Trump starts $1 million 'voter fraud' bounty

Monday, October 26

By Andrew Wyrich · Newsletter Editor

Hello, pro-democracy readers! The consensus on the Department of Justice’s shocking lawsuit to block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if the GOP loses is pretty clear: It’s a bunch of bunk.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is offering a $1 million bounty to folks who report cases of “voter fraud.”

One last thing: Marc is going live on YouTube at 6:30 p.m. EDT tonight, so make sure to tune in and ask any questions you may have.

All that and more is on the docket today. See you tomorrow!

Trump offers $1 million bounty for ‘voter fraud’ ahead of Election Day

Trump made the wild claim in a social media post today. It represents his latest attempt to present fraud and illegal voting by noncitizens — a vanishingly rare phenomenon — as a widespread problem that threatens the integrity of U.S. elections.

➤ What to know about Trump’s bounty announcement

The latest in Alaska: Democrats ask judge to toss DOJ’s ‘wholly baseless’ bid to block election if GOP loses

Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and her party asked a federal court to throw out the DOJ’s unprecedented lawsuit that seeks to preemptively block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race if the Republican incumbent loses.
Their new motion called the DOJ’s shocking lawsuit an “extraordinary assault” on democracy and “insulting” to the people of Alaska.
Other legal experts have eviscerated the lawsuit, calling it “one of the worst ones I’ve ever seen.”
Meanwhile, Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed the Justice Department wasn’t seeking to block Alaska from certifying its Senate contest. But his own department’s complaint flatly contradicted him.
The next day, Blanche tried to shift course and blame Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system for causing “confusion” to justify its lawsuit.
Meanwhile, disenfranchisement is happening on the ground. At least 18 early voting centers in rural Alaska had not opened as of Friday. All of the areas are home to majority-Alaska Native populations that have historically been subjected to disenfranchising policies and conditions.

➤ Legal experts eviscerated the DOJ’s Alaska lawsuit

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New ad features woman wrongly convicted for illegal voting, slams Paxton’s ‘crackdown on voters of color’

A new ad in Texas’ U.S. Senate race puts Attorney General Ken Paxton’s anti-voting record at the center of the campaign, highlighting the state’s dangerous prosecution of a Black woman for voting when she wrongly believed herself to be eligible.

➤ More on the new ad in Texas

Appeals court appears skeptical of DOJ’s emergency bid to block 20,000 ballots in California

Over the weekend, a three-judge panel in the 9th Circuit appeared skeptical of the DOJ’s attempt to block 20,000 people they claim are noncitizens on voter rolls, as they questioned the merits of the administration’s legal arguments.
Previously, the DOJ had urged the court to reject California’s motion to dismiss the federal government’s dangerous lawsuit.

➤ What to know about California

Maricopa County will restore citizens’ voting registrations, Arizona AG says

Maricopa County will restore 25 voters’ registrations after they were falsely flagged as noncitizens, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) announced.

➤ Read the latest from Maricopa County

Arkansas asks Supreme Court to revive restrictive voter registration rule

After the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a restrictive rule that would require a “wet signature” when registering to vote, Secretary of State Cole Jester (R) and members of the state’s election board filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to revive it.

➤ Here’s what is happening in Arkansas

Early voting begins: Election conspiracies grip Michigan, and what to expect in New York, New Jersey

Michigan voters are heading to the polls, and the biggest threat to the midterm elections in the Great Lake State lies in the information space: Conspiracy theorists and election deniers are working overtime to sow distrust in Michigan’s voting process.
Meanwhile, millions of voters in New York and New Jersey are casting ballots as disputes over voter eligibility, mail voting and federal access to voter data have intensified in the final weeks before Election Day.

➤ What conspiracies are being spread in Michigan?

Trump-appointed judge delivers DOJ its 27th straight loss in voter roll crusade

A district court judge dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit against Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson (R) with prejudice and denied the department’s request to force her to turn over the state’s complete voter-registration database.

➤ Womp womp

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

So…. yeah, rapper Nicki Minaj is apparently surging in prediction markets as someone who could be the next White House press secretary. There was even a quasi-job interview filmed on Air Force One. Minaj just joined Trump on the campaign trail. I don’t have a joke about this, just more of a sad groan.
To anyone who intends to vote by mail: Tomorrow is the last day USPS recommends mailing your ballot.

Today's newsletter was edited by Sally Holtgrieve and Dave O’Brien, and produced by Leila Fusenig. Learn more about our staff here.