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The Battle For The Ballot

Voters cast their ballots under a giant mural at Robious Elementary school on Election Day, in Midlothian, Va., Tuesday Nov. 3, 2020. (Steve Helber/AP)
Voters cast their ballots under a giant mural at Robious Elementary school on Election Day, in Midlothian, Va., Tuesday Nov. 3, 2020. (Steve Helber/AP)

Some Republican politicians oppose liberalizing access to the ballot. They’re pushing legislation to restrict the right to vote as Democrats fight back. We discuss the battle for the ballot.  

Guests

Alex Keyssar, professor of history and social policy at Harvard University. Author of “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?” (@AlexKeyssar)

Quardricos Driskell, adjunct professor of religion and politics at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. (@q_driskell4)

Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Arizona state senator. (@MichelleUgenti)

Also Featured

Shemika Simmons, freight broker in Savannah. She volunteered with theA. Philip Randolph Institute and the organization Black Voters Matter.

From The Reading List

New York Times: “Pennsylvania G.O.P.’s Push for More Power Over Judiciary Raises Alarms” — “When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously rejected a Republican attempt to overturn the state’s election results in November, Justice David N. Wecht issued his own pointed rebuke, condemning the G.O.P. effort as ‘futile’ and ‘a dangerous game.'”

NPR: “After Record 2020 Turnout, State Republicans Weigh Making It Harder To Vote” — “After an election that saw record voter turnout, with many of those voters casting their ballots early and by mail, some Republican state lawmakers are proposing a wave of new voting laws that would effectively make it more difficult to vote in future elections.”

Bloomberg: “Republican Efforts to Restrict Voting Risk Backfiring on Party” — “Republican lawmakers in battleground states are rushing to enact stricter voting laws that Democrats worry could dampen Black and Hispanic turnout, but the moves could end up backfiring because of the changing face of the GOP coalition.”

The Bulwark: “About ‘Election Integrity’” — “In the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a comforting talking point has emerged among Republican elected officials and conservative commentators.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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