Defending Democracy with Marc Elias

On Thursday, June 8, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in Allen v. Milligan that leaves Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact and, in a landmark win for voters, struck down the state’s congressional map. Marc and Paige are joined by Abha Khanna, one of the attorneys who argued the case before the Supreme Court, to break down what the decision means for voters, why it is a victory fo...

Ohio Republicans are taking a sledgehammer to democracy. In their latest act, the Ohio GOP has passed a proposal to make it more difficult for voters to amend their own state constitution by increasing the threshold for state constitutional amendments to pass, despite overwhelming public opposition. To make matters worse — they’re pushing an allegedly illegal August election to ram through the pro...

Marc sits down with former U.S. Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) to discuss the Congressman’s experience in the U.S. House, the future of federal voting rights legislation, New York’s antiquated voting laws and what’s next for Mondaire Jones. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@democracydocket.com. Shop our new merch!  Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Subscribe to our free...

Voter registration in the U.S. is out of date and in desperate need of an update. Marc Elias sits down with Andrea Hailey of Vote.org — the nation’s largest nonpartisan digital voter engagement organization — to discuss voter registration, the outdated voter technology in America and legislation targeting how and when people can register to vote. For a transcript of this episode, please email tran...

The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to issue rulings in two major elections cases — Moore v. Harper and Allen v. Milligan — in the next few months. In this episode, Marc and Paige discuss the potential ways the Supreme Court could decide these cases and how each ruling would impact democracy. However the Court decides to rule will impact the voting rights of millions of Americans across the country. ...

Youth voters are making a difference in elections across the country. Instead of celebrating this increased turnout or Instead of changing its policies to win young voters' trust and support, Republicans would rather enact laws that suppress them from voting. Marc and Paige discuss the latest Republican attacks on the youth vote. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@democ...

After years of extreme gerrymandering and suppressive voting laws to block opposition, Republican-led states are now enacting laws explicitly targeting their Democratic-leaning cities and counties — particularly in how they conduct elections. In states like Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and North Carolina, GOP lawmakers are determined to strip power away from the states’ bluest areas. ...

From attempts to overturn election results to county officials refusing to certify vote totals and Republicans’ continued attacks on mail-in voting, Pennsylvania has seen its fair share of election drama over the past few years. Marc sat down with U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D) of Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District to discuss recent election issues in the Keystone State and how they highlig...

Wisconsin has long been an important swing state for presidential elections, but it has grown into a major battleground in the fight for democracy. All eyes are on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race that will determine decisions related to gerrymandering, abortion access and the 2024 presidential election. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler joins to discuss what’s at stake in the April 4 el...

Civil and voting rights groups have long challenged voter suppression laws and unfair maps in court using federal voting rights protections. But the conservative legal movement is now arguing that individuals and groups cannot bring these lawsuits — only the U.S. Department of Justice can — proposing that there is no private right of action in crucial federal voting laws. If courts endorse this co...

In 1876, North Carolina added a felony disenfranchisement provision to its state constitution with the express purpose of disenfranchising Black voters. The provision remains in place today and is being challenged in Community Success Initiative v. Moore . The outcome of the case is currently pending before the North Carolina Supreme Court and will determine if individuals on probation, parole or...

Mississippi passed a bill to create an unelected court system in Jackson, a city with a Black population of over 80%, with judges appointed entirely by white state officials. Unfortunately, the proposed court system is just the tip of the iceberg in a state with a long history of undermining Black political power. We’re joined by Arekia Bennett-Scott, the executive director of Mississippi Votes an...

There are 17 states where Democrats control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature. These so-called “trifectas” should use their power to pass robust legislation to protect the right to vote in their states. Marc and Paige discuss five voting laws that all blue states should pass this year. Make sure you’re following us on all platforms: Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok...

The U.S. Supreme Court is already poised to issue decisions in two major elections cases that could fundamentally alter American democracy, but there are more voting rights cases coming its way. Marc and Paige discuss what’s next on the Supreme Court’s docket and what’s at stake. Make sure you’re following us on all platforms: Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Subscribe to our free newsletter...

A major voter intimidation case out of Georgia went to court this week. Fair Fight Action sued True the Vote, a Texas-based, right-wing "election integrity" group, for illegally intimidating voters after the group challenged the voter eligibility of over 364,000 Georgians in the run-up to the 2021 Senate runoff elections. Marc and Paige break down how voter challenges like these work and their imp...

Update: On Feb. 3, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court agreed to rehear both cases. Find out more here. North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature wants the newly red state Supreme Court to rehear two major voting rights cases that they lost last term. Marc and Paige discuss how this is just North Carolina Republicans' latest scheme in its long history of undermining free and fair elect...

On the 13th anniversary of Citizens United and the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we’re joined by special guest Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to discuss issues facing the judiciary and the network of anti-democratic forces influencing our courts. Make sure you’re following us on all platforms. Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Subscribe to our free newsletters | Support our work Related...

Marc and Paige discuss what they expect during upcoming legislative sessions and our new litigation report, with a side of Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) shenanigans. Make sure you’re following us on all platforms. Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Mastodon Subscribe to our free newsletters | Support our work Related links: Alert: New York Senate Passes Bill Removing Line-Warming Ban Alert: Proo...

In a bonus episode of Defending Democracy, Marc and Paige discuss Ohio’s new voter suppression law, exactly what it does, why it’s so harmful to voters and the lawsuit already filed challenging it. Send us a question via voice message! Make sure you’re following us on all platforms. Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Mastodon Subscribe to our free newsletters | Support our work Related links:...

On the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, House Republicans still can’t elect a Speaker, a federal court issued a victory for voters in South Carolina and we’re gearing up for a new wave of redistricting litigation in 2023. Send us a question via voice message! Make sure you’re following us on all platforms. Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Mastodon Subscribe to our free newslett...

In an impromptu episode, Marc and Paige discuss the status of the five Republican election contests in Arizona and Kari Lake's trial. Plus, get Marc’s thoughts on Congress passing the Electoral Count Reform Act in the omnibus spending bill. Send us a question via voice message! Make sure you’re following us on all platforms: Twitter Post Facebook Instagram TikTok Mastodon Subscribe to our free new...

In the last episode of Defending Democracy of 2022 — and the first episode via podcast — Marc and Paige talk about election challenges in Arizona, how oral argument in Moore v. Harper went, the future of Georgia runoff elections and what to expect in 2023.