The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 3, 2025

In the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, an estimated $76 million dollars was spent – shattering a  U.S. record for judicial races.  But will it result in fairer Congressional voting districts in Wisconsin?

The Associated Press called the race for liberal Judge Susan Crawford, who has a 55 to 45% lead.  With all that money, the margin is almost identical to 2023’s race, electing liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz. 

Wisconsin Politics estimates Crawford raised over $24 million dollars, largely from the Wisconsin Democratic Party via liberal donor George Soros, wealthy Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman.  

Her opponent, former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, raised $12 million, but SuperPACs supporting him spent tens of millions more.   Elon Musk personally and through his two Super PACs spent an estimated $20 Million, and ULINE founder Richard Uihlein spent another $4 million through the Fair Courts America PAC.

Why was all this money spent?  Wisconsin’s voting districts have been some of the most gerrymandered in the country, and the election of Janet Protasiewicz resulted in the first fair state legislative maps in two decades.  Last year, the state supreme court passed on revisiting the state’s gerrymandered  Congressional maps.  The court’s 4-3 liberal majority may change that, and THAT could change control of Congress. 

We’ve linked the Open Secrets data at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Open Secrets – Wisconsin Supreme Court race breaks records and draws controversy as billionaires weigh in
Brennan Center for Justice – Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Breaks Spending Record, Fueled by Out-of-State Money
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Wisconsin 2025 spring election results: Supreme Court, DPI, voter ID referendum and Milwaukee races
USA Today – Liberal wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race; GOP holds Florida congressional seats: Recap
Axios – Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election is the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history
American Democracy Minute – After Cleaning Up Gerrymandered State Senate & Assembly Districts, the Wisconsin Supreme Court Passes on Congressional Districts

Groups Taking Action:

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Common Cause,  Public Citizen

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 #Wisconsin #WISupremeCourt #ElonMusk #FairMaps #SusanCrawford

The post $76 Million was Spent in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race.   Will All That Money Translate Into Fairer Congressional Voting Districts? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 24, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments March 24th in Louisiana v. Callais, in one of the most important voting rights cases of the year.   Voting Rights Act rules allowing minority Americans to elect the candidate of their choice hang in the balance.

We’ve followed this case in multiple courtrooms since 2022, after the Louisiana legislature racially gerrymandered its voting districts to dilute Black voting power.  Louisiana’s population is 33% Black, but in only one Congressional district out of six could Black voters have a realistic chance of electing a candidate of their choice.

The Voting Rights Act Section 2 rules allow for majority minority districts to be drawn, and such districts have been created for African American, Hispanic and Native American districts.  But in Louisiana v. Callais, a group of QUOTE “non-African-American individuals” appealed two court-ordered majority minority districts, claiming the districts were discriminatory and unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.   

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have consistently opposed exceptions for minority groups.  What is unclear is whether the rest of the conservative majority will join them to strike down more of the Voting Rights Act Section 2 rules.   The outcome could result in seismic changes in protections for minority voters around the country. 

Oral arguments begin at 10 AM Eastern , and we have a link to the audio live stream from AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Majority-Minority Voting Districts Give Minority Voters a Fair Chance to Elect Proper Representation. The Equal Protection Clause is Now Being Used to Try to End Them
SCOTUS Blog – Effort to block second majority-Black district in Louisiana comes to Supreme Court
Brennan Center for Justice – (2024) Black Louisianians Fight in Court to Preserve Fair Voting Map
U.S. Supreme Court – BRIEF OF ALABAMA AND 12 OTHER STATES 
American University Law Review  – (2024) The Twists and Turns of A Map that Captured National Attention – Robinson v. Callais
American Redistricting Project – Louisiana v. Callais
U.S. Supreme Court – Recorded Audio for Oral Arguments March 24, 10 AM

Groups Taking Action:

Power Coalition for Equity and Justice,  ACLU of Louisiana

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 #Louisiana #VoterSuppression #RacialGerrymandering #VotingRightsAct #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt

The post US Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments March 24th in Louisiana v. Callais with Protections for Minority Voters Hanging in the Balance appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 6, 2025

In 2018, Utah voters approved a ballot initiative establishing an independent redistricting commission to create fair voting districts.   The legislature neutralized it, and gerrymandered the maps anyway.  It’s now back before a Utah judge.

Better Boundaries Proposition 4 established a commission independent from the legislature charged with creating fair, communities of interest-driven maps for Congress, state legislature, and school districts.  The Utah News Dispatch reports that in 2020, the Utah legislature passed SB 200, which made the commission advisory, not independent, then gerrymandered the maps to protect seats and consolidate GOP power.  

The Utah Supreme Court found for the voters last July, agreeing that the legislature did not have the authority under state law to override the voters’ decision.  In response, the legislature proposed Amendment D, which, if approved by voters, would give the legislature power to do so. The language of that proposition was deemed deceptive by the court, and ruled “void.” 

Now the case is back in Utah’s 3rd District Court, where Judge Dianna Gibson heard three hours of testimony January 31st.  The League of Women Voters and Mormon Women for Ethical Government argued for the independent commission’s powers to be fully restored, and fair Congressional maps put in place.  A decision is expected within weeks.

We have our past reports, local reporting, court filings, and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Script

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Utah Voters Fought Back After Their Fair Voting Districts Constitutional Amendment was Gutted by an Anti-Voter Legislature.  They Won.
Utah Supreme Court –  LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF UTAH, et al., v. UTAH STATE LEGISLATURE
American Democracy Minute – 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
Campaign Legal Center – Utahns Score Huge Victory Voiding Amendment D
Utah News Dispatch – Will Utah get new congressional maps? Judge hears oral arguments in Utah redistricting case

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters UT, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Campaign Legal Center

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 #UtahLegislature #EndGerrymandering #FairMaps

The post Will Utah’s Voter-Approved Independent Redistricting Commission and Fair Maps Prevail Over the Legislature’s Attempt to Rig Them?  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 11, 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.

If you follow the American Democracy Minute you know that until last year Wisconsin held the infamous title as one of the most gerrymandered states in the U.S.  That changed November 5th.

Former Governor Scott Walker accelerated gerrymandering of the Wisconsin Assembly, Senate and Congressional maps during his 2011 to 2019 tenure, engineering a 64 to 35 majority in the Wisconsin Assembly, and a 22 to 11 majority in the Senate, despite an evenly divided liberal and conservative electorate. 

In 2023, the GOP was short of a supermajority by only two Assembly seats. Vetoes by current governor Tony Evers tried to keep even worse maps at bay, but a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately allowed them.   But a Supreme Court election in 2023 shifted the ideology of the court, and the court’s reconsideration of the Assembly and Senate maps led to new, fairer maps for the 2024 general election.  

While Republicans maintain control of both houses, fair maps reduced the artificial Republican advantage in the Assembly to 54 to 45, and the Senate 18 to 15.  Veto overrides of the Governor are far less likely, forcing the legislature to compromise on more legislation.  The Congressional district map, which did NOT change but is also widely recognized as gerrymandered, gave a 6-2 advantage to Republicans.

We have links to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – (2022) Wisconsin Republicans do not secure a supermajority

Wisconsin Examiner – (2023) Special election moves Republicans closer to Assembly supermajority
American Democracy Minute – (2023) With Court Cases and Elections Looming, the Wisconsin Assembly Scrambles to Protect its Gerrymandered Voting Districts
American Democracy Minute – Wisconsin Supreme Court Puts State Legislature’s Maps on Naughty List, Orders Legislature to Draw Constitutional Voting Districts
Wisconsin Public Radio – Republicans retain majority in Wisconsin Assembly
Wisconsin Watch – Democrats flip 14 legislative seats, affirming GOP gerrymander is dead

WBAY – Republicans retain Wisconsin Senate control but lose supermajority

Groups Taking Action:

Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Law Forward, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook 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 #Wisconsin #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering

The post Restoration of Fair Voting Districts in Wisconsin Ends GOP Near Supermajority in Assembly and Senate appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 22, 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.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is again under fire, this time for attempting to undercut a citizen-run redistricting commission ballot initiative which threatens to undo politician-drawn gerrymandered maps. Initiative organizers challenged the action in the Ohio Supreme Court August 19th.

Citizens Not Politicians submitted a ballot description of the constitutional amendment after Issue 1’s certification in July.   But the notoriously partisan LaRose and his staff rewrote the description. Organizers said it, QUOTE, “may be the most biased, inaccurate, deceptive and unconstitutional ballot language ever adopted by the Ohio Ballot Board.”

The measure proposes a 15-member citizen commission of Republicans, Democrats and independents, none of whom can be current or former politicians or lobbyists. It also forbids redistricting for partisan advantage – gerrymandering – and requires a fully transparent process.   The new initiative was proposed after multiple gerrymandered maps by legislators resulted in years of litigation.

Among several misleading statements, the secretary of state’s description says it will “Establish a new taxpayer-funded commission of appointees required to gerrymander the boundaries of the state legislative and congressional districts.” UNQUOTE.   The Ohio Constitution clearly states that descriptions for ballot measures be “true and impartial.”  

With election deadlines only weeks away, Citizens Not Politicians has asked for an immediate judgment.  We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Citizens No Politicians –  Proposed Description and Full Text as Submitted
Ohio Secretary of State –  Rewritten Description of Issue One
Ohio Supreme Court – Citizens Not Politicians v. LaRose
Ohio Capital Journal – Anti-gerrymandering amendment supporters sue Ohio Ballot Board over ballot language
Citizens Not Politicians – Citizens Not Politicians Sues LaRose and Ballot Board to Ensure Accurate Ballot Language for Issue 1

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens Not Politicians

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
  
  

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter 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 #OhioPolitics #OhioSOS #FrankLaRose #CitizensNotPoliticians

The post Ohio SOS Under Fire Again, This Time for Sabotaging the Ballot Measure Description for a Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission appeared first on American Democracy Minute.