Voting, Voting Rights, Voter Challenges, Elections, Election Rules & Election Fraud_1

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Federal appeals court deals a blow to Voting Rights Act A divided federal appeals court ruled that private individuals and groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People do not have the ability to sue under a key section of the act. Read more.

Why this matters The ruling found that only the U.S. attorney general can enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires political maps to include districts where minority populations’ preferred candidates can win elections.     Election law experts say most challenges seeking to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act are brought by private groups and that the Justice Department has limited resources to pursue such cases. This ruling applies only to federal courts covered by the 8th Circuit.   The decision contradicts decades of precedent and could further erode protections under the landmark 1965 law. It’s likely the case eventually will make it to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the issue was raised in a 2021 opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Related coverage ➤  Judge finds Voting Rights Act violation in North Dakota redistricting for two tribes Voices from the violent civil rights era see attacks on voting rights as part of ongoing struggle Supreme Court tossed out heart of Voting Rights Act a decade ago, prompting wave of new voting rules

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Black North Carolina residents sue over Senate redistricting plan

Two Black northeastern North Carolina residents are suing to invalidate the state Senate redistricting plan approved last month.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/11/21/black-north-carolina-residents-sue-over-senate-redistricting-plan/?

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? Young voter enthusiasm plummets

Data: Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios A poll out today offers a warning for presidential candidates hoping to tap into the youth vote in 2024: Just 49% of 18-29-year-olds "definitely" plan to vote for president in 2024, down from 57% who said the same in the fall of 2019, Axios' Erin Doherty writes from the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School poll. The 2020 turnout for Americans 18-29 is estimated at about 50%. Why it matters: Young voters have voted solidly Democratic in recent elections. Strong turnout in 2020 and 2022 contributed to Democratic wins. ? By the numbers: Younger Black Americans saw a sharp decline, with 38% saying they'll "definitely vote" next year, compared to 50% in 2019. Hispanic Americans also had a steep drop, with 40% saying they'll "definitely vote" in 2024, compared to 56% in 2019.

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FL Democrats won’t have a vote in presidential primary in ’24; what about voters in other states?

Unless a federal judge intervenes, registered Democratic Party voters in Florida won’t have a chance to vote for Joe Biden or any of his opponents for the Democratic presidential nomination next year — a development that may happen only in a few other states in 2024.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/12/11/fl-democrats-wont-have-a-vote-in-presidential-primary-in-24-what-about-voters-in-other-states/?

ps:Wow, just wow!! What are these trumplicans afraid of?????

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How a new way to vote is gaining traction in states — and could transform US politics

With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization, and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/12/18/how-a-new-way-to-vote-is-gaining-traction-in-states-and-could-transform-us-politics/?

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As social media guardrails fade and AI deepfakes go mainstream, experts warn of impact on elections

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly three years after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the false election conspiracy theories that drove the violent attack remain prevalent on social media and cable news: suitcases filled with ballots, late-night ballot dumps, dead people voting.

https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-misinformation-ai-social-media-trump-6119ee6f498db10603b3664e9ad3e87e?

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Americans sour on the primary election process and major political parties, an AP-NORC poll says With the GOP primary process just about to start, many Republicans aren’t certain that votes will be counted correctly in their presidential primary contest, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. This follows widespread pessimism about the future of both the Democratic and Republican parties, creating a lack of trust among U.S. adults overall. Read more.

Why this matters: Just one-third of Republicans say they have a “great deal” of confidence that Republican primary election votes will be counted correctly. In contrast, 72% of Democrats have high confidence their party will count votes accurately in primary contests.   Pessimism about the future of the Republican Party is felt by around half of U.S. adults, while 45% of U.S. adults are pessimistic about the future of the Democratic Party.   Republican skepticism comes after years of former President Donald Trump falsely blaming his 2020 loss on election fraud. Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted.

Related coverage ➤ Trump says he’s eager to debate Biden in 2024, even if controversial commission plans events ‘Uniquely horrible choice:’ Few US adults want a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024, an AP-NORC poll shows Missing 2020 poll tallies in Georgia don’t prove 20,713 votes never existed. Other records are available

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?️ Election officials see new threats

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Election officials see a growing list of security threats — foreign and domestic — ahead of the 2024 election. Why it matters: Among what is giving rise to fears are the potential for cyberattacks, and the possibility of equipment problems or human errors being amplified by activists trying to undermine the outcome, AP reports. New risks have developed since the 2020 election: Former President Trump and allies are making fraud claims a central part of their message. Election interference from Russia, China and Iran is likely, Microsoft said last month. Election offices are also facing a staffing shortage: The turmoil of the past several years has contributed to a wave of retirements and resignations. Go deeper: Read Microsoft's report.

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? Welcome to the generative AI election era

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Around 1 billion voters will head to polls all over the world this year, while wily campaigns and underfunded election officials will face pressure to use AI for efficiency. Why it matters: Conditions are ripe for bad actors to use generative AI to amplify efforts to suppress votes, libel candidates and incite violence, Axios global tech correspondent Ryan Heath writes. ? Zoom out: This year, more people will vote than any other year between 2004 and 2048. It's the first time in 60 years that the U.S. and U.K. are voting for new leadership in the same year, and the first time since 2004 that the U.S. and EU will. Several U.S. states have passed legislation banning or requiring disclosure of political deepfakes, including California, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Washington. Legislation is being considered in New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Kentucky. Arizona election officials conducted a two-day exercise in December, designed to help them spot and respond to deepfake videos.

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?️ Stunning stat

Screenshot: CBS News Half of America believes there will be violence from the losing side in future U.S. elections, according to a new CBS News poll. ps:I wonder why that is?? We've never had this problem until 2016!!!!!

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Kamala Harris warns of attack on voting rights during speech to black women

Vice President Kamala Harris raised a red flag on the attack on voting rights during her latest public appearance in South Carolina .

https://local.newsbreak.com/south-carolina-state/3289790516459-kamala-harris-warns-of-attack-on-voting-rights-during-speech-to-black-women?

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Is Georgia’s election system constitutional? A federal judge will decide in an upcoming trial

ATLANTA (AP) — Election integrity activists want a federal judge to order Georgia to stop using its current election system, saying it’s vulnerable to attack and has operational issues that could cost voters their right to cast a vote and have it accurately counted.

https://apnews.com/article/georgia-voting-machines-lawsuit-trial-dominion-260ef8035b9fc520f38e0ac9a1f2ec88?

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? OpenAI's election plan

Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios

ChatGPT maker OpenAI says it's rolling out new policies and tools meant to combat misinformation and abuse ahead of high-stakes elections worldwide this year, Axios' Sara Fischer writes. ?️ Election-related changes include: Adding digital credentials to AI-generated images that make it easier to tell where it came from. Experimenting with a tool that can detect pictures made by DALL-E, OpenAI's image-generation tool. Directing ChatGPT users to CanIVote.org for authoritative information on U.S. elections. Keep reading ...

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VP Kamala Harris tells voters to continue MLK’s fight at the ballot box

COLUMBIA — Vice President Kamala Harris told a crowd gathered outside the Statehouse that the freedoms Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for six decades ago are under attack, and voters must fight back at the ballot box.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/01/15/vp-kamala-harris-tells-voters-to-continue-mlks-fight-at-the-ballot-box/?

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? One voter registration tip to go

Get civical by filling out this form. Photo: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Texans have two weeks to register to vote in time to cast ballots in March's primary. Why it matters: The March primary will determine the Republican and Democratic candidates for federal, state and county offices. How it works: Check whether you're already registered and that your information is up to date before it's too late. If not, you can fill out a voter registration form online. Yes, but: The form must be printed and mailed to your local elections office. You can also register to vote when getting your driver's license. Of note: Address changes can be completed here. What's next: Early voting takes place Feb. 20 to March 1. Election Day is March 5.

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1 million fewer active Florida voters is not a conspiracy, but it’s still bad news for Democrats

Florida saw a massive decline in active voters last year, with Democrats enduring the biggest drop as they attempt to bounce back from a landslide defeat in 2022.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/01/26/1-million-drop-in-active-florida-voters-not-a-conspiracy-but-its-still-bad-news-for-democrats/?

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The Plan To Take Out Voting Rights

After years of being whittled away by federal judges, the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting, unexpectedly survived an existential threat in 2023 when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld what’s left of the landmark 1965 civil rights law while striking down Alabama’s congressional map.

https://www.levernews.com/the-plan-to-take-out-voting-rights/?

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Hundreds of nonprofit newsrooms will get free US election results and graphics from the AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The Associated Press is making some of its U.S. elections data available for free to more than 400 nonprofit news organizations in a program funded by the Google News Initiative, the company said on Wednesday.

https://apnews.com/article/ap-election-results-nonprofit-news-91a636c59a8e63be7c23772ac0f5df27?

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Michigan swing voters swing back

The Hur report is already perking up the ears of some Michigan swing voters, Axios' Eugene Scott reports from our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups.

Why it matters: "Robert Hur's report reinforced Michigan swing voters' long-held concerns about President Biden's physical condition and mental acuity," said Rich Thau, president of Engagious.

• 11 of the focus group's 14 participants, all of whom voted for Trump in 2016 and then Biden in 2020, believe Biden should step aside for another Democratic candidate.

A focus group isn't a statistically significant sample like a poll, but the responses show how some voters are thinking and talking about current events.

• Go deeper.

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Florida election bill targets drop boxes again, brings back primary runoffs

The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature has unveiled another election bill that would further restrict where voters can drop off mail-in ballots and also force party primary candidates into runoffs if they don’t get more than 50% of the vote.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/02/20/florida-election-bill-targets-drop-boxes-again-brings-back-primary-runoffs/?

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Election officials in the US face daunting challenges in 2024. And Congress isn't coming to help A long list of challenges plague election offices, including potential cyberattacks by foreign governments, criminal ransomware gangs and misinformation that leads to harassment. But Congress has yet to allocate federal money to help cover the costs of securing systems and training staff. Read more.

Why this matters: The last chunk of election-related funding was $75 million approved by Congress in December 2022.   Recent federal budget negotiations have been mired in partisan disputes, leaving congress only able to approve temporary funding plans.   House Republicans last year listed election security grants as “wasteful spending” and did not allocate money for it in their spending proposal.

Related coverage ➤ Security experts warn of foreign cyber threat to 2024 voting Efforts to deceive are a top concern among state election officials heading into 2024 Election workers who face frequent harassment see accountability in the latest Georgia charges

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1 accessible thing: Curbside voting

A person votes in a car today at the Richland County elections office in Columbia, South Carolina, in the Republican primary. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

On the last day of early voting in South Carolina, curbside voting was one way to cast a ballot. The state allows people who can't stand in line because of age or disability — or who can't access the polling place — to vote from their cars.

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Thousands of South Florida voters switching parties ahead of presidential primary

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A large number of former South Florida Democrats are set to have a say in the race between former President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley.

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/02/26/thousands-of-south-florida-voters-switching-parties-ahead-of-presidential-primary/

ps:I can't vote until the generals take place, since I'm an independent, where a republican can vote for a democrat and a democrat can vote for a republican, and an independent can vote for whoever they want. I personally will no longer be voting for republicans that are trumplicans period!!

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Primary apathy in Michigan: Democrats, GOP struggle as supporters mull whether to even vote

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Rev. Steve Bland Jr. remembers the massive get-out-the-vote effort he helped mobilize four years ago, when pastors and community leaders spread out across Detroit neighborhoods, made phone calls and worked around the clock to encourage people to vote.

https://apnews.com/article/michigan-primary-apathy-voters-a92790de4fd55639a55ea0f18af988c6?

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Republicans Hatched a Secret Assault on the Voting Rights Act in Washington State

Republican Paul Graves’ work was about to come undone. In the hours of Nov. 15, 2021, he and his fellow Republican on Washington state’s independent redistricting commission had finally prevailed on their Democratic counterparts to agree to the maps voters would use in the upcoming election.

https://www.propublica.org/article/republicans-hatched-secret-assault-voting-rights-act-washington-state?