The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 26, 2025

Today’s Script

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

In the coming weeks, Virginia GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin considers multiple pro-voter bills sent to his desk by a Democratic-majority legislature.  A state constitutional amendment also moves to the November ballot which restores voting rights to returning citizens after felony convictions.

Almost a dozen pro-voter bills have advanced in January and February, most recently protecting voters from premature purges.  Last August, Younkin ordered voter registration purges within 90 days of the election, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court just two weeks before the election.

In response, the Virginia legislature passed House bills 2002 and 2276, prohibiting the purging of a voter using unverified external data as justification, and establishing specific criteria for removal.   SB 813 specifically prohibits voter list purges within 90 days of the election.  

After blocking GOP attempts to shorten early voting in primaries from 45 days to 14 days, the legislature passed SB 760, extending deadlines for returning mail-in ballots to three days after election day and allowing curing of deficient ballots, and passed SB 991, giving more time to voters to register before election day.

In 2023, Governor Youngkin reversed policies of recent governors, and restores voting rights to citizens who’ve completed felony sentences only on a case-by-case basis.   House Resolution 2, now passed in both houses, would  automatically restore those rights, and will appear on the November 2025 ballot.  

Find links to the bills at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – U.S. Supreme Court Allows Virginia to Purge of Alleged Non Citizen Voters Only Days Before the Election, Ignoring Established Federal Law. Eligible Voters Were on the List, Too.
Virginia Mercury – Senate moves to strengthen protections against voter roll purges
Virginia Mercury – Historic push for constitutional protections in Virginia gains momentum

Virginia Legislature – HB 2002, HB 2276, SB 813, SB 760, SB 991, HR 2

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU Virginia,  Virginia Election Protection, UpVote VA, 

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 #Virginia #RightsRestoration #VotingRights #DemocracyReform

The post VA Legislature Sends Several Pro-Voter Bills to Gov. Youngkin, and a Constitutional Amendment Restoring Returning Citizen Rights to Voters appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

Today’s Script

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

Over 88 million American voters voted early in the 2024 presidential election.   An estimated 42 million voted by mail.  What could a Trump takeover of the U.S. Postal Service mean for mail-in and absentee voters?

Trump said last December that he wanted to return to QUOTE, “One day voting,” and continued his false claims of mail-in voting as fraudulent. 

In 1970, Congress attempted to separate USPS from political influence with the Postal Service Reorganization Act to make it more independent and competitive, and established the 9 member, bipartisan postal board of governors.

The Washington Post reported February 21st that a Trump executive order firing the Senate-confirmed board is imminent, and oversight of the USPS would move under the U.S. Commerce Department.  

That action is not only likely illegal, but putting postal policy in the hands of hyper partisans could spell disaster for absentee and universal mail ballots.  Further eroding delivery standards or ending prioritization of election mail could make delivery so unreliable it can’t be trusted.  As could starving the USPS of funds and personnel.  States with universal mail voting like Oregon, may need to remake their entire election system.   

Such changes would make it more difficult to vote for shift workers, the disabled, the elderly and the 6 in 10 other Americans who  support mail voting. 

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Council on Foreign Relations – The 2024 Election by the Numbers
GovInfo.gov – Postal Service Reorganization Act of 1970
U.S. Postal Service – About the Board of Governors
The MIT Press Reader – The Birth of the USPS and the Politics of Postal Reform
Associated Press – (2020) Trump admits he’s blocking postal cash to stop mail-in votes

Washington Post – (Possible paywall) Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say
Associated Press – Trump says he may take control of the US Postal Service. Here’s what to know

Pew Research – Republicans, Democrats continue to differ sharply on voting access

Groups Taking Action:

Vote at Home, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  LULAC

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 #USPS #PostalWorkers #VotebyMail

The post How Could a Trump Takeover of the U.S. Postal Service Affect Mail-In Voting? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 14, 2025

Today’s Script

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

While attacks on democracy norms ensue in Washington, state legislatures have also been busy.  We have updates from Utah, Kansas, Indiana, and an update on the contested North Carolina Supreme Court race. 

Voting Rights Lab reports that the Utah House is considering HB 300, which forces mail-in ballot users to deliver their ballot not by mail, but by hand to an official polling place where ID can be presented.  The elderly, disabled, and other voters for whom returning by mail is their only option, would need to seek special permission.  HB 332 would withdraw Utah from the cooperative Electronic Registration Data Center, the subject of far right conspiracy theories.  

The Kansas Senate passed SB 4, which requires receipt of mail-in ballots by 7 pm election day to count, rather than the current three days after.  An Indiana Senate committee advanced SB 284,  shortening early in-person voting from 28 days to 14 days, ending at noon the day before election day. The full Senate passed SB 10, ending use of school-issued student identification as ID for voting. 

In North Carolina, a district court judge dismissed a claim by a state supreme court candidate that in a race he lost by 734 votes, as many as 65,000 voters were ineligible.  A federal appeals court may revisit it.

We’ve linked the Voting Rights Lab’s state tracker at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Voting Rights Lab – The Markup
Voting Rights Lab – Bill Search

Utah State Legislature – HB 300 –  provides that, after a ballot is mailed to a voter, the voter is, subject to certain exceptions, required to return the ballot in person to a polling place where the voter must provide valid voter identification;
Utah State Legislature – HB 289 – authorizes the lieutenant governor to contract with a third-party to maintain voter rolls;
Kansas House (via VRL) – SB 4 – Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

Indiana Senate – SB 284 – Reduces the period during which in person absentee voting may occur to a 14 day period ending at noon on the day before election day.
The Carolina Journal – Trial judge rejects Griffin’s NC Supreme Court ballot challenges

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU of Utah,  Democracy NC, Common Cause Indiana, Loud Light Kansas

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 #KansasNews #IndianaNews #NCNews, #UtahNews

The post State Updates on Bills Shortening Early Voting and Changing Mail-in Ballot Requirements, and the Contested NC Supreme Court Race Lawsuit appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 25, 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 coming reports, we’re anticipating 2025 democracy court cases and legislation.  In October, a federal appeals court struck down a Mississippi law allowing receipt and counting of mail-in ballots up to five days after election day. We’re expecting it in the U.S. Supreme Court.

A three-judge appeals panel in the notoriously conservative 5th Circuit federal court ruled Oct. 25th that federal law does not allow any state to extend the receipt of ballots after election day, including in-state ballots or the UOCAVA mail ballots used for overseas military and diplomatic personnel.  The panel allowed counting those ballots for the 2024 election, but sent the case back to a lower court.

Despite 20 states offering a grace period of varying lengths, U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham wrote, “Federal law does not permit the state of Mississippi to extend the period for voting by one day, five days, or 100 days.”  One election law professor termed the decision, “Bonkers”.

Pro-voter groups asked November 8th for a reconsideration in front of ALL 5th Circuit judges, but the case is likely to ultimately be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.   An adverse ruling by the court could impact millions of voters at home and abroad who depend on mail ballots.

We have links to the case documents and other reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

National Conference of State Legislators – Receipt and Postmark Deadlines for Absentee/Mail Ballots
NPR – Appeals court sides with GOP on Miss. law that provides grace period for mail ballots
Reuters – US appeals court says counting ballots received after Election Day is illegal
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (via Democracy Docket) –  PETITION OF INTERVENOR DEFENDANTS – APPELLEES VET VOICE FOUNDATION AND THE MISSISSIPPI ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS FOR REHEARING EN BANC

Groups Taking Action:
Vet Voice Foundation, Mississippi Alliance for Retired Americans

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

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Mississippi #MailInBallots #USSupremeCourt

The post What’s Ahead for 2025:  Mississippi Case Challenging the Counting of Mail-In Ballots After Election Day Likely Headed to U.S. Supreme Court appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 23, 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.

We reported in September on concerns from election officials on whether the U.S. Postal Service could meet its mail ballot delivery obligations. The USPS issued its report in early December. How did it do? 

Reasonably well, according to the Postal Service. Election officials’ biggest pre-election concern involved consolidation of sorting centers around the country adversely affecting the Postal Service’s own delivery standards.

In its report issued December 3rd, USPS management paints a picture of an election with few problems, citing a 97.73% delivery from voters to election officials within three days, 99.64% within five, and 99.88% within seven.  But the Postal Service’s own new standard for local first class mail is one to three days, and seven days for mail traveling across the country.   It’s not yet known how many ballots were not delivered on time and not counted. States like Kansas won’t process mail ballots arriving AFTER election day, so despite USPS reminders to return ballots early, a yet unknown number of ballots were not counted. 

USPS was helped by far fewer mail-in ballots in 2024 than in 2020.  Expanded early in-person voting combined with laws making mail voting harder, saw mail-in voting drop to only 5% of ballots cast in Georgia, from 26%, and to 28% in Florida, down from 44%, according to Voting Rights Lab.

USPS says better mail ballot design for automation and visibility, longer timelines by election officials, and more education of mail-in voters will improve delivery.

We have the report linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
U.S. Census Bureau – What Methods Did People Use to Vote in the 2020 Election?
American Democracy Minute – US Postal Service Slowdowns Concern State Election Officials; Will DeJoy’s Leaner USPS Deliver Ballots in Time?

U.S. Postal Service – 2024 POST-ELECTION ANALYSIS REPORT

U.S. Postal Service –  SERVICE STANDARD CHANGES
Voting Rights Lab – How State Election Laws Shaped Voting Patterns in 2024
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy – Testimony Before the House Committee on Oversight and AccountabilityPew Research –Voters Broadly Positive About How Elections Were Conducted, in Sharp Contrast to 2020

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 #USPS #VotebyMail #VoteatHome

The post USPS Issues Upbeat Report on Ballot Delivery Performance for the 2024 General Election, But Lower Use of Mail-In Ballots was Likely the Biggest Factor appeared first on American Democracy Minute.