The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 9, 2025

In August 2024, a jury convicted Mesa County, Colorado election official Tina Peters for tampering with her county’s voting machines in 2020, and allowing election deniers access to them.  Disregarding the breach of “election integrity”, President Donald Trump is now trying to set her free. 

Peters was found guilty on four felony charges and additional misdemeanors by 12 Mesa County jurors for giving unauthorized access to the county’s Dominion Voting Systems tabulators to two conspiracy theory activists.  Those activists were associated with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and election data was copied and later turned up online.  

While President Trump has long talked about preserving election integrity, in March, he ordered the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Peters prosecution, which it said in a court filing it was investigating, “abuses of the criminal justice process.”  Then May 5th, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Colorado must end this unjust incarceration of an innocent American.  I am hereby directing the Department of Justice to help secure the release of this “hostage” being held in a Colorado prison by Democrats, for political reasons.”  

Because Peters was convicted in a state court, Trump has no power to pardon her, but could appeal in federal court or withhold federal funding to the state.   Election integrity, indeed. 

We’ve linked to more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.  

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Colorado Newsline – (2021) ‘Serious breach’ of voting security at center of investigation of Mesa County clerk’s office
American Democracy Minute – Colorado Election Official Who Allowed 2020 Conspiracy Theory Activists Access to County Voting Machine Data Found Guilty
Colorado Newsline – Tina Peters, former Mesa County clerk, guilty on 7 counts 
Colorado Newsline – Trump Justice Department conducting ‘review’ of Colorado’s Tina Peters prosecution

President Donald Trump – Truth Social post to ‘FREE TINA PETERS’
Denver ABC 7 – Jena Griswold says Trump is ‘weaponizing the Department of Justice’ in Tina Peters case

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause CO, States United Democracy Center, Issue One

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #BigLie #FreeTinaPeters #TinaPeters #DonaldTrump

The post CO Election Official Tina Peters Got 9 Years for Tampering with Election Machines to Prove the Big Lie.  Trump is Trying to Set Her Free. appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 14, 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 a case likely destined for the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal appeals court struck down a Mississippi law allowing receipt and counting of mail-in ballots up to five days after election day. Pro-voter groups are fighting back.

A three-judge appeals panel in the notoriously conservative 5th Circuit federal court ruled Oct. 25th that federal law does not allow any state to extend the receipt of ballots after election day, including in-state ballots or the UOCAVA mail ballots used for overseas military and diplomatic personnel.  The panel allowed counting those ballots for the 2024 election, but sent the case back to a lower court.

Despite 20 states offering a grace period of varying lengths, U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham wrote, “Federal law does not permit the state of Mississippi to extend the period for voting by one day, five days, or 100 days.”  

Pro-voter groups asked November 8th for a reconsideration in front of ALL 5th Circuit judges, but the case is likely to ultimately be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.  For now, the ruling applies only to the 5th Circuit states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.  But an adverse ruling by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority – which often throws precedent out the window – could impact millions of voters at home and abroad who depend on mail ballots.

We have links to the case documents and other reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

National Conference of State Legislators – Receipt and Postmark Deadlines for Absentee/Mail Ballots
NPR – Appeals court sides with GOP on Miss. law that provides grace period for mail ballots
Reuters – US appeals court says counting ballots received after Election Day is illegal
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (via Democracy Docket) –  PETITION OF INTERVENOR DEFENDANTS – APPELLEES VET VOICE FOUNDATION AND THE MISSISSIPPI ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS FOR REHEARING EN BANC

Groups Taking Action:

Vet Voice Foundation, Mississippi Alliance for Retired Americans

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook 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 #Mississippi #5thCircuit #VotebyMail #SCOTUS

The post Fringe Federal Court Ruling Invalidating the Counting of Mail-In Ballots in Mississippi After Election Day is Challenged by Pro-Voter Groups appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 17, 2023

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.

Voters in three Michigan cities approved ranked choice voting November 7th, but state law doesn’t yet allow it.   November 15th, the Voter Choice Act was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate, proposing matching funds for state and local governments to implement RCV.

Voters in Kalamazoo, Royal Oak and East Lansing passed changes to their city charters to allow ranked choice voting for mayor and city commission. That’s good news for democracy advocates, who argue that RCV offers more options for voters, guarantees a majority winner, and costs less in the long run by eliminating expensive and low-turnout run-off elections.   

Problem is, current Michigan law doesn’t allow RCV, though Michigan Live reports that a state representative plans to introduce a bill to allow it.

Meanwhile in Washington, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet of Colorado and Angus King of Maine reintroduced the Voter Choice Act, proposing $40 million dollars in federal matching funds to help states and municipalities implement ranked choice voting systems.   Maine and Alaska currently use it statewide, Nevada and Arizona will vote on it in 2024, and 50 counties and cities have adopted it, making it one of the fastest-growing Democracy reforms.  Passage of the Voter Choice Act is unlikely in the U.S. House because the Republican National Committee recently opposed RCV.

We have more on Ranked Choice Voting and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Michigan Advance – Three localities voted to adopt ranked choice voting. But additional roadblocks remain.
Bridge Michigan – Ranked-choice voting passed in three cities, but Michigan law prohibits it
NBC News – Following a big year, more states push ranked-choice voting
FairVote Action – VOTER CHOICE ACT REINTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Sen. Michael Bennet – Voter Choice Act text
Represent.Us – Ranked Choice Voting, Explained
University of California Davis – Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: How Voting Aids Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens

Groups Taking Action:

Rank the Vote Michigan, FairVote, Represent.US

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RCV #RankedChoiceVoting #MichiganPolitics #VoterChoiceAct

The post Ranked Choice Voting Wins in Michigan Cities Blocked by State Law; Voter Choice Act RCV Bill Reintroduced in U.S. Senate appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

Listen!

Today’s Links

Articles:
New York Times – Arkansas violated the Voting Rights Act by limiting help to voters, a judge rules.
Arkansas Times – Judge strikes down restrictive Arkansas law that violates the Voting Rights Act
Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund  – FEDERAL COURT RULES ARKANSAS STATUTE ON VOTER
ASSISTANCE VIOLATES FEDERAL VRA
U.S. District Court – Decision

Groups Taking Action:
MALDEF,  Arkansas United

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

We’re in Arkansas today, where August 20th, a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that a 2009 state law barring a person from assisting more than six voters was contrary to federal law.  

In a 39-page ruling, Judge Timothy L. Brooks agreed with an advocacy group which had been helping immigrant citizens with voting, the New York Times reports.   Arkansas United had been doing nonpartisan work translating for Spanish-speaking voters at the polls, but had to mobilize more staff and volunteers to meet the one person – six client limit under the state law.  

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund represented Arkansas United in the case, and argued that despite the intent of the law to prevent undue influence of voters, it amounted to voter suppression.  

The judge wrote that election officials could legally collect the addresses and names of any voters assisted during the election, but could no longer limit help to six voters per person providing assistance.  He cited Congress’ intent to allow the voter to choose who would provide assistance.

Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund said to the New York Times,  “I do think that there is a stigma, an unfair one, on those who are simply doing their part to assist those who have every right to be able to cast a ballot.”

Links to articles and the judge’s decision are at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl

The post ADM for August 26, 2022: Federal Court Strikes Down Arkansas Law Limiting Assistance to Voters appeared first on American Democracy Minute.