More than 200 business owners are calling on others to support federal reforms to strengthen election laws, after U.S. Senate Democrats were unable to change filibuster rules in order to pass sweeping voting-access legislation.

Luke Gran, CEO of Prudenterra, a land restoration company in central Iowa, said with Iowa taking steps last year to enact a host of voting restrictions, he worries about his clients and staff not having ample opportunities to cast a ballot. For his business to survive, Gran argued voters need access to the ballot box to demand things like incentives for restoration projects benefitting the state.

"The public can benefit immediately with better habitat quality, better water quality, and you know, more resilient natural areas for recreation and other enjoyment," Gran outlined.

The bill defeated in the Senate would have established minimum federal voting standards. It was a
response to dozens of bills passed in GOP-controlled states, including Iowa, which Democrats contended were designed to make it harder to vote.

Some Senate Republicans are now discussing launching a bipartisan effort to pass a smaller bill focused on safeguarding election results and protecting elected officials from harassment.

Thomas Oppel, executive vice president of the American Sustainable Business Network, said measures restricting access to the ballot can lead to an autocratic government favoring special interests and limiting entrepreneurship.

"If people don't have confidence in their government, you're going to end up with 'crony capitalism,'" Oppel asserted. "Where it's not about your ability to deliver a quality product or deliver a better price. It's about who you know, what connections you have, and how much corruption and graft you're willing to put up with."

In states where voting restrictions have been added, supporters cited the need to restore faith in the election system. They often pointed to false claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen, despite those claims being widely rejected by election authorities and the courts.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

It's July 4th, a celebration of the United States' independence. It's also an opportunity to take a look at the state of the country's democracy.

This is a midterm election year, but many are still focused on the 2020 election, which some have claimed - without evidence - was "stolen."

Alicia Abbott, a program outreach coordinator with the Idaho 97 Project, said one unfortunate side effect of rampant misinformation is that some voters have tuned out.

"We've let misinformation about election results and public health run amok," said Abbott. "And now, we are living in an era where people are very apathetic; they are overwhelmed with how much contention there is in the scorched-earth politics."

The Idaho 97 Project formed in 2020 in response to contentious public health meetings about COVID-19 in order to combat disinformation about the pandemic.

According to a recent Yahoo survey, nearly 60% of Americans think the U.S. is becoming a less democratic country.

Abbott said Idaho is no stranger to extremism. She said it's a bellwether for some of the extreme tactics, especially at local government meetings, that have spread across the country.

So, she said she's also convinced it can serve as model for how to push back against these anti-democratic forces.

"So, we all need to be very vigilant about recognizing dog whistles and conspiracy theories," said Abbott. "And really holding our elected officials accountable when they're repeating and forwarding disinformation."

As the congressional hearing on the January 6 insurrection continues, Abbott said she's been struck by the way election officials in some states were treated in 2020.

She said one thing Idahoans can do to help defend democracy is support these officials.

"Stand up for those public servants who are coming forward and ensuring that our political process is safe and secure," said Abbott. "We cannot continue to allow our public servants to be attacked the way they have been."

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

July 4th celebrates the founding of the United States' democracy - and some say it's time to recommit to defending that democracy.

In the wake of the "Big Lie" that the 2020 election was stolen, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, folks like Nancy Leifer - president of the League of Women Voters of Montana board of directors - concerned about the state of the country's representative government.

She said in Montana, there's also been talk that elections can't be trusted.

"There's absolutely nothing going on here that warrants that," said Leifer. "It's just this narrative that these folks have come up with who don't want to admit that the views that they have are not well supported by the majority of Americans."

Voter fraud is very rare in the United States. In January, two women who are citizens of the Philippines voted in a Montana election and were subsequently arrested.

Before that, the Heritage Foundation database of election fraud stretching back to 1979 shows just one conviction in Montana for fraudulent use of absentee ballots.

However, Leifer said the Montana Legislature passed a number of laws that restrict access to voting based on the false narrative of widespread election fraud.

That includes getting rid of same-day voter registration, which she said is especially important for Native American voters who may only be able to make one trip to the polls.

"The other I.D. law specifically targeted students," said Leifer, "who are unable to come up with the right I.D. information now because their student I.D. from the institution where they're studying is not sufficient."

Those two cases will head to the state Supreme Court before the November election.

Despite the limitations on voter access, Leifer said she has a deep faith in Montanans. She's convinced Montanans can like each other without having to agree on politics.

"That's been undermined by the extreme partisanship that's gone on lately," said Leifer. "And so, I would invite everyone to step back from their partisanship and to remember that we are here, and we are all friends and neighbors, and we will be moving forward together."

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

The nation still is dissecting revealing testimony from this week's committee hearing on the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. A top White House aide testified about former President Donald Trump's actions that day, most notably his desire to allow armed supporters at a rally before they stormed the complex.

One political expert acknowledged the latest developments might not move the needle in North Dakota but added voters should still be informed.

Mark Jendrysik, political science professor at the University of North Dakota, said it might not sway many voters in a conservative state, but he argued they should still be presented with details about how democracy was thrown into peril.

"Facts matter," Jendrysik contended. "People shouldn't be allowed to hide behind 'I don't remember' and 'That was a long time ago' or 'Why are you bringing up old stuff?' "

All members of North Dakota's Congressional delegation are Republican, and some have been critical of recent efforts to further examine last year's attack. Jendrysik noted it is not surprising given the polarization underscoring the fallout from the 2020 presidential election.

He suggests because of the magnitude of the attack, along with repeated false claims by some conservatives the election was stolen, voters and the media should not shy away from asking candidates in this year's vote about their views on the hearings.

"There is only one place to stand, and that is with the law and the Constitution," Jendrysik asserted. "You're not allowed to ignore things just because you think they're not going your way."

As for accountability, Jendrysik emphasized he does not think the hearings will result in criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. He believes "institutional fear" in Washington D.C. will be a factor as some decision-makers will try to avoid any further chaos.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.