The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 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.

January 21st was the 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates of money in political campaigns.   In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, over $300 Million dollars has already been spent in just three early races. 

CNN reports that $77 Million dollars was spent in the New Hampshire Primary by SuperPACs, candidates and other political groups.   New Hampshire’s population is just 1.4 million people, and an estimated $55 dollars in advertising was spent for every man, woman and child, in the Granite State.   An estimated turnout of 410,000 voters calculates to $188.00 spent per Primary vote. 

Democracy group End Citizens United said over $11 Billion dollars has been spent in federal elections since the 2010 court decision.  Most spending in elections now comes not from candidates, but political action committees allied with them.  End Citizens United notes that 96% of outside, non-candidate spending has occurred since the Citizens United decision.  

In the early Republican races alone, NPR reports that Nikki Haley’s campaign spent $9.3 Million dollars.  Her SuperPAC and Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity Action spent $62.8 Million.  The DeSantis’ campaign and PACs spent a combined $60 Million dollars, and Trump a combined $54 million.  

We have more primary spending data and the groups taking action at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CNN –  New Hampshire ad spending tops $77 million as Haley and Trump fight to the finish
NPR – $300 million worth of ads have hit voters ahead of the first GOP primary contests
NH Secretary of State – SOS Predicts Presidential Primary Turnout
End Citizens United – End Citizens United Statement on the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United

Brennan Center for Justice – Citizens United Explained
Open Secrets – (2020) More money, less transparency: A decade under Citizens United

Groups Taking Action:
End Citizens United, Issue One, Open Democracy Action, Common Cause, Public Citizen, Equal Citizens

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OverturnCitizensUnited #DarkMoneyOutVotersIn #EndBigMoney

The post By the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United, SuperPACs and Candidates Spent Over $300 Million in IA, NH & SC appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 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.

A Gallup poll released this month found 43% of Americans identify as unaffiliated, independent voters. But in some states, they can’t vote in primaries. As voting begins Jan. 23rd in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, what states are considering closing – or opening – primaries in 2024?

Closed primaries allow only those registered with a party to vote in that party’s primary.  Open primaries allow any voter to take either party’s ballot.  Semi-open primaries allow unaffiliated voters to take one or the other, while registered Democrats or Republicans can only vote in their primary.  

New Hampshire’s Presidential primary is the same as it has been for the last few decades, allowing unaffiliated voters – the state’s largest block of voters – to vote. But the NH GOP is considering closing its future primaries, joining legislators in Louisiana and Ohio.  Wyoming closed its primaries last year, joining Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania.  In Wyoming and New Hampshire, attempts to close the primary have been driven by “crossover” voting, where voters became independent to influence the outcome of another party’s primary.

With the ranks of unaffiliated voters growing, ballot initiatives for a fully open primary are under consideration in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho.  Pennsylvania has open primary bills pending. 

We have information about your state’s primary system, and the groups taking action at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

National Conference of State Legislatures – State Primary Election Types
Gallup – Independent Party ID Tied for High; Democratic ID at New Low
Forbes – Voters Who Identify As Independents Skyrocket—As Democrats And Republicans Dwindle
American Democracy Minute – Fears of Crossover Voting Driving Party Activists to Close Primaries – But at the Expense of Silencing Independent Voters
CBS News –  “Crossover voting” in primaries in Wyoming is about to become more difficult

NBC News – 6 states are rethinking how they run their primaries in 2024
Louisiana Illuminator – (Opinion) Partisan primaries would be a move backward for Louisiana
Public News Service – Bills would open PA primaries to unaffiliated voters
U.S. Vote Foundation – Primary Election Dates and Rules in Your State

Groups Taking Action:
Open Primaries, FairVote, Represent.Us, Unite America,  Yes on 3 Nevada , Open Primaries Arizona, Idahoans for Open Primaries, Ballot PA

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?  

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OpenPrimaries #LetIndependentsVote #IndependentVoters

The post On the Eve of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, Some States Contemplate Closing their Primaries to Independents, While Others Consider Opening Them in 2024 appeared first on American Democracy Minute.