The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 1, 2025

Roundup:  Trump 3rd Term, Musk WI Lottery Not Blocked, NC Supreme Court Candidate Urged to Drop Challenge, UT Gov Signs End to Universal Mail Ballots

With the erosion of American democracy norms coming at a head spinning pace, we have a roundup today on Donald Trump not ruling out a third term, Elon Musk’s million-dollar lottery in Wisconsin, a plea to a North Carolina Supreme Court candidate to end his litigation, and the end of universal mail-in voting in Utah.

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:

NBC News - Trump won’t rule out seeking a third term in the White House, tells NBC News ‘there are methods’ for doing so
American Democracy Minute - Could Trump Run for a Third Term? The 22nd Amendment Prohibits it, But a TN Congressman Wants to Repeal It.  And There are Loopholes.
American Democracy Minute - Wisconsin AG Appeals to State Supreme Court to Block Elon Musk’s Million Dollar Lottery for WI GOP Voters – Oops – Make that ‘Spokesmen’
ABC News - Musk hands out $1M checks after efforts to block the giveaways in court are rejected
WCNC - NC jurists urge Griffin to concede amid election legal battle
Coalition of NC Judges & Lawyers -  Legal Community Open Letter to Griffin

Salt Lake City Tribune - Utah Gov. Cox signs away the state’s popular universal vote-by-mail election system, requiring opting in

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #ThirdTerm #ElonMusk #VoteBuying #Wisconsin #NorthCarolina #Utah #VotebyMail

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 31, 2025

Wisconsin AG Appeals to State Supreme Court to Block Elon Musk’s Million Dollar Lottery for WI GOP Voters - Oops – Make that ‘Spokesmen’
Shortly after our report on Elon Musk’s $100 dollar bounty for signing and referring others to a Wisconsin “activist judges” petition, he sweetened the deal Thursday, dangling a promise of a $1 million dollar lottery check, just days before the April 1st Wisconsin Supreme Court election. 

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:

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - Millions Spent, But Only Wisconsinites Can Decide: A Deep Dive into 2025 Campaign Spending
Associated Press - Musk announces $1 million for Wisconsin voter in Supreme Court race. Opposition calls it ‘corrupt’
Wisconsin Legislature - Statute on Election Bribery
Wisconsin Politics - Appeals Court denies Kaul’s request to bar Musk, America PAC from giving $1M payments to voters
Wisconsin Court of Appeals via WI Politics  - Decision on AG's Appeal
WI Attorney General via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Appeal to Wisconsin Supreme Court
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Crawford calls Musk's $1 million giveaway 'immoral,' Schimel says he doesn't control the billionaire

Groups Taking Action:

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Common Cause,  Public Citizen

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Votebuying #ElonMusk #AmericaPAC #BuyingElections 

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 28, 2025

New Trump Executive Order Attempts to Bypass Congress & States to Require Proof of Citizenship Documents & Mandate Election Deadlines

President Donald Trump issued an executive order March 25th implementing portions of the likely doomed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or ‘SAVE’ Act.  Among its restrictive provisions are a documentary proof of citizenship to register and vote, potentially disenfranchising 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 White House - Executive Order:  PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
U.S. Congress - U.S. Constitution ArtI.S4.C1.2 States and Elections Clause
Campaign Legal Center - Voting Is an American Freedom. The President Can’t Change That

Brookings - The SAVE Act: An attempt to restrict voting rights
U.S. Elections Assistance Commission - The National Mail Voter Registration Form
NPR - Legal challenges are expected for President Trump's voter registration executive order

Groups Taking Action:

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, League of Women Voters US, National Partnership for New Americans, 

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #ExecutiveOrder #NoncitizenVoting #Disenfranchised

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 27, 2025

Brian is so sick with a cold today that he can barely talk! This story from January is a good follow up to our March 24 story on Monday's oral arguments for Louisiana v. Callais held in the U.S. Supreme Court. It's a reminder that Voting Rights Act Section 2 claims not only come from Black Americans, discriminated against by majority-White governments since the country's founding, but Native Americans and Hispanics as well - also routinely suppressed by drawing of unfair voting districts, and the manipulation of voting rules.

ND Native American Nation Prevails in Protecting Majority-Minority Voting Districts.  A Victory for Minority Voters, But GOP Efforts to Neutralize the VRA Continue
Native American voters prevailed in federal court against the State of North Dakota, protecting the ability to elect the candidate of their choice.  The state has a history of diluting Native voting power.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
North Dakota Legislature – District 4

North Dakota Monitor – North Dakota changes course on tribal redistricting case, asks US Supreme Court to rule

North Dakota Monitor – Supreme Court upholds North Dakota’s majority-Native legislative subdistricts
Campaign Legal Center – Supreme Court Upholds Fair Map for Native Voters in North Dakota
Native American Rights Fund – North Dakota Native voting rights upheld by Supreme Court

U.S. District Court for North Dakota – (2023 – Via Democracy Docket) District Court Decision

Groups Taking Action:

Native American Rights Fund, Campaign Legal Center, Election Law Group , ACLU North Dakota

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NativeVote #VotingRightsAct #VRA #FreedomtoVote

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 26, 2025

Musk Data Collection Scheme Offers in Support of WI Supreme Court Candidate Offers $100 Bounty to Refer Petition Signers

An Elon Musk Super PAC is offering a $100 bounty for Wisconsin petition signers in a data collection scheme just days before a state supreme court election.  While it’s illegal under federal and state law to pay someone to register, vote, or not to vote, it’s sadly not illegal to offer a bounty for voters’ personal information.

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:

Axios - Musk's PAC offers $100 to Wisconsin voters in pitch against "activist judges"
Wisconsin Examiner - Musk PAC offers Wisconsin voters $100 for signing petition against ‘activist judges'
WISN - Trump, Musk back Brad Schimel ahead of State Supreme Court Election
America PAC - TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR AMERICA PAC'S ACTIVIST JUDGES PETITION PROGRAM FOR WISCONSIN VOTERS

America PAC - Petition in Opposition to Activist Judges

Wisconsin Examiner - Schimel tells canvassers he’ll be ‘support network’ for Trump and rehashes election conspiracies
Schimel Campaign - 2025 03 01 Brad Schimel Speaks at Turning Point USA Waukesha
Influence Watch – America PAC

Groups Taking Action:

Public Citizen, Common Cause

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElonMusk #AmericaPAC #Bounty #Personal Data #Wisconsin

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 25, 2025

Iowa’s Secretary of State Challenged 2,176 Suspected Noncitizen Voters in 2024.  Only 35 Noncitizens Actually Voted.
Prior to the  2024 election, President Donald Trump made baseless allegations of widespread noncitizen voting, spurring election officials in Iowa and other states to identify suspected noncitizens on their voter rolls.  It also generated restrictive proof of citizenship legislation in Iowa and 18 other states.

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:

Iowa Secretary of State - Iowa Secretary of State’s audit of voter registration lists finds 277 confirmed noncitizens registered to vote
Iowa Capital Dispatch - Iowa secretary of state says 277 noncitizens confirmed to be on Iowa’s voter rolls
Des Moines Register - After flagging 2,000+ ballots, Iowa secretary of state says 35 noncitizens voted in 2024

Iowa Secretary of State - 2024 General Election Turnout Report
Brennan Center for Justice - Why the Myth of Noncitizen Voting Persists
Voting Rights Lab - The Truth about False Claims of Noncitizen Voting

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU, League of United Latin American Citizens

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Iowa #NoncitizenVoting #VoterPurge 

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 24, 2025

US Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments March 24th in Louisiana v. Callais with Protections for Minority Voters Hanging in the Balance

The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments March 24th in Louisiana v. Callais, in one of the most important voting rights cases of the year.   Voting Rights Act rules allowing minority Americans to elect the candidate of their choice hang in the balance.

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 - Majority-Minority Voting Districts Give Minority Voters a Fair Chance to Elect Proper Representation. The Equal Protection Clause is Now Being Used to Try to End Them
SCOTUS Blog - Effort to block second majority-Black district in Louisiana comes to Supreme Court
Brennan Center for Justice – Black Louisianians Fight in Court to Preserve Fair Voting Map
U.S. Supreme Court – BRIEF OF ALABAMA AND 12 OTHER STATES 
American University Law Review  – (2024) The Twists and Turns of A Map that Captured National Attention – Robinson v. Callais
American Redistricting Project - Louisiana v. Callais
U.S. Supreme Court - Live Stream for Oral Arguments March 24, 10 AM

Groups Taking Action:

Power Coalition for Equity and Justice,  ACLU of Louisiana

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Louisiana #VoterSuppression #RacialGerrymandering #VotingRightsAct #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 21, 2025

Washington State 2022 Audit of Rejected Mail Ballots Offers Valuable Insights for States Using Signature Verification
A Washington State audit of rejected 2020 mail-in ballots offers insight on whose ballots are more likely to be rejected, and recommends actions to reduce that number - over 37,000 in 2024.   

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:

Washington Secretary of State - 2024 Annual Report of Washington State Elections
Office of the Washington State Auditor - (2022)  Summary - Evaluating Washington's Ballot Rejection Rates
Office of the Washington State Auditor - (2022)   Audit -  Evaluating Washington’s Ballot Rejection Rates 
Brennan Center for Justice - (2020) Mail Ballot Security Features: A Primer
Civic Design - Voting by Mail: The Impact of Signature Identity Verification for Voters with Disabilities
National Conference of State Legislatures - How States Verify Voted Absentee/Mail Ballots

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU, LULAC, Vet Voice Foundation, The Washington Bus, El Centro de la Raza

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #SignatureVerification #Disenfranchisement #WashingtonState #BallotRejection

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 20, 2025

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

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:

Office of the Washington State Auditor - (2022) Evaluating Washington's Ballot Rejection Rates
Democracy Docket - (2021)  Washington Signature Matching Challenge (LULAC)
Democracy Docket - Washington Supreme Court Upholds State’s Ballot Signature Verification System
Washington Supreme Court - Opinion in Vet Voice Foundation v. Hobbs
Washington State Standard - Washington Supreme Court upholds ballot signature verification system
Washington Secretary of State - Signature Verification & Compliance Tool Training Manual

Groups Taking Action:

LULAC, Vet Voice Foundation, The Washington Bus, El Centro de la Raza

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #StateofWashington #VotingRights #VotebyMail #SignatureVerification

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 19, 2025

Utah Legislature Passes 2029 End to Its Popular Universal Mail-In Voting System,  Replacing it With an Opt-In List & More ID
Utah adopted universal mail-in voting in 2013, with no widespread misuse in its 12 years.  March 6th, the GOP-dominated Utah legislature approved an amended bill to end it in 2029, despite 76% of state voters supporting it. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Utah News Dispatch - (2024) Deep red Utah wants to keep voting by mail
Utah News Dispatch - Utah Legislature approves bill to require voter ID, phase out automatic voting by mail by 2029
Salt Lake Tribune - Universal vote by mail is popular in Utah. GOP lawmakers continue to move away from it in a revised bill.
Associated Press - Deep-red Utah embraced voting by mail. Then came 2020.
Deseret News - (2024) New poll: Three-quarters of Utah voters confident in vote by mail system
Utah House of Representatives - Fiscal Note - HB 300 

Groups Taking Action:

Rural Utah Project, League of Women Votes UT

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Utah #VotebyMail  #HB300