Making sure–NOW–that you’re registered to vote, and voting in November has never been more crucial. Donald Trump has even gone so far as to claim that we “won’t have to vote anymore…” if he’s put into power.

So, it’s not hyperbole to say that democracy is under threat. There are 84 days left until November 5th, 2024.

It’s important to remember that if voting didn’t matter, Trump’s party wouldn’t be working so hard to make sure you can’t. The litigious radical right means to gerrymander, purge/disenfranchise and litigate itself into power. They have been at it for years.

The Shelby County v. Holder decision saw the Supreme Court erode years of settled Voting Rights Act’s settled law. The overturning of key Voting Rights Act areas like Section 5 resulted in quick, anti-democratic laws. Within 24 hours of the ruling, Texas announced that it would implement a strict voter-ID law. Georgia and other states began closing polling places, resulting in . The list goes on. And on.

Democracy Docket does a nice job of keeping track of this misfeasance. The foes of democracy have deep pockets, (some) pliant judges, and a blistering sense of grievance and entitlement. They are laying the foundation–now–to overturn the upcoming election if it doesn’t go their way. Democracy Docket keeps a running scorecard of the lawsuits, judgements and official actions related to voting across the U.S.:

Below, is a sample. The states of Georgia and Mississippi remain embattled, but the forces of disenfranchisement are at work in every state. The bullet point topics listed below, copied from the DemDocket newsletter, are the most recent developments.

Deep dive into threats to democracy in Georgia

• Since 2020, we’ve seen an uptick in election denialism. And at a Georgia rally last Saturday, Trump and his allies started their plan to subvert the 2024 election by targeting the people responsible for overseeing election rules, Marc wrote in a new piece.
• The state of Georgia has created a new online portal that makes it easier to cancel people’s voter registrations. In a new YouTube video, Marc shares his concerns about how the website will likely fuel election vigilantism in the state.
• Struggles for voting rights continue in Mississippi
• The RNC appealed the dismissal of its lawsuit seeking to reject mail-in ballots in Mississippi that are cast by Election Day and received shortly after. The case is now before the 5th Circuit — the most conservative federal appeals court.
• Recently, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Mississippi Constitution’s felony disenfranchisement provision will remain in effect, reversing its previous opinion from August 2023. Democracy Docket talked to individuals working to get their voting rights restored about this ruling’s impact.

Ohio removes hundreds of alleged noncitizens from voter rolls

• Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) announced that the state’s county boards of election are removing 499 alleged noncitizens from the state’s voter rolls after purging nearly 155,000 inactive voters last week.

I do not work for Democracy Docket, nor do I have any financial interest in it, but they do important work that shines light on the kinds of things the Party of Trump does in the dark and away from the headlines.

I would urge anyone who wants to keep abreast of what anti-democracy forces are doing across the nation to read and subscribe to Democracy Docket. For those living in Pennsylvania/Philadelphia, The Committee of Seventy is also a wonderful source. While I’m at it, Brookings has its “Issues at Stake 2024” newsletter

But above all, make sure your voter registration is current and active. And make a plan to vote on November 5th!

Anyone who reads this blog must know where my sympathies lie. But first and foremost I care about our democracy. Yes, I’m a life-long Democrat, but I welcome the national argument that is voting–the chance for a free people to decide for itself as an electorate what they want their future to look like. I deplore and will resist any action to rig the game. By any side. And right now, it’s happening all on one side.

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James McCrone is the author of the Imogen Trager political suspense-thrillers Faithless Elector, Dark Network , and Emergency Powers–noir tales about a stolen presidency, a conspiracy, and a nation on edge. Bastard Verdict, his fourth novel, is about a conspiracy surrounding a second Scottish Independence referendum. His novel-in-progress is called Witness Tree, about a conspiracy set in Oregon’s wine coutry, a (pinot) noir tale of murder and corruption.

All books are available on BookShop.org, IndyBound.org, Barnes & Noble, your local bookshop, and Amazon. eBooks are available in multiple formats including Apple, Kobo, Nook and Kindle.

He’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, Int’l Assoc. of Crime Writers, and he’s the current president of the Delaware Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime. He lives in Philadelphia. James has an MFA from the University of Washington in Seattle.

For a full list of appearances and readings, make sure to check out his Events/About page. And follow this blog!

You can also keep up with James and his work on social media:
Mastodon: @JMcCrone
Bluesky: @jmccrone.bsky.social
Facebook: James McCrone author (@FaithlessElector)
and Instagram/Threads “@james.mccrone”