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What Unions Are Doing to Protect American Democracy

Steven Greenhouse

May 06, 2022 |

The New Republic |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Arizona

Unite Here, a 300,000-member labor union of hotel and restaurant workers, has organized mass protests to pass voting rights legislation. In 2020 they ran a huge door-knocking operation with 500 full-time paid canvassers. The weekly salary helped canvassers, many of whom were hotel workers that lost their jobs due to the pandemic. And the well-organized ground campaign that encouraged over 48,000 infrequent voters in Arizona to vote for Biden, likely helped push Biden to a narrow and surprising victory in that state.

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Moving Mississippi beyond Jim Crow one voter at a time

Anoa Changa

April 29, 2022 |

Scalawag |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Mississippi

Mississippi Votes has engaged tens of thousands of young voters as well as those who have not historically participated in the electoral process. The organization boosted their digital presence to reach younger voters, engaged people as young as 16 in different capacities, and has several paid fellowships to engage youth more intensively in conducting voter outreach, education, and registration. The organization has registered over 30,000 new voters since 2018.

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Giving a Voice to All Americans

Simone Leeper

April 21, 2022 |

Democracy Decoded |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Washington D.C.'s Fair Elections program provides a lump sum grant to candidates who reach a certain threshold of small-donor support, and those who qualify can then raise matching funds from the community that are matched with public funds at a rate of 5:1. The program has contributed to a more diverse candidate pool for local races and increased the number of small donors across the city, with the biggest increase in small donations coming from D.C.'s low-income zip codes.

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In French Presidential Election, Thousands More Vote from Prison

Cole Stangler

April 21, 2022 |

Bolts |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France

Outside pressure and legal reforms made it easier for people who are incarcerated to vote. The small nonprofit, Robin des Lois, fought to install regular voting booths in prisons, just like any other precinct. After a long public and legal battle, French legislators approved measures allowing in-person voting in prisons, which significantly increased voter turnout.

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Jailed for a crime she didn't commit, Dreama Caldwell is now taking on the system

Jaisal Noor

April 20, 2022 |

The Real News Network |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Alamance County, North Carolina

Community organizers are leading grassroots efforts for racial and economic justice in North Carolina. Dreama Caldwell is working with the Down Home North Carolina group to engage with local residents, participate in political races, counteract misinformation, and build “a political platform that emphasizes multiracial and cross-class solidarity.”

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How independent map-drawing commissions are transforming redistricting

Frances Nguyen

April 19, 2022 |

Prism |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Many states are trying independent redistricting commissions to take politics out of the process and draw fair maps. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has a rigorous process to select its 14 members and holds all commission deliberations during public hearings with lots of time for public comment built into the process. The state’s new election maps were unanimously approved and about one third of the new districts are Latino-majority.

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Without the protections of the Voting Rights Act, many look to state solutions

Frances Nguyen

April 18, 2022 |

Prism |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Virginia

Virginia’s VRA protects voters from suppression, discrimination, and intimidation and has effectively stopped racial gerrymandering and intimidation. Its pro-voting measures include requiring materials in multiple languages, the provision of accessibility accommodations, and requiring public review of any local level voting changes. The legislation also creates a pathway for Virginians to bring civil lawsuits if a procedure negatively impacts economically disadvantaged communities or communities of color.

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Shiny new ballots: Record number of states eyeing ranked-choice voting

Amanda Pampuro

March 25, 2022 |

Courthouse News Service |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Alaska

More states and cities are adopting ranked-choice voting system, which are said to be friendlier and more inclusive. In a ranked-choice system, voters rank multiple candidates in order of preference and a winner must get over 50% of the votes. This often occurs by being a voter’s second choice, so many argue there is less political vitriol since, rather than ignoring voters committed to other candidates, politicians must appeal to them as at least their second choice. Data in the six California cities that use the system show slight increases in the number of women and people of color running for office.

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Democracy Comes to Michigan

David Byrne

March 21, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

A grassroots campaign ended gerrymandering in Michigan by passing an initiative requiring districts be drawn by citizen-commissions rather than politicians. The all-volunteer campaign went door-to-door collecting enough signatures to get the initiative on the ballot and used creative voter-engagement techniques to sustain the support. Once the ballot initiative passed, 9,300 people applied for the first commission. A third-party firm ultimately selected four Democrats, four Republicans, and five non-partisan people as commissioners, who worked together very well to redraw districts.

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Good Talk

Jennifer Miller

March 16, 2022 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania created a Civil Dialogue Seminar to teach students how to communicate across political divides. The seminar, which is part of a growing civil dialogue movement taking place among Gen Z, includes social psychology curriculum to help students navigate difficult conversations with people they disagree with. Students participate in the Red and Blue Exchange, small group conversations about controversial topics, where they practice having conversations about issues that elicit strong responses. Students also investigate their own emotional responses with weekly journal reflections.

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