Stoic Times

politics

Thrown-out ballots and map confusion: Voters are losing the redistricting battle

Gerrymandering Disenfranchises Voters Again. It Has Done So Since 1812. The Fight Continues.

What Happened

Voters in multiple jurisdictions are having ballots invalidated and experiencing confusion due to redistricting changes — redrawn electoral maps that have altered precinct boundaries, polling places, and district assignments. Some voters are casting ballots in the wrong precincts as a result of t...

What's In Your Control

Confirming your current polling place before election day at vote.org or your state's official election website. Requesting a provisional ballot if told you're in the wrong precinct — federal law r...

Read full analysis

politics

In many states, election-denying candidates are running to control voting

Election Skeptics Seek Election Offices. Democracy Has Survived This Tension Before.

What Happened

Across multiple U.S. states, candidates who have publicly questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election are running for positions that oversee elections — secretary of state, election board members, and similar roles. These positions carry real authority over how ballots are counted...

What's In Your Control

Whether you are registered to vote. Whether you vote in state and local races — where these offices are actually decided. Whether you research candidates for secretary of state and election board r...

Read full analysis

politics

State Judges Turn to Guns in New Era of Judicial Threats

Judges Arm Themselves as Threats Rise. Democracy's Guardrails Under Strain.

What Happened

State judges across the US are increasingly carrying firearms and receiving security training due to rising threats against judicial officials. The trend reflects growing concerns about personal safety among members of the judiciary as political tensions around court decisions intensify.

What's In Your Control

Whether you contribute to the political temperature through your words and actions. How you discuss court decisions you disagree with. Whether you support adequate judicial security funding through...

Read full analysis

politics

In Swaths of Germany, the Far-Right AfD Is Part of the Fabric

Far-Right Party Gains Ground in Eastern Germany. Democracy Adapts or It Doesn't.

What Happened

The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right political party, has become deeply embedded in the social and political fabric of several regions in eastern Germany, particularly in areas where they hold significant electoral support and local influence.

What's In Your Control

Whether you vote in German elections (if you're German). How you discuss political extremism with others. Supporting democratic institutions in your own country. Learning about how democracies have...

Read full analysis

politics

House Passes Strict Voter ID Bill, Amplifying Trump’s Claims of Fraud

House Passes Voter ID Bill. Senate Will Decide. Democracy Grinds On.

What Happened

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation requiring strict voter identification requirements. The bill advances claims about election fraud that have been promoted by former President Trump. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.

What's In Your Control

Whether you vote in future elections. Whether you understand your state's current voting requirements. Whether you engage constructively in civic discussions rather than partisan arguments. Whether...

Read full analysis