Radio Archives | American Democracy Minute

American Democracy in 2025: Expansion of Presidential Powers has Already Eroded the Independence of Federal Agencies. It May Get Worse.

December 31, 2025December 31, 2025

We’ve been reviewing our most important stories of 2025, and their implications for 2026. Expanded presidential powers, enabled by recent Supreme Court decisions, have eroded independent federal oversight of elections, voter data and campaign finance. It may get worse.

American Democracy in 2025: To Prove Racial Gerrymandering, Minority Voters Must Now Show SCOTUS ‘Intent’ to Discriminate, Not Just ‘Effect’

December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

By any rational measure, the Texas legislature racially gerrymandered its congressional map in 2025 to add five more GOP seats at the request of President Donald Trump. But the U.S. Supreme Court majority allowed it anyway, claiming plaintiffs hadn’t proven their case.

Ohio Joins Kansas in Eliminating Grace Periods for Mail-In Ballots; A 2026 Mississippi SCOTUS Case Could Eliminate Them Nationwide

December 28, 2025December 28, 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.

U.S. DOJ Sues MA, CO, HI and NV to Turn Over Voter Registration Files, but Even Red States are Pushing Back

December 17, 2025December 17, 2025

The U.S. Justice Department filed suits December 12th to compel Massachusetts, Colorado, Hawaii and Nevada to turn over voter registration records, including citizenship records and personal data. Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington were sued December 2nd, bringing the total to 18.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Tasks Judicial Panels with Hearing Challenges to the State’s Congressional Districts

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

We’re in Wisconsin today, where the state supreme court, after unwinding gerrymandering in state house and senate districts, has appointed lower court judicial panels to hear challenges to Wisconsin’s congressional districts.