Democracy Docket

Last updated
Democracy Docket
Founded2020
Location
Founder
 Marc Elias
Website https://democracydocket.com

Democracy Docket is a liberal-leaning voting rights and media platform that tracks election litigation. [1] [2] [3] It was founded in 2020 by lawyer Marc Elias and is published by Democracy Docket, LLC.

As of June 2024, Democracy Docket has more than 175,000 newsletter subscribers. [4] Its podcast Defending Democracy, which is predominantly accessed on YouTube, has featured prominent guests such as Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder, and has 2.3 million views. [5] Democracy Docket also has a YouTube show hosted by Brian Tyler Cohen. [6]

Elias launched Democracy Docket on March 5, 2020, with the stated goal of educating the public on voting rights and redistricting litigation. [7] [8] In explaining why he founded the platform, Elias shared that “for years people would always ask me about the courts and democracy, but there was never one place for me to point them to specifically for reliable and up-to-date information about what’s happening with voting, elections, and democracy in the courts. Of course, 2020 turned out to be a good year to start a pro-democracy news outlet, since the courts were so central, particularly in the post-election period, in preserving our democracy.” [9]

Elias was concerned that the Republican Party would have a newfound freedom in its efforts, as a court order prohibiting the party from past voter suppression tactics had expired. [10] Writing that, in one Republican leader's words, the GOP planned to sue Democrats "into oblivion and spend whatever is necessary," Elias envisioned Democracy Docket as a platform to raise awareness and support efforts to defend election rules and results from Republican lawsuits in what was anticipated to be a close presidential election. [11]

Democracy Docket has advocated for making absentee voting more accessible, arguing that postage for mail-in ballots must be free or prepaid by the government, that ballots postmarked on or before election day must count, that signature matching laws should be reformed, and that community organizations should be permitted to help collect and deliver voted, sealed ballots. [7]

Democracy Docket has written on legal efforts to restrict voting rights. This includes removal of ballot drop box lawsuits initiated by former Trump administration staff and advisors. Ballot drop boxes were popularized due to the 2019 global coronavirus pandemic and the associated  minimizing of in-person polling place voting. [12] [13] Democracy Docket has also reported about the numerous redistricting congressional district lawsuits filed in several states prior to the 2024 elections. [14] [15] [16]

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References

  1. ↑ Schouten, Tierney Sneed,Fredreka (2022-11-07). "Avalanche of early lawsuits could pave way for disputes over Tuesday's election results | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2023-05-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Lerner, Kira (2023-01-09). "Republicans filed record number of anti-voting lawsuits in 2022 – report". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  3. ↑ "Opinion | Minnesota's vote to re-enfranchise felons is a victory for democracy". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  4. ↑ Crowell, Maddy. "A Little to the Left". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  5. ↑ Crowell, Maddy. "A Little to the Left". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  6. ↑ Brian Tyler Cohen (2023-06-09). BREAKING: Democrats score MASSIVE surprise victory . Retrieved 2024-06-27– via YouTube.
  7. 1 2 Newblom, Michelle (18 August 2020). ""Democracy is literally on the ballot" and Marc Elias's Democracy Docket is fighting for your right to vote". This Week in Legal Blogging. LexBlog, Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Roe, Dan (2021-02-01). "Perkins Coie's Marc Elias Became Every Democrat's Favorite Lawyer. Now He Wants to Reform Democracy Itself".
  9. ↑ Crowell, Maddy. "A Little to the Left". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  10. ↑ Debenedetti, Gabriel (2020-06-22). "Are We Headed for a Voter-Suppression Catastrophe in November?". New York . Archived from the original on 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  11. ↑ Isenstadt, Alex (2020-05-07). "Trump intensifies war with Democrats over voting laws". Politico . Archived from the original on 2020-05-08. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  12. ↑ "Group led by Stephen Miller, Mark Meadows sues Lehigh Co. over ballot drop-off boxes". Pennsylvania Capital-Star. 2022-09-12. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  13. ↑ Mordowanec, Nick (2023-02-03). "Trump Does Complete 180 on Election Issue". Newsweek. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  14. ↑ Altimari, Daniela (5 February 2023). "Redistricting lawsuits could shape the 2024 battle for House control". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  15. ↑ Mondeaux, Cami. "Republicans hold slight advantage in race for House control in first ratings for 2024 cycle". Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  16. ↑ "Republicans hold slight advantage in race for House control in first ratings for 2024 cycle". Washington Examiner. 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
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