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

Election deniers, take notice.  Since just 2022, 20 states have tightened laws to protect election workers, upping penalties, expanding definitions of harassment, protecting personal information, and prohibiting “doxing.”  In other words, “Don’t mess with election workers.”

The 2020 post-election harassment of poll workers, egged on by reckless candidates and supporters, took state and federal officials by surprise.  In 2023, a change by the Department of Homeland Security required 3% of a $1 Billion dollar grant program to be devoted to better security for poll workers. Millions more in Help American Vote Act funding helped state, county and local officials to install bulletproof glass, panic buttons, more cameras and other on-site security.  

Federal law already makes it illegal to harass or intimidate election workers, as do state statutes.  But earlier this year, Virginia made attacks on election workers a hate crime, allowed civil lawsuits for threats and harassment, criminalized the hindering of election administration, gave a liability shield to those who act to protect election workers, and allowed election workers to keep their personal information private.  Oregon and nine other states made it illegal to “dox”, or release the address and personal information, of election officials.  

They’re sending the message, “Don’t mess with our poll workers.”

We have more on new protections for election workers at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The 19th – (2023)  With an eye on 2024, some states consider new protections for election workers
Public Citizen – Tracker: State Legislation to Protect Election Officials
Brennan Center for Justice – Guide to Laws Against Intimidation of Voters and Election Workers
Brennan Center for Justice – Federal Homeland Security Grant Funds Directed to Election Security

General Assembly of Virginia – Virginia Voting Rights Act
Oregon House – House Bill 4144
Pew Research Center – Key facts about U.S. poll workers

Groups Taking Action:

Issue One, Protect Democracy, Common Cause, Election Official Legal Defense Fund, Public Citizen

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 #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers #ElectionSecurity

The post States Increased Security in Election Offices and Polling Places, and Increased Penalties for Threatening or Harassing Election Officials  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 18, 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.

Yesterday, we reported on government warnings of foreign election interference by Russia and other actors. But after years of GOP demands for “election integrity” reforms, majority members of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee last week eliminated election security funding from the 2025 budget.

Election security includes everything from protection of voters and election workers, to upgrading voting machines and infrastructure, to keeping domestic and foreign actors from hacking that infrastructure.

The vehicle for that funding is Help America Vote Act grants, for which States Newsroom reports $55 Million dollars was appropriated in the last funding cycle. HAVA helps states fund big ticket items like voting machine upgrades, development of online voter registration portals, or hardening infrastructure against attacks. The Biden administration asked for $96 million dollars to assist states with their projects, some of which take years to complete. The request was cut to ZERO for the coming fiscal year.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission, charged with HAVA’s oversight and providing guidance to federal, state and local agencies to secure elections, had its funding slashed, too. USA Today reports that the administration had requested $134 Million dollars for the EAC; it got just $20 Million – $7 Million less than the previous budget. The 2025 budget is scheduled for completion in October, and has yet to be negotiated with the Senate.
Learn more and see the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Brennan Center for Justice – (2019 Report) – Defending Elections: Federal Funding Needs for State Election Security
Brennan Center for Justice – Securing the 2024 Election
States Newsroom via West Virginia Watch – States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure
USA Today – (Opinion) Republicans wail about secure elections while slashing funding for election security
Cyberscoop – House Republicans propose eliminating funding for election security
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Election Security Preparedness
Issue One – Securing 2024: Defending US Elections through Investment and Reform

Groups Taking Action:
Brennan Center for Justice, Issue One,  The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights 

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 #ProtectElections #ElectionSecurity 

The post The Feds Warned States to Harden Election Infrastructure. The U.S. House Appropriations Committee Just Eliminated the Election Security Grant Funding to Help States to Do It appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 28, 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.

The 17-state Super Tuesday Presidential Primary is March 5th.   In 10 of those states, if you haven’t already registered to vote, you’re out of luck.   But thanks to same-day registration rules in seven of those states, you can still register and vote on Election day.

Election day, or same-day, registration is part of the 2002 Help America Vote Act, and several studies have found that states see a 3% to 7% boost in turnout where it’s been implemented.

Among the Super Tuesday states, Minnesota, Vermont, Maine, Virginia, Utah, Colorado and California will allow you to register on election day, and most of those states allow registration same day during early voting.

To register, you must provide ID, and proof of domicile and citizenship to vote in Minnesota, Vermont and Maine on a regular ballot.  In Virginia, Utah, Colorado, and California, you may have to vote with a “provisional ballot,” or sign an affidavit, if you’re missing a document.  That vote may not count unless your registration can be verified.

New residents, younger voters, students, new Americans, and less affluent voters are often users of same day registration. Those demographics largely explain a rush by some state legislatures to make it harder to register same day, by allowing only provisional ballots, adding strict domicile rules, or ending same day registrations altogether.

We have details on election day registration and the rules for your state at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
USA Today – Which states vote on Super Tuesday? What to know ahead of the presidential primaries
Rock the Vote – What States Allow Same Day Voter Registration and When?
National Conference of State Legislators – Same-Day Voter Registration
Demos – Millions to the Polls: Same Day Registration
MIT Election Data + Science Lab – Same Day Registration

Groups Taking Action:
Project Vote, League of Women Voters, When We All Vote, NAACP, LULAC

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter 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 #SuperTuesday #RegistertoVote #YouthVote

The post In Seven Super Tuesday Primary States There’s Still Time to Register to Vote, Thanks to Election Day Registration appeared first on American Democracy Minute.