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

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.

Callais Decision Fallout as Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama & South Carolina Scramble to Eliminate Black Congressional Districts

May 11, 2026May 12, 2026

We’re tracking the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Callais decision, sending GOP-dominated Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama & South Carolina scrambling to eliminate their Black-majority congressional districts.

VA Supreme Court Invalidates Redistricting Referendum for Not Following the Rules for Amendments. It Could Tilt Control of Congress.

May 10, 2026May 10, 2026

In a stunning decision May 8th, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the April redistricting referendum authorizing new congressional district maps. The court pointed to the state constitution’s requirement that amendments be approved twice over two terms of the legislature, not one, then by the voters.

Federal Judge Acknowledges ‘Problematic’ and ‘Troublesome’ Evidence for Warrant, But Still Denies Fulton County Return of Its Seized 2020 Ballots

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

A federal district judge ruled May 6th that the FBI did not have to return Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 ballots and election records. The ruling came after revelations that the search warrant used to seize the records was based on conspiracy theories and other misinformation.

Maryland Passed Its State Voting Rights Act 24 Hours Before the SCOTUS Callais Decision. Will State VRAs Replace the Federal Protections?

May 6, 2026May 6, 2026

Maryland became the 10th state to pass a state voting rights act on April 28th, just 24 hours before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down use of race-concious redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Will state VRA’s offer the same protections to minority voters that the high court’s conservative majority took away?