The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 14, 2023

Today’s Script

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

With Court Cases and Elections Looming, the Wisconsin Assembly Scrambles to Keep its Gerrymandered Voting Districts

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

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate have a 66% veto-proof supermajority. Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly are two votes short of a supermajority.  Yet the Governor of Wisconsin is a Democrat.  How is that possible?   Gerrymandering.  And the majority of Wisconsin’s legislators want to keep it that way.

But storm clouds are gathering over what the Princeton Gerrymandering Project calls “some of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders in the United States.” 

Power in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which accepted the legislature’s gerrymandered maps in 2022, shifted August 1st when liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz was seated.  Protasiewicz spoke openly about Wisconsin’s gerrymandering during the election, prompting Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to threaten impeachment unless she recuses herself from gerrymandering cases.  A case contesting the state’s legislative district maps was filed the day Protasiewicz took office, but impeachment would require a two-thirds vote of both houses, and it’s unlikely in the Assembly. 

So September 12th, Speaker Vos proposed a theoretically nonpartisan state bureau for creating redistricting maps, based on a system in Iowa, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The catch? The Wisconsin Assembly must approve the maps, and if there’s a deadlock, the Assembly would draw the maps after all.  Governor Tony Evers has already condemned the plan. 

We have links to local reporting, the new proposal, and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Associated Press – GOP lawmaker wins Wis. Senate seat, creating supermajority
Wisconsin Examiner – Special election moves Republicans closer to Assembly supermajority
PBS Wisconsin/Wisconsin Watch – Wisconsin’s Assembly maps are more skewed than ever — what happens in 2023?
Princeton Gerrymandering Project – Wisconsin
PBS Wisconsin/AP – Lawsuit asks new liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court to toss Republican-drawn legislative district maps
PBS Wisconsin/ AP – Redistricting plaintiffs object to Republican attempt to boot Protasiewicz from cases
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Vos backs turning turning over drawing of election maps to nonpartisan agency in bid to bypass lawsuits

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Common Cause WI, Represent.Us WI, Fair Elections Project

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The post With Court Cases and Elections Looming, the Wisconsin Assembly Scrambles to Protect its Gerrymandered Voting Districts appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 2, 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.

Early voting for Ohio’s Aug. 8th special election is robust, as voters consider raising the threshold for a ballot initiative to win to a 60% margin.   At stake in Issue 1 is a 112-year-old precedent of a 50%+ 1 simple majority rule  — and an attempt to derail a reproductive freedom ballot question slated for November’s election.

The Ohio Capital Journal reports that in a televised debate last week, the 60% supermajority was defended by no less than Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a highly irregular action for a chief elections officer.

While Issue 1 isn’t directly about abortion rights, the Secretary of State’s office said last week the coalition collecting signatures for the reproductive rights ballot question exceeded the needed signatures among 44 counties.  In addition to a 60% margin, Issue 1 would require FUTURE initiatives to collect signatures in all 88 Ohio counties. 

Although the deadline passes Aug. 1st to request & mail an absentee ballot, early voting at election centers continues August 2nd to the 4th, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., August 5th, 8 to 4, and August 6th, 1 to  5.  August 8th, polls will be open 6:30 AM to 7:30 p.m.

We have links to articles about Issue 1, and details on when, how and where to vote in Ohio at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – Ohio Issue 1, 60% Vote Requirement to Approve Constitutional Amendments Measure (2023)
Ohio Capital Journal – Early vote figures continue their tear in Ohio’s August special election
Ohio Capital Journal – Issue 1 debate brings the fight over how to amend Ohio’s constitution statewide
Ohio Capital Journal – (Opinion) Author of book on Ohio Constitution warns against Issue 1 changing 111 years of Ohio voter power
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio abortion rights amendment headed for November ballot
Columbus Dispatch – Tuesday is the deadline for mail-in ballot requests for Aug. 8 election.

Ohio Secretary of State – Voting Dates & Times for Aug. 8th Special Election
WOSU – Ohio voter guide: What to know about the August special election
Ohio Secretary of State – Find My Polling Place Tool

Groups Taking Action:
One Person One Vote, Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, Ohio Citizen Action, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, All Voting is Local

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 #OhioPolitics #OnePersonOneVote

The post Aug. 8 Referendum Changing Ohio’s Threshold for a Ballot Initiative to Win Holds a 112-Year-Old Precedent and Reproductive Rights in the Balance appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 10, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
WOSU – Ohio Republicans continue pursuing plan to raise ballot amendment threshold
Ohio Capital Journal (Commentary)  – In 1912, Ohio voters asserted their democratic authority. Now Ohio Republicans want to rip it away
Idaho Capital Sun – Idaho Senate OKs proposed constitutional amendment on initiative and referendums

IVN Network – Missouri Lawmakers Are Once Again Targeting the Ballot Initiative Process
Democracy Docket – Utah House Passes Bill To Raise Threshold for Certain Ballot Initiatives
Florida Bar – MEASURE TO REQUIRE TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY TO AMEND CONSTITUTION CLEARS HOUSE COMMITTEE
Democracy Docket – Republicans Hint at Why They Are Restricting Ballot Measures in These States
Center for Media & Democracy – ALEC Resolution to Reform the Ballot Initiatives Process Exposed
NBC News – After string of abortion-rights wins, conservatives look to curtail the ballot measure process

Groups Taking Action:

The Fairness Project, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, League of Women Voters US, ACLU 

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.

In our January 2023 predictions for state anti-voter legislation, we anticipated efforts to make citizen ballot initiatives harder, to keep voters from passing reforms that political parties & legislatures don’t like.  Sorry to say, we were right.   

WOSU reports Ohio Republicans are pushing a constitutional amendment which would require signatures from 44 of 88 Ohio counties and raise the threshold to approve a citizen ballot initiative to a 60% supermajority.   Ranked choice voting, popular with voters but not with party leaders, was one of the issues cited. 

Idaho Republicans just passed a proposed constitutional amendment that changes the qualifying signatures requirement.  Instead of  6% of Idaho voters STATEWIDE, it changes it to 6% of each COUNTY.  

In Missouri, Republican legislators also pushed through a proposed amendment for a 60% supermajority.   Not to be outdone,  Florida’s Republicans have proposed H.J.R 129, which raises the bar to a 66% vote.  

In November, an Arizona ballot measure put forward by Republican legislators attempted to increase the threshold to a 60% majority when it involved taxpayer funding.  The voters defeated it, but a similar bill in the Utah House just passed.  

Expect more of these assaults on direct democracy as extreme legislatures attempt to limit the power of you, the voters.

We have articles on each state’s legislation and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

We have more about the DISCLOSE Act and stunning Open Secrets dark money data at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.  

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