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

GOP challenges to state laws allowing the counting of properly postmarked mail ballots after the election takes on more significance when considering chronic U.S. Postal Service delays. U.S election officials are worried.

Trump-appointed U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced consolidation of another 30 central sorting facilities earlier this year, of an expected 150 such closings.  DeJoy has since delayed the closings until January 2025.

But in a joint letter September 17th, the National Association of Secretaries of State, and the National Association of State Election Directors pointed out lapses in USPS delivery standards.  QUOTE,  “In nearly every state . . .  local election officials are receiving timely postmarked ballots well after Election Day and well outside the three to five business days USPS claims as the First-Class delivery standard.”  

Other problems cited include poor training and a perceived lack of action from USPS management.  A Kansas election official quoted in the Guardian noted ballots delivered on time, but without postmarks, invalidating them under Kansas law.   To criticism that the USPS is unprepared for the election,  Postmaster General DeJoy told a reporter, “They’re wrong.” Unquote. 

Voting by mail is still safe, secure and convenient.  Allowing 10 days for delivery, and curing of any ballot problems will help make sure your vote counts.

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – GOP Challenge to Mississippi Mail Ballot Deadline Law Likely to Set Up U.S. Supreme Court Challenge with National Consequences
U.S. Postal Service – Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Defines Change Imperative and Touts Modernization Progress in 2024 National Postal Forum Keynote
U.S. Postal Service – List of Sorting Centers Under Review for Closure or Consolidation
National Association of State Election Directors – NASED, NASS, and Local Election Official Associations Send Joint Letter to USPS Postmaster General
The Guardian – US Postal Service delays threaten to disrupt election voting, officials say
The 19th – Voting by mail? Election workers are worried about issues at the Postal Service

Groups Taking Action:
Save the Post Office, Vote at Home Institute, 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 #VotebyMail #USPS #LouisDeJoy

The post US Postal Service Slowdowns Concern State Election Officials; Will DeJoy’s Leaner USPS Deliver Ballots in Time? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 9, 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 U.S. Census Bureau reports that 69.1% of Americans were registered to vote for the 2022 midterms, the highest number in over two decades. To register the other 30%, National Voter Registration Day is September 17th, and organizers hope community groups will help.   

Democracy reforms in pro-voter states like online voter registration and automatic registration at the DMV, have helped to raise the number of those registered.  But Pew Research found in 2022 that 62% of unregistered voters had never been asked to register.  Work is particularly among minority communities, where in 2022, 64.1% of Black voters were registered, 59.9% of Asian voters, and 57.8% of Hispanics.

National Voter Registration Day is a project sponsored by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and the National Associations of Election Officials, State Election Directors, and Secretaries of State, and scores of state and national nonprofit, civic and corporate organizations.  

The event is intended to drive unregistered citizens to local city & county election offices, or to voter registration drive locations like libraries, schools, food pantries and other key locations where allowed.  

Organizations wishing to participate and help register their fellow Americans are encouraged to visit NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org, and we’ve linked it from AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
National Voter Registration Day – How to Get Involved in National Voter Registration Day
U.S. Census Bureau – 2022 Voting and Registration Data
Pew Research – Why Are Millions of Citizens Not Registered to Vote?
Pew Research – Voter Demographics
U.S. Census Bureau – Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2022

Groups Taking Action:
National Voter Registration Day, U.S. Election Assistance Organization, National Association of Election Officials, National Association of State Election Directors, National Association of Secretaries of State

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
  
  

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 #VoteReady #VoterRegistration  #VoterRegistrationDay

The post National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 17 and Organizers Hope to Enlist More Nonprofit and Corporate Partners to Help appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 16, 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 security experts warned the country’s secretaries of state to take immediate steps to harden their election systems in both cities and rural precincts,  and prepare for cyber and AI election interference from both foreign and domestic bad actors.

Stateline News reports that representatives from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA,  and the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch of the FBI, spoke at the winter meetings of the national associations of Secretaries of State and State Election Directors.  

Attendees were warned of a heightened risk of election interference using cyber attacks from U.S. adversaries, including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.   This includes the possibility of attacks on election and other infrastructure, including ransomware attacks.  Fulton County, Georgia experienced such an attack in early January.    

CISA announced new webpage last week called Protect2024, making recommendations to states and municipalities on hardening infrastructure. 

Concerns were also raised about AI, which could make it easier to trick voters with misinformation, such as the fake Biden robocall in New Hampshire, or targeting legal immigrant citizens in their languages.

All this, in addition to continued threats of violence to election officials from homegrown domestic extremists.  After fentanyl-laced letters were sent to election offices, officials were advised to have the overdose reversal drug Narcan available.

We have links to the Stateline News article at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.  

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Stateline News –  Feds deliver stark warnings to state election officials ahead of November
Associated Press – (2023) Election offices are sent envelopes with fentanyl or other substances. Authorities are investigating
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – New webpage: #Protect2024
National Association of Secretaries of State – NASS 2024 Winter Conference Highlights
National Association of State Election Directors – NASED Highlights Reminders for the 2024 Elections

Groups Taking Action:
Committee for Safe & Secure Elections, Brennan Center for Justice, Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing & Analysis Center, Issue One/National Council on Election Integrity

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 #ProtectPollWorkers #CyberSecurity 

The post CISA & FBI Warn Secretaries of State to Prepare for Potential Cyberattacks and AI Voter Suppression Before the 2024 Election appeared first on American Democracy Minute.