The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 23, 2024

Voter ID Clarity Needed in North Carolina, and Better Pay Requested for Poll Workers in South Carolina

We’re in the Carolinas today, where South Carolina’s election director appealed for higher pay to replace poll workers driven off by threats and low wages, and North Carolina democracy groups want clarity of new restrictive voter ID rules.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
PBS Newshour - Election workers are being bombarded with death threats, the U.S. government says
NPR -  In the face of threats, election workers say they feel unsafe doing their jobs
States Newsroom - Threats, low pay causing high turnover in SC election offices. Legislators asked to up stipends.
North Carolina Newsline - Voting rights groups find new photo ID law caused trouble for voters and county officials
North Carolina Newsline - NC voting rights groups ask for clearer voter ID rules for county boards ahead of the first batches of absentee ballots going out Friday
Southern Coalition for Social Justice - Comment on Proposed Permanent Rules on Voter Photo Identification

Groups Taking Action:
Election Official Legal Defense Network, Brennan Center, NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  Power the Polls, Fair Elections Center
Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Common Cause North Carolina, and Democracy North Carolina

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers #SouthCarolinaPolitics #NorthCarolinaPolitics #FreedomtoVote 

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 22, 2024

On the Eve of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, Some States Contemplate Closing their Primaries to Independents, While Others Consider Opening Them 

A Gallup poll released this month found 43% of Americans identify as unaffiliated, independent voters. But in some states, they can’t vote in primaries. As voting begins Jan. 23rd in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, what states are considering closing – or opening – primaries in 2024?

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Gallup - Independent Party ID Tied for High; Democratic ID at New Low
Forbes - Voters Who Identify As Independents Skyrocket—As Democrats And Republicans Dwindle
American Democracy Minute - Fears of Crossover Voting Driving Party Activists to Close Primaries – But at the Expense of Silencing Independent Voters
CBS News -  "Crossover voting" in primaries in Wyoming is about to become more difficult

NBC News - 6 states are rethinking how they run their primaries in 2024
Louisiana Illuminator - (Opinion) Partisan primaries would be a move backward for Louisiana
Public News Service - Bills would open PA primaries to unaffiliated voters

Groups Taking Action:
Open Primaries, FairVote, Represent.Us, Unite America,  Yes on 3 Nevada  (See more at our website) 

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OpenPrimaries #LetIndependentsVote #IndependentVoters

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 19, 2024

Virginia’s Prince William County Accounts for Mistakes in the 2020 Election and Implements Changes in Personnel, Validation and Reporting
Prince William County, Virginia announced January 11th that human and data errors in the 2020 election resulted in an overcounting of votes for Donald Trump, and an undercounting of totals for Joe Biden.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Prince William County - PWC Office of Elections Releases Reporting Data in Michele White Election Trial
Prince William Times - Criminal charges against former Prince William elections chief — now dropped —stemmed from vote tabulation errors
Prince William Times - Former Prince William elections chief cleared of all criminal charges
Virginia Mercury - 2020 election error in Prince William County benefited Trump, officials reveal

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 18, 2024

Louisiana Legislature Hashes Out New Court-Ordered Congressional Maps with Two Majority Black Districts
Racing the clock, the Louisiana legislature meets this week to hash out new court-ordered Congressional voting districts, with two of them being majority Black.  They’re also considering new state supreme court districts.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute - Appeals Court (Finally) Finds Louisiana Congressional Map was Discriminatory; Orders New Maps to Be Drawn by January 15
Democracy Docket - 5th Circuit Sets Timeline for New Louisiana Congressional Map Ahead of 2024 Elections
Louisiana Illuminator - Both parties push for Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district
Louisiana Illuminator - Map with 2nd Black Louisiana Supreme Court district clears House committee
Associated Press - Proposed Louisiana congressional map, with second majority-Black district, advances
Louisiana Illuminator - How Gov. Jeff Landry is proposing to ‘close’ Louisiana’s primaries

Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU Louisiana,  Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRightsAct #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering  #lalege #lagov

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 17, 2024

New State Voting District Maps Submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Range from Status Quo to Competitive
Seven sets of state legislative maps were submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court January 12th, ranging from a Republican-dominated status quo, to competitive.  

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute - Wisconsin Supreme Court Puts State Legislature’s Maps on Naughty List, Orders Legislature to Draw Constitutional Voting Districts
Wisconsin Public Radio - Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns Republican-drawn legislative maps
Wisconsin PBS/AP - Republican dominance reduced in most redistricting maps submitted to Wisconsin Supreme Court
John Johnson, Marquette University Law School - Analysis of Proposed Legislative Redistricting Plans submitted to the Wisconsin Supreme Court

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Common Cause Wisconsin,  Represent.Us WI, Fair Elections Project 

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #StopGerrymandering #Wisconsin Politics

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 16, 2024

Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s Maps for Greater Detroit Under Scrutiny for Voting Rights Act Violations. What Happened?
In December 2023, a federal court threw out state redistricting maps for greater Detroit, drawn by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, or MICRC. Truly independent redistricting is the gold standard; so what happened?

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Michigan Advance - Bombshell ruling requires 13 Michigan districts to be redrawn before 2024 election
Detroit Free Press - Court orders metro Detroit legislative maps redrawn

Bridge Michigan - Experts: ‘Everything up in the air’ now that Michigan districts must be redrawn
Democracy Docket - Redistricting Decisions Will Reshape Legislative Maps in Wisconsin and Michigan
Michigan Advance - Federal court orders redistricting commission to draw new state House districts by Feb. 2
The Hill - Michigan redistricting panel asks court for permission to use unconstitutional maps

Groups Taking Action:
Voters Not Politicians,  League of Women Voters MI, NAACP Michigan State Conference, Detroit Action, Promote the Vote MI

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #VotingRightsAct  #PromotetheVote #MichiganPolitics

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 15, 2024

Martin Luther King’s “March on Ballot Boxes” Speech in South Carolina, May 9, 1966
On May 9, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in Kingstree, SC about the importance of voting on the eve of a state primary.  We have a portion of his speech, and a link to the full recording.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
WLTX - (2020)  'Let us march on ballot boxes:' Words spoken by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966 resonate in 2020
University of South Carolina’s Moving Image Research Collections (MIRC) - Martin Luther King Jr. on voting
Equal Justice Initiative - Dr. King and Hundreds of Voting Rights Activists Arrested
Lee Saunders, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) - (Opinion) Advancing Dr. King’s voting rights legacy
U.S. Election Assistance Commission - How to Register and Vote in Your State

Groups Taking Action:
NAACP,  Black Voters Matter, Vote.org, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Rock the Vote, League of Women Voters Vote 411

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr  #VotingRights #FreedomtoVote #RegistertoVote

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 12, 2024
Bills in Florida & Kentucky Would Revoke “No-Excuse” Absentee Voting – Despite its Popularity with Voters
Bills in Florida and Kentucky would revoke “no-excuse” absentee voting, despite its popularity with voters of all ages.  Alleged “voter fraud” is cited, but its motivation is likely more partisan than preventative.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
WHAS - (2020) Early, absentee voting led to big turnout in Kentucky | Will they be here to stay?
Kentucky Lantern - More Kentuckians cast early votes as they decide between Beshear and Cameron
WKRC - New bill would eliminate Kentucky’s ‘no excuse’ in-person absentee voting option
Kentucky Senate - Text of Senate Bill 61
Orlando Sentinel - Florida GOP lawmaker wants to end universal mail-in voting
Florida Senate - Text of SB 1752
WKMG-TV - ‘It would be a complete disaster:’ Florida bill would end no-excuse needed mail-in voting
Palm Beach Post - (Opinion/Analysis) Vote-by-mail in Florida is now a nightmare. Thanks, Donald Trump. Thanks, Ron DeSantis
All Voting is Local - Casting, Rejecting, and Curing Vote-byMail Ballots in Florida’s 2020 General Election

Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters FL,  Kentuckians for the Commonwealth

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotebyMail #VotingRights #AbsenteeVoting #KentuckyPolitics #FloridaPolitics

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 11, 2024

New Poll Shows the Lowest Satisfaction with American Democracy in 40 Years
With America’s polarization, a special-interest driven Congress, a former President with 91 criminal indictments, a compromised U.S. Supreme Court, and rogue state legislatures, a newly updated Gallup poll shows satisfaction with American democracy plunged to just 28%, a 40-year low.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources: 
Gallup - Record Low in U.S. Satisfied With Way Democracy Is Working

The Hill - American satisfaction with democracy at record low: Gallup
Pew Research Center - (2023) Public Trust in Government: 1958-2023

CNN - (2023) Americans are broadly unsatisfied with the state of things in the US, poll finds

Groups Taking Action:
Protect Democracy, Public Citizen, League of Women Voters US, States United Democracy Center, Declaration for American Democracy

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #GallupPoll #VoterConfidence  #AmericanDemocracy

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 10, 2024

Another Blow to Ohio’s Unhoused, Elderly, Student and Disabled Voters,
This Time from a Federal Court
In January 2023, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 458, one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country. It also tightened several absentee voting rules.  On January 8th, 2024, a federal court upheld HB 458, affecting thousands of unhoused, elderly, student, and disabled voters.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
ACLU OH - HB 458: WHAT CHANGED AND WHY DOES IT HARM OHIO VOTERS?
Courthouse News Service -  Ohio election reform bill that includes ID requirement ruled constitutional by federal judge
Cleveland.com - Federal judge tosses lawsuit challenging Ohio’s voter ID law
Federal District Court, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO, EASTERN DIVISION (via Courthouse News) - NORTHEAST OHIO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS; OHIO FEDERATION OF TEACHERS; OHIO ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS; UNION VETERANS COUNCIL; AND CIVIC INFLUENCERS, INC. v. FRANK LAROSE
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles - Securing an Ohio ID
Ohio Capital Journal - Voting, disability rights advocates claim Ohio photo voter ID law violates federal disabilities law

Groups Taking Action:
Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, Union Veterans Council, Policy Matters Ohio, Ohio Voting Rights Coalition, League of Women Voters OH

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #OhioPolitics