Democracy Happy Hour - June 25, 2025

Fix Democracy First hosts a weekly Democracy Happy Hour on Wednesdays @ 5-6:30pm PT. Grab a drink and join us and learn about the latest democracy efforts, challenges, solutions, as well upcoming events and actions.

This is a recurring event. You only have to register once. Register here.

A History of Public Financing of Elections in Seattle

With Rory O'Sullivan

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/NwYAAQhPaCW0xJJIMlJnQbHe_ZqAq3lI9Q0ovoLHFA-rE0I5_hnZMPlTBAeXFfqgj_vLUvaXjqRTBwVU.m-PaGotyg2eUEIcX

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/dM659cpb_mHqNwbWAGsfLSHfEI__ozZbMHoBzd--64N0LDF-qXIQb-JcclJGb6tOOqQIS7zz_oejqra1.FzDObAbw5G-1B6QG

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/4LbshLjrfufHCK6Z5xUTgfcnDbMiHjqf4e6NAthYaPyNpu4PWL2WngTbs0uRcc46IbGlSyJPLJgvJ9fD.C6XCBJoQiun_LQxB

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/9xjNgoqfK-xR4trfHslAaLnQA-L5pHlPgpVTJkXSgk-d5FAtl9OPVrhocFFxxVcvBLa6bx2jGhYuGShE.SKcUkDawoKEny0JX

Meeting resources

Please support Yes on Prop 1 Seattle for the Democracy Voucher Program Renewal that will be on the Aug 5^th primary ballot:

• Campaign website - https://yesonprop1seattle.org/
• Endorsement Form - https://forms.gle/tArHMaFedtXcPqPw7
• Donation page - https://secure.anedot.com/prop1seattle/donate

A History of Public Financing of Elections in Seattle Links:

• Seattle Democracy Voucher Program - https://www.seattle.gov/democracyvoucher
• Seattle’s democracy vouchers are working. Here’s the proof - https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/06/10/seattles-democracy-vouchers-are-working-heres-the-proof/
• Six Reasons Seattle-ites Should Be Proud of Their Democracy Vouchers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ3FWgm4v8k
• Vouching for Democracy: New Report Examines the Seattle Program Fighting Big Money’s Influence on Politics - https://college.georgetown.edu/news-story/mccabe-voucher-23/
• In Seattle Elections, Dark Money Follows Competition, Not Democracy Vouchers - https://www.sightline.org/2025/06/17/in-seattle-elections-dark-money-follows-competition-not-democracy-vouchers/
• Seattle democracy voucher renewal set for August ballot - https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/04/28/seattle-democracy-voucher-renewal-set-for-august-ballot/
• Seattle candidates find funding through public financing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ef394zO5e0
• Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle & Other Seattle reports – https://www.jenheerwig.com/seattle-democracy-vouchers

FDF Links

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First here: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule

• Jul 2 – No Democracy Happy Hour this week. Happy July 4^th!
• Jul 9 – Hit Refresh on the U.S. Constitution: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Fulfilling on the Promise of Democracy with author Paul Zeitz
• Jul 16 - Save Democracy in America: End Big Money with Voter Dollars with Dan McMillan
• Jul 23 - Canceled - NO Democracy Happy Hour this week
• Jul 30 - DIY-ing America: Civic Engagement & Innovation with June Klees, Waging Dialogue
• Aug 6 – TBD
• Aug 13 – National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers with Andy Moore, Executive Director

Actions and events

Actions

• 5 Calls - https://5calls.org/
• How You Can Protect Democracy - 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy - https://protectdemocracy.org/how-to-protect-democracy
• Join a local Indivisible group - https://indivisible.org/groups
• Join Braver Angels - https://braverangels.org/get-involved/#become-member
• Paths to Understanding - The Potluck Project – https://pathstounderstanding.org/get-involved/potluck
• Protect Public Media Funding - https://protectmypublicmedia.org/
• Share Your Democracy Story, Declaration for American Democracy  -  https://dfadcoalition.org/story
• Stop the SAVE Act (emails) -  https://win.newmode.net/declarationforamericandemocracycoalition/stopthesaveact
• Tell your Senators to oppose the SAVE Act - https://www.lwv.org/take-action/tell-your-members-congress-oppose-save-act
• The Freedom Writers Collaborative - https://freedomwriterscollaborative.org/
• The People's Hub for Grassroots Democracy Organzing - https://www.usgrassroots.org

Events

• 50501 - https://www.fiftyfifty.one – Next National Day of Action
• America 250 - https://america250.org
• John Lewis Day of Action: Good Trouble Lives On – July 17^th – https://www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-actions/
  • Planning Meetings - https://www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-actions/event/792911/
  • https://goodtroubleliveson.org/
• We’re Worth Fighting & Other Events with Election Response Center - https://www.mobilize.us/electionresponsecenter/?utm_source=fixdemocracyfirst
• Yes on Prop 1 - Seattle Democracy Voucher Program Levy Renewal – Aug 5^th primary
  • Campaign website - https://yesonprop1seattle.org/
  • Endorsement Form - https://forms.gle/tArHMaFedtXcPqPw7
  • Donation page - https://secure.anedot.com/prop1seattle/donate

Democracy in the News

Resources

• All of the Trump Administration’s Major Moves in the First xx Days - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-agenda-2025.html
• Democracy 2025 – Democracy 2025 is the strategic hub to protect people and their rights should the Trump-Vance administration seek to unlawfully strip away freedoms and prosperity. -  https://www.democracy2025.org/
• How You Can Protect Democracy - 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy - https://protectdemocracy.org/how-to-protect-democracy
• The People's Hub For Grassroots Democracy Organizing  - https://www.usgrassroots.org/
• Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump’s Agenda - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-administration-lawsuits.html
• Trump Administration Highlights - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/18/us/trump-president-news
• What has Trump done today? - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/trump-administration-actions

June 2025

June 18

• “A Law Without a Way to Enforce It” - https://boltsmag.org/voting-rights-act-natives-north-dakota/
• North Carolinians Go to Court to Protect Their Right to Vote - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/north-carolinians-go-court-protect-their-right-vote
• Oregon voter roll lawsuit faces uphill battle in federal court, judge says - https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/06/oregon-voter-roll-lawsuit-faces-uphill-battle-in-federal-court.html
• US resumes visas for foreign students but demands access to social media accounts - https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7

June 19

• An appeals court backs Trump's control of the California National Guard for now - https://www.npr.org/2025/06/19/g-s1-73050/trump-national-guard-california-immigration
• ICE raids and their uncertainty scare off workers and baffle businesses - https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-ice-raids-undocumented-workers-aa451dc90dda76004fdc5636b21bde97
• More than 30,000 NC voters to become unaffiliated after 4 parties lose state recognition - https://www.wral.com/news/state/more-than-30000-nc-voters-become-unaffiliated-after-parties-lose-recognition-june-2025/
• Strengthening Elections, Rights, and Citizen Engagement - https://thefulcrum.us/democracy/june19-expand-democracy

June 20

• Judge Blocks a Trump Effort to Prevent International Students at Harvard - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/us/international-students-harvard-preliminary-injunction.html
• Supreme Court declines to quickly take up challenge to Trump’s tariffs - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/20/trump-presidency-news
• Supreme Court work goes on with 10 cases to decide, including birthright citizenship - https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-undecided-cases-66f330166fa6c2960c30b4725ba414e7
• Texas lawmakers failed to pass a proof of citizenship law but made other changes to elections - https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/20/texas-election-voting-bills-legislature-2025/
• Trump calls for special prosecutor to investigate 2020 election, reviving longstanding grievance - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/20/trump-special-prosecutor-2020-biden-election/9e48f39a-4df0-11f0-8fff-262d6ec54ab9_story.html
• Tuition Increases and Layoffs Are Coming to a Broad Set of Universities - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/us/tuition-hikes-layoffs-universities.html

June 21

• DOJ to oppose Voting Rights Act preclearance requirement against Alabama - https://www.wsfa.com/2025/06/21/doj-oppose-voting-rights-act-preclearance-requirement-against-alabama/
• Red States Target Voters in New Stealth Attacks - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/red-states-target-voters-in-new-stealth-attacks/

June 22

• Florida Republicans racially gerrymandered two state senate districts, court hears - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/22/florida-republicans-racially-gerrymandered-district-case
• Is the U.S. at War With Iran? - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/us/politics/trump-strikes-war-iran.html

June 23

• Did Trump violate the Constitution by bombing Iran? - https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/23/politics/trump-iran-legal-constitutional-article-1-article-2
• Red States Struggle to Build New Systems to Share Voter Data - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/red-states-struggle-to-build-new-systems-to-share-voter-data/
• Supreme Court for now allows Trump to deport migrants to ‘third countries’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/23/supreme-court-trump-deportations-third-country-south-sudan
• Trump administration intervenes in lawsuit against WA’s new clergy law - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/trump-administration-intervenes-in-lawsuit-against-was-new-clergy-law

June 24

• Exclusive: Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites, sources say - https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/politics/intel-assessment-us-strikes-iran-nuclear-sites
• Exclusive: Thune plans make-or-break weekend votes on "big, beautiful bill" - https://www.axios.com/2025/06/24/john-thune-trump-big-beautiful-bill?utm
• ICE holding a record 59,000 immigrant detainees, nearly half with no criminal record, internal data show - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-record-59000-immigrant-detainees-half-no-criminal-record/
• Israel and Iran Claim Victory as Cease-Fire Takes Hold - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/24/world/ceasefire-iran-israel-trump
• Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/us/politics/justice-department-emil-bove-trump-deportations-reuveni.html
• North Carolina to send mailers to about 200,000 voters asking for missing registration info - https://apnews.com/article/voter-registration-north-carolina-justice-department-1d5d8b97365e865b880b175ae9c78ae9
• SC Supreme Court weighs constitutionality of GOP gerrymandering in SC’s 1st District - https://scdailygazette.com/2025/06/24/sc-supreme-court-weighs-constitutionality-of-gop-gerrymandering-in-scs-1st-district/
• The Trump administration is making an unprecedented reach for data held by states - https://www.npr.org/2025/06/24/nx-s1-5423604/trump-doge-data-states
• Voting rights activists warn Collin County move to hand-marked ballots will cause issues - https://www.keranews.org/news/2025-06-24/voting-rights-collin-county-hand-marked-ballots-issues-league-of-women-voters-texas-civil-rights-project-trump
• What’s in and out of Trump’s big bill as Senate races to meet Fourth of July deadline - https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-bill-republicans-medicaid-snap-5106fb5d07a5675e01644aabde1f7df8
• Zohran Mamdani declares historic victory in New York City mayoral primary after Cuomo concedes - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/24/new-york-mayoral-primary-results

June 25

• A look at how Trump’s big bill could change the US immigration system - https://apnews.com/article/immigration-budget-congress-trump-bill-e37bb0a5c5ca883438db349239a6c251
• New York City is using ranked choice voting in its Democratic mayoral primary. Here’s how it works - https://apnews.com/article/nyc-ranked-choice-voting-explained-bdf80be2a079c8573b4571adfc6f4015
• Trump cannot end union bargaining for federal workers, judge rules - https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/us-judge-blocks-trumps-elimination-union-bargaining-federal-workers-2025-06-25/
• Trump DOJ sues all federal judges in Maryland over deportation order - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/06/25/doj-sues-maryland-judges/
• Trump judicial nominee Bove denies advising Justice Department lawyers to ignore court orders - https://apnews.com/article/bove-justice-department-judge-nomination-trump-efea8c93ad892f1eb000321939a7283c
• What House and Senate Republicans can’t agree on in Trump’s tax bill - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/06/25/trump-tax-bill-disagreements/

Good News Websites

• ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
• Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
• Democracy's Good News - https://www.democracygroup.org/topics/democracys-good-news
• Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
• Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy
• Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
• The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/

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