The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 8, 2023

Correction: The audio version of our report noted that HB 209 died on the Alabama Senate floor. That was incorrect; it died without reaching the floor for a vote on the last day of the term. Sorry for the error.

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

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

What some call “ballot harvesting,” others consider essential help to seniors, nursing care patients and the disabled. That’s why Democracy advocates are relieved that the Alabama legislature’s HB 209 died Tuesday before reaching the Senate floor.

The discredited 2022 film “2000 Mules” alleged widespread fraud from advocates collecting absentee ballots.  Though debunked, extremists in state legislatures around the country have used the premise to justify restrictions on assistance in requesting, filling out or returning absentee ballots.  

Alabama’s House Bill 209 limited persons assisting absentee voters to family members, including a child, spouse, aunt, uncle, grandparent,

grandchild, niece, nephew, parent, full-sibling, half-sibling or legal guardian.  This included filling out or returning the ballot, and also allowed specific county or state election officials to assist.   In the bill’s original form, violations were a felony, though a Senate committee amendment reduced it to a misdemeanor.   The committee also loosened restrictions for the blind, allowing non-family members to assist.

What remained in the bill going to the full Senate were criminal penalties for anyone volunteering or paid to assist a voter.  Such a penalty would stop the work of the League of Women Voters and other organizations assisting Alabama citizens to register and vote.   

While dead for this term, this voter suppression bill is expected to return in the next session.   We have links to articles, the bill and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Alabama Legislature – Text of Last House Version of HB 209
Alabama Political Reporter – House committee approves bill criminalizing absentee ballot process
1819 News – Contentious absentee ballot legislation clears Senate committee with amendment
Alabama Public Radio – Alabama legislative session nearing final day, absentee voting bill in the air
1819 News – Ballot harvesting bill dies in Senate without a vote; Sec. of State Wes Allen: ‘I have not received a clear answer’ on why it never reached the Senate floor

Groups Taking Action:
ACLU AL, League of Women Voters AL, Alabama Arise, Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement (SOLVE),  Alabama Values

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterSuppression #FreedomtoVote

The post Alabama Bill Criminalizing Assistance with Absentee Voting Dies in State Senate appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 25, 2023

In Landmark Ruling, Alaska Supreme Court Rules that Gerrymandering is Unconstitutional
***Today’s Links now located below the script***

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

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled Friday, April 21st that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional, invalidating the 2022 maps drawn from a redistricting commission which had strayed from its constitutional intent to be nonpartisan. 

Alaska voters approved the 1998 constitutional amendment ballot measure creating a redistricting board by a 52% to 48% margin.  The new board was to be staffed by two members appointed by the governor, and one each by the House speaker, Senate president, and chief justice of the state Supreme Court.

After two previous cases striking down gerrymandered state house & senate voting districts and forcing court-ordered interim maps for the 2022 midterms, for this case, the state justices delved into the history and the intentions of the original law.  In the 144-page ruling, they concluded,  “We expressly recognize that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the Alaska Constitution.”  

The Anchorage Daily News quotes Scott Kendall, attorney and chief of staff to former Gov. Bill Walker, as saying, “This is an incredibly important case.  For the first time the Alaska Supreme Court has interpreted the equal protection doctrine to prohibit gerrymandering for partisan purposes. This decision will put vital sideboards on the redistricting process to prevent political abuse of the process in the future.”

The redistricting board was given 90 days to explain why the fairer court-ordered maps should not be used in 2032.

We have links to articles, the court’s decision, and groups taking action  at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Anchorage Daily News – Alaska Supreme Court, in landmark ruling, says partisan gerrymandering violates state constitution
Alaska Redistricting Board – 2022 May Interim Proclamation Regional and by-District Maps

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA – Decision in the matter of the 2021 Redistricting Cases
BallotPedia – Redistricting in Alaska
BallotPedia – Alaska Reapportionment Board, Measure 3 (1998)

Groups Taking Action:

Alaska Center, Native American Rights Fund, League of Women Voters AK, Alaska PIRG

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews

The post In Landmark Ruling, Alaska Supreme Court Rules that Gerrymandering is Unconstitutional appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 22, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – It’s primary election day in Wisconsin. What to know about the 2023 Supreme Court race and the expected voter turnout.
Wisconsin PBS – Wisconsin’s 2023 Supreme Court candidates and Brian Hagedorn
Wisconsin PBS – Wisconsin’s Assembly maps are more skewed than ever — what happens in 2023?
Wisconsin Public Radio – Wisconsin Supreme Court chooses maps drawn by Republicans in new redistricting decision
WKOW – GOP WEC commissioner says he won’t resign after boasting about lower voter turnout
– Retiring Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Roggensack endorses Waukesha Judge Jennifer Dorow

MyVoteWI – Election Day Voting Guidelines

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

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

Wisconsin has been in the news a lot lately:  Gerrymandering, a misguided $2 million dollar review of  2020 election results, and admissions of racial voter suppression efforts in Milwaukee.  But no story is more important than its state supreme election with huge state and national implications.

February 21st, voters go to the polls for a statewide primary to replace a retiring conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.  The state’s high court currently has a 4-3 conservative majority, and two conservatives and two liberals are vying for the seat.  The top two winners in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, go forward to the April 4th general election.  

In addition to the state’s abortion laws and other hot-button issues, gerrymandering is also on the ballot.  While Democratic Governor Tony Evers won re-election in November by a 51%-48% margin, two thirds of all legislative seats went to Republicans due to extreme manipulations by the legislature of House & Senate voting districts.   The current state’s conservative high court endorsed those gerrymandered maps last April.   

The election could impact national politics as well.  Should a more liberal court order fair Congressional maps in Wisconsin, it could shift 2024 control of the U.S. House of Representatives, currently a razor-thin margin.  

We have links, and information on voting in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.  

The post Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Has Huge State & National Implications appeared first on American Democracy Minute.