Federal judges block efforts to ease rules for mail-in ballots

As millions of voters cast ballots this month, federal courts in the South shot down attempts to make voting easier during the pandemic, and some relied on a novel argument giving them more power to overrule state courts. The rulings have led to calls to expand the Supreme Court and lower courts if Democrats take the White House and Senate. (10/22/2020)

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THE STAKES 2020: Catherine Coleman Flowers on the environmental justice movement and elections

Across the rural South's Black Belt, the lack of adequate sewage and water infrastructure has created serious public health problems. We spoke with Catherine Coleman Flowers, a longtime environmental justice activist in rural Alabama and the recent recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant, about her work to draw attention to the region's intersecting crises and how grassroots activism can impact federal policy. (10/23/2020)

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THE STAKES 2020: Aranza Sosa on voting out racist officials in a rural North Carolina county

Alamance County, North Carolina, has been the site of recent protests over a local Confederate monument, and its sheriff has long been accused of racism for public comments and his participation in ICE's controversial 287(g) program. We spoke with local activist Aranza Sosa about growing up in the shadow of 287(g) and the power of elected officials who come from the same background she does. (10/19/2020)

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THE STAKES 2020: Albious Latior on the power of first-time Marshallese American voters

COVID-19 struck Arkansas' small Marshallese community hard, in part because of their limited access to health care. We spoke with community leader Albious Latior about the power the first generation of Marshallese Americans eligible to vote has to advocate for health care for themselves and their elders. (10/15/2020)

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Southern states' early voting numbers reveal excitement — and challenges

The 2020 election season has seen record-breaking early turnout in battleground states across the South. But problems including long lines and voter intimidation continue to suppress the political power of already-marginalized communities.

Defend democracy in the South!

This election year is the most important in generations. And across the South, democracy is under attack.

At Facing South, we urgently need your help to monitor the 2020 elections as we near Election Day. Our award-winning team is your go-to source about critical voting and election issues across the South, like:

• The Southern turnout surge and voting challenges
• Attacks on voting rights in Southern courts
• Neo-Confederates seeking to keep their power
• Powerful Big Money interests and their agenda
• Voices from frontline leaders organizing their communities

And many more important 2020 election stories.

Your support makes it possible for Facing South to deliver these and other critical stories about voting and democracy in 2020. Go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today:

https://www.facingsouth.org/2020elections

Thank you for rushing your support today! Together, we can defend democracy in the South.

Ben, Billy, Chris, Olivia, Rebekah, and Sue for Facing South

Prefer to donate by mail? Send your check payable to ISS and mail to Institute for Southern Studies, P.O. Box 531, Durham, N.C. 27702. Questions? Email Chris at [email protected].

The corporate interests backing Trump's latest Supreme Court pick

We look at the political groups spending millions of dollars to support President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the high court — and the business interests funding them.