Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Democrats sue in 3 bellwether states to get a shot at the top ballot line

Democrats sue in 3 bellwether states to get a shot at the top ballot line

The ballot for Yavapai County, like the rest of Arizona, always lists the Republican candidate first, provided a boost of about 5 percentage points.

Republicans have been listed first on the ballot in every election in Arizona for almost a decade, in Georgia for more than a decade and in Texas for two decades. The Democrats have launched a coordinated campaign asserting that practice is unconstitutional and that they deserve a shot at poll position in all three potential 2020 battlegrounds.

The three state parties, along with the Democrats' national campaign committees, filed federal lawsuits Friday challenging the laws governing the construction of the ballots in all three states.

Perpetuating the current ballot order gives the GOP a "significant, state-mandated advantage," says the filing in Arizona. The Georgia suit argues state law violates voters' equal protection rights under the Constitution and creates an "undue burden" on voting rights. The "position bias" of the Texas law, that claim says, perpetuates a Republican dominance in Texas under which no Democrat has won a statewide race since 1994.


The Democrats are already pursuing similar litigation in Florida, where their evidence includes research showing the party listed first on the ballot has about a 5 percentage point built-in advantage.

A 2016 Sam Houston State University study showed ballot order in Texas has a significant effect on which candidate voters choose, particularly in down-ballot races. In lower profile elections, such as for school board, the study determined going from last to first on the ballot boosted a candidate's voting share by 10 percentage points.

With the 2020 election a year from Monday, Democrats are putting a concerted effort into changing election procedures in red states that are turning purple. By easing access to the ballot box, they hope to gain a competitive edge in both the presidential and congressional contests.

Georgia, Texas and Arizona are all looking at highly competitive Senate races next year, and the Democrats have been talking about contesting their combined 65 electoral votes as well. Texas last backed the Democrats' nominee in 1976, Georgia in 1992 and Arizona in 1996, but turnout by young people and minority groups has been steadily increasing.

Read More

Musk’s Third Party, RCV in NYC, and Miami Backlash

Musk’s Third Party, RCV in NYC, and Miami Backlash

Expand Democracy: Musk’s Third Party, RCV in NYC, and Miami Backlash

The Expand Democracy 5: Elon’s push for a third party, turnout and RCV in NYC, preserving voting rights for the incarcerated, cancelled Miami elections, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 5. From Eveline Dowling, with Rob Richie and Juniper Shelley’s assistance, we highlight timely links and stories about democracy at the local, national, and global levels. Today's stories include:

Keep ReadingShow less
Dozens of Questions: How Are Trump’s Auto Parts Tariffs Affecting the Broader Economy?

Photo of a car being assembled by robotic arms

Lenny Kuhne via Unsplash

Dozens of Questions: How Are Trump’s Auto Parts Tariffs Affecting the Broader Economy?

President Donald Trump made economic waves earlier this year when he announced a 25% tariff on imported automobiles and parts with the stated goal of revitalizing U.S. auto manufacturing. Yet as of summer 2025, the majority (92%) of Mexican-made auto parts continue to enter the United States tariff-free.

That’s because of a March 2025 revision that exempts cars and parts manufactured in compliance with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) from tariffs.

Keep ReadingShow less
LGBTQ Refugees Came to America To Escape Discrimination. Now, They Live in Fear in the U.S.
blue and yellow abstract painting
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

LGBTQ Refugees Came to America To Escape Discrimination. Now, They Live in Fear in the U.S.

Salvadoran refugee Alberto, who is using a pseudonym out of safety concerns, did not feel secure in his own home. Being a gay man in a country known for state-sponsored violence and community rejection meant Alberto lived his life on high alert.

His family did not accept him. He says one family member physically attacked him because of his identity. He says he has been followed, harassed, and assaulted by police, accused of crimes he didn’t commit when he was studying to become a social worker. His effort to escape the rejection in his community left him, at one point, homeless and lost in a new city.

Keep ReadingShow less