Exclusive: Thousands of North Carolina ballots set to be rejected after GOP imposed strict new rules, data shows

• Data shared exclusively with Democracy Docket offers an unusually stark example of how Republican-backed voting restrictions, especially those targeting mail ballots, can directly cause large numbers of eligible voters to be disenfranchised.
  
  
• Some Democratic strongholds are seeing mail ballot rejection rates as high as 7% to 8%, the data shows.
  
  
• The state imposed the ballot rules — championed by the GOP — which established new signature matching and envelope sealing requirements, on the same day mail voting began. A federal judge this week ruled that they will remain in effect for the midterms.
  
  
• One of the biggest obstacles facing scrutiny is a new requirement for voters to put their ballot inside and seal an inner envelope, which then gets put into an outer envelope. This appears to be leading to inner envelopes being left unsealed, causing higher rates of rejections, advocates say.
  
  
• If that wasn’t enough, the judge who approved the restrictive new measures also upheld a strict GOP-led voter ID law ten years ago that an appeals court later found targeted Black voters “with almost surgical precision.”

➤ See the data exclusively shared with us

Latest in California: DOJ lawsuit ‘borders on the absurd’ and ‘threatens to disenfranchise thousands,’ state says

• Last week, DOJ sued California, aiming to bar the state from letting 20,000 people on a list of alleged noncitizens cast a ballot. Now, the administration’s claims are falling apart. Los Angeles County reviewed a sample of voters from the list and found that roughly one in four listed a U.S. birthplace, the county said. And nearly half, it added, were already canceled or inactive registrations.
  
  
• Meanwhile, lawyers for California argued thousands of eligible voters could be disenfranchised if the lawsuit succeeds.

➤ More on the fresh concerns raised about the DOJ’s list

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe Trump is a ‘potentially dangerous dictator’ who threatens democracy, poll finds

• The survey found that 58% of respondents agreed with the statement that Trump is “a potentially dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.”

➤ What else did the poll find?

WATCH: If Ken Paxton loses, ‘brace yourself for what could happen next’

• Democrats may have a shot at flipping the Texas Senate seat. But if they do, GOP nominee Ken Paxton could weaponize the Texas Attorney General's office to interfere with the election.
  
  
• Reporter Jen Rice has a full breakdown on how Paxton could interfere with midterm results, noting: “If Paxton does lose, you may want to brace yourself for what could happen next.”

➤ Watch the full video

More Wisconsin voters shun mail ballots as early voting opens in swing state

• Wisconsinites began in-person early voting today, with initial reports suggesting more people are skipping mail ballots this year in a state that has no grace period for late arrivals.

➤ What’s happening in Wisconsin?

Trump’s gerrymandering grab failed. But the war for democracy isn’t over

• “Instead of the windfall of more than 21 seats that President Trump predicted, the net shift toward the GOP will likely be somewhere in the two- to three-seat range. More importantly, Republicans are all but certain to lose the House majority,” John Bisognano, the president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, writes in a new op-ed.

➤ How Democrats fought back

Here we share noteworthy briefs on all things voting rights and democracy. Have a footnote for us? Send it to newsletters@democracydocket.com.

• Today is “Election Hero Day,” a day to celebrate election officials and their staff, county clerks, poll workers and others working to ensure safe and fair elections. If you are one of those reading this, thank you!
  
  
• Yesterday was the first day of early voting in Texas, and apparently voters are turning out in record numbers.
  
  
• Vice President JD Vance had a massive own goal when speaking at a rally in North Carolina by telling those in attendance to not vote for “the people who made the problem to begin with” when discussing gas prices. Whoops. Look in the mirror there, bud.
  
  
• Just like yesterday, we are going to end today’s newsletter by highlighting our great community. Here’s Democracy Docket subscriber Nicole at a No Kings rally over the weekend. Have photos to share? They might be featured in our newsletters! Send them to newsletters@democracydocket.com!