The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 18, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

In September 2024, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced an error in state voter rolls involving 97,000 voters, revolving around a state DMV data error.  That number has risen to nearly 200,000, and an easy fix still hasn’t been found. 

In 1996, Arizona began requiring proof of citizenship when obtaining a driver’s license.  Since 2005, election officials have asked registered voters with licenses issued before 1996 for proof of citizenship.  But if a driver’s license issued before 1996 needed to be replaced, it was accidentally given a new date of issue, and election officials never knew to ask for citizenship documents. 

Votebeat Arizona and the Arizona Mirror report that the investigation is ongoing, but the number affected has now ballooned to 200,000 voters registered, but without proof of citizenship on file. 

The Arizona Supreme Court allowed affected voters to vote in November’s election, but now the legislature is considering an emergency measure, House Bill 2038, directing election officials to contact the voters and request citizenship documents.  If not supplied within 35 days, the voter’s status would change to “not registered”, though voters could reactivate their registration by providing documentation right up to election day.  After the 2026 general election, those voters would be dropped.  

The Secretary of State’s office is reviewing the proposed legislation.  

We have the text of the bill and Votebeat’s reporting linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (2024) State Data Mistake Puts Voting in Local & State Elections at Risk for 97,000 Arizonans
Votebeat Arizona/Arizona Mirror – Arizona officials struggle to straighten out voter rolls after proof-of-citizenship mixup
Votebeat Arizona/Arizona Mirror – Arizona voters caught up in state’s citizenship-proof error could see their registrations canceled

Arizona House of Representatives – HB 2038 – Voter registrants; satisfactory proof of citizenship; delayed repeal

Groups Taking Action:

All Voting is Local Action – Arizona,  League of Women Voters AZ

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, 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 #ArizonaNews #ProofofCitizenship #VoterRegistration

The post Arizona’s DMV Error May Force Nearly 200,000 Already Registered Voters to Bring In Citizenship Documents – or Be Dropped appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 10, 2025

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.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed automatic voter registration into law in December of 2020, to begin in January of  2023.   Pandemic, technical, and bidding delays ensued, but preparation for voter registration at the DMV and other state agencies has finally begun. 

The New York State Board of Elections approved a resolution in December 2024, authorizing the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and other state agencies to create voter registration forms and transmit that data to the Board of Elections database.  The new system allows citizens to opt out of voter registration, but will otherwise register or change registration information during official transactions.   

Gotham Gazette reports that both the implementation of automatic voter registration system, or AVR,  and online voter registration, or OVR, were delayed as technical staff was diverted for pandemic-related IT projects. The OVR system went live in June 2023.  

While the delays are frustrating, getting it right is critical.  Early adopter Oregon recently discovered flaws in its very successful AVR  system, with evidence that ineligible citizens and noncitizens were accidentally registered during state transactions. The state is in the process of a system-wide audit.  

Brennan Center for Justice research finds AVR has increased voter registrations from 9 to 94% in jurisdictions around the country.  In addition to more voters, AVR also keeps state voter rolls up to date as voters move or have life changes.  

We have more on AVR at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – (2020)Governor Cuomo Signs Automatic Voter Registration into Law in New York
Harvard Political Review – An Automatic Solution: Voter Registration and the Oregon Model
Gotham Gazette – (2023) New York Launch of Online and Automatic Voter Registration Delayed Until at Least May
New York State Board of Elections – Approved Resolution RE Automatic Voter Registration with Regulation
National Conference for State Legislatures – States Adopting Automatic Voter Registration

Groups Taking Action:
Declaration for American Democracy,  Common Cause, League of Women Voters US

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, 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 #AVR #MotorVoter #NewYork

The post After 2 Years of Delays, Automatic Voter Registration is Finally Coming to New York appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

Following up our report on states which have passed a voting rights act comes an authorization to collect signatures for the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights, protecting voters from suppression tactics, and implementing reforms like automatic voter registration.  The State of Ohio tried to reject it.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost twice objected to the title of the measure, tactically delaying the measure beginning in early 2024 so it couldn’t make the November ballot.  October 30th, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the AG did NOT have the authority to reject it on the basis of its title.  Then in mid-November, the Ohio Ballot Board, headed by Secretary of State Frank LaRose, approved the measure to collect signatures, AFTER complaining about its content.  

If passed, the constitutional measure, similar to Michigan’s 2022 initiative, would enshrine Ohio voters’ right to vote: Early in person, by mail or on election day, and to do so without intimidation or harassment. It allows voter registration online, at the DMV, or on election day.  It gives municipalities flexibility to expand polling locations and use drop boxes, and directs that state government and the courts should defer to supporting voters’ rights. 

Given the state’s derailment of November’s citizen-led redistricting commission, expect more state-sponsored shenanigans before voters weigh in.  

We have the full text of the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Attorney General – Full Text of the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights
State of Ohio – Summary – Ohio Voters Bill of Rights
Court News Ohio – Attorney General Not Authorized To Review Proposed Amendment Titles

Ohio Supreme Court – Decision in Dudley v. Yost

Ohio Capital Journal – Ballot board clears Ohio Voters Bill of Rights, organizers can begin collecting signatures

Groups Taking Action:

Ohio Voters Rights Coalition, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, Ohio Unity Coalition, Ohio NAACP 

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, 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 #Ohio #VRA #OHVotersBillofRights #VotingRights

The post Ohio Voters Bill of Rights Ballot Measure Finally Authorized to Collect Signatures appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 9, 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.

The nonpartisan Fair Elections Center released a report to state and local election officials in February suggesting ways voter participation can be expanded.  Recommendations include expanding voter registration options, making use of public/private partnerships to distribute voting information, developing communication plans, and expanding poll worker training.

Fair Elections Center urges local governments to expand access points for online voter registration in the 42 states which offer it.  Instead of just the election department website, it suggests linking voter registration at DMV, employment security and other government sites.  It also suggests libraries and other public places make computers and voter registration forms available for those without broadband or computer access.  

Highly mobile populations often don’t re-register to vote.   Fair Elections Center recommends banks and other lenders, and landlords and other housing providers offer voter registration information.  It also recommends election officials work with schools to conduct voter registration events, and with local organizations in underrepresented communities.   

Voter information outreach continues to be a struggle for smaller election offices. The report recommends a communications plan which includes all modes of social media, voting information in additional languages, and in media for all disabilities.

We’ve linked the report at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. Find us on Bluesky Social @DemocracyMinute.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Fair Elections Center – LOCAL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE VOTING EXPERIENCE:
Recommendations for Local Elected Officials and Election Officials
U.S. Election Assistance Commission –  Election 2024 Toolkits

Groups Taking Action:
Fair Elections Center, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for 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!

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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RegistertoVote #BeAPollWorker #ProtectElections

The post Ways Local Officials Can Expand Voter Participation and Recruit Election Workers Using Public/Private Partnerships appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 4, 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.

As state deadlines for voter registrations draw near, new registrations across the United States are down compared to 2024, according to political data and advertising firm TargetSmart. But there are increases in certain demographics compared with 2020.

TargetSmart used a combination of state data gathering and modeling, and found that 2024 new voter registrations 8 weeks from the election were 15.7 Million, down 42% from 27.3 Million in 2020.   The 2024 partisan lean model shows that 48.8% of those registering leaned Democratic, 34.3% Republican, and 16.9% unaffiliated.  In 2020, 46.7% leaned Democratic, 37.3% Republican, and 16% unaffiliated. 

Among those new 15.7 Million registered voters, there are increases in Black, Hispanic and Asian American Pacific Islanders, and a decrease in new White voters.  TargetSmart also found a slightly higher percentage of younger voters, though Tufts University’s CIRCLE youth voting research group  found increases in only 8 states.   

There was also a slightly lower percentage of women, although the organization found a surge of registrations among Black and Hispanic women after Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee. 

We’ve linked to TargetSmart’s report at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org, where you’ll also find nonpartisan resources where voters can register or check their registration.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
TargetSmart – Smart Voter Registration Dashboard

TargetSmart – Hispanic Voter Registration Surges After Harris Becomes Nominee

Tufts Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) – Youth Voter Registration Increasing; Still Lags Behind 2020

Groups Taking Action:

VOTE.org, Rock the Vote, Native Vote, Vote411, Mi Familia Vota, When We All Vote

Check Your Voter Registration:

• U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
• USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
• Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State

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 #RegistertoVote #VoterRegistration 

The post As State Voter Registration Deadlines Draw Near, Data Suggests 2024 New Registrations Still Lagging Behind 2020 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.