Washington Archives | American Democracy Minute

Trump’s Executive Order on Elections Handed Another Defeat, as Federal Court Upholds a State’s Right to Set Ballot Deadlines, Choose Methods

January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

President Donald Trump’s executive order on elections took yet another hit January 9th, as a federal judge blocked portions of the order trying to dictate election and ballot deadlines, what voting systems can be used, and blocking federal funding for non-compliant states.

Washington Supreme Court Rules Signature Matching Can Be Used to Disqualify Ballots But Acknowledges It Impacts Too Many Voters

March 19, 2025March 19, 2025

Washington State implemented their universal vote-by-mail system in 2013, and built in signature-matching for identity verification. A March ruling by the state supreme court upholds that rule as constitutional because voters can cure discrepancies.

With the SCOTUS Majority Intent on Dismantling the Voting Rights Act, Pro-Democracy States are Enacting State VRAs

December 13, 2024December 13, 2024

Brian is gone today. The current climate suggests that further VRA destruction is imminent, so expect pro-democracy states who've not already implemented state VRAs to act rapidly in 2025. We have this report from June: We reported recently on the impact of Shelby County v. Holder, the U.S. Supreme Court majority’s decision invalidating Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Anticipating even more erosion of the VRA, some states have passed their own state VRAs.

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Washington State Case Challenging the Washington Voting Rights Act

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024

Washington state voters can breathe easier, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to the Washington Voting Rights Act, passed in response to the stripping Voting Rights Act protections by the same court in Shelby v. Holder.

Federal Court Releases Redistricting New WA Maps After Striking Down Districts Diluting Latino Voting Power

March 19, 2024March 19, 2024

A Washington State fight over Latino voting rights may still not be over, but March 15th, a federal judge approved new state house and senate maps for central Washington State. The previous Washington State Redistricting Commission maps were thrown out as diluting Latino voting power.