American Democracy Minute A 90 second radio news report & podcast on U.S. democracy issues %

Amidst Caustic Anti-Democracy Bills Nationwide, Maryland Passes Positive Election Reforms, Including Its First Ranked Choice Voting Rules

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026

Overshadowed by the stream of caustic gerrymandering and voter suppression bills nationwide, Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed several pro-voter election bills May 12th. One bill includes the state’s first administrative rules for municipalities using ranked choice voting, and protections from election AI deepfakes.

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Virgina’s Hail Mary to Save Its Redistricting Referendum; First Challenge to Florida’s New Map Reaches Court

May 17, 2026May 17, 2026

The Hail Mary stay application by Virginia Democrats to save their congressional redistricting referendum was rejected by U.S. Supreme Court May 15th. The same day, the first challenge to Florida’s map tilting four more seats to the GOP was heard.

Redistricting Firefight: SC Gov. Signals Special Session to Bypass Senate Vote; GA Gov. Calls Special Session for 2028 Maps; MD Senate May Reconsider

May 14, 2026May 17, 2026

Like a stubborn, arson-ignited wildfire, partisan gerrymandering keeps flaring up. South Carolina will apparently redistrict after all, after its governor signaled he would call a special session. A special session has been called in Georgia, and legislation stalled in Maryland may rekindle as well.

SC Senate Derails Redistricting of Congressional Map; MO Supreme Court Finds Map Eliminating Majority Black Kansas City District Constitutional

May 13, 2026May 13, 2026

In yet more redistricting news, the South Carolina Senate failed to reach a two-thirds vote to extend their session to redistrict the state’s congressional map. Missouri’s supreme court upheld a new congressional map designed to gain another GOP seat by diluting Black voting power in Kansas City.

U.S. Supreme Court Stays Lower Court Order Which Created Another Alabama Majority-Black Voting District – An Order It Previously Upheld

May 12, 2026May 12, 2026

It took two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court to finally compel a second majority-Black congressional district in 2025, after a defiant Alabama legislature would not. May 11th, the U.S. Supreme Court majority reversed course, granting the State of Alabama’s emergency request to draw new maps after the Callais decision.