The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 26, 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.

Wisconsin’s election code states that the legislature sees voting in person a “right,” while voting by absentee as a “privilege.” Some Wisconsin voters disagree, and are taking that concept, and other absentee restrictions, to court.

A Wisconsin voter, the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, and Priorities USA argue that Wisconsin has recognized the right to vote by absentee since the Civil War, and restrictions passed in recent legislatures violate that right.

Their suit in Dane County Circuit Court says that a 2022 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that drop boxes are unconstitutional also violates those rights.  They are contesting another provision that limits the time a voter has to “cure” an absentee ballot with a problem, such as a missing signature or date, potentially disenfranchising them.  Often a problem is discovered too late for the voter to fix it by the 8 pm election day deadline. 

Wisconsin also requires that absentee ballots be witnessed, but the complaint notes that 600,000 voters in Wisconsin do not have a person in their household to be a qualified witness, and that the very requirement of a witness violates the voter’s right to a secret ballot.  

Expect more challenges to Wisconsin’s voter suppression laws and gerrymandering in the coming months as Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz is seated on August 1 and shifts the court’s balance. 

We have a link to the suit at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Wisconsin General Assembly – SUBCHAPTER IV – VOTING ABSENTEE
Capital Times – Absentee voting rules violate Wisconsin Constitution, lawsuit alleges
Democracy Docket – Wisconsin Absentee Voting Procedures Challenge

Dane County Circuit Court – PRIORITIES USA, WISCONSIN ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS, WILLIAM FRANKS, JR.  v.  WISCONSIN ELECTIONS COMMISSION

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, Common Cause WI, ACLU WI, Wisconsin Voices, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, Voces de la Frontera

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #VoteatHome #WisconsinPolitics

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The post Is Absentee Voting a Right or a Privilege?  Wisconsin Voters Take Their State to Court Over Recent Restrictions on Absentee Ballots appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 20, 2023

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links located below the script

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

After the Wisconsin’s legislature’s almost $2 Million dollar boondoggle review of the 2020 election, one would think it marginalized the state’s election deniers.  But a highly-qualified Wisconsin election official may now lose her post, just for, well, doing her job. 

According to a report by ProPublica, Meagan Wolfe, chair of the Wisconsin Election Board, must get the votes of her fellow board members, then be confirmed by the Senate by July 1st.  Wolfe was unanimously confirmed in 2019, and during her term she also served as the president of the National Association of State Election Directors, and chair of the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC.  Extremist legislators accuse Wolfe of loosening absentee rules for locked down nursing homes during the pandemic, and conspiracy theories about ERIC resulted in 8 of 32 member states pulling out of the interstate program to keep voter registration lists clean.

According to the Associated Press, fellow Election Board member Bob Spindell signaled that he would not support Wolfe, and Senate President Chris Kapenga said there was QUOTE “No way” she would be confirmed by the Senate.   Spindell was a 2020 “fake elector” attempting to subvert the election, and made inflammatory statements earlier this year congratulating his party for having kept fewer Black and Hispanic Milwaukee voters from turning out in the 2022 midterms.

Wolfe has not stated publicly whether she wants to be renominated.

We’ve linked ProPublica’s report at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Wisconsin Public Radio – Price tag on Gableman probe nearing $2M, report finds
Wisconsin Election Commission – Wisconsin’s Election Fact Checks

ProPublica – Wisconsin Republicans Sowed Distrust Over Elections. Now They May Push Out the State’s Top Election Official.
Associated Press – Wisconsin’s top elections official for 2024 uncertain as incumbent’s term nears end
PBS Wisconsin – Robert Spindell on voter turnout, suppression in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Examiner – Deadlock at Elections Commission would give Vos, LeMahieu opportunity to select new administrator
Wisconsin Watch – Wisconsin voting groups criticize GOP election commissioner who celebrated reduced Milwaukee turnout

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Common Cause Wisconsin, Voces de la Frontera, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElectionDeniers

The post Highly-Qualified Election Official’s Job In Jeopardy from Wisconsin Legislators Clinging to Debunked Election Conspiracy Theories appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 11, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Capital Times – (2022)  Wisconsin Supreme Court adopts GOP-drawn legislative maps
Capital Times – Liberal law firm to argue gerrymandering violates Wisconsin Constitution
Wisconsin Law Journal – Lawsuit to challenge Wisconsin’s legislative maps to be filed
Univ. of Wisconsin Law School – Redistricting Redux? How the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election is reviving questions about the state’s gerrymandered maps
Washington Examiner – Liberal win in Wisconsin Supreme Court race could flip US House and state legislature
The Guardian – Wisconsin senate supermajority win gives Republicans impeachment power
Roll Call – Ripples from Wisconsin Supreme Court battle could reach the Hill

Groups Taking Action:
Law Forward, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Represent.Us, Common Cause WI

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.

Experts are still sorting out the seismic impact on Wisconsin’s redistricting after the state’s April 4th Supreme Court election.  Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz won’t be sworn in until August 1st, but already a democracy advocacy group has signaled it will sue to overturn Wisconsin’s gerrymandered maps.  But don’t celebrate just yet.

The Capital Times reports that Law Forward, a Wisconsin voting rights group, will not relitigate the 2022 case in which the Wisconsin Supreme Court endorsed the heavily gerrymandered maps.  Instead, the suit will focus on how the maps violated Wisconsin’s constitution under language that it guarantees a free and fair government.  

Despite the shift from conservative to liberal in the state’s high court, it didn’t yet change the makeup of the state legislature, which, for now, is still gerrymandered and under GOP control.  The same day Judge Protasiewicz was elected, a special election for a state senate seat resulted in a conservative being elected, giving the GOP a veto-proof supermajority in the Wisconsin Senate.  

Wisconsin’s constitution allows for impeachment of “civil officers” by the legislature, but it hasn’t done so since 1853.   According to an article in the Guardian, senate candidate Dan Knodl said during the campaign that the legislature’s impeachment power would QUOTE “certainly be tested” if he were to be elected.  

If Republicans should impeach Protasiewicz, Governor Tony Evers may not have the power to stop it. We have links to articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  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 Despite Protasiewicz Win in Wisconsin, the Fight for Fair Maps Far from Over  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 6, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Politico – Liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court, flipping the body’s ideological majority.Wisconsin Public Radio – In the political powder keg of 2011, Wisconsin redistricting passed without protest
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – New election data highlights the ongoing impact of 2011 GOP redistricting in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Public Radio – How the 2011 political district map changed the game for Wisconsin
All About Redistricting:  Wisconsin – State Summary Data
Wisconsin Public Radio – Wisconsin Supreme Court chooses maps drawn by Republicans in new redistricting decisionRepublican Eagle – Court change could help proponents of new maps

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition,  Common Cause Wisconsin, Fair Elections WI,  Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, League of Women Voters WI

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.

While the historic arraignment of former President Donald Trump dominated the news April 4th, a historic Supreme Court election in Wisconsin may shift the state’s political landscape – and maybe even Congress.

In a 55% to 45% win, Judge Janet Protasiewicz soundly defeated former Justice Daniel Kelly, shifting the Wisconsin Supreme Court from conservative to liberal.   Her win may have a profound impact on pending issues with the court, most urgently, redistricting. If the state’s badly gerrymandered voting districts can be dismantled and a proper representative state assembly be elected in this almost 50/50 state, it could impact reproductive rights, gun legislation, voting rights and other important issues. 

In 2011, led by Governor Scott Walker & the national Red Map Project, Wisconsin’s legislature gerrymandered state assembly, senate and Congressional maps.  Despite receiving less than 50% of the vote, the 2011 maps engineered a 60 to 39 advantage in the State Assembly, and retained control of the State Senate in 2012. The further gerrymandered 2021 maps resulted in a 64-35 advantage in 2022.  Who upheld the 2021 map previously vetoed by Governor Tony Evers?   The Wisconsin Supreme Court.

It’s not clear whether the Protasiewicz win will have an immediate impact on fair redistricting, or if it will have to wait until 2031.   

We have links to articles, and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  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 Historic Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Shifts the State Supreme Court & Could Impact Critical Issues – Including Gerrymandering appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 31, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Alabama Today – State Senate Committee advances election integrity bills
Associated Press – N.C. board removes election officials who refused to certify
Bolts Magazine – “Back to 1902”: Virginia Governor Revives Lifetime Ban on Voting
Daily Telegram – Michigan Proposal 2 voting changes start with May 2 special elections
MyVote Wisconsin – 2023 Spring Election Tuesday, April 4, 2023
MI Sec. of State –  2023 Election Deadlines
MI Sec. of State –  May 2 Elections by County

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.

We have democracy headlines today from Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and good news from Michigan, which implements its Promote the Vote citizen ballot initiative on May 2nd.

First to Alabama, where proposed Senate Bill 9 would require paper ballots, and SB 10 would prohibit the use of vote tabulation systems which could connect to the internet or cell networks, to prevent hacking, according to Alabama Today.

The Associated Press reports that a state election board in North Carolina has removed two Surry county election officials after they refused to certify the November 2023 election and allegedly wrote a letter falsely claiming that the vote was “illegal.” 

Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office said in a letter this week that he was rescinding Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2021 directive to automatically restore the voting rights of people with felony convictions.  Returning felons would again need to appeal to the Governor’s office. 

Wisconsin citizens wishing to register to vote in the critical April 4th Supreme Court election must do so in person by 5 pm March 31st.   

And in-person registration for Michigan’s May 2nd school & county elections begins April 18th.  This is the first election implementing the new Promote the Vote initiative, guaranteeing 9 days of early voting, prepaid postage for absentee ballots, and an optional permanent absentee voter list. 

We have links and details for all these stories at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

The post Democracy Headlines from Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin & Michigan appeared first on American Democracy Minute.