The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 2, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
In a victory for voters, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision March 27th, striking down four anti-voter laws which disproportionately impacted younger, disabled and Native American voters.
Montana’s constitution contains a “Right of Suffrage” clause which reads, “All elections shall be free and open, and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.” The court affirmed that the legislature’s four bills passed in 2021 infringed on that right, among other deficiencies.
HB 176 eliminated the ability to register and vote on election day, in place since 2005 and often used by students and first-time Native American voters. HB 530 banned paid ballot collection, making it impossible for paid get-out-the-vote workers to assist Native voters, students, the elderly, and the disabled in submitting their mail-in ballots.
HB 506 prohibited sending mail-in ballots to voters who would be 18 by election day. And SB 169 ended use of official student IDs as identification for voting purposes – revoking a law which had been in place for almost 20 years.
“Election integrity” activists began pushing such cookie cutter suppression laws, after robust turnout of younger voters in recent elections.
We have links to the decision and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Montana Constitution – II.13. Right of Suffrage Provision
Montana Judicial Branch – Opinion in Democratic Party v. Jacobsen
Montana Free Press – Montana Supreme Court declares 2021 voting laws unconstitutional
Flathead Beacon – Montana Supreme Court Strikes Down Election Laws
Election Law Blog – “The Montana Supreme Court Correctly Recognizes a Robust Right to Vote Under the State Constitution”
New Jersey Beacon – A top GOP lawyer wants to crack down on the college vote. States already are.
Groups Taking Action:
Montana Native Vote, Native American Rights Fund, Montana Youth Action, Forward Montana Foundation, and Montana Public Interest Research Group
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 #FreedomtoVote #YouthVoting #NativeVote #Montana #MontanaPolitics