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Democracy Docket

@democracydocket.com

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Leading digital news and information platform covering voting rights, elections, and the courts — from an unapologetically pro-democracy standpoint. Newsletters: demdock.com/3T3Owjg Reporting: democracydocket.com Founded: @marcelias.bsky.social

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Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 2h

NEW: “The core belief of the MAGA movement is we won the 2020 election,” Steve Bannon said on CBS' Sunday Morning News show. The interview is the latest evidence that Bannon and MAGA are committed to sowing as much chaos as needed to subvert democracy and disrupt the midterms.

Steve Bannon on the GOP and the midterms: "We can't afford to lose"

A key figure in President Trump's 2016 campaign and a former White House adviser, Steve Bannon remains an outspoken champion of the MAGA movement, who believes a Republican victory in the midterms is…

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 2h

NEW: DHS told a court it would stop buying taxpayer-funded ads for Trump after getting sued three separate times. The administration is still fighting a court order to block the ads, and a hearing is set for Tuesday. demdock.com/4s5c3hm

democracydocket.com

Trump propaganda ads funded by taxpayers to stop, DHS says

DHS did not directly address the legality of the ads, instead arguing the plaintiffs lacked standing and evidence of injury or harm because they aren’t competing “in the same arena” with Trump.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 2h

⚠️ In a blow to mail voters, a Wisconsin judge won’t let people who fear Postal Service delays cast provisional ballots. With USPS pickup and delivery slowing significantly nationwide, voters whose ballots arrive too late could be disenfranchised through no fault of their own ⬇️

democracydocket.com

In blow to mail voters, Wisconsin judge won’t allow provisional ballots for people fearing Postal Service delays

Wisconsinites who vote by mail will effectively be disenfranchised if the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t deliver their ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 4h

NEW: This week a judge ruled that not only does DOJ have no right to state voter data, it also is barred from using data it's already received from states. Also, we obtained a trove of documents shedding light on how ICE is helping Trump hunt for noncitizen voters.

democracydocket.com

This week at Democracy Docket: Trump’s voter roll scheme hits a major roadblock, and ICE’s role in voting crackdown revealed

A federal judge’s ruling may have just thrown President Donald Trump’s scheme to assert control over state voter rolls into turmoil.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 5h

New Hampshire consistently has one of the largest college student populations per capita in the country. It also has some of the nation’s most restrictive voting laws — and students feel them most. Here’s what makes the Granite State so hostile to student voters: demdock.com/4zKPjWz

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 18h

It’s one of the biggest questions looming over the midterms: Will ICE send agents to the polls? Records ICE turned over get tantalizingly close to an answer — until that answer is ultimately redacted. Here’s what we do know: demdock.com/3TOpzsI

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 20h

Trump’s fixation on California isn’t just about mail-in voting, Marc Elias says. “California represents perhaps the greatest existential threat to Donald Trump in the midterm elections.” Want to know the full story? We’ll send it to your inbox for free: demdock.com/4rWJYbC

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 21h

NEW: Democrats may be changing how they vote because of Trump’s nonstop mail voting attacks. New data suggest they're requesting mail ballots at a lower rate and sending them in faster than in years past.

democracydocket.com

Democrats shift voting habits amid Trump war on mail ballots, data finds

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) said her state saw a steep decrease in absentee ballot requests immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily lifted a block against Trump’s…

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 22h

🏛️ After SCOTUS gutted the Voting Rights Act this year, Republicans launched an aggressive attack on Black voting power, write Carolyn Hugley and Lauren Groh-Wargo. The backlash points to a simple, undeniable fact: The South is America’s new political battleground ➡️ demdock.com/4ztr9zG

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

NEW: The RNC is rushing to defend restrictive mail ballot rules in North Carolina. The move comes after the state’s GOP-controlled election board took extraordinary steps to muscle the rules through in time for the midterms. demdock.com/4AUOziZ

RNC, state GOP rush to defend North Carolina's last-minute mail ballot restrictions

The rules would not have gone into effect for this election if the board had followed proper legislative procedure, Democrats say.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

NEW: The GOP is suing election officials in a key Michigan city, claiming they’re appointing more Democrats than Republicans as election inspectors. It's a sign that Republicans could seek to interfere with Michigan’s voting or counting process, as they did in 2020. demdock.com/3UkaTlp

democracydocket.com

Republicans sue for more poll watchers in key Michigan city

The effort could be a sign that the GOP plans to try to inject chaos into Michigan’s voting or counting process, as it did in 2020.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK? 🏛️ DOJ was sued over plans to deploy election monitors for midterms 🗳️ Election deniers asked the Trump admin to regulate voting machines 🚨 Documents revealed ICE amassed millions of voter records Get updates delivered straight to your inbox: demdock.com/4hRDqGK

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

🤔 New records show Missouri made Trump’s DOJ an unusual offer: an in-person look at its unredacted voter rolls. It's the clearest explanation yet for why Missouri escaped the wave of DOJ lawsuits against states that refused to hand over private voter data ⬇️

democracydocket.com

Missouri offered to let DOJ inspect its unredacted voter rolls

The records provide the clearest explanation yet for why Missouri escaped the wave of lawsuits the DOJ has filed against 30 states that rejected its demands for private voter files.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

Trump isn’t good at keeping secrets, Marc Elias says. “Donald Trump usually tells us exactly how he is going to try to subvert democracy.” Your vote is a target. Keep watch: demdock.com/3TOn1e8

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

📬 ICYMI: Republicans are pressing ahead with their effort to block a pro-voting policy in Georgia — just days before early voting begins. The RNC wants to restrict how voters turn in their mail-in ballots. And they want to do it in a county that is a major Democratic stronghold ⬇️

democracydocket.com

RNC renews bid to restrict mail ballot returns in major Georgia county

Republicans are pressing ahead with their effort to block the pro-voting policy just five days before early voting begins.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

Coverage like this doesn't happen without support from our readers. Subscribe for free or become a member to back our work directly: demdock.com/3T3Owjg

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 10/10/2026

🎉 WIN: The DOJ demanded unredacted voter rolls from 49 states and D.C., seeking sensitive information such as addresses and Social Security numbers. Now, a judge has ruled the department doesn’t have a right to any of it — even the data states handed over voluntarily: demdock.com/4hCYiCO

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

🎙️WE'RE LIVE: Less than a month before the midterms… 🚨Election deniers are begging Trump to seize voting machines 🚨A judge shut down the DOJ’s voter data hunt 🚨ICE won’t say if agents will show up at the polls Marc Elias breaks it down now: demdock.com/3TNhkxg

BREAKING: Election Deniers Beg Trump to HIJACK Voting Machines

YouTube video by Democracy Docket

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

‼️ Some of ICE’s election day plans are documented in a new Democracy Forward report, shared exclusively with Democracy Docket. DF says Americans are being left in the dark about what ICE plans to do as voters begin casting ballots. Here’s how they’re fighting back: demdock.com/4zhkjx0

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: Wisconsin Democrats sued the Trump administration for using $20 million in taxpayer funds to run TV ads seemingly created to boost GOP candidates in the midterms — an initiative the lawsuit argues is unlawful. The ads mark the administration's latest effort to unfairly influence the vote.

democracydocket.com

Trump’s taxpayer-funded propaganda ads draw third lawsuit

It’s the third lawsuit filed in response to the campaign-style ads, seemingly created to boost GOP candidates as the party registers historically low ratings.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

BREAKING: A federal judge allowed Republicans to defend North Carolina's last-minute restrictions on absentee voting, which could disqualify ballots over technicalities like an unsealed inner envelope. This comes as absentee voting for the midterms is already underway in the state.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

A judge just dealt a massive blow to the Trump administration's crusade for state voter rolls. This ruling goes far beyond the dozens of state-by-state cases and invalidates the program on a national level. Want to support the work we do? Subscribe to our newsletter: demdock.com/4s2VxOU

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: Election denier Tina Peters reportedly discussed a scheme to wrestle control of the midterms from the states with the White House. But the dubious plan, which involves sweeping changes to voting machines and hand counts of ballots, rests on a little-used regulation that covers...WiFi routers.

democracydocket.com

Election deniers say an obscure rule on Wi-Fi routers means Trump can decide how votes are counted. Here’s why they’re wrong

"The Commerce secretary doesn't have more power than the president. The president has zero power over elections in the United States.”

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: A judge slammed the Trump administration for corrupting what has long been the DOJ's "crown jewel" — its Civil Rights Division. The ruling, which blocked the department's sweeping hunt for state voter data, rebuked its invocation of laws meant to safeguard minority voting rights.

democracydocket.com

Judge rebukes Trump administration for perverting pro-voting mission of DOJ’s ‘crown jewel’

Sooknanan traced the Civil Rights Division’s history from its creation under President Dwight Eisenhower to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1957, calling it the DOJ’s “crown jewel.”

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

The judge ruled the department cannot legally share such data with DHS to run through a federal database to check registrants' citizenship status — even in states that voluntarily handed over their voter rolls. However, the 18 states that complied can still use the database at their own discretion.

democracydocket.com

Federal judge shuts down Trump DOJ’s nationwide voter roll crusade, even in states that cooperated

The ruling also reaches voter rolls that states voluntarily turned over. By vacating the policy itself, the court barred DOJ from continuing to use those already-obtained files as part of the nationwi...

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

🚨BREAKING: A judge ruled the DOJ's policy of collecting states' unredacted voter rolls and urging them to remove voters flagged as ineligible is illegal. "This policy...has left untold numbers of disenfranchised voters in its wake and inflicted injuries to the Plaintiffs' privacy," the court wrote.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: When Trump fired the independent commissioners of a key federal election agency in July, there was a resounding fear that the move would impact its critical election work before the midterms. Months later, the body has maintained much of its work to protect election security.

democracydocket.com

Despite Trump’s efforts to kneecap it, a key federal election agency is still at work

When President Donald Trump in July fired the independent commissioners responsible for assisting states with elections, experts feared the move would defang the federal agency. But since then, the U....

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: Like many states, Missouri initially refused to give the DOJ a copy of its voter rolls containing sensitive personal information. But records reveal the state's chief election official later proposed a compromise: allow federal officials to conduct an "in-person audit" of its voter records.

democracydocket.com

Missouri offered to let DOJ inspect its unredacted voter rolls

The records provide the clearest explanation yet for why Missouri escaped the wave of lawsuits the DOJ has filed against 30 states that rejected its demands for private voter files.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

The pro-voting group is asking the court to force ICE to produce those records and block the agency from withholding any further requested documents. ICE acknowledged the receipt of all of these requests, according to the lawsuit, but has provided “no correspondence” since the FOIAs were filed.

democracydocket.com

ICE sued for records of its plans for Election DayICE sued for records of its plans for Election Day

The lawsuit comes on the heels of a new report showing how the Department of Homeland Security has been laying the groundwork to exert control over voting.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

BREAKING: A pro-voting group is suing ICE for failing to respond to FOIA requests regarding the agency's increased involvement in investigating voter fraud. The lawsuit comes after the group had already submitted multiple FOIA requests seeking documents that disclose those efforts.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

NEW: This fall, some voters are being asked to decide the future of direct democracy in red states. Republican lawmakers have been trying to restrict that process to subvert the will of the people. But one voting advocate says fighting for direct democracy "is more important than ever."

democracydocket.com

In multiple red states, direct democracy is on the ballot this midterm

With early and mail voting underway, some voters are being decide the future of direct democracy in their states.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

In 2022, Vickie Marquardt (R) refused to certify New Mexico’s primary results. One county official refusing to certify won’t overturn an election on its own. But Marquardt is far from the only county official who has resisted certifying results in recent years ➡️ demdock.com/4ztaCf3

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

🪪 With less than a month until Election Day, New Hampshire voters still don’t have a clear answer on what IDs are acceptable for voting. The state wants to fully enforce its ban on using student IDs to vote — and students already face a variety of obstacles to casting their ballots ⬇️

democracydocket.com

New Hampshire asks appeals court to make sure students can’t use IDs to vote

The state’s appeal will likely create additional confusion for student voters in the Granite State, who already face a variety of obstacles to casting their ballots.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

🚙 Residents of Kentucky’s most populous county will be able to cast their ballot on Election Day without leaving their car. Drive-through voting is a win for voters with disabilities — and comes after the GOP-controlled state legislature passed new election restrictions: demdock.com/4znH3vg

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

Coverage like this doesn't happen without support from our readers. Subscribe for free or become a member to back our work directly: demdock.com/3T3Owjg

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

Trump has claimed that states are “merely an ‘agent’ for the federal government” and they must do what the president tells them. “Almost nothing in that statement is correct as a matter of law,” Marc Elias says. Keep an eye on the people trying to rewrite the rules: demdock.com/4rSKLdE

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

💙💙

Reposted by Democracy Docket

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Artificial Intelligence.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

Fewer than 400 noncitizens in New Jersey voted after a software error registered them through no fault of their own. New records show the Trump administration discussed how to deport them anyway. ➡️ demdock.com/4hNQKfb

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

🚨BREAKING: New Jersey voters sued Ocean County to stop a GOP-driven purge targeting Democratic and unaffiliated voters ahead of the midterms.

democracydocket.com

New Jersey voters sue after GOP officials target Democrats for removal ahead of midterms

In one particularly stark example cited in the complaint, a Democratic voter received a challenge letter while their Republican spouse, who lived in the same household, did not.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 09/10/2026

‼️ Trump’s taxpayer-funded ad campaign is part of an effort to improperly influence an ongoing election as Republicans struggle to keep control of Congress, according to a new DNC lawsuit. “Fundamentally, the ads undermine free and fair elections,” Democrats said: demdock.com/4yeugu6

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

In a loss for Wisconsin voters, a judge won’t let absentee voters cast a provisional ballot on Election Day if they’re worried USPS won’t deliver their mail ballot in time. Stay informed about what's happening to your vote with our free newsletters: demdock.com/474tc0V

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

🚨 An ICE detention took place this week in the same area California voters had to pass through to reach a ballot drop box. Voting rights groups are citing this instance and many others in court as they fight to keep armed federal agents away from the polls: demdock.com/4hPIZ8C

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

NEW: Republicans asked a Georgia court to stop Gwinnett County from allowing voters to hand-deliver mail-in ballots at early voting sites without drop boxes. The request comes a day after a state judge threw out its challenge to the county's expanded mail ballot return policy.

democracydocket.com

RNC renews bid to restrict mail ballot returns in major Georgia county

Republicans are pressing ahead with their effort to block the pro-voting policy just five days before early voting begins.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

In Wisconsin, all mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, with no grace period for mail delays. Read the full story:

democracydocket.com

In blow to mail voters, Wisconsin judge won’t allow provisional ballots for people fearing Postal Service delays

Wisconsinites who vote by mail will effectively be disenfranchised if the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t deliver their ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

LOSS: The full 8th Circuit declined to rehear Minnesota's defense of its law seeking to combat election misinformation, voter intimidation and harassment. The denial comes after a panel for the circuit ordered the lower court to block enforcement of the law.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

🚨BREAKING: In a loss for Wisconsin voters, a state court ruled to leave voters without an option to cast an in-person provisional ballot on Election Day if they are concerned their mail-in ballot may not arrive by the deadline.

democracydocket.com

🚨 League of Women Voters of Wisconsin et al v. Wisconsin Elections Commission et al

Learn more here.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

ICE has been showing up at and near polling places, and voting rights groups say it’s scaring naturalized citizens and immigrant families away from the polls. Help us keep eyes on the polls: demdock.com/3TR0Gga

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

NEW: When SCOTUS gutted the Voting Rights Act, Republicans across the South launched a campaign to erase Black voting power. But the region is changing — and Southern organizers and Democrats should see it as a chance to secure fair representation, @fairfightaction.bsky.social writes.

democracydocket.com

After GOP gerrymanders and the backlash they sparked, the South is the new battleground for voting rights

The year 2026 presents a major opportunity to elect a Democratic Congress that can restore voting rights protections and ban partisan gerrymandering.

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 08/10/2026

NEW: Voting for some Kentucky residents got easier after Jefferson County announced plans for a vote center with a drive-through option. “This initiative will expand accessibility for residents with disabilities who may struggle to vote at traditional polling locations,” the county clerk said.

democracydocket.com

Kentucky’s largest county offers drive-through voting for first time

Voting just got easier for residents of Kentucky’s most populous county, who for the first time will be able to cast their ballot on Election Day without leaving their car.