Steady As He Goes
Plus: A new States United resource. 🗳️
President Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he would end his re-election campaign abruptly changed the state of the presidential race. When it comes to the election administration process, though, it didn’t change much at all.
Still, the state and local officials that will run our elections in November have since been inundated with disinformation and conspiracy theories about the change. Some Election Deniers threatened lawsuits based on the disinformation, further setting the stage for them to question the results of the election.
Those theories and threats were quickly dispelled. Trey Grayson, Kentucky’s former two-term Republican Secretary of State and a member of States United’s Bipartisan Advisory Board, told The Associated Press, “It’s a pretty frivolous claim. The filing deadlines haven’t passed yet, and the Democrats haven’t nominated anybody yet.”
Election officials across the country—Republicans and Democrats alike—agree. Following Biden’s announcement, secretaries of state, attorneys general, and numerous other officials from across the country reaffirmed that there was more than enough time for the Democratic Party to nominate a new candidate in time for their name to appear on the ballot in November.
On Wednesday evening, Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office. “Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy,” he said, later adding: “We must unite to protect it.”
This Week in Democracy
- President Biden withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Harris. A majority of delegates from nearly every state have endorsed Harris, too, making her the party’s presumptive nominee. Because Biden withdrew before he was formally nominated and before any ballot access deadlines had passed, election officials have plenty of time to prepare.
- U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the creation of a bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. The House Oversight Committee also held a hearing about the attack with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. “There is no place for political violence of any kind in our great country,” Reps. James Comer and Jamie Raskin, the committee’s chair and vice chair, said in a statement. Cheatle resigned shortly after the hearing.
- States United released a new interactive resource that allows anyone to explore voter turnout data from primary and general elections in every state since 2000. It offers a window into how Americans have made their voices heard over the years. “Looking to historical turnout data can help us better understand how to think about turnout in November,” States United Research Director Kelly Rader said.
➡️ EXPLORE: Voter Turnout in American Elections Since 2000
Celebrating Disability Pride Month
Our democracy is at its best when every voice is heard, and every vote is counted. For that to happen, though, it’s critical that every voter has the accommodations they need. Nearly 16 million Americans with disabilities voted in the 2022 midterms despite facing difficulties more than three times more frequently than voters without disabilities, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Rutgers University.
Today marks 34 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. The ADA and other critical pieces of legislation helped our country make great strides towards ensuring that every eligible voter can make their voice heard at the ballot box.
During Disability Pride Month, we recognize Americans with disabilities and celebrate their contributions to our democracy.