The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 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.

In a move exemplifying why gerrymandering is a danger to American democracy, the Utah legislature approved a politician-crafted constitutional amendment ballot measure to give itself the power to veto or alter a citizen ballot measure.

In a special session August 21st, the Utah Senate voted 20-8 and the House  54-21, to place the constitutional amendment before the voters Nov. 5th.  The move comes after the 2018 “Better Boundaries” Proposition 4 citizen initiative passed, authorizing a bipartisan “advisory” redistricting commission, setting new rules for fair maps, and forbidding gerrymandering. 

In March 2020, the legislature passed Senate Bill 200, which watered down Proposition 4, and gave the legislature a larger role.   The new commission did draw fair voting maps in 2021, which the legislature ignored, gerrymandering their own maps and locking in power for Republicans. The League of Women Voters of Utah sued, arguing the legislature overstepped its authority.

In July 2024, the Utah Supreme Court unanimously agreed, overturning a district court ruling favoring the legislature.  The legislature’s new workaround amendment not only gives itself power to veto or amend Proposition 4, but any future citizen ballot initiative on any issue.  A coalition is already mobilizing in opposition to this assault on the citizen initiative process. 

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

BallotPedia – Utah Proposition 4, Independent Advisory Commission on Redistricting Initiative (2018)
Utah Legislature – Senate Bill 200 – REDISTRICTING AMENDMENTS
Utah Supreme Court – Opinion in League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature
Utah News Dispatch – Utah Supreme Court’s ‘watershed’ redistricting ruling has major implications. Now what?
Utah News Dispatch – Utah Legislature asks voters to change constitution, skirt Supreme Court ballot initiatives ruling
Utah News Dispatch – ‘Vote no’: Anti-gerrymandering groups launch campaign against Utah constitutional amendment

Groups Taking Action:

Better Boundaries Utah, League of Women Voters Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government

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
• Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
  
  

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Utah #AmendmentD #EndGerrymandering

The post After Losing in Court and at the Polls, Utah Legislature Approves Nov. Ballot Measure to Veto or Alter Citizen Ballot Measures to Protect Its Power appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 16, 2023

Since this broadcast, the Ohio legislature has passed a state constitutional amendment and a bill re-establishing an August date for a special election in hopes of pushing through its 60% margin for approval of a citizen ballot initiative. Brian Beihl will return with new episodes on Wednesday.

The post Rebroadcast from March 10, 2023: State Legislatures Attempting to Limit Voter Power by Making Citizen Ballot Initiatives Harder to Win appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 10, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
WOSU – Ohio Republicans continue pursuing plan to raise ballot amendment threshold
Ohio Capital Journal (Commentary)  – In 1912, Ohio voters asserted their democratic authority. Now Ohio Republicans want to rip it away
Idaho Capital Sun – Idaho Senate OKs proposed constitutional amendment on initiative and referendums

IVN Network – Missouri Lawmakers Are Once Again Targeting the Ballot Initiative Process
Democracy Docket – Utah House Passes Bill To Raise Threshold for Certain Ballot Initiatives
Florida Bar – MEASURE TO REQUIRE TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY TO AMEND CONSTITUTION CLEARS HOUSE COMMITTEE
Democracy Docket – Republicans Hint at Why They Are Restricting Ballot Measures in These States
Center for Media & Democracy – ALEC Resolution to Reform the Ballot Initiatives Process Exposed
NBC News – After string of abortion-rights wins, conservatives look to curtail the ballot measure process

Groups Taking Action:

The Fairness Project, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, League of Women Voters US, ACLU 

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

In our January 2023 predictions for state anti-voter legislation, we anticipated efforts to make citizen ballot initiatives harder, to keep voters from passing reforms that political parties & legislatures don’t like.  Sorry to say, we were right.   

WOSU reports Ohio Republicans are pushing a constitutional amendment which would require signatures from 44 of 88 Ohio counties and raise the threshold to approve a citizen ballot initiative to a 60% supermajority.   Ranked choice voting, popular with voters but not with party leaders, was one of the issues cited. 

Idaho Republicans just passed a proposed constitutional amendment that changes the qualifying signatures requirement.  Instead of  6% of Idaho voters STATEWIDE, it changes it to 6% of each COUNTY.  

In Missouri, Republican legislators also pushed through a proposed amendment for a 60% supermajority.   Not to be outdone,  Florida’s Republicans have proposed H.J.R 129, which raises the bar to a 66% vote.  

In November, an Arizona ballot measure put forward by Republican legislators attempted to increase the threshold to a 60% majority when it involved taxpayer funding.  The voters defeated it, but a similar bill in the Utah House just passed.  

Expect more of these assaults on direct democracy as extreme legislatures attempt to limit the power of you, the voters.

We have articles on each state’s legislation and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

We have more about the DISCLOSE Act and stunning Open Secrets dark money data at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.  

The post State Legislatures Attempting to Limit Voter Power by Making Citizen Ballot Initiatives Harder to Win appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for December 30, 2022

Listen!

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice – Americans rejected election denial and adopted reforms. Let’s build on that in 2023
NPR – 2020 changed how America votes. The question now is whether those changes stick
Alaska Bulletin – Five takeaway lessons from Alaska’s first ranked choice election
Roll Call – At the Races: What pushing for voting rights accomplished
City & State NY – What you need to know about New York’s new statewide public campaign finance program

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

While many states implemented intentional barriers to voting and ignored partisan gerrymandering, some forward-looking states enacted pro-voter democracy reforms, helping to make voting accessible to all of their citizens.

On the federal front, while the Freedom to Vote and For the People acts failed in the U.S. Senate, the Electoral Count Reform Act passed, helping to prevent another election subversion.  

Approving ballot questions, Connecticut and Michigan added more in-person early voting in 2022.   Georgia begrudgingly allowed early voting for the U.S. Senate runoff election, after democracy advocacy groups filed suit.  And despite the Georgia legislature’s anti-voter SB 202 implementation, advocacy groups mobilized record turnout. 

Massachusetts formalized on-demand mail-in voting, where voters can request electronically to be added to an ongoing vote-by-mail list.  Nevada implemented a permanent mail-in voting program in 2022, and took its first step toward single ballot open primaries and ranked choice voting.   Alaska debuted its “top four” open primary and ranked choice voting system in June for a special election, and 85% of voters thought it was simple to use.

Just after the November midterm, New York State implemented a small-donor campaign financing system, where candidates can earn matching funds by seeking out smaller contributions, reducing influence and enabling less affluent candidates to run.  And Arizona banned dark money in state elections.

Read more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   For the American Democracy Minute.   I’m Brian Beihl.

The post Among Growing Anti-Voter Legislation, There Were Some Democracy Reform Successes in 2022 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.