Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

12/26/2023

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa! We wish you and yours a joyful and meaningful Kwanzaa this year. Sending happy wishes your way!

12/25/2023

It's the last week of the year and the final Monday of 2023!

The DASS family wishes you a wonderful holiday season and we hope you'll join us this Friday for our goals in the year ahead.

Thank you for your continued support. We couldn't do this without you! ❄️

12/22/2023

Arizona Secretary of State Fontes on violence against election officials:

"Political violence has become a part of the regular conversation here in America. And I think that's shameful."

📖 Read the full interview with Sec. Fontes:

“At the end of the day, if you're threatening violence or committing acts of violence to achieve a political end, that's terrorism,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told WIRED.

12/22/2023

A new law in Ohio restricts absentee ballot drop-offs to postal workers and certain family members ONLY - making voting even more inaccessible for disabled voters.

Voting rights groups are suing - and rightly so. ⤵️

The lawsuit from the ACLU and the Ohio League of Women Voters says a new law that makes it a felony to handle someone else's absentee ballot discriminates against disabled voters.

12/22/2023

📣 Just released: audio of Trump pressuring elected officials in Michigan to not certify the 2020 election results.

What’s worse? His pressure campaign almost worked.

A new report from The Detroit News sheds additional light on the Trump campaign's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in key swing states.

12/22/2023

600+ books have been banned in Florida classrooms - a clear act of censorship.

Thankfully, Secretaries of State like Alexi Giannoulias are on the frontlines defending libraries and our freedom of speech.

Here is a list of the 673 books removed from teachers’ classroom shelves in Orange County for fear they might violate state law and rules on “sexual conduct:”

12/21/2023

Thanks in part to Secretary Maggie Toulouse Oliver - who acted as the defendant in the supreme court case - New Mexico is celebrating a decade of marriage equality this year! 🫶

Same-sex marriage became legal throughout New Mexico ten years ago on Tuesday. But the story of same-sex marriage didn't start there.

12/21/2023

We agree with McQuade and the election workers Giuliani defamed:

Just shut the hell up, Rudy.

Former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade weighs in on the two Georgia election workers who won a $148M verdict against Rudy Giuliani for defamation on Friday and why they are suing him again.

12/21/2023

Rep. Scott Perry - prominent election denier - has been ordered to turn his phone records over to federal prosecutors.

More proof that conspiracy theorists can't evade justice forever. 💪

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/20/politics/trump-scott-perry-cell-phone-records/index.html

12/20/2023

This just in: GOP-led states are struggling to maintain their voter rolls after leaving ERIC.

Maybe getting advice on elections from election deniers wasn't the best idea after all?

ERIC, the Electronic Registration Information Center, is one of the best tools available to help prevent voter fraud. Cleaning voter rolls after withdrawing from the program has been a challenge for these Republican-led states.

12/20/2023

Minnesota has chosen its new state flag design! What do you think? Comment below ⤵️

12/20/2023

Neighbors, friends, and loved ones make up the dedicated volunteers who run our elections, and - with the help of the Office of the Connecticut Secretary of the State - they're finally getting the appreciation they deserve!

News Newtown Celebrates First Poll Worker Appreciation Event By Owen Tanzer Published: Dec 16, 2023 07:00 AM Print Tweet Email Text Size Last Thursday, November 30, saw dozens of election officials and poll workers convene in Edmond Town Hall’s Alexandria Room for Newtown’s first ever Poll Worke...

12/20/2023

Fake electors are a danger to our democracy - one is STILL serving on Wisconsin's Election Commission. Secretary Sarah Godlewski is right - he is dangerous and must be removed.

Full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdxWihOqmQI

12/19/2023

The GOP has made Georgia not just a voter suppression state - but a voter intimidation state.

Opinion | The use of voter challenges to intimidate voters is a historic Georgia tradition going back to Reconstruction.

12/19/2023

Colorado made history as the first state to extend automatic voter registration to Native American reservations - thank you Secretary Jena Griswold!

State and tribal officials in Colorado are rolling out the first voter registration system of its kind for tribal members.

12/19/2023

📢 Illinois is leading the nation in protecting free speech.

As Secretary and State Librarian, Sec. Alexi Giannoulias has dedicated himself to safeguarding libraries and trusting librarians.

Illinois made a splashy announcement with their new law intended to protect libraries from book challenges by withholding funding. Other states are closely watching to see if they will follow along.

12/18/2023

Rudy Giuliani owes the folks whose lives he tried to ruin every single cent.

His lawyers say he’s experiencing ‘financial difficulties.’ Lawyers for the election workers he defamed are trying to ‘track down every asset’ he has

12/18/2023

Secretary Gregg Amore on Trump: "...This is one of the most dangerous things for the survival of our democracy: that a major political figure is questioning what has been declared by his own administration [...] as the most secure election in American history."

Rhode Island’s top official with responsibility for voting-related issues is Secretary of State Gregg Amore. So how does he feel about the outlook for small-d democracy as America hurtles toward 2024? What can be done to boost confidence in elections and dispel misinformation?

12/18/2023

🚨Despite their efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Trump's fake electors are still working in election administration.

We cannot trust these election deniers to run the show in 2024 - we need accountability now.

https://apnews.com/article/nevada-fake-electors-trump-78893192392d3301d5cca8c1bb55bcb3

12/15/2023

Prison libraries are a lifeline to the outside world for incarcerated people - and, thanks to Secretary Alexi Giannoulias, they'll be receiving $420,000 in grants. 🤝

Books give these individuals a connection to the outside world, and that connection increases their chances of success after release,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said about awarding $15,000 to libraries at the state’s 28 prisonsSPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS (December 13, 2023) — Ill...

12/15/2023

Democracy won in courtrooms across the country this year. We must work together to ensure the same happens in 2024.

From Marc | For another year at least, democracy was on the docket and it won.

12/15/2023

Powell and Chesebro - Trump's former lawyers - both wrote up apologies that amounted to a whopping one sentence each.

The American people deserve more than a 1 sentence apology.

The apology letters by Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro in the Georgia election interference case are just one sentence long.

12/14/2023

We can't help but notice the same people that claimed Biden "stole" the 2020 election are now being accused of...trying to steal the election.

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

12/14/2023

80% of election workers - the frontline of our democracy - are women. They also face the brunt of attacks and harassment from election deniers.

We must protect election workers from threats of all kinds. Our democracy depends on it.

There are legal tools to protect female election officials from violent threats and harassment in the 2024 election.

12/14/2023

Election denialism undermines our democracy - and puts election officials in harm's way.

We must fight misinformation in any form.

Meta's policy allows denial of past elections but bans it for current or future ones.

12/13/2023

: Republican AGs in 13 voter suppression states signed a brief celebrating the gutting of the Voting Rights Act.

Read more here.

12/13/2023

Thanks to the efforts of Secretary Alexi Giannoulias, detainees exiting Cook County jail now have the opportunity to receive state IDs.

IDs unlock jobs, housing, social services - everything a person needs to successfully reenter society. Well done!

By HANNAH MEISEL & BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Certain detainees leaving Cook County jail will now be given a state ID card upon release in a new pilot program announced Monday by Sheriff Tom Dart and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi  Giannoulia...

12/13/2023

There's no denying it: Giuliani's unfounded accusations emboldened election deniers to threaten an innocent mother and daughter with violence - just for doing their jobs.

A former Georgia election worker has testified that she feared for her life as she received a barrage of threatening and racist messages fueled by Rudy Giuliani’s false claims that she and her mother had rigged the 2020 election results in the state.

12/12/2023

Trump is not immune from prosecution.

The special counsel Jack Smith told the judge she should keep the trial’s start date in March and continue making decisions as the former president appeals one of her rulings.

12/12/2023

Washington GOPs have filed a baseless complaint against WA Secretary of State Steve Hobbs for doing his job: fighting election misinformation and protecting election officials.

Republicans are blasting a contract Secretary of State Steve Hobbs signed with a tech firm to flag online misinformation and threats to elections workers.

12/12/2023

Shortly after Secretary Sarah Godlewski held Trump's fake electors accountable, Sen. Ron Johnson had a full meltdown on CNN, claiming Democrats electors had done the same...
..and yet, when prompted, Sen. Johnson couldn't name a single one. 🤔

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/which-ones-sir-kaitlan-collins-grills-ron-johnson-about-claim-democrats-used-fake-electors-like-trump-did/

12/12/2023

Ballot shortages are unacceptable and make it more difficult - sometimes impossible - for voters to exercise their rights.

Hinds County officials must answer to voters.

Voting-rights organizations are demanding answers about the ballot shortages that affected voters in Hinds County, Miss., in November’s elections.

12/11/2023

Trump says he will 'no longer' be taking the stand to defend himself in his tax fraud trial.

Let's be real - the self-appointed "dictator for a day" is a liar. He was never going to testify because he'd have to tell the truth.

Less than 24 hours before his scheduled appearance, Donald Trump announced he would no longer be taking the stand at his tax fraud trial. Former U.S. Attorne...

12/11/2023

Secretary Amore is right: election denialism affects us all by putting election workers - the lifeblood of our democracy - at risk.

Full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us5xadIhvR0

12/11/2023

Robert Spindell Jr. signed certificates that claimed Trump won the 2020 election. Despite his clear attempt to overthrow the election, he refused to admit to any wrongdoing.

Secretary Sarah Godlewski said it best - he's not fit for the job.

https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-fake-electors-trump-3431e690e5fef23c0f2cdfaa4257ecb6

12/11/2023

Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani is finally facing the consequences for his election denialism thanks to the bravery of two Georgia election workers he falsely accused of election fraud.

We must call for accountability - our democracy is on the line.

The two plaintiffs are seeking from $15.5 million to $43 million for damages from Giuliani, according to recent court filings.

12/08/2023

Victims of racial discrimination and voters' rights advocates rely on the Voting Rights Act to protect the rights of marginalized communities.

GOP judges want to turn back time.

A recent 2-1 ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, however, says that private litigants no longer have the right to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.…

12/08/2023

When Trump says he'll be a day one dictator, we should believe him - and we'll work every day for the next year to stop that from happening.

Former president and current Republican frontrunner Donald Trump mocks concern that he wants to be a dictator.

12/08/2023

As more Republicans move to the right - becoming "Big Lie" election deniers and extremists - bipartisanship, coalition-building, and other basic norms of functioning government have taken a backseat.

There's no doubt: democracy is on the ballot in 2024.

How Republican and Democrat opponents tackle the Trumpist radicalized right will determine whether democratic norms survive, writes Leslie Vinjamuri.

12/07/2023

Footage of the January 6th riot has yet to be released because Speaker Johnson insists on first blurring the rioters' faces.

Speaker Johnson would rather aid and abet violent criminals than do the people's work.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that before publicly releasing footage of the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, the faces of the mob will be blurred to protect them from the Justice Department.