The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 15, 2025

Brian is traveling today, so we're rebroadcasting a piece from last December.  As predicted, the Utah legislature has introduced two bills to make it harder to pass citizen ballot initiatives.

Citizen Ballot Initiatives Help Voters Bypass Against Extreme Legislatures.  But Expect More Attempts to Block Those Initiatives in 2025
As voters turn to ballot initiatives to bypass extreme legislatures, legislatures are manipulating initiative rules to protect their partisan power. 

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Utah Dispatch - Utah lawmakers move to set higher bar for ballot initiatives — but voters will have a say in 2026
American Democracy Minute - (2023) Ohio Legislature Forcing Through Restoration of Aug. 8th Election to Pass Hurdles for Citizen Ballot Initiatives & Block Potential Abortion Rights Measure
American Democracy Minute - (2023) Ohio Voters Defeat Republican Effort to Raise Citizen Ballot Initiative Passage to 60% in Pro-Voter Victory
Route 50 - States look to rein in ballot initiatives with more ballot initiatives
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center - 2024 Election Results

KFF - Outcome of Abortion-Related State Constitutional Amendment Measures in the 2024 Election
Reuters - Florida, two other states defy trend and vote down abortion rights
State Court Report - Direct Democracy Under Attack

Groups Taking Action:

Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, League of Women Voters US, Common Cause US

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy #FreedomtoVote #WethePeople

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 14, 2025

A Bill Which Could Disenfranchise Millions, the SAVE Act, Passes the U.S. House But is Unlikely to Pass in the Senate
The SAVE Act, which we’ve been following since January, passed the U.S. House April 10th. The restrictive voting bill, like President Trump’s recent executive order, requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and would end online voter registration. It’s not likely to pass the Senate.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Rep. Chip Roy (R) TX – Rep. Roy reintroduces bill to protect the integrity and sanctity of American elections
U.S. Congress – Text of the SAVE Act
National Conference of State Legislatures – 9 Things to Know About the Proposed SAVE Act

NPR - The House has passed the Trump-backed SAVE Act. Here are 8 things to know
Center for American Progress – The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts

Newsweek - Republicans Reject SAVE Act Amendments Aimed at Protecting Women's Votes

Groups Taking Action:

Declaration for American Democracy, The Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, US Vote Foundation, Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO)

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #SAVEAct #USHouse #Disenfranchised @WomenVote

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 11, 2025

Pro-Voter Groups and 19 States Challenge Trump Executive Order on Voting Rules as Unconstitutional and Likely to Disenfranchise Millions

Nineteen states and several pro-voter groups filed suit against a March 25th executive order by President Donald Trump.  The order appears to override Congressional and state jurisdiction granted by the U.S. Constitution, and its noncitizen voting restrictions could actually disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House - Executive Order:  PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
NPR - 19 states sue over Trump's voting executive order, arguing it's unconstitutional
PBS - Election watchdog groups sue Trump administration over executive order, calling it unconstitutional
Campaign Legal Center - CLC Sues to Block Trump Administration’s Illegal Election Overreach
Campaign Legal Center  - Complaint in U.S. District Court for DC Against Trump Executive Order
U.S. District Court for MA, via State of NY - Complaint by 19 States Against Trump Executive Order

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, State Democracy Defenders Fund, LULAC, Arizona Students' Association, Secure Families Initiative

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #ExecutiveOrders #Unconstitutional #Disenfranchisement

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 10, 2025

Wisconsin Voters Enshrine Voter ID in Their Constitution.  Voter ID is Popular with Voters, But Comes with Consequences
On the ballot with Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race April 1st was a question to enshrine a voter ID requirement into the state’s constitution.  Voter ID is popular in Wisconsin and elsewhere, but comes with unintentional - or perhaps intentional, consequences.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Pew Research Center - Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday
Wisconsin Public Radio - Voter ID in Wisconsin: What to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 referendum
BallotPedia - Wisconsin Question 1, Require Voter Photo ID Amendment (April 2025)
Wisconsin Legislature - 2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2
Votebeat Wisconsin - Wisconsin voters to decide whether to put photo ID requirement in constitution
Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation - Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes - petition process
Wisconsin Examiner - Wisconsin voters approve constitutional amendment to enshrine voter ID law 

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU WI, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, League of Women Voters WI

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterID #Wisconsin #WIConstitution

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

Colorado Senate Advances State Voting Rights Act, As Federal VRA is Under Threat by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Conservative Majority
Democracy advocates fear that the recent Louisiana case heard in the U.S. Supreme Court could further erode the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The Colorado Senate just passes a state VRA to ensure that all of its citizens have access to registration and voting.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Colorado Senate - SB25-001 Colorado Voting Rights Act
Colorado Newsline - Colorado Senate gives preliminary approval to Voting Rights Act, which mirrors federal law
National Conference of State Legislatures - State Voting Rights Acts
National Conference of State Legislatures - Legislatures Pursue State-Level Voting Rights Acts
Campaign Legal Center - Protecting the Freedom to Vote Through State Voting Rights Acts 

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU CO, League of Women Voters CO, Common Cause CO, New Era Colorado Action Fund

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Colorado #VotingRightsAct #SB1 

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 8, 2025

‘Millions’ of ‘Hands Off’ Protesters in 1,300 Locations and All 50 States Oppose Trump Policies & Cuts April 5
Americans unhappy with the draconian policies of President Donald Trump and his unelected advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, rallied in all 50 states April 5th. Over 600,000 had registered to attend, but organizers now estimate attendance for the over 1,400 rallies around the U.S. may have reached into the millions.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The Guardian - More than 1,000 ‘Hands Off’ anti-Trump protests hit cities across the US
CNN - ‘Hands Off!’ protesters across US rally against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk
AM New York - ‘Hands Off’ march in Manhattan sees tens of thousands protest Trump/Musk agenda and demand end to turmoil
Block Club Chicago - Massive Crowds March Downtown Against Trump, Musk At ‘Hands Off’ Protest
WSAW-TV - Hundreds rally in Rib Mountain to protest against Trump 
Homer News - Hundreds turn out in Homer, Soldotna to protest actions of Trump administration

Groups Taking Action:

50501, Indivisible, Declaration for American Democracy Coalition

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #HandsOff #April5th, #ProVoter

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 7, 2025

Good Democracy News for a Change:  Federal Court Directs Pennsylvania to Count Undated Mail-in Ballots in Ongoing Partisan Dispute
Some good news during some very dark days for American democracy.  A federal judge ruled Pennsylvania mail-in ballots without a date can be counted, protecting the vote of as many as 10,000 citizens who made a simple mistake.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - (2024) After Years of Litigation, Undated Ballot Envelopes are Again at Issue in Pennsylvania’s 2024 Election – and Thousands Likely Disenfranchised
Reuters - Pennsylvania can discard undated mail-in ballots, US appeals court rules
ACLU - Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP et al. v. Schmidt et al
Jurist - US judge rules Pennsylvania rejecting undated mail-in ballots violated First Amendment
U.S. District Court for Western Pennsylvania via Democracy Docket - BETTE EAKIN, et al. Plaintiffs
vs. ADAMS COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS, et al
Democracy Docket - Pennsylvania Must Count Undated Mail-In Ballots, Federal Court Rules

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU, NAACP PA , League of Women Voters PA, Black Political Empowerment Project 

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Pennsylvania #UndatedBallots

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 4, 2025

Secretaries of State, Pro-Voter Groups and Election Officials Submit Letters Opposing the SAVE Act, Likely to Disenfranchise Millions of Americans in Effort to Block Noncitizens
With a vote on the SAVE Act imminent in the U.S. House, Secretaries of State, pro-voter groups and elections officials are voicing alarm at likely widespread disenfranchisement of eligible voters and an unfunded mandate by Congress.  

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Rep. Chip Roy (R) TX - Rep. Roy reintroduces bill to protect the integrity and sanctity of American elections
U.S. Congress - Text of the SAVE Act
National Conference of State Legislatures - 9 Things to Know About the Proposed SAVE Act
Center for American Progress - The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts
WMTW - Secretaries of state call on Congress to vote against the SAVE Act
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison - Opposition to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act 

Groups Taking Action:

Declaration for American Democracy, The Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, US Vote Foundation, Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO)

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #SAVEAct #Disenfranchised #VoterSuppression #FreedomtoVote

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 3, 2024

$76 Million was Spent in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race.   Will All That Money Translate Into Fairer Congressional Voting Districts?
In the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, an estimated $76 million dollars was spent - shattering a  U.S. record for judicial races.  But will it result in fairer Congressional voting districts in Wisconsin?

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Open Secrets - Wisconsin Supreme Court race breaks records and draws controversy as billionaires weigh in
Brennan Center for Justice - Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Breaks Spending Record, Fueled by Out-of-State Money
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Wisconsin 2025 spring election results: Supreme Court, DPI, voter ID referendum and Milwaukee races
USA Today - Liberal wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race; GOP holds Florida congressional seats: Recap
Axios - Wisconsin's Supreme Court election is the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history
American Democracy Minute - After Cleaning Up Gerrymandered State Senate & Assembly Districts, the Wisconsin Supreme Court Passes on Congressional Districts

Groups Taking Action:

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Common Cause,  Public Citizen

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Wisconsin #WISupremeCourt #ElonMusk #FairMaps #SusanCrawford

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 2, 2025

Georgia Prepares to Purge a Half Million Voters - 6% of Its Voter Rolls.  Even if You Haven’t Moved, You Can Be Purged Just For Not Voting.
Voter list maintenance is a part of our election system.  People die, change their names, or move out of state.   Local, state and county officials use sophisticated voter registration data services such as ERIC, the Electronic Registration Information Center, to aid them, or less effectively, agreements with nearby states and other internal software.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice - (2018) Purges: A Growing Threat to the Right to Vote
States News - (2019) The Messy Politics of Voter Purges
Savannah Tribune - Georgia Set to Purge 100K Voters Under “Use It or Lose It” Law
Brennan Center for Justice - (2024)  Attacks on Voter Rolls and How to Protect Them
NBC News 21 - Do Voter Purges Discriminate Against the Poor and Minorities?
Ohio Capital Journal - (2024) Ohio’s voter purge “disproportionately targets voters of color”, civil rights organizations say

Michigan State University - New MSU Research Sheds Light on Impact and Bias of Voter Purging in Michigan

Groups Taking Action:

Legal Defense Fund,  The Voter Purge Project,  Campaign Legal Center

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterPurge #Georgia #VoterSuppression