congressional seats.  Democrats say they had no choice but to compromise.

Unlike the other states gerrymandering to game the outcome of the 2026 midterms for control of the U.S. House, Ohio’s constitution requires redistricting after four years when a map isn’t passed with bipartisan support.  But Republicans, who already hold 10 of Ohio’s 15 congressional seats, further gerrymandered the maps to give the GOP a 12 to 3 advantage.

While the Assembly leadership points to a bipartisan unanimous vote in the five-member commission, it came with bare knuckle negotiations.  According to reporting by the Ohio Capital Journal, in return for retaining three of their five current seats and protecting incumbents, Democrats would not back a citizen ballot question to repeal the map.   With a Republican governor, state house, and state senate, Democrats say they had no choice.   Voters giving testimony at hearings on the map overwhelmingly condemned it.

The League of Women Voters OH said in a statement, “The public was shut out, the process rigged, and incumbents favored.  The resulting Congressional map still doesn’t reflect the will of the voters of Ohio.” 

The map is expected to be approved by the Ohio Assembly, and signed by Governor Mike DeWine. 

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Princeton Gerrymandering Project – Current Congressional Map, prior to recent proposal

American Democracy Minute – Polling Shows Ohio Voters Lean Toward Passing Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission Ballot Measure, Despite Disinformation from State Officials
American Democracy Minute – High Turnout of Conservative Voters Also Led to Losses for Democracy Reform in Ohio, Nevada, Colorado and Potentially Alaska
Ohio Capital Journal – New Ohio congressional redistricting map introduced to criticism, but may have support to pass
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously passes congressional map furthering GOP advantage 
League of Women Voters OH – Statement on OH Redistricting Commission’s Congressional Map

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters OH, Citizens Not Politicians, Fair Districts OH, 

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

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

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #Gerrymandering #Ohio #MikeDeWine #RiggedElection

The post Ohio General Assembly to Vote on a Further Gerrymandered Congressional Map Put Forward by Politician-Led Redistricting Commission appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for June 25, 2025

For most states, redistricting is a once-a-decade event, perhaps extended by some litigation.  For Ohio and Texas, redistricting may turn into an ongoing partisan battle as both states consider interim redistricting as the midterms approach. 

First to Ohio, where a state law requires voting district maps passed WITHOUT bipartisan support to be redrawn after only four years. The 2020 maps ping-ponged between a politician-led redistricting commission, the state supreme court, and the legislature. In 2024, voters unfortunately rejected a citizen-led redistricting commission ballot initiative, after Ohio’s Secretary of State and Ballot Commission disingenuously suggested the ballot measure itself promoted gerrymandering.   The Ohio Capital Journal reports that the legislature set a deadline for the end of September, and that pro-voter groups are already preparing alternative fair maps to contrast the likely highly-partisan state-drawn maps. 

The Texas Tribune reports that the state’s Republican congressional delegation met June 9th to discuss how to redistrict some of its 38 congressional districts before the midterms to help preserve GOP control of Congress.  A 2024 study showed current maps gerrymandered an additional five-seats for Republicans. 

June 23rd, Texas Governor Greg Abbott called a special session of the legislature to address six bills he vetoed BUT it did NOT include a request for interim redistricting – for now.   The current makeup of Congress is 220 Republicans and 213 Democrats.

We have state reporting linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – (2024)  How Gerrymandering Tilts the 2024 Race for the House 
American Democracy Minute – Ohio SOS Under Fire Again, This Time for Sabotaging the Ballot Measure Description for a Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio voters reject Issue 1, leaving politicians in control over map-making process
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio U.S. Congressional redistricting is on the agenda for 2025, with advocates preparing
Statehouse News Bureau – Once budget is done, Ohio lawmakers will return to Congressional redistricting again
Texas Public Radio – (2024) Gerrymandering gives GOP a five seat advantage in Texas, study says
Texas Tribune – Texas’ GOP congressional delegation meets to discuss redrawing districts ahead of midterms
Texas Tribune – Gov. Greg Abbott orders special legislative session after vetoing 26 bills 

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens Not Politicians, Common Cause OH, Fair Maps Texas Action Committee

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

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

#News #Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering #Texas #Ohio

The post Will Texas and Ohio Redraw Congressional Districts Before the 2026 Midterms? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 10, 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.

In January 2023, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 458, one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country. It also tightened several absentee voting rules.  On January 8th, 2024, a federal court upheld HB 458, affecting thousands of unhoused, elderly, student, and disabled voters.

Using a pretext of “election integrity”, the Ohio legislature eliminated non-ID documentation like utility bills, and mandated a state-issued ID, military ID, or a passport.  It eliminated student IDs, a tactic used by red states to suppress younger voters. And it forces those without ID – including the elderly & disabled – to apply in person and with all the necessary documents, for a state issued ID.

Theoretically, voters without ID can vote, but only by provisional ballot, which counts ONLY if the voter returns with the proper ID.  HB 458 restricted that too, shortening the time to return from 10 days to four.  

Nevertheless, the U.S. District Court judge ruled that voting in Ohio remained “very easy,” the changes were “minimal”, and that the plaintiffs failed to show a burden on voters in the state’s 2023 elections.   

A new challenge filed January 5th by a physically disabled voter and the League of Women Voters challenges HB 458’s restriction of absentee ballot delivery by only immediate family members, and excluding grandchildren, neighbors and caregivers.   

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
ACLU OH – HB 458: WHAT CHANGED AND WHY DOES IT HARM OHIO VOTERS?
Courthouse News Service –  Ohio election reform bill that includes ID requirement ruled constitutional by federal judge
Cleveland.com – Federal judge tosses lawsuit challenging Ohio’s voter ID law
Federal District Court, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO, EASTERN DIVISION (via Courthouse News) – NORTHEAST OHIO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS; OHIO FEDERATION OF TEACHERS; OHIO ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS; UNION VETERANS COUNCIL; AND CIVIC INFLUENCERS, INC. v. FRANK LAROSE
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Securing an Ohio ID
Ohio Capital Journal – Voting, disability rights advocates claim Ohio photo voter ID law violates federal disabilities law

Groups Taking Action:
Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, Union Veterans Council, Policy Matters Ohio, Ohio Voting Rights Coalition, League of Women Voters OH

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #OhioPolitics

The post Another Blow to Ohio’s Unhoused, Elderly, Student and Disabled Voters, This Time from a Federal Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 4, 2023

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.

America’s voters should pay attention to an Ohio state constitutional amendment to make its statewide ballot initiative process harder. The process to pass it is just about as ugly as the anti-voter resolution itself.

The Ohio House & Senate passed House Joint Resolution 1 in March, which raises the bar to pass statewide citizen ballot initiatives to 60% from the simple 50%+1 majority in place since 1912.  The proposed hurdle now needs voter ratification – urgently in the eyes of those who want to stop a proposal to constitutionally enshrine abortion rights headed for the November ballot.

What’s a gerrymandered legislature to do?  The Ohio Capital Journal reports that Senate Bill 92 restores an August 8th special election date which had been eliminated just months ago because of low turnout, just 8% on average, and it’s expense, estimated at $20 million dollars.  Those statistics didn’t deter the Ohio Senate from passing SB 92, or in the House, where it’s likely to pass before May 10th.  Governor Mike DeWine has pledged to sign it – despite having just signed the bill to repeal it last year.

The formidable bipartisan opposition includes former Ohio governors and over 200 groups, but so far, the legislature seems more interested in partisanship than precedent or people. 

We have links to the legislation, articles, and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – History of Initiative & Referendum in Ohio
Office of the Ohio Attorney General – Current Ballot Initiative and Referendum Processes
Ohio House – House Joint Resolution 1 

Ohio Capital Journal – Revived measure to require 60% for Ohio constitutional amendments gets first hearing
Associated Press – Abortion-rights proposal moves a step closer to Ohio ballot
Ohio Capitol Journal – Ohio House begins hearings to bring back August elections
The Columbus Dispatch – Ex-Ohio GOP Govs. John Kasich, Bob Taft blast plan to make it harder to amend constitution
Cleveland.com – Gov. Mike DeWine says he would sign bill allowing August election to decide constitution change
Ohio Capital Journal – (Commentary)  Bipartisan opposition makes Ohio Republican August election, minority-rule power grab look absurd

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause OH Action page, League of Women Voters OH, Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, All Voting is Local

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy

The post Ohio Legislature Forcing Through Restoration of Aug. 8th Election to Pass Hurdles for Citizen Ballot Initiatives & Block Potential Abortion Rights Measure appeared first on American Democracy Minute.