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Five key stories about democracy

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It's been a busy week for democracy reformers, with the For the People Act appearing to die in the Senate, Republicans threatening to break ranks, and Rep. Liz Cheney losing her leadership post despite her conservative credentials.

But there was so much more. Here's a sampling of stories you may have missed.


Redistricting review - a summary of this week's map-making news (Ballotpedia)

How Jim Crow-Era Laws Suppressed the African American Vote for Generations (History)

What we know about the high, broad turnout in the 2020 election (The Washington Post)

Nomination of Kristen Clarke, controversial Biden civil-rights pick, hangs in balance (Fox News)

And for a little fun: Ranked Voting in NYC (The New Yorker)


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What Comes Next for the 1 Million People Who Have Lost – or Will Soon Lose – Temporary Protected Status

People hold Haitian flags and signs during a July 2026 rally in San Diego in support of immigrants living in the U.S. with Temporary Protected Status.

What Comes Next for the 1 Million People Who Have Lost – or Will Soon Lose – Temporary Protected Status

At the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, 1.3 million individuals from 17 countries were living and working in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status, or TPS.

TPS is a humanitarian form of protection from deportation for people who cannot return to their home countries because of an armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extraordinary circumstances.

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vote pins in red, white, and blue with stars and stripes.

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The Long Fight to Secure Voting Rights for All Americans

Many Americans think that all US citizens aged 18 or older are entitled to vote. In fact, that has never really been the case in the USA. It has been a tremendously long, hard road to get to where we are today.

The easy part is that the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971, in response to the Vietnam War. It was considered unjust to draft men to war who were denied the right to vote. In several states felons are denied the right to vote for life.

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Seattle Washington city downtown skyline during sunset

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Local Seattle Government and Indigenous Communities Unite for Sustainable Efforts

Sustainability in government is a discussion at both the local and national levels. What is common today is that this conversation has long excluded Indigenous communities' voices and perspectives from the legislative process.

Too often, local governments enact environmental and sustainability legislation without considering its impact on Indigenous groups.

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Close-up of woman's hand putting or receiving letter with voting ballot near a mailbox near her house -

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Why Having a Ballot at Home Strengthens Civic Engagement

A legal challenge regarding mail-in voting rules and postal service regulations is currently moving through the federal court system as the midterm elections approach. The dispute involves administrative directives and postal regulations concerning ballot delivery standards and state requirements. Lower courts have previously addressed how these rules are implemented, prompting appeals and legal filings from various administration officials, state attorneys general, and election administrators over operational timelines and voter access.

Brian Miller is the executive director of Nonprofit VOTE, a nationwide organization that works to help nonprofits engage the communities they serve in voting and elections.
In the article "Voting Is Not a Closed-Book Test," Miller explores mail-in voting and why giving voters time and access is critical to a healthy democracy.

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