The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 31, 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.

Time has run out for mailing a mail-in or absentee ballot, but if it’s already mailed, there are tools for tracking its status.  If it hasn’t been mailed, officials advise delivering it to an election office or official ballot drop box instead.

Internal U.S. Postal Service rules require postal employees to expedite official ballot mail.  Since 2020 though, consolidation of sorting centers has delayed first class mail, particularly in rural areas, and hurricane damage has posed other delivery challenges. 

In Georgia, where a record 3.2 million citizens voted early in person or by mail, election officials now advise absentee or mail ballots be brought to the local election office.   Georgia’s restrictive election law won’t count your ballot after election day, even if it’s properly postmarked.

Eighteen states allow ballots postmarked by election day to be counted after election day.  But the Kansas Secretary of State recently complained to the USPS that in the state’s primary, over 1,000 ballots were delivered without a postmark, and couldn’t be counted under Kansas law.

Five states, Arkansas, Connecticut, Louisiana, North Dakota and Vermont, require hand-delivered ballots BEFORE election day, though some of those states allow delivery to the precinct before close or election day. 

Find links to Vote.org’s resources on state deadlines and ballot tracking tools at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
U.S. Postal Service – U.S. Postal Service is Ready to Deliver the Nation’s Election Mail
U.S. Postal Service – Explainer on How the USPS Handles Election Mail
Vote.org – Track Your Ballot or Ballot Application
National Conference of State Legislatures – Receipt and Postmark Deadlines for Absentee/Mail Ballots
Movement Advancement Project – Map of States with Ballot Tracking
U.S. Vote Foundation – Where’s my Ballot? Check your State’s Ballot Tracker.

Fox 5 Atlanta – Georgians urged to drop off mail-in ballots as early voting continues breaking records
Associated Press – Kansas Secretary of State sends letter with concerns over mailed ballots
Spotlight PA – Elections 101: Why some Pa. counties have mail ballot drop boxes and others don’t

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 #MailBallots #DropBoxes #USPS

The post If Your Mail-In or Absentee Ballot is in the Mail, Here’s How to Track It.  If it’s Not, Hand Delivery to Your Election Office or Drop Box is a Safer Bet.  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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Today’s Links

Articles: 

Vote.Org – Voter Registration Check Tool
Democracy Docket – U.S. District Court Decision on Arizona Senate Bill 1260 
Arizona Mirror – Voting groups fight to block law that can criminalize Arizona voter registration

USA.gov – Find Your Local Election Office
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – REGISTER AND VOTE IN YOUR STATE

Groups Taking Action:
Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Voto Latino, Fair Fight

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

This week we’ve been talking about registering to vote, as we approach state deadlines to register before the 2022 midterms.  September 26th, parts of a sketchy Arizona voter registration law were preliminarily stopped, in a likely victory for voters.  But it’s also a reminder for all voters to check their registration status with their local election office.

Arizona Senate Bill 1260, signed into law earlier in 2022, has provisions which make it a felony to assist voters who are registered outside the state but who are now eligible to register in Arizona – sending them registration information, for instance.  The law also allows election officials to “cancel & remove” a registered voter from receiving a mail ballot without contacting the voter, if they only suspect that John Smith is registered elsewhere.   

In a preliminary ruling, the U.S. District Court judge, G. Murray Snow, said that the Arizona law prohibited the providing of a “mechanism for voting,” by groups or individuals, but didn’t define the term.  Snow also ruled that the provision which allowed for cancellation and removal of a registered voter from the mail ballot list without personal follow up was unconstitutionally vague, could disenfranchise voters, and would likely violate the National Voting Rights Act.  

Now is a great time to check your voter registration status.  We have a link to Vote.org’s registration check tool on AmericanDemocracyMinute.org  Doing it now gives you the time to follow up with your local election officials before the midterms if there’s a problem.     

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

The post ADM for Sept. 29, 2022: Parts of Arizona “Cancel & Remove” Voter Registration Law Invalidated | Reminder to Check Your Registration Status appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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Today’s Links
Articles:
Al Dia – Voto Latino partners with allies to sue Arizona over a voter restriction law
Washington Examiner – Liberal advocates sue over Arizona law alleged to allow ‘targeted voter suppression’
Democracy Docket – Voting Rights Groups Sue Arizona Over New Voter Suppression Law
Democracy Docket –  DNC and Arizona Democratic Party Sue Over Arizona’s Citizenship Requirement
Groups
Voto Latino, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans

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

Over the 18 months, Arizona GOP legislators passed two restrictive voting bills, one targeted at Native Americans,  requiring proof of citizenship to vote by already registered voters.  The other is a vague bill tightening vote-by-mail rules. Last week, Arizona hit the trifecta:  The state was sued by the U.S. Justice Department, voting rights groups and the Democratic party all in one day.

The first is SB 1260 allows a clerk to take someone OFF the vote-by-mail list if he or she THINKS the voter has moved to another county, but creates no mandate to follow up.  It also prohibits the forwarding of a mail ballot.  Sending a ballot received at home to an Arizona-registered son or daughter at college, could be a felony.  Advocacy group Voto Latino also cites voters with unstable housing, and retirees who may spend parts of the year in other states.  Voto Latino and other groups are attempting to get the law struck down because of its vague provisions and burdensome barriers to voting.

Most states now have voter ID laws, but Arizona’s HB 2492 targets a federal-election-only ballot, which is an option in Arizona.   Many Native Americans who’ve voted for years using the ballot would not be able to because they don’t have the citizenship documents.   Two suits, one by the U.S. Justice Department and another by Democratic groups argue that HB 2492 puts an undue burden on the right to vote, violating the 1st and 14th Amendments.  There are now five lawsuits filed to invalidate this law.

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

The post ADM for August 22, 2022: Arizona Trifecta: Three Lawsuits for on its Voter Suppression Bills All in One Day appeared first on American Democracy Minute.