Topic: Electronic Registration Information Center or ERIC: What is it and do we need it? Join us from 5-6:30pm PT for a weekly discussion about our democracy.
* Democracy Happy Hour, September 15, 2021 - Meeting Recordings & Chat:
View slides from the presentation on the Freedom to Vote Act here
Actions, Events & Misc. Links:
Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:
WA Redistricting:
Testify at upcoming hearings:
Public Comment: They are still taking public comment via written testimony, email, voicemail, video submissions. More info here: https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/provide-public-testimony
Important dates to note:
TAKE ACTION for VOTING RIGHTS – Please do one or more of these actions:
Defending Democracy in a Period of Far-Right Insurrection w/ Leonard Zeskind and Devin Burghart - September 23rd @ 5 pm PT – Register @ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pL1afA7lQ7OGjfJv_142gw
DONATE:
Democracy in the News Links:
Justice Dept. Asks Judge to Block Texas From Enforcing Restrictive Abortion Law - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/us/politics/texas-abortion-justice-department.html
Texas judge blocks anti-abortion group from enforcing new law - https://www.axios.com/texas-abortion-ban-planned-parenthood-injunction-6adc256a-54fd-4530-bdcd-7b6660571b02.html
Federal judge blocks Florida's 'anti-riot' law that Gov. DeSantis championed as a way to combat protests but civil rights groups said targeted people of color - https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-judge-blocks-florida-anti-riot-law-desantis-pushed-2021-9
Capitol rally seeks to rewrite Jan. 6 by exalting rioters - https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-d2fb23af3f01387412a1a00b4eac531c
Washington ramps up security ahead of Sept. 18 rally - https://thehill.com/homenews/house/572033-washington-ramps-up-security-ahead-of-sept-18-rally?rl=1
Officials Fear A New Normal As Republicans Make Baseless California Fraud Claims - https://www.npr.org/2021/09/13/1036696853/if-republicans-lose-the-california-recall-election-they-might-claim-fraud
AZ canvass report draws nonsensical conclusions - https://apnews.com/article/elections-media-arizona-ap-fact-check-phoenix-96f95a57cd361006d3398b0902a3e0d8
Republicans Start Election ‘Investigation' in Pennsylvania - https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/republicans-start-election-investigation-in-pennsylvania/2952997/
Democrats, GOP Push Back Against Partisan Election Audits - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/08/democrats-gop-push-back-against-partisan-election-audits
Words matter. So these journalists refuse to call GOP election meddling an ‘audit.’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/audit-pennsylvania-gop-inquirer-media/2021/09/13/660f0462-14b8-11ec-a5e5-ceecb895922f_story.html
In the wake of Trump's attack on democracy, election officials fear for the future of American elections - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/12/politics/trump-2020-future-presidential-elections-invs/index.html
U.S. lawmakers seek to protect election workers after Reuters investigation - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-seek-protect-election-workers-after-reuters-investigation-2021-09-10/
Voting think tank launches lawyer network to defend election officials - https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/08/voting-think-tank-launches-lawyer-network-defend-election-officials/5773412001/
Texas’s New Law Is The Climax Of A Record-Shattering Year For Voting Restrictions - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/texass-new-law-is-the-climax-of-a-record-shattering-year-for-voting-restrictions/
On Voting Rights, There Are No Moderates in the GOP - https://www.democracydocket.com/news/on-voting-rights-there-are-no-moderates-in-the-gop
Senate Democrats Offer A New Voting Bill, But A GOP Filibuster Likely Blocks The Way -https://www.npr.org/2021/09/14/1036812609/senate-democrats-offer-a-new-voting-bill-but-a-gop-filibuster-likely-blocks-the-
Revised Democratic voting bill drops controversial provisions, tweaks others as pressure for action mounts - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/revised-democratic-voting-bill-drops-controversial-provisions-tweaks-others-as-pressure-for-action-mounts/2021/09/14/6c59def8-150a-11ec-9589-31ac3173c2e5_story.html
Manchin lobbies McConnell on election reform bill - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/14/democrats-unveil-compromise-ethics-and-elections-reform-bill-511761
John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act needs our support - https://billingsgazette.com/opinion/columnists/guest-opinion-john-lewis-voting-rights-advancement-act-needs-our-support/article_41f380b9-f941-595c-8550-a17d7f17090f.html
6 things you should know about the 2021 Native American Voting Rights Act - https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-law-6-things-you-should-know-about-the-2021-native-american-voting-rights-act
Democrats revive filibuster fight over voting rights bill - https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/572299-democrats-revive-filibuster-fight-over-voting-rights-bill?rl=1
Sen. Alex Padilla says Democrats will have 'no choice' but to 'revisit' filibuster reform if the GOP blocks a voting-rights compromise bill - https://www.businessinsider.com/alex-padilla-voting-rights-compromise-for-the-people-act-filibuster-reform-2021-9
Al Sharpton calls on Biden to fight the filibuster: ‘If we can’t depend on you here, when can we?’ - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/10/al-sharpton-filibuster-voting-rights-joe-biden
Biden Tells Top Democrats He’s Preparing Lobbying Blitz on Filibuster Reform, Voting Rights - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/biden-filibuster-voting-rights-corruption-manchin-sinema-1224269/
Seven reasons to think Senate Democrats will actually change the filibuster - https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/09/13/filibuster-senate-voting-rights-democrats/
Redistricting Battles Kick Off in State Courts - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/10/redistricting-battles-kick-off-in-state-courts
'An insult to democracy': Ohio Republicans' redistricting plan panned soon after release - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/09/facing-redistricting-deadline-ohio-republicans-release-statehouse-map/5782315001/
Florida legislators resist calls for redistricting transparency - https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/15/florida-legislators-resist-calls-for-redistricting-transparency/
New York Will Soon Lose 1 House Seat. The G.O.P. Might Lose 5. - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/nyregion/congress-redistricting-ny.html
Democrats' House targets vanish as GOP redraws new maps - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/15/democrats-house-gop-maps-511868
Shelby County ruling could make it easier for states to get away with extreme racial gerrymandering - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/politics/redistricting-justice-department-voting-rights-act-preclearance/index.html
Don’t Judge a District by Its Shape - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/dont-judge-district-its-shape
Coalition urges Congress to 'stand up to pressure from corporate lobbyists' - https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/571482-coalition-urges-congress-to-stand-up-to-pressure-from-corporate-lobbyists?rl=1
Manchin Denies He Meets with Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Weekly But Says, ‘I Keep My Door Open for Everybody’ - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/manchin-lobbyists-aoc-1224321/
Gates Foundation Was Major Donor to Pro-Biden ‘Dark Money’ Network - https://readsludge.com/2021/09/14/gates-foundation-was-major-donor-to-pro-biden-dark-money-network/
Under G.O.P. Pressure, Tech Giants Are Empowered by Election Agency - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/us/politics/fec-twitter-hunter-biden.html
What Andrew Yang's new party means for American politics - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/andrew-yang-third-party
Want to vote on your phone? Election experts want to make it happen. - https://thefulcrum.us/voting/online-voting-2654956413
2021 Diversity Report shows progress … and a long way to go - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/bridge-alliance-diversity
Washington redistricting commission invites public to draw new legislative, congressional maps - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-redistricting-commission-invites-public-to-draw-new-legislative-congressional-maps