Democracy Happy Hour – September 22, 2021

Democracy Happy Hour, September 22, 2021 - Meeting Recordings & Chat:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/fy7BHeUOUnnKWN9z7Pn1DCV0DA3KH-ocPLmh6njv1FdaDdc_hXmBysaoXM7x9ZlaPjBVU_xZ2HNCiegw.KgjC-IyMMi8xLXzL

• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/dc0Ln02siDDEngDlPrRMd69k3lJ9pGNazDxQYCiQtXz8KKYQKrzptMrNAiVM9gR8FHOcuf0bnD1x0sEc.i9yHxuJ4tJ4c4qZA

• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/9FoO4CHSAowl4wQjq2WodPKP0RMoFKrv27cEiFYbyS1_H80vs6aFaAahAuVUtFGrI5KOh1TeUNo4l1lE.KEBAjxOAOIAtDvWw
  

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

DONATE:

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate
• YO VOTE! - https://www.yo-vote.org/donate
• Donate $35 or more & receive a FREE copy of “Democracy Vouchers” by Tom Latkowski - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate/book-fundraiser

Upcoming Democracy Happy Hour topics:

• Sept 29th - Extremism in the U.S. – What, When & How
• Oct 6th - Gender & Racial Parity in Political Participation – Why does it matter?

WA Redistricting:

• Redistricting Justice for WA - https://www.redistrictingjusticewa.org/

• Pledge to Support Community-Led WA Redistricting Maps - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjS_COUv7ekwXIShQ0-lvrWD2ZMU5k4Z-0lVkFsmok6LzFHw/viewform

• WA State Redistricting Commission - https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/

• Proposed Legislative District Maps Released by the commission - https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/commissioner-proposed-maps

Testify at upcoming hearings:

• Tuesday, October 5 (7 p.m.) – Statewide Virtual Public Outreach Meeting to receive feedback on state legislative map proposals.
• Saturday, October 9 (10 a.m.) - Statewide Virtual Public Outreach Meeting to receive feedback on congressional map proposals.

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:

• Tuesday, September 21 – Commissioners released their proposed state legislative district map. - https://washington.mydistricting.com/legdistricting/comments/plan/1182/15
• Tuesday, September 28 – Commissioners will each release their proposed congressional district map.
• Friday, October 22 – Deadline to ensure full consideration of third-party map submissions by the Commission.
• Monday, November 15 (11:59 p.m.) – Deadline for Commission to submit final maps to the Legislature.

TAKE ACTION for VOTING RIGHTS – Please do one or more of these actions:

• Call your Senators: 1.888.453.3211 - Tell them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Freedom to Vote Act & Washington, D.C. Admission Act, , plus address the filibuster.
• Call the White House: 1.888.724.8746 - Tell the President to use his power to push the Senate to pass these bills, plus address the filibuster. (The comment line is open Tues-Thurs, 8 am – 12 pm PT.)
• Mobilizing for the Freedom to Vote Movement Call w. Dolores Huerta – Sept. 23rd @ 4 pm PT - https://www.mobilize.us/dfadcoalition/event/416329/
• Declaration for American Democracy - Take Action: dfadcoalition.org/takeaction
• Freedom to Vote Act Phonebank with Common Cause - https://www.mobilize.us/commoncause/event/376178/
• Represent Us National Phone Banks: vol.represent.us/a/events-calendar?date_start=08-24-21&date_end=10-23-21
• Sign the petition: Urge the Senate to pass John Lewis VRAA @ bit.ly/38qI0Zg
• Tell Senate Democrats: Reform the Jim Crow Filibuster - https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/Jim-Crow-Filibuster/

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

Democracy in the News Links:

Trump Campaign Knew Lawyers’ Voting Machine Claims Were Baseless, Memo Shows - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/us/politics/trump-dominion-voting.html

Memo shows Trump lawyer's six-step plan for Pence to overturn the election - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/politics/trump-pence-election-memo/index.html

Georgia criminal probe into Trump's attempts to overturn 2020 election quietly moves forward - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/17/politics/georgia-probe-trump-election/index.html

Not much happened at the “Justice for J6” rally. But the far right’s focus is elsewhere. - https://www.vox.com/2021/9/19/22682438/trump-justice-for-j6-rally-far-right-elections

Pennsylvania GOP lawmakers approve wide-ranging subpoenas for personal information of 2020 voters - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/15/pennsylvania-gop-election-probe-subpoena-trump/

Fact check: No evidence 'lost votes' or 'ghost votes' affected Arizona's election outcome - https://sports.yahoo.com/fact-check-no-evidence-lost-194031345.html

Maricopa County and Arizona GOP-led Senate reach agreement after months of partisan sparring over 2020 ballots - https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/18/politics/maricopa-county-state-senate-agreement/index.html

Trump won these counties big. His supporters question the results there, too. - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-won-these-counties-big-his-supporters-question-results-there-n1278653

Nevada GOP Senate candidate threatens election lawsuits — 14 months before anybody votes -https://www.salon.com/2021/09/21/nevada-senate-candidate-threatens--14-months-before-anybody-votes/

‘It’s spreading’: Phony election fraud conspiracies infect midterms - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/20/election-fraud-conspiracies-infect-midterms-512783

Some Republicans Fear Tighter Election Rules Could Boomerang on the Party - https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-republicans-fear-tighter-election-rules-could-boomerang-on-the-party-11631977200

Special Report: Backers of Trump's false fraud claims seek to control next elections - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/backers-trumps-false-fraud-claims-seek-control-next-us-elections-2021-09-22/

Disinformation May Be the New Normal, Election Officials Fear - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/21/disinformation-may-be-the-new-normal-election-officials-fear

Harassed and Harangued, Poll Workers Now Have a New Form of Defense - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/18/us/election-workers-legal-aid.html

The Election-Reform Bill That Might Just Save Our Democracy - https://www.thebulwark.com/the-election-reform-bill-that-might-just-save-our-democracy/

S.2747 - Freedom to Vote Act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2747

The Freedom to Vote Act - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/freedom-vote-act

A Comprehensive Look at the Freedom To Vote Act - https://campaignlegal.org/update/comprehensive-look-freedom-vote-act

Freedom to Vote – Key Findings - Policies in the Freedom to Vote Act have widespread support. - https://ecuactionfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Freedom-to-Vote-Poll-SEPT-2021-1.pdf

Democrats' 'bold' new attempt at bipartisan voting rights reform is failing to win over Manchin's GOP allies - https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-voting-rights-efforts-foreshadow-future-partisan-breakdowns-2021-9

Why Did Senate Democrats Strip Ethics Reform From Their Voting Rights Bill? - https://newrepublic.com/article/163684/ethics-reform-voting-rights-manchin

Bipartisan Groups Urge Congress to Curb Executive Branch Power - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-22/bipartisan-groups-urge-congress-to-curb-executive-branch-power

The Protecting Our Democracy Act - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D_ADSBqrV5eFcfnts3c8XELLt0xfFwvIT_c-FIpAKw8/edit

Tennessee attorney general joins opposition to John Lewis Voting Rights Act - https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/15/tennessee-attorney-general-slatery-opposes-john-lewis-voting-rights-act/8350136002/

N.C. Judges Strike Down A Voter ID Law They Say Discriminates Against Black Voters - https://www.npr.org/2021/09/17/1038354159/n-c-judges-strike-down-a-voter-id-law-they-say-discriminates-against-black-voter

CLC Wins State Voting Rights Act Case in Historic Settlement - https://campaignlegal.org/update/clc-wins-state-voting-rights-act-case-historic-settlement

In a changing Texas, Republicans will begin redistricting with more freedom to draw their maps - https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/17/texas-redistricting-preclearance/

Indiana Redistricting Plan Criticized as Aiding Republicans - https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana/articles/2021-09-16/indiana-redistricting-plan-criticized-as-aiding-republicans

Newly approved Ohio district map 'falls far below what's considered to be fair,' lawsuit likely - https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/15/ohio-redistricting-commission-faces-wednesday-deadline-statehouse-maps/8331768002/

NCGOP vows transparency as redistricting process kicks into gear - https://abc11.com/north-carolina-redistricting-nc-gerrymandering-what-is/11022828/

2 Parties, 2 Maps: Democrats and Republicans Squabble on Redistricting - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/nyregion/redistricting-maps-ny.html

Oregon legislature on the brink as Democrats push gerrymandered maps - https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/573264-oregon-legislature-on-the-brink-as-democrats-push-gerrymandered-maps?rl=1

Slicing up Liberal Cities Becomes Go-To Redistricting Strategy - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/09/22/slicing-up-liberal-cities-becomes-go-to-redistricting-strategy

Feds Have Lots of Questions About These GOP Donations - https://www.thedailybeast.com/spike-in-gop-small-dollar-donations-draws-federal-scrutiny

This Powerful Democrat Linked to Fossil Fuels Will Craft the U.S. Climate Plan - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/19/climate/manchin-climate-biden.html

How Accounting Giants Craft Favorable Tax Rules From Inside Government - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/19/business/accounting-firms-tax-loopholes-government.html

Public Campaign Funding Gains Steam to Counter Big Donors’ Sway - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-16/u-s-elections-public-campaign-funding-catches-on-in-cities-states

Justice Dept. Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Roe v. Wade - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/us/politics/justice-department-mississippi-abortion.html

Reversing precedent is rare, but the Supreme Court may do it on abortion - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/supreme-court-abortion

Supreme Court job approval sinks to all-time low, poll shows - https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/572471-supreme-court-job-approval-sinks-to-all-time-low-poll-shows?rl=1

Facebook’s algorithms fueled foreign propaganda campaigns in 2020. Here’s how algorithms can manipulate you. - https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/Media/facebook-algorithm

Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before 2020 election, internal report shows - https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/16/1035851/facebook-troll-farms-report-us-2020-election/

Facebook keeps researching its own harms — and burying the findings - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/16/facebook-files-internal-research-harms/

How Social Media Companies Intensify U.S. Political Polarization - https://www.smerconish.com/exclusive-content/how-social-media-companies-intensify-us-political-polarization

National Institute foe Civil Discourse - https://nicd.arizona.edu/

Living Room Conversations - https://livingroomconversations.org/

Citizen University - https://citizenuniversity.us/

CIVICS SECURES DEMOCRACY ACT – Toolkit - https://sites.google.com/icivics.org/supportcivics

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Election Audits – What are the best options? Links:

Center for Tech & Civic Life – Post-Election Audits – VIDEOS - https://www.techandciviclife.org/course/post-election-audits/

Post-Election Audits – National Conference of State Legislatures - https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/post-election-audits635926066.aspx

Post-Election Audits – Verified Voting - https://verifiedvoting.org/audits/

POST ELECTION: AUDITS & RECOUNTS - https://www.eac.gov/election-officials/post-election-audits-recounts

Risk-Limiting Audit Methods - https://verifiedvoting.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RLA-Methods.pdf

Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Tabulation Audits - https://electionaudits.org/files/Audit%20Principles%20and%20Best%20Practices%202018.pdf

MEANINGFUL ELECTION AUDITS - https://www.electiondefense.org/election-audits

NASS Task Force on Vote Verification­ – Post-Election Audit Report - https://www.nass.org/member-resources/nass-task-force-vote-verification-report

US Justice Department Warns States Over Post-Election Audits - https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-justice-department-warns-states-over-post-election-audits/6208863.htm