Notices by BoltsMag.org (bolts@journa.host)

Michael Broadway died from an asthma attack on a scorching day inside an Illinois prison. Witnesses said a nurse didn't want to climb the stairs to his cell.

A friend in a nearby cell put it plainly: “staff in these prisons DO NOT see us as human beings.”https://boltsmag.org/illinois-prison-health-care-wexford/

Our cheat sheet of more than 500 elections and ballot measures contains explanations of why they matter and how they could affect national and local power and policy.

We will update the page with the results once they are known, so be sure to bookmark it. https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/your-guide-to-the-elections-in-november-2024/

The federal constitution, as well as the constitutions of 16 states, never fully abolished slavery.

This allows prisons to force incarcerated people to work jobs they have little to no say in for as little as pennies an hour. https://boltsmag.org/california-amendment-forced-prison-labor/

To Native organizers that support Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system, it’s a useful tool to bolstering Native representation. They’re frustrated that the state may roll back a reform they believe has worked in their favor. https://boltsmag.org/alaska-ranked-choice-voting-measure-native-organizers/

Have you ever wondered if the supreme court in your state has anything to do with setting bail schedules? Or if it helps certify election results? Is anyone on its bench old enough they’ll soon have to retire?

Explore our guide. #DemocracyDay: https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/state-supreme-courts/

Plus: Voters this year are deciding the fate of 82 seats across 33 states’ high courts. Our most recent guide walks you through each election, and pinpoints where cases involving abortion, democracy, and other critical issues hang in the balance. https://boltsmag.org/your-state-by-state-guide-to-the-2024-supreme-court-elections/

Then, check out our companion FAQ on why these courts matter, how they work, and the levers for changing them. #DemocracyDay https://boltsmag.org/what-to-know-about-state-supreme-courts/

Alaska Native leaders are fighting to protect ranked choice voting this November. They say the system has opened doors for Native communities to build political power. https://boltsmag.org/alaska-ranked-choice-voting-measure-native-organizers/

Mary Peltola won the first congressional race held with ranked-choice voting in Alaska, and she became the state’s first Native member of Congress.

Native leaders are now working to protect that election system. https://boltsmag.org/alaska-ranked-choice-voting-measure-native-organizers/

Alan Hays, a Republican supervisor of elections in Florida, says he’s frustrated at election deniers: “They refuse to acknowledge the facts. They don’t come up with any concrete evidence. All they bring you is hypothetical garbage.” https://boltsmag.org/florida-supervisors-of-elections-2024/

Minnesota faces huge racial disparities in many areas, including criminal justice and education. But the data also points to another: voter registration and turnout. Voting rights advocates are counting on the state’s new VRA to ensure fairer participation.https://boltsmag.org/minnesota-voting-rights-act-right-of-private-action-federal-courts-vra/

Barbara McLachlan, a Colorado lawmaker whose district includes Native land, regrets that nearly none of her colleagues have visited the state's reservations. https://boltsmag.org/automatic-voter-registration-native-tribe-members/

Ongoing negotiations between tribal leaders and Colorado officials may chart a new path for automatically registering Native voters and growing voter rolls nationwide. But first the state is having to confront a legacy of mistrust.

New, in Bolts: https://boltsmag.org/automatic-voter-registration-native-tribe-members/

Did you know? 33 states have supreme court elections this year. They're some of the most important offices on the ballot. For instance, across Arizona and Florida, four justices who voted to uphold abortion bans this spring are up for retention. https://boltsmag.org/your-state-by-state-guide-to-the-2024-supreme-court-elections/

Election deniers are close to taking over the elections system in the nation's biggest swing county.

Here are the key races to watch. https://boltsmag.org/maricopa-county-arizona-election-deniers-win-primaries/

Arizona officials who have stood up to false conspiracies lost their seats in key GOP primaries on Tuesday. The fate of Maricopa County’s elections system will be decided in November.

NEW in Bolts: https://boltsmag.org/maricopa-county-arizona-election-deniers-win-primaries/

33 states are holding supreme court elections this fall. While partisan control of the court is on the line in just Michigan and Ohio, many more courts could see their ideological balance affected, including in Kentucky, Montana, and Texas: https://boltsmag.org/your-state-by-state-guide-to-the-2024-supreme-court-elections/

Wisconsin voters last month approved Question 2, a measure to restrict who can assist with election tasks. Voting advocates worry its vague language will have a chilling effect this fall on the groups and volunteers who help run elections, Bolts reported: https://boltsmag.org/wisconsin-question-2-ballot-measure-election-administration/

Getting a citizen-led measure on the ballot is “grueling work,” says Arizonan Dawn Penich, who is gathering signatures to secure an amendment protecting abortion access.

But the Arizona GOP is now pushing an amendment that would would multiply those hurdles: https://boltsmag.org/arizona-ballot-measure-would-restrict-popular-initiatives/

“What’s the point of having a second chance available when you’re not willing to give it?”

NEW in Bolts and Mother Jones: Under Glenn Youngkin, parole in Virginia has nearly vanished. https://boltsmag.org/virginia-parole-nearly-vanished-glenn-youngkin/