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

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#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.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 18, 2023

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 North Carolina legislature approved a so-called “election integrity” bill late Wednesday, making it harder to vote by mail, employing provisional ballots for election day registrants, implementing new polling place observer rules, and allowing voters to challenge the mail ballots of other voters.   

SB 747 now heads to Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who will likely veto the bill, then have his veto overridden by the Republican supermajority enabled by gerrymandered voting districts.   

WRAL reports that the bill doubled in size in the House, despite an outcry over additional barriers to voting, including mandating signature verification and TWO witnesses on mail ballots, requiring provisional ballots for election-day registrants, and the ability for an ordinary voter to challenge a mail ballot from another voter.   

A bipartisan group of county election officials also complained that the expansion of the number of poll observers allowed would be a distraction from administering the election and hurt, not help, election integrity.  Some amendments were made. They also voiced concern about the time added for requiring signature verification of mail ballots.

The bill has roots with Cleta Mitchell, a former Trump election lawyer who now works with the Election Integrity Network, a conservative advocacy group.  SB 749, which overhauls the balance of county elections boards, is expected to get its final votes shortly.      

We have a link to the final version of SB 747 at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket – North Carolina Republicans Introduce Election Bill Influenced by GOP Operatives
WRAL – Sweeping election law changes moving forward again in NC legislature, ahead of 2024 elections
WRAL – Local election officials say proposed NC election changes would be ‘disruptive’
North Carolina Legislature – Final version of SB 747
WGHP – Few amendments, many questions: North Carolina’s expanded voting law headed for Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk

Groups Taking Action:
North Carolina Black Alliance, Democracy North Carolina, North Carolina Voter, ACLU North Carolina

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!
#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NCPolitics #VoterSuppression #FreedomtoVote

See our earlier report:

The post Under the Cloak of “Election Integrity,” North Carolina Legislature Overhauls Election System; Governor’s Expected Veto Likely to be Overridden appeared first on American Democracy Minute.