Voting in state and local elections is at risk for an estimated 97,000 longtime Arizona voters due to a proof of citizenship data tracking problem at the DMV.
The post State Data Mistake Puts Voting in Local & State Elections at Risk for 97,000 Arizonans appeared first on American Democracy Minute.
]]>The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 19, 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.
Voting in state and local elections is at risk for an estimated 97,000 longtime Arizona voters due to a proof of citizenship data tracking problem at the DMV.
Three facts to start. The Arizona Mirror and Votebeat report that Arizonans have had to provide proof of citizenship for driver’s licenses since 1996; state’s driver’s licenses aren’t routinely renewed until after age 65; and Arizona began requiring proof of citizenship for voting in 2005.
Beginning in 2005, election officials asked existing voters with licenses issued before 1996 for proof of citizenship. But if a driver’s license issued before 1996 needed to be replaced, it was given a new date of issue. Election officials then didn’t know to ask for citizenship documents for an estimated 97,000 voters.
The Arizona Secretary of State announced the problem September 17th, and plans to move quickly, with mail ballots due to be mailed in less than a month.
In addition to its “full ballot” with local, state and federal races, Arizona also has a “federal-only” ballot used by many Native Americans and students, who sometimes don’t have, or have available, citizenship documents. Worst-case, the 97,000 affected voters could use the federal only ballot but the Secretary of State was advocating for allowing those voters to vote with the full ballot in November.
We’ve linked to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Office of Governor Katie Hobbs – Governor Katie Hobbs Statement on Administrative Issue With AVID and Its Interface With MVD
Arizona Mirror/Votebeat – Error with tracking citizenship puts nearly 100,000 Arizona voters’ eligibility in limbo
KATR News – Interview with Maricopa County Recorder
Check Your Voter Registration:
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
- USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
- Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
- Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #ArizonaNews #VoterRegistration
The post State Data Mistake Puts Voting in Local & State Elections at Risk for 97,000 Arizonans appeared first on American Democracy Minute.
]]>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.
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 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
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter 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
#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.
]]>Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of a new Florida law targeting new Americans and communities of color by stopping some voter registration organizations from registering new voters.
The post Democracy Advocates Win First Round Battling State of Florida’s Attempt to Stop Voter Registration Drives appeared first on American Democracy Minute.
]]>The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 7, 2023
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2023-07-06T09_35_40-07_00
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of a new Florida law targeting new Americans and communities of color by stopping some voter registration organizations from registering new voters.
Senate Bill 7050 was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May, and blocks noncitizen volunteers from registering other eligible citizens to vote. Democracy Docket reports that it also criminalizes the possession of voter registration information by any group which may, for example, organize a get out the vote drive. The two provisions would make it more difficult for groups to register and mobilize new Americans, and other communities which have a traditionally low turnout of voters.
Chief Judge Mark E. Walker ordered a temporary stay on the ban on noncitizens registering voters and criminalizing retention of voter registration data. Walker ruled that the plaintiffs were, QUOTE, “substantially likely to succeed on their claim that the citizenship requirement violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.” On the data retention, Walker ruled that the language was vague, and could lead to “arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.”
The stay on the two parts of the law remain in place while the challenge to SB 7050 continues.
Judge Walker said in the order “The challenged provisions exemplify something Florida has struggled with in recent years; namely, governing within the bounds set by the United States Constitution.”
We have links to SB 7050, the judge’s order and groups taking action, at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket – Florida Omnibus Voter Suppression Law Challenge (NAACP)
Democracy Docket – Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Portions of Florida’s New Voter Suppression Law
Naples Daily News – ‘Latest assault on the right to vote’: Judge blocks parts of Florida elections law
Associated Press – US judge blocks portions of new Florida elections law
Politico – Federal judge halts new Florida law he calls ‘latest assault’ on voting
Groups Taking Action:
Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP, Hispanic Federation Florida, Equal Ground Education Fund, Voters of Tomorrow Florida, Disability Rights Florida, Alianza for Progress, UnidosUS, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!
Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
Get ADM Radio Report email! Sign up here!
#Democracy #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #VoterSuppression
The post Democracy Advocates Win First Round Battling State of Florida’s Attempt to Stop Voter Registration Drives appeared first on American Democracy Minute.
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