The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 24, 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 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:

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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#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 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 15, 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.

Fair Maps Nevada had its ballot questions written and vetted by the secretary of state to put a citizen-run independent redistricting commission on November’s ballot.  But May 10th, the Nevada Supreme Court threw them out, and may have damaged Nevada’s direct democracy in the process.

Nevada’s legislative redistricting maps are currently created by the legislature.  The Fair Maps proposal would have created a seven-member citizen commission to create the redistricting maps instead.   

Two lawsuits challenged the two ballot questions for creating a state agency without constitutionally establishing the funding for it, and for not fully explaining the commission’s timeline.  Fair Maps Nevada argued that the costs of the independent commission would be offset by the legislature’s budgeted redistricting funding.  The Nevada Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision that the  ballot questions were unconstitutional unfunded mandates.

Sondra Cosgrove, organizer of Fair Maps Nevada and a professor at College of Southern Nevada, told the Nevada Independent that she was disappointed in the ruling, and that the decision could have far-reaching consequences.

“I think we’ve lost the ability to run constitutional amendment ballot questions with this ruling.  Everyone who wants to run a constitutional amendment is now subject to a legal challenge that says [if] they want to spend $1, they have to raise a tax to spend that dollar,” Cosgrove told the Independent.

Find more on the ballot questions and the decision at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Nevada Independent – Nevada Supreme Court strikes down independent redistricting commission ballot questions
Democracy Docket – Nevada Supreme Court Keeps Redistricting Ballot Initiative Off 2024 Ballot
Nevada Secretary of State – 2024 Petitions & General Election Ballot Questions
Supreme Court of Nevada – Opinion in FAIR MAPS NEVADA v. ERIC JENG

Groups Taking Action:

Fair Maps Nevada, Common Cause, League of Women Voters

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #IndependentRedistricting #NevadaNews #NevadaPolitics

The post Nevada Supreme Court Throws Out Citizen Ballot Initiatives on Redistricting, and May Have Damaged Future Direct Democracy Efforts in the Process appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

May 7th, South Dakota democracy advocates submitted the necessary signatures to put a constitutional amendment establishing a ‘top two’ open primary system on the ballot.  The ballot question would allow the 150,000 independent voters whose tax dollars underwrite the primary to actually vote in it.

On Monday, South Dakota Open Primaries submitted 25% more than the required 35,000 signatures necessary for state constitutional amendments, according to the Secretary of State figures.   

The measure establishes a single ballot open primary for congressional, gubernatorial, state legislature and county offices.  All candidates, regardless of party, would run on the same ballot, but a party affiliation is listed.   The top two candidates advance to the general election, again, regardless of party. 

Such a system allows all voters to participate in the primary, including independents and third party voters. South Dakota’s current system is closed, allowing only voters registered with that party to use that party’s ballot.  Likewise, open primaries allow independent & third party candidates to run on the same ballot, giving voters more choice. 

Because candidates must appeal to voters not registered with that party, open primaries help to limit partisan polarization, and offer more choice.  The South Dakota Republican Party Chair told the South Dakota Searchlight, “We are 110% opposed to the idea.”   Open primaries are often paired with ranked choice voting, but South Dakota Republicans have banned its use.   

We have links to the ballot question text and an explainer on open primaries at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

May 7th, South Dakota democracy advocates submitted the necessary signatures to put a constitutional amendment establishing a ‘top two’ open primary system on the ballot.  The ballot question would allow the 150,000 independent voters whose tax dollars underwrite the primary to actually vote in it.

To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
South Dakota Searchlight – Open primary push to see opposition from state Republican Party
South Dakota Secretary of State – Text of Top 2 Open Primary Petition
South Dakota Open Primaries – SD Open Primaries Explained

South Dakota Secretary of State – Breakdown of Voter Affililation, May 1, 2024
Dakota News Now – Petitions establishing top-two primary elections, legalizing recreational cannabis submitted just before deadline
Open Primaries Education Fund – Types of Primaries

Groups Taking Action:
South Dakota Open Primaries, Open Primaries

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OpenPrimaries #SDOpenPrimaries  #Letthemvote #SouthDakotaNews

The post South Dakota Democracy Advocates Submit Ballot Measure Signatures for a ‘Top 2’ Single Ballot Open Primary System.  If Approved, All Voters Get a Voice in the Primary appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 10, 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 the face of a reproductive rights ballot question later this year, Missouri’s legislature is the latest to try to game the system, making the passage of ballot initiatives harder, and taking power away from the voters.  

In August 2023, Ohio voters slapped down an attempt to raise the threshold to pass a ballot question from a 50%+1 majority, to 60%.  A reproductive rights question later passed in November with a 57% majority.

To defeat the Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment, the Republican majority is using another tactic. Instead of raising the threshold percentage like Ohio, the SJR 74 constitutional amendment proposes changing the simple majority to a simple majority plus a majority in at least five of the state’s eight Congressional districts.  It passed the state senate in February, and will likely pass the state house this week.

Called a “consensus majority,” it would shift power to the state’s least populated and most conservative counties.   The Missouri Independent estimates a ballot question could be defeated with just 23% of the state’s voters voting against it.  If passed in the legislature, it’s expected to be added to the lower-turnout August 6th state primary ballot.  If passed by voters, it would be likely implemented prior to the November 5th general election.  

We have the language of the bill and more linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia –  Ohio 2023 ballot measures
BallotPedia – Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2024)
Missouri Legislature – Text of SJR 74, Amended Version
Missouri Independent – Missouri Senate passes bill making it harder for voters to amend the constitution
Missouri Independent – As few as 1 in 5 voters could defeat initiative petitions under Missouri Senate proposal
Columbia Missourian – Initiative petition changes clear hurdle
BalltPedia – History of Initiative & Referendum in Missouri

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters MO,  Missouri Voters for the Environment,  Missouri Conference of the NAACP, Empower Missouri,  PROMO

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DirectDemocracy #MissouriPolitics #VotingRights #SJR72

The post Trying to Game the System, Missouri Legislature Proposes Ballot Question Rule Changes to Head Off Reproductive Rights Question in November appeared first on American Democracy Minute.