Civil Rights / Public News Service

A January ruling from the Waukesha County Circuit Court held nearly all ballot drop boxes are illegal, with a narrow carve-out for boxes at clerks's offices and in other specific scenarios. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Advocates Call on WI Supreme Court to 'Unlock the Drop Boxes'

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will soon hand down a decision on whether absentee ballot drop boxes are permitted under state law. Ahead of that …

In addition to legislative seats, North Dakota will see Native American candidates running for county-level seats and school boards this year. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Building Access for ND's Tribal Voters Focuses on Communication, Data

Ahead of North Dakota's June 14 primary, a civic engagement group is crunching numbers and maintaining talks with county and state election leaders …

The original 1972 petition in Ms. Magazine had 53 signatures, but when it was run again later in the year, it garnered more than 1,400. (Ms. Magazine)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Ms. Magazine Relaunches 1972 'We Have Had Abortions' Petition

This story was produced by Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Florida News Connection/Public News Service The leaked draft …

"Justice for Freddie", photograph by Arturo Holmes, May 1, 2015. (Maryland Center for
History and Culture, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Preserve the Baltimore Uprising)

Maryland Art Exhibit Connects Past, Present in Fight for Civil Rights

A new museum exhibition in Baltimore opening to the public today aims to tell the story of Maryland's fight for civil rights, both in the past and …

Buffalo residents gathered at Macedonia Baptist Church on Sunday for a vigil in honor of the victims of the mass shooting at Tops supermarket on Saturday. (Darren McGee/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul)

Buffalo Reeling After 10 Killed in Racist Attack at Supermarket

Buffalo residents are grieving after a shooter killed 10 community members on Saturday in an anti-Black attack, apparently fueled by racist white …

So far, a ballot signature campaign led by Christa Eggers to legalize medical cannabis has reached Nebraska's 5%-of-voters threshold in four of the required 38 counties. (Rebecca Gratz)

Ballot Initiative Requirements Challenged as Unconstitutional

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Nebraska's requirements for voter-led initiatives …

A permanent absentee voter would reduce the paperwork needed to vote by mail. (Adobe Stock)

Measure Aims to Streamline Absentee Voting in Ohio

There's a new effort at the statehouse to make it easier for Ohioans to vote by mail by creating a permanent absentee voter list. To vote absentee …

On Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump protestors tried to maintain control by attacking the rule of law, separation of powers and fair elections. (Wikimedia Commons)

Experts Sound Alarm on Rise of Authoritarianism in U.S., Globally

This story was produced with original reporting from Zoe Marks and Eric Chenoweth for Ms. MagazineBroadcast version by Lily Böhlke for …

Pennsylvania's Act 77 established no-excuse voting by mail in 2019. Since the 2020 election, it has faced legal challenges from some Republicans, who say it violates the state constitution. It awaits a decision by the state Supreme Court and remains in place for now. (Adobe Stock)

Ahead of PA Primary, Officials Share Election Day Tips

Pennsylvania's primary is four days away, and state election officials want to remind people of the different ways they can vote. More than 8.7 …

All of Arkansas' executive officers, including Secretary of State and Attorney General, are up for re-election this year. (Adobe Stock)

AR Groups Compile Primary Voter Guide on Judicial Races

Early voting is underway in Arkansas through May 24. Central Arkansas community organizations have put together a nonpartisan voter guide for Pulaski …

According to the Pew Research Center, about 56% of Illinois residents believe abortion should be legal. (Adobe Stock)

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Braces for Potential Surge in Patients

As the future of abortion access is in limbo, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is preparing for a potential surge in patients from surrounding states…

Gov. Ron DeSantis filed a new congressional map ahead of Florida's special session seeking to redraw the state's district lines. (Florida Legislature)

FL GOP's Congressional Redistricting Plan Likely Blocked for Discrimination

The new congressional map - crafted by Gov. Ron DeSantis and approved by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature last month, scatters more than …

Clinics in neighboring states saw an almost 800% increase in patients after Texas in 2021 banned almost all abortions after six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (FerencVarga/Pixabay)

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas took the lead among Republican states last September in making abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Now, some fear the …

A governor's race and U.S. congressional seats are among the many contests Iowans will be deciding this year. (Adobe Stock)

IA County Auditors: Plan Big, Plan Now for Primary Vote

It's been a year since Iowa adopted sweeping election law changes. For those who haven't voted since then, local administrators say going in without …

Missouri has just one abortion clinic because of restrictions that providers see as cumbersome. (Wikimedia Commons)

MO Pro-Choice Groups Prepare to Help Patients Get Out- of-State Care

Reproductive-rights advocates in Missouri are preparing for a future without Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the …

Opponents of a ranked-choice voting initiative on the Nevada ballot claim it could increase the time it takes to tabulate results. (Sevennine_79/Adobe Stock)

NV Voting-Rights Groups Unite to Fight Ranked-Choice Voting

A coalition of community groups calling itself "Let Nevada Vote" is speaking out against a proposed ballot initiative that would require the state to …

Sheriffs in Massachusetts are responsible for more than half the state's incarcerated population. (Mark Sardella/Flickr)

MA Campaign: Do You Know Who Your Sheriff Is?

Fewer than one in five Bay State voters can correctly name their local sheriff, according to a recent survey. To fill that knowledge gap, the …

The firm that conducted the statewide poll in March, showing a majority of Minnesotans want to keep abortion legal, said it aligns with national poll results. (Adobe Stock)

New Poll: Most Minnesotans Want Abortion Protections

As rhetoric grows about the future of federal abortion protections, new poll results show a majority of Minnesotans don't want the state to impose a …

Gov. Tom Wolf, lawmakers and reproductive-rights advocates gathered at Independence Mall in Philadelphia Wednesday in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA Officials, Advocates Rally for Abortion Access After Leaked SCOTUS Draft

Advocates from Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania and state officials gathered in Philadelphia Wednesday to stand firm on protecting abortion access…

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion if the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case Roe v. Wade is overturned. (Adobe Stock)

Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Heads to CT Governor's Desk

Connecticut lawmakers, state officials and pro-choice advocates gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday, one day after a leaked draft opinion …

Observers say in the past several years, the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association has had an increasingly heavy hand in crafting state policies related to policing and criminal justice. (Adobe Stock)

A Powerful Lobby Shaped NC’s Newest Body-Camera Law

By Mandy Locke and Danielle Battaglia Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for the Gaston Gazette -North Carolina News Service Members of…

Nearly two years after George Floyd's murder, the State of Minnesota says Minneapolis police officers have long carried out discriminatory practices, such as using higher rates of force against against Black people. (Adobe Stock)

Mpls. Police Report Adds Another Layer to MN Reform Efforts

As the Minnesota Legislature considers new police-reform proposals, the discussions coincide with results from a state investigation of the …

A Marquette University Law School poll finds that those who expressed the greatest doubt about the accuracy of the November 2020 election are also the most excited to cast a ballot this year. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Strong Majority of WI Voters Confident in Spring Election Accuracy

The debate over election integrity has been at the center of the battle for the ballot in Wisconsin since 2020. But new polling of Wisconsin voters …

The group "Make the Road Nevada" will march on Sunday, calling on President Joe Biden to remove Title 42 restrictions on refugees. (Moab Republic/Adobestock)

Immigration, Labor Groups to March Sunday for May Day

This Sunday night, immigration and labor groups are marching for May Day on the Vegas strip, speaking out on the need for immigration reform and …

Multiple states including California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon and Washington are moving to protect election workers from intimidation. (New Africa)

Hearing Tuesday on Bill to Protect Election Workers

Since 2020, a growing number of election workers have been threatened, harassed, and even spat on - so tomorrow the State Senate Judiciary Committee …

A protest led by Democrats including Rep. Angie Nixon of Jacksonville temporarily halted the Florida House's consideration of Gov. Ron DeSantis' congressional map. (Rep. Angie Nixon/Facebook)

DeSantis Wages War Against Anti-Racism, Corporate 'Wokeness'

Gov. Ron DeSantis has been confronting a lot of issues dealing with race and inclusion. The latest is his signing into law his version of Florida's …

While some national party leaders might no longer view Iowa as a battleground state, political experts say it still has "swing state" potential in a presidential election. (Adobe Stock)

Caucus Shakeup Prompts Concern about Candidate Vetting

When the 2024 presidential primary season kicks off, there's a good chance Iowa's caucuses won't be in the spotlight as much. Last week, the …

Federal authorities say in 2020, North Dakota saw nearly two dozen hate crime incidents that were documented. (Adobe Stock)

In ND, Local Hate-Crime Laws Carry Policy Load for Now

Less than a year after Fargo adopted a hate-crime ordinance, another North Dakota city is moving forward with a similar law. It remains to be seen …

If confirmed, Ketanji Brown Jackson would be the 116th associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and the first Black woman to serve on that bench. (senate.gov)

IA Group: Jackson Confirmation Will Rise Above Political Fray

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is on the cusp of being confirmed as a U.S. Supreme Court justice. While Iowa's senior U.S. senator plans to vote against …

Pennsylvania saw 76.5% of registered voters turn out during the 2020 general election, according to the Department of State. (Adobe Stock)

1 Vote Counts: Harrisburg Group Aims to Increase Voter Participation

A civic-engagement organization based in Harrisburg is hoping to increase voter turnout in Pennsylvania's capital city through education and meeting p…

Reforms that advocates say helped lower youth incarceration rates include the state raising the minimum age for which adolescents could be charged with most crimes as an adult to 18 in 2012. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Number of Youth Incarcerated in US Much Higher Than Documented

Young people in the U.S. were incarcerated in juvenile facilities 240,000 times in 2019, according to a new report, and current methods significantly …

Michigan lost one congressional seat after the 2020 census apportionment. (My Districting Michigan)

MI Good-Government Groups: Check Your Districts Before Election Time

New Michigan voting district maps went into effect last week, and officials now are working to update the voter rolls. Despite ongoing litigation…

Per a report from the Sentencing Project, most kids are arrested on relatively minor, nonviolent charges. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Bill Would Compel Officers to Inform Minors of Miranda Rights

An Arizona bill would compel police officers to inform minors under 18 of their rights after being arrested; which is required by federal law…

LB 933 would make it a felony to provide medicine or procedures that end pregnancies, even in cases of rape and incest. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Lawmakers Advance Abortion Ban Opposed by Majority of Voters

Nebraska is on track to ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark Roe v. Wade decision. On Friday, lawmakers …

Early, in-person voting is slated to start Apr. 5 for the May 3 Ohio primary election. (Tim Evanson/Flickr)

Ohio's 2022 Primary: Groups Urge New Date, Not Two Dates

With just five weeks before the May 3 primary election - and Ohio's legislative redistricting debacle still not settled - voting-rights groups say it'…

If confirmed, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson would fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement. (H2rty/Wikimedia Commons)

SCOTUS Hearings: Black Leaders See Attacks as Disheartening

Black leaders are speaking out about what they see as racially charged lines of questioning during this week's Supreme Court confirmation hearing for …

Pennsylvania's Legislative Reapportionment Commission, which selects state House and Senate maps, is made up of two Republican and two Democrat lawmakers, along with one nonpartisan chair. (Adobe Stock)

House, Senate Redistricting Comes to a Close in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, rejected legal challenges to new state House and Senate maps last week, finalizing the …

Some counties send out postcards with voters' new districts on them so they can research what candidates are running. (JJ Gouin/Adobe Stock)

Election Officials: New Maps Needed Before Candidate Filing Deadline

Not all of Missouri's new voting-district maps are finalized, despite a candidate filing deadline of March 29. The new state House maps were filed …

The latest redistricting cycle, still under way in some states, resulted in partisan maps by both Republicans and Democrats, according to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. (fairredistricing.org)

Will Courts Again Decide Fate of New Mexico's Redistricting Map?

Lea County in southeast New Mexico has joined a previously-filed lawsuit asking that a redistricting map be thrown out. The state's Republican …

"Scared straight" tactics, assumptions that sending a kid to jail will lead to improved behavior, tend to backfire, experts say, increasing the likelihood of children's longterm connection with the criminal justice system. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Lawmakers Consider Raising Minimum Age for Juvenile Prosecution

Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise the minimum age for prosecuting children for crimes from 10 to 13 years old, except in …

The 2020 census overlooked 0.24% of the U.S. population, compared with 0.01% in 2010. (Antwon McCullen/Adobe Stock)

Report: Census Undercounted BIPOC Communities, Young Children

A new analysis of the 2020 census finds that Latino, Black and Native American populations were statistically significantly undercounted. …

This spring, voters in Sioux Falls will be deciding a new mayor as well as city council races. (Adobe Stock)

Importance of Local Elections Highlighted in SD

On April 12, municipalities across South Dakota will be holding local elections. A statewide group is encouraging participation through an outreach …

Registered voters in Arizona will not automatically receive a mail-in ballot; people must request one from their county recorder's office. (Westock)

AZ Voter Registration Verification Letters Arrive This Month

In the next few weeks, Arizona counties will send voter ID letters to everyone on the rolls, confirming their registration and any new legislative …

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who backed a nonpartisan redistricting process on the campaign trail, last June signed into law new House and Senate maps drafted by lawmakers. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: Fair Redistricting Process in IL Could Curb Power Brokering

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is facing 22 charges of bribery and racketeering. The Chicago Democrat led the chamber for decades…

Currently Montanans vote for supreme court justices through statewide, nonpartisan elections. (david_franklin/Adobe Stock)

MT Ballot Measure Would Change Supreme Court Justice Elections

Montana voters could decide to change the way state supreme court justices are elected. During the 2021 session, the Montana Legislature passed a …

The 2020 census overlooked 0.24% of the U.S. population. That compares to 0.01% in 2010. (Adobe Stock)

MN Latino Community: Census Undercount Hurts

A new analysis of the 2020 Census confirmed the fears of organizers serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. Several racial groups …

A measure designed to protect election workers in Oregon is awaiting Gov. Brown's signature. (MyPhotoBuddy/Adobe Stock)

Facing More Harassment, OR Strengthens Election-Worker Protections

In response to an uptick in threats against election workers after the 2020 election, Oregon lawmakers passed a measure this session that gives them …

According to 2020 census data, Texas' population increased by nearly 4 million between 2010 and 2020. People of color account for 95% of this total increase. (US Embassy/Flickr)

Trial Date Set for Texas Redistricting Lawsuit

Voters of color in Texas will have to wait until this fall for the outcome of a discrimination lawsuit against the state. At issue are the voting-…

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