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

District Court Block of Executive Order for USPS Citizenship Verification Now Nationwide; DOJ Asks SCOTUS to Quickly Overturn the Ruling

August 13, 2026August 13, 2026

In late June, a federal district court issued a temporary injunction preventing the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Trump’s plan to have the USPS verify citizenship for mail-in voters. The injunction applied only to the 23 states which challenged Trump’s order, but August 11th, that injunction was expanded nationwide.

Alabama Holds 2nd Primary Election With Legislature’s Discriminatory Congressional Districts, Restored After SCOTUS Callais Decision

August 12, 2026August 12, 2026

The U.S. Supreme Court majority’s April 29th Callais decision invalidated use of race for redistricting, and sent some GOP-led states running to redraw congressional maps to dilute Black voting power. August 11th, Alabama ran a second state primary with its restored, discriminatory maps.

Let’s Just Say the Trump Administration’s Quest to Obtain State Voter Data Has Not Gone Well. DOJ is now 0 for 22, With 9 More Cases Pending.

August 11, 2026August 11, 2026

We’ve been reporting since last spring on attempts by the Trump administration to obtain state voter and personal data for the expanded SAVE Database. That effort included lawsuits against 30 states and DC for refusing. DOJ is 0-22 in those cases.

The U.S. Senate Will Leave for Summer Recess Without Passing the SAVE America Act, But the Restrictive Voting Bill Will Be Back in the Fall

August 10, 2026August 10, 2026

At 4:36 AM August 8th, before legislators were released for the summer recess, the U.S. Senate voted on a subset of the SAVE America Act. This version required narrow types of photo ID but no proof of citizenship. It still failed.

Delaware Enacts State Voting Rights Act; Virginia Strengthens Its VRA, Laying Groundwork for Automatic Voter Registration

August 9, 2026August 9, 2026

On the 61st anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Delaware enacted a state VRA prohibiting voter discrimination, suppression and vote dilution. Virginia’s governor signed legislation to expand its VRA and lay the groundwork for automatic voter registration in the commonwealth.