The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 15, 2025

Brian is traveling today, so we’re rebroadcasting a piece from last December.  As predicted, the Utah legislature has introduced two bills to make it harder to pass citizen ballot initiatives.

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 voters turn to ballot initiatives to bypass extreme legislatures, legislatures are manipulating initiative rules to protect their partisan power.  Expect more such attacks on direct democracy in 2025.

In 2024 alone, 10 reproductive rights measures qualified for the ballot, with only two failing, in Nebraska, and Florida.  Another passed in Ohio in 2023.   

Not willing to let extreme agendas get overridden by those pesky voters, legislatures are trying to de-fang direct democracy by trying to raise constitutional amendment thresholds to 60% or higher, and requiring minimum numbers of qualifying signatures from each county, rather than a statewide percentage. To keep Ohio voters from passing abortion protections in 2023, the legislature proposed a 60% threshold, using a low-turnout August special election it had deemed too expensive to run.  It lost, and abortion rights prevailed four months later.   In 2024, the Ohio Secretary of State helped derail a citizen-led redistricting measure by rewriting its ballot description to mislead voters.

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center reports there were three 2024 measures attacking direct democracy.  Arizonans voted down a measure requiring minimum signatures from every county, and another allowing a pre-election litigation on measures.  North Dakota would have raised the signatures required, and winning both a primary AND a general election.  It, too, failed.    

Expect more such attacks on direct democracy in 2025.  Find more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Utah Dispatch – Utah lawmakers move to set higher bar for ballot initiatives — but voters will have a say in 2026

American Democracy Minute – (2023) Ohio Legislature Forcing Through Restoration of Aug. 8th Election to Pass Hurdles for Citizen Ballot Initiatives & Block Potential Abortion Rights Measure
American Democracy Minute – (2023) Ohio Voters Defeat Republican Effort to Raise Citizen Ballot Initiative Passage to 60% in Pro-Voter Victory
Route 50 – States look to rein in ballot initiatives with more ballot initiatives
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center – 2024 Election Results

KFF – Outcome of Abortion-Related State Constitutional Amendment Measures in the 2024 Election
Reuters – Florida, two other states defy trend and vote down abortion rights
State Court Report – Direct Democracy Under Attack 

Groups Taking Action:

Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, League of Women Voters US, Common Cause US

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy #FreedomtoVote #WethePeople

The post Citizen Ballot Initiatives Help Voters Bypass Extreme Legislatures.  But Expect More Attempts to Block Those Initiatives in 2025 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 14, 2025

The SAVE Act, which we’ve been following since January, passed the U.S. House April 10th. The restrictive voting bill, like President Trump’s recent executive order, requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and would end online voter registration. It’s not likely to pass the Senate.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE Act, attempts to keep noncitizens from voting, which is already illegal and there is no evidence of widespread voting by noncitizens in any state.  But its requirements that citizenship documents be submitted in-person at registration or to make a simple address change, could upend the U.S. election system.  The Center for American Progress points out it would end online and mail-in voter registration in 42 states.   

As we recently noted, one in nine Americans may not have ready access to a birth certificate, and an estimated 69 million women with a married name may not have a birth certificate that matches.  U.S. Passports are an option for some, but an estimated 49% do not have a valid passport, according to the U.S. State Department. The logistics and impact of such legislation are staggering.

It passed 220 to 208 in the House, but needs 60 votes in the Senate to overcome the filibuster, so it’s unlikely to pass.  

We’ve linked to analysis of the SAVE Act at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Rep. Chip Roy (R) TX – Rep. Roy reintroduces bill to protect the integrity and sanctity of American elections
U.S. Congress – Text of the SAVE Act
National Conference of State Legislatures – 9 Things to Know About the Proposed SAVE Act

NPR – The House has passed the Trump-backed SAVE Act. Here are 8 things to know
Center for American Progress – The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts

Newsweek – Republicans Reject SAVE Act Amendments Aimed at Protecting Women’s Votes

Groups Taking Action:

Declaration for American Democracy, The Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, US Vote Foundation, Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO)

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

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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #SAVEAct #USHouse #Disenfranchised @WomenVote

The post Bill Which Could Disenfranchise Millions, the SAVE Act, Passes the U.S. House; Unlikely to Pass the Senate appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 11, 2025

Nineteen states and several pro-voter groups filed suit against a March 25th executive order by President Donald Trump.  The order appears to override Congressional and state jurisdiction granted by the U.S. Constitution, and its noncitizen voting restrictions could actually disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans.

To be clear, there is NO evidence of widespread noncitizen voting in any state.  But the March 25th order requires documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, which in practice would require it for state elections, too.  States who don’t follow the Trump directive could lose federal funding.  

Problem is, one in nine Americans don’t have ready access to their citizenship papers.  An estimated 69 million married women use a name different from their birth certificate, and only half of Americans have a valid U.S. Passport.

The order also requires states to comb their voter rolls for possible noncitizens, gives states access to federal databases, and mandates states report voting infractions to the U.S. Justice Department.  It requires that mail ballots be received by election day, eliminating grace periods.

The U.S. Constitution assigns administration of elections to the states and Congress, which is the basis of states’ challenge.  The Campaign Legal Center and four other pro-democracy groups also challenged the ruling on similar grounds.

We’ve linked to Trump’s order and the legal challenges at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House – Executive Order:  PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
NPR – 19 states sue over Trump’s voting executive order, arguing it’s unconstitutional
PBS – Election watchdog groups sue Trump administration over executive order, calling it unconstitutional
Campaign Legal Center – CLC Sues to Block Trump Administration’s Illegal Election Overreach
Campaign Legal Center  – Complaint in U.S. District Court for DC Against Trump Executive Order
U.S. District Court for MA, via State of NY – Complaint by 19 States Against Trump Executive Order

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, State Democracy Defenders Fund, LULAC, Arizona Students’ Association, Secure Families Initiative

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 #DonaldTrump #ExecutiveOrders #Unconstitutional #Disenfranchisement

The post Pro-Voter Groups and 19 States Challenge Trump Executive Order on Voting Rules as Unconstitutional and Likely to Disenfranchise Millions appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

On the ballot with Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race April 1st was a question to enshrine a voter ID requirement into the state’s constitution.  Voter ID is popular in Wisconsin and elsewhere, but comes with unintentional – or perhaps intentional, consequences.

A 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center found 82% of Americans favored government-issued ID for voting, and Wisconsin already has a voter ID law in place since 2011.  The recent ballot question asked whether voters should be required to present a valid photo ID, but deferred to state law as to the type of ID.  It passed 63% to 27%.  

At the moment, the state accepts a Wisconsin driver’s license or non-driver ID, military ID, U.S. passport, tribal ID card, student ID card, naturalization papers, or a VA health card.  But the devil, as they say, is in the details.

While Wisconsin allows some student IDs, Votebeat reports that IDs from the 50,000-student University of Wisconsin – Madison and other campuses are NOT acceptable for voting.  The state offers a free ID for voting, but requires applicants to appear in person at the DMV with citizenship, residency or other documents.  Disability activists say 11 of Wisconsin’s DMV offices are not handicapped accessible.  

We’ve linked to more on Wisconsin’s voter ID amendment  at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Pew Research Center – Bipartisan Support for Early In-Person Voting, Voter ID, Election Day National Holiday
Wisconsin Public Radio – Voter ID in Wisconsin: What to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 referendum
BallotPedia – Wisconsin Question 1, Require Voter Photo ID Amendment (April 2025)
Wisconsin Legislature – 2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2
Votebeat Wisconsin – Wisconsin voters to decide whether to put photo ID requirement in constitution
Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation – Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes – petition process
Wisconsin Examiner – Wisconsin voters approve constitutional amendment to enshrine voter ID law 

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU WI, Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, League of Women Voters WI

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

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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterID #Wisconsin #WIConstitution

The post Wisconsin Voters Enshrine Voter ID in Their Constitution.  Voter ID is Popular with Voters, But Comes with Consequences appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 9, 2025

Democracy advocates fear that the recent Louisiana case heard in the U.S. Supreme Court could further erode the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The Colorado Senate just passes a state VRA to ensure that all of its citizens have access to registration and voting. 

The Colorado Senate advanced SB 1 March 28th, prohibiting voter suppression for any group based on race, color, or language, and keeps voting jurisdictions from diluting voting power of concentrations of minority citizens through redistricting or other means.  

The act strengthens voter registration protections for Native American voters, and makes sure polling places, election notices and ballots are accessible to disabled voters.  

It specifically allows alternatives to in-person voting for primaries, and provides for multilingual ballots and election materials for communities with concentrations of minority language speakers.  It also expands notices of elections at government offices beyond just election offices, and prohibits barriers to voting for eligible incarcerated citizens.

Alabama, Arizona, and Maryland are also considering state VRAs in 2025.  If Colorado passes SB 1, it would join California, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Virginia and Washington which recently passed VRA statutes

The bill now goes to the Colorado House.   

We’ve linked to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Colorado Senate – SB25-001 Colorado Voting Rights Act
Colorado Newsline – Colorado Senate gives preliminary approval to Voting Rights Act, which mirrors federal law
National Conference of State Legislatures – State Voting Rights Acts
National Conference of State Legislatures – Legislatures Pursue State-Level Voting Rights Acts
Campaign Legal Center – Protecting the Freedom to Vote Through State Voting Rights Acts 

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU CO, League of Women Voters CO, Common Cause CO, New Era Colorado Action Fund

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 #Colorado #VotingRightsAct #SB1 

The post Colorado Senate Advances State Voting Rights Act, As Federal VRA is Under Threat by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Conservative Majority appeared first on American Democracy Minute.