The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 17, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

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

Reports from around Ohio suggest a strong early voting turnout for a constitutional ballot question designed to defeat a November question on reproductive rights.  Issue 1 would change the threshold to pass for ALL Ohio ballot questions from 50% plus one to 60%, and importantly, require qualifying signatures from 5% of voters in each Ohio county. 

After ending August special elections due to their high cost and low turnout, the Ohio legislature and Governor Mike DeWine hurriedly resurrected the Aug. 8th election when it became apparent a citizen ballot initiative to enshrine reproductive rights was being organized in Ohio.  

Media around the state report relatively high early in-person turnout in many counties, but an August special election is typically 10% or lower in many counties.   WKRC reports that early predictions from election officials in Hamilton County in southwest Ohio suggest a 30-40% turnout.   The Columbus Dispatch notes that election officials in Union County reported slightly higher number of early in-person voters than even the 2020 Presidential election.  Ohio’s November 2020 turnout was 74%.  

Early in-person voting continues through August 6th, but voters are advised to check local schedules and locations.   APPLICATIONS for absentee ballots must be received by your local board of elections by August 1 at 8:30.  Completed ballots must be postmarked by August 7th.  Election day is August 8th. 

We have details on Ohio’s special election at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Ohio Secretary of State – VOTING SCHEDULE FOR THE 2023 ELECTIONS
Ohio Capital Journal – Early voting begins for Issue 1 asking to make it harder for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution
Columbus Dispatch – August special election bringing in more early votes than expected around Columbus
WFMJ 21 – Valley Boards of Elections report strong turnout for early voting in August special election
Dayton Daily News – Issue 1: Election officials’ turnout estimates vary widely as early votes pour in
WOSU Public Media – Ohio voter guide: What to know about the August special election
WOSU Public Media – Early voting for Aug. 8 special election draws long lines at Franklin County Board of Elections
Times Leader – Groups say ‘hell no’ to Issue 1

Groups Taking Action:
Ohio Citizen Action, Common Cause Ohio,  One Person One Vote Coalition

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OnePersonOneVote #OhioPolitics

The post Early Election Turnout for Ohio Legislature’s Anti-Voter Constitutional Amendment Strong, as Century-Old Pro-Voter Ballot Initiative Rules Hang in the Balance appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 4, 2023

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

BallotPedia – 2022 ballot measures
Michigan House –  Promote the Vote Initiative
Business Insider – Results: Nevadans approve Question 3 to add ranked choice general and top-five primaries to the state’s elections
Connecticut Insider – Connecticut residents approve early voting ballot question
Arizona Public Media – After overwhelming voter OK, political ‘dark money’ law hailed as model
BallotPedia – Arizona 2022 ballot measures
Brennan Center – Voter Access Ballot Initiatives in 2022

Groups Taking Action:

Bolder Advocacy – Ballot Measures Toolkit
Movement Advancement Project – DIRECT CITIZEN INITIATIVE STATES

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.

This week, we’re making predictions on what state democracy legislation we’ll see in 2023.  Last year, some of the most significant state democracy reforms came from citizen ballot initiatives – so we predict you’ll see anti-voter legislatures attempt to make restrictions to the citizen ballot initiative process.

On Nov. 8th, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada and Connecticut passed pro-democracy ballot measures.  Michigan voters approved no-excuse mail-in  and early in-person voting, and provided for absentee ballot drop boxes, among other reforms.  Arizona voters now require disclosure of Dark Money contributors in state elections.  New Mexico voters took the first step toward using single ballot open primaries and ranked choice voting. 

But on Arizona’s ballot were three ballot measures proposed by its legislature attempting to curb the power of the ballot measure process itself.    One proposed raising the threshold for passage to 60% for any measure expending taxes.  Another would have allowed the legislature to change any ballot measure approved by the voters but ruled unconstitutional by the state supreme court.  Voters were having none of it, and defeated both of these measures.

Because ballot measure Democracy reforms have successfully bypassed obstinate, partisan legislators, we predict more anti-voter legislatures will  propose restrictions on ballot initiatives in 2023.

We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  

I’m Brian Beihl.

The post 2023 Anti-Voter Predictions – Citizen Ballot Initiatives Likely Targets of Anti-Voter Legislatures appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for November 17, 2022

Listen!

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Yes on 3 Nevada – Ballot initiative description
BallotPedia – Nevada Question 3, Top-Five Ranked Choice Voting Initiative (2022)
Nevada Current – Question 3: Election reform proposal ekes out victory, will return in 2024
Vox – The plan to save America by killing the partisan primary
Nevada Current – Question 3 is hated by many and funded by rich out-of-state reformers, but…
Maybe that’s a selling point

Groups Taking Action:

Vote Nevada, Yes on 3 NV

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.

Today, we’re in Nevada, where a citizen initiative passed November 8th, clearing its first hurdle to add ranked choice voting and open primaries to the Nevada constitution.

Question 3 won by a slim margin, with 52.7%, in the first of two referendum votes it needs to modify the Nevada state constitution.   The second vote will be in the 2024 general election.

Question 3 would change the current closed primary system which has separate ballots for Democrats and Republicans, and create an “open primary” with one primary ballot, similar to a new system in Alaska.  The system would apply to the statewide races, and to U.S. House & Senate, but not the Presidential election.

In the proposed system, the five candidates for each position with the highest Primary election vote totals would advance.   In the General election, ranked choice voting would be used, with voters ranking their preferences.   If no candidate wins a simple 50% majority of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice would have their votes redistributed to their next choice

What are the advantages?  An open primary diminishes “the race to the bottom” that a closed primary often causes, and ranked choice allows voters to support their favorite candidate without compromising for electability reasons.

We have links to articles and groups taking action  at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post Nevada Citizen Initiative Takes Step Toward Ranked Choice Voting & Open Primaries appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-05-02T07_34_02-07_00

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

We noted yesterday that Governor Ron Desantis just signed a bill which banned ranked choice voting in Florida. But ballot initiatives to implement RCV in Missouri and Nevada are picking up steam.

Ranked choice voting allows a voter to support a candidate they like but wouldn’t otherwise win vs. the more likely candidate. This gives dark horse, independent or third party candidates a chance without the voter throwing a vote away. RCV often leads to more congeniality between candidates, particularly in primaries, because they have to appeal to a wider array of voters, not just to the extremes of their party.

Ballotpedia reports that a pro ranked choice voting citizens initiative PAC in Missouri reported contributions of $4.3 million dollars as of March 31 as the initiative approaches a May 8th deadline for signatures. The Missouri proposal would use RCV in primaries to determine the top four candidates, which would all advance to the general election.

In Nevada, a similar PAC reports donations of $2.26 million dollars to fund the initiative’s signature drive, which concludes June 21^st. Nevada’s proposal would advance the top 5 candidates out of the primaries.

Visit AmericanDemocracyMinute.org to find links to the organizations behind these citizen initiatives, and learn more about RCV.

Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we HAVE, it’s something we DO.” For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

Fair Vote, a national resource on Ranked Choice Voting: 
Nevadans for Election Reform:  https://nevadansforelectionreform.org/
Better Elections Missouri:  https://betterelectionsmo.org/

The post American Democracy Minute for May 3, 2022: Ranked Choice Voting on the Move in MO, NV appeared first on American Democracy Minute.