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Federal Judge Declines to Block New North Carolina Senate Map for 2024 Elections

By Rachel Selzer

Republican Legislators Revive Independent State Legislature Theory in New Pennsylvania Lawsuit

By Madeleine Greenberg

Maine’s Highest Court Declines to Consider Trump’s Eligibility for Primary Ballot

By Ashley Cleaves

Wisconsin Republicans Send Hastily Amended Legislative Maps To Governor

By Devon Hesano

Wisconsin Republicans Pull Last-Ditch “Stunt,” Hastily Pass Legislative Maps To Protect GOP

By Devon Hesano

Analysis

Light blue background with dark blue lines on a graph paper background. Overlaying the graph paper background is a collage of red, teal and dark blue geometric-shaped images. Images include a picture of an American flag, a polling place, an “I Voted” sticker, a sign that says “Polling Place,” a male judge holding a gavel and a multi-colored 3-D pie chart with segments colored dark blue, red, navy blue, light red and periwinkle in the bottom right-hand corner of the graphic.

Democracy Docket’s 2023 Litigation Report

As in previous years, Democracy Docket is providing a comprehensive year-end report on all the democracy-related cases filed and decided in 2023 that directly impacted voters.

By Democracy Docket

Trump and Section 3 of the 14th Amendment

By Democracy Docket

Image of a birthday cake with a blue background. The birthday cake's candles spell out "more voter suppression. A candle in the middle of the cake features an upside-down smiley face.

In 2024, Republicans Resolve to Eviscerate the Voting Rights Act

By Madeleine Greenberg

Light blue background with dark blue lines on a graph paper background. Overlaying the graph paper background is a collage of red, teal and dark blue geometric-shaped images. Images include a picture of an American flag, a polling place, an “I Voted” sticker, a sign that says “Polling Place,” a male judge holding a gavel and a multi-colored 3-D pie chart with segments colored dark blue, red, navy blue, light red and periwinkle in the bottom right-hand corner of the graphic.

Democracy Docket’s 2023 Litigation Report

As in previous years, Democracy Docket is providing a comprehensive year-end report on all the democracy-related cases filed and decided in 2023 that directly impacted voters.

By Democracy Docket

A white United States over a royal blue background that is zoomed in on state's within the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. These states, which include Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, have a shattered glass effect and are shaded red. Within the bounds of these states is text of 5th Circuit court opinions. A hand holds a court gavel over these states, depicting the gavel shattering these states like a hammer.

How the 5th Circuit Is Dismantling Democracy

By Rachel Selzer

A collage of items in front of a dark blue background that include: A ripped mail-in ballot envelope, a blue postal box with that is crossed out, WILL's logo, a voter registration application and Rick Esenberg talking

The Little Known Wisconsin Legal Group Wreaking Havoc on Democracy

By Devon Hesano

Redistricting updates

Federal Judge Declines to Block New North Carolina Senate Map for 2024 Elections

Wisconsin Republicans Send Hastily Amended Legislative Maps To Governor

U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Halt Redraw of Michigan’s Legislative Maps

Louisiana Legislature Passes Congressional Map With Two Majority-Black Districts

Wisconsin Voters Mount Renewed Challenge to Congressional Map in State Supreme Court

Redistricting Takes Center Stage in Louisiana’s Special Session Next Week

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW Could The 14th Amendment Kick Trump Off The Ballot?

Your one-stop-shop on what exactly Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is, how it applies to former President Donald Trump and where lawsuits challenging the former president’s eligibility stand.

Read more

Courtroom Highlights

Active Cases

These are moving through the courts. Our team is closely monitoring.

View Active Cases
Wisconsin

Wisconsin Legislative Redistricting Challenge (Clarke) 

Clarke v. Wisconsin Elections Commission

Petition filed on behalf of Wisconsin voters challenging the state’s legislative maps drawn following the release of 2020 census data.

DC

Washington, D.C. Trump Federal 2020 Election Subversion Indictment

United States v. Trump

Indictment of former President Donald Trump (R) by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C.

Colorado

Colorado Unaffiliated Voters Primary Challenge

Colorado Republican Party v. Griswold

Lawsuit filed on behalf of the Colorado Republican Party (CO GOP) challenging Proposition 108 — a proposition that allows unaffiliated…

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Absentee Voting Procedures Challenge

Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission

Lawsuit filed by Priorities USA, the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans and a voter against the Wisconsin Elections Commission challenging…

Case Victories

These are decided cases that are wins for democracy.

View case victories
Arizona

Arizona Secretary of State and 3rd Congressional District Election Contest

Finchem v. Fontes

Election contest filed by Mark Finchem, the failed GOP candidate for Arizona secretary of state, and Jeff Zink, the failed…

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Act 77 Mail-in Voting Challenge

Bonner v. Chapman

Lawsuit filed on behalf of Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania against Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Leigh M. Chapman…

COURTROOM UPDATES

Federal Judge Declines to Block New North Carolina Senate Map for 2024 Elections

A federal judge today denied a request from Black voters seeking to immediately block North Carolina’s new state Senate districts that were enacted last month by the Republican-controlled Legislature. 

By Rachel Selzer

Republican Legislators Revive Independent State Legislature Theory in New Pennsylvania Lawsuit

In a new lawsuit challenging an executive order by President Joe Biden and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s enactment of automatic voter registration, Republican legislators employ the radical independent state legislature theory to challenge increased voting access. 

By Madeleine Greenberg

Maine’s Highest Court Declines to Consider Trump’s Eligibility for Primary Ballot

Yesterday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court dismissed Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ (D) request to determine if former President Donald Trump is disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. 

By Ashley Cleaves

Guest authors

Blue background with map of the United States that is partially shaded in a lighter shade of blue and red and three main states highlighted: Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. On the left side of the map is a judge holding a gavel.

Once Again The Courts Protected Democracy

A new Democracy Docket report shows that 2023 was another year in which pro-voting litigation groups played an outsized role in protecting voting rights.

Blue background with newly elected liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz, with her arms up holding hands with two other liberal justices on the court: Justice Rebecca Dallet to her left and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley to her right. Voting elements, like a mail-in ballot envelope, as well as a U.S. soldier and someone in a wheelchair are on the right hand side in blue tone.

Early Victories in the Fight for Democracy in Wisconsin

Blue background with red and black concentric circle vortex in the center which is filled with images of Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, Steve Scalise, the amicus brief filed by 179 congressional Republicans in support of Trump remaining on the ballot in Colorado, red signs that read "MAGA with a vengeance" and "MAGA revolt" and a red hat that reads "TRUMP FOREVER"

The Republican Inferno And The Nine Circles Of Trump

Blue background with map of the United States that is partially shaded in a lighter shade of blue and red and three main states highlighted: Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania. On the left side of the map is a judge holding a gavel.

Once Again The Courts Protected Democracy

A new Democracy Docket report shows that 2023 was another year in which pro-voting litigation groups played an outsized role in protecting voting rights.

Light blue background with map of the United States and the seven states covered by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota -- are shaded in red while the other states are shaded in blue. There are also images across the map of people protesting, playing music, holding up signs that say "Racism must go" and other musical elements. On the foreground is a larger image of someone shouting into a megaphone.

Sounding the Alarm: The 8th Circuit’s Discordant Note on Voting Rights

Blue background with image of a United States Court of Appeals in the middle surrounded by protest signs of different workers on strike and an image of Jeff Bezos.

Where Are the Judges Who Know How To Fight for Workers?

explainers

Trump and Section 3 of the 14th Amendment

How Election and Redistricting Lawsuits End up Before the Supreme Court

Legal Tests Used in Voting Cases

Who Can Vote From Jail, and How?