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

While some state legislatures are making it harder to vote, a 2023 recap from Voting Rights Lab shows a few states passed legislation to help people register to vote and to make voting more accessible to all citizens.

Michigan passed several laws to implement an expansion of voting rights passed by ballot measure in 2022.  It includes automatic voter registration at the DMV and other state agencies, a permanent vote by mail list, nine days of early voting, making secure drop boxes available, and pre-registration for 16 & 17 year olds.

Minnesota restored voting rights to returning felons upon release, helping an estimated 55,000 citizens to vote. It also expanded automatic voter registration to more state agencies, created a permanent mail-in voting list, and offered pre-registration to 16 & 17 year olds.

The New Mexico Voting Rights Act passed in March.  It automatically registers voters at the DMV and other state offices, restores the vote for the formerly incarcerated, creates a permanent absentee voter list, mandates same-day registration, and enacts the first Native American Voting Rights Act.

Connecticut voters passed a 14-day early voting period, and its legislature moved a constitutional amendment to a November 2024 vote which would allow no-excuse absentee voting.   

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro directed that automatic voter registration be implemented by the DMV.  And all New York voters have the opportunity to vote by mail, though this new law is being challenged in court.  

We have links to the legislation summarized at Voting Rights Lab at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Voting Rights Lab – The Top Ten Election Laws of 2023
Michigan Advance – At Detroit NAACP, Whitmer signs voting rights bills
Minnesota Public Radio – Voting rights restored to 50,000 under new Minnesota law
New Mexico Governor’s Office – Gov. Lujan Grisham signs New Mexico Voting Rights Act into law
Associated Press – Connecticut Senate passes early voting bill, new system allows up to 14 days of in-person voting
Spotlight PA/Votebeat – Pa. will now prompt people to register to vote when they get a driver’s license

Democracy Docket – New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Signs Package of Voting Rights Laws

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause, League of Women Voters, Public Citizen, Declaration for American Democracy, NAACP, Native American Rights Fund,  League of United Latin American Citizens,  National Disability Rights Network

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FreedomtoVote #VotingRights #LetUsVote

The post Democracy News Wasn’t All Bad in 2023;  MI, MN, NM, CT, PA, & NY All Passed Substantial Pro-Voter Legislation  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act” Friday, a huge bill expanding voter registration and mail-in voting options, creating a small-donor campaign funding voucher system, and enhancing penalties for intimidation or harassment of voters or election officials.

Minnesota joins New Mexico in passing omnibus bills to strengthen democracy protections in 2023.   Minnesota’s bill establishes an automatic voter registration system, registering voters at the state departments of Public Safety and Human Services, unless they opt out.   This includes the PRE-registration of 16 and 17 year olds, though they can’t vote until age 18.  The bill is expected to add 450,000 voters to the rolls each year in a state which has one of the highest voter turnouts in the country.

The Democracy for the People Act also creates a permanent absentee vote by mail list, particularly helpful for seniors and the disabled, and makes voting materials more available in other languages.    

Steps were also taken to rein in big money influence in elections by establishing a new “Democracy Dollars” campaign funding system, where qualifying candidates need to reach out to voters to receive the two $25 small-donor certificates given to each registered voter.  Its aim is to keep candidates responsive to voters, not special interest campaign donors.

We have the text to the bill, analysis articles, and lots more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Minnesota Legislature – Final Text of the “Democracy for the People Act”
Democracy Docket – Minnesota Governor Enacts the Democracy for the People Act
Duluth News Tribune – Minnesota enacts automatic voter registration, penalties for election misinformation
Minnesota Senate Media Services – Governor Walz Signs Voting Accessibility Bill into Law

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause MN, League of Women Voters MN, Represent.Us, People for the American Way, Free Speech for People,  We Choose Us MN

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews

The post Minnesota Governor Signs “Democracy for the People Act” Enhancing Voting Access and Protections appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 19, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket – (Some provisions noted in this article did not make the final version) Minnesota Lawmakers Introduce Omnibus Democracy for the People Act
KSTP – Minnesota House of Representatives passes the Democracy for the People Act
Common Dreams – Minnesota Dems Advance Bill to Ban Election Interference by Multinational Corporations
Minnesota Legislature – HF3/SF3 Democracy for the People Act
Colorado Public Radio – (2021) Colorado Added 250,000 Voters In The Past Year Through Automatic Voter Registration
Arizona PBS – After overwhelming voter OK, political ‘dark money’ law hailed as model

Groups Taking Action:

Free Speech for People, We Choose Us Minnesota, League of Women Voters MN, Common Cause MN, 

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.

Good news today.  April 13th, the Minnesota House approved the HF3 Democracy For All bill, which proposes reforms to voter registration, protects voters from intimidation, and requires disclosure of dark money donors influencing elections. 

The reform package now becomes SF3 in the Minnesota Senate, where it’s likely to be passed and sent to Governor Tim Walz, after the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party swept elections last fall.

SF3 would automatically register voters doing business at the Minnesota Departments of Safety and Human Services unless voters opt out.  A similar provision passed in Colorado in 2020 registered 250,000 new voters in one year.   The bill also allows pre-registration of 16 and 17-year-olds while they are still in school and first registering for a driver’s license.  

Other reforms allow voters to be added to a permanent vote-by-mail list,and prohibits voter intimidation and deceptive actions intended to interfere with voting.   It also aids non-English speakers with alternate language ballots or provides interpreters.  

Like Arizona’s recent constitutional amendment, it will require disclosure of donors to Dark Money nonprofits and LLCs spending money on state elections,   bans contributions from foreign donors.

Should the bill pass, the Democracy for All act will be one of the top reform bills of 2023.

We have links to the details, articles and groups taking action at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org   For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews

The post Sweeping Democracy Reform Package Passes Minnesota House appeared first on American Democracy Minute.