Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories

Official behind Texas’ botched voter purge resigns prior to a forced exit

Texas Secretary of State David Whitley, who sparked a national debate when his office made a failed attempt to purge nearly 100,000 people from the state's voter rolls, resigned on Monday.

Even without the resignation, Whitley, a Republican, would have lost his job this week anyway because the state Senate had failed to approve his nomination before the end of the legislative session. Twelve Democrats blocked the confirmation of Whitley, a Republican, because of the failed attempt to purge the voter rolls.


In January, he had garnered national attention when he announced the startling results of an investigation: 95,000 noncitizens were registered to vote and 58,000 of those people had voted in at least one election in recent years.

The claims even caught the eye of President Trump, who claimed voter fraud was "rampant" across the country.



But Whitley was forced to walk back his claims a few days later after discovering that thousands of those he had mentioned were actually citizens.

Several voting rights groups filed lawsuits over the attempt to remove voters and a federal judge in one of the cases ruled there was no evidence of widespread fraud. The cases were settled in April.


Read More

two people holding hands
two people holding hands on table in comfort

Lessons From Evaluating the HOPES Program

"I thought there was no way I could become a doctor. Now I know I can."

As I looked around the room, I noticed heads nodding in agreement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hand placing a ballot into a box with American flag in the background

Hand holding ballot in voting ballot box with USA flag in background. USA presidential elections concept.

Getty Images

Yes, MAGA Election Theft Can Be Stopped - That Requires You to Act in the Days Immediately Ahead

We need to understand MAGA election machinations, and equally important, we need to know about – and join – the significant efforts taking place to block the attacks. Trustworthy elections and our democracy depend on each of us making a plan and acting on it as best we can in the few weeks before the midterms and the less than 800 days until 2028’s elections.

We all have seen reports about the concerted, multifaceted MAGA attacks on American elections. They are taking place across broad fronts and at scale, but there is also a powerful story of democratic resilience.

Keep ReadingShow less
map of hurricane
typhoon
Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Fighting Food Loss Through Education in Florida

The state of Florida is no stranger to hurricanes. Floridians worry about flooding, property damage, and harsh winds. But another issue often goes forgotten, and it starts in the kitchen.

When hurricane season hits, the power usually goes out, which means refrigerators begin to warm, putting perishable food at risk. According to foodsafety.gov, refrigerators can keep food safe for only four hours during a power outage.

Keep ReadingShow less
Collage of pictures of the fall 2026 Fulcrum Fellows

Fall Fulcrum Fellows

AI created

Meet the Fall 2026 Fulcrum Fellows: Six New Voices Strengthening Civic Journalism

The Fulcrum is proud to introduce the six students selected for the Fall 2026 Fulcrum Fellowship, a semester‑long program designed to strengthen the next generation of civic‑minded journalists. Building on the momentum of the summer cohort, this fall class reflects the fellowship’s mission: elevating diverse voices, sharpening democratic storytelling skills, and preparing emerging reporters to cover the systems shaping American civic life.

This cohort reflects the fellowship’s continued expansion and its growing partnership with the Latino News Network (LNN), which brings additional mentorship, newsroom collaboration, and community‑driven reporting opportunities to the fellows.

Keep ReadingShow less