Democracy Decoded
Let’s face it: This is an unprecedented time for our democracy. Many of our government’s checks and balances are being challenged or outright ignored. We did not arrive here because of one person or one policy, but rather the erosion of numerous safeguards, which, over time, have allowed some persistent issues with our system of government to be exploited. Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years have favored secretive political donations and restrictive voting laws, reshaping our political landscape. Corruption and executive overreach are on the rise, and gerrymandering in states across the country continues to prevent many Americans from making their voices heard. If you follow us at Campaign Legal Center, you’ll have heard us repeatedly calling out these issues — and proposing ways to fix them. Because that’s what we’re all about: solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. This season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, will focus on a handful of key factors that have led us to this point — and we’ll outline solutions for how we can begin to repair the cracks in our system. Each episode will spotlight the story of an individual client, organization, case, or specific problem indicating where these cracks have formed. Drawing from Campaign Legal Center’s experts and other distinguished guests, we will diagnose the underlying problems democracy faces and chart ways that we can hold our government accountable, ensuring everyone can participate fully in our democracy and we continue to have free and fair elections for years to come. Listeners will come away understanding the solutions Campaign Legal Center is advancing nationwide to shore up these crucial aspects of our democracy. Democracy Decoded will encourage listeners to better grasp how we, as citizens, can change things for the better.
Episodes
How did American democracy reach such a precarious moment — and what can we do to fix things? Host Simone Leeper examines the fundamental threats to our democracy today, from gerrymandering and corruption to abuses of executive power and the outsized role of money in politics.
Through real stories from everyday Americans and insights from the experts at Campaign Legal Center and other distinguished guests, this season of Democracy D...
Donald Trump took office as president on January 20, 2025, having already served one term. Immediately, however, he made clear his second term would be even more unpredictable than his first. He put one of the world's richest men — and his biggest campaign donor — in charge of a shadowy new entity with seemingly unfettered access to government data. Trump also blitzed the system with a barrage of executive orders, which have seemin...
In the end, the worst of everyone’s election fears — political violence, overt foreign interference or a razor-thin margin between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump leading to a hotly contested legal battle — did not come to pass. Instead, Donald Trump won a plurality of votes for president, and did so decisively. On January 20, 2025, he will once again become the country’s most powerful executive.
His victory raises weighty questions ...
This week’s episode is short, sweet, and to the point: It’s Election Day, and if you haven’t yet cast your vote, let us be your friendly reminder. Like many of her CLC colleagues, Simone will spend the day monitoring elections. Next week she’ll be back with the final episode of the season, with a look at how this most dramatic election is playing out.
Until then, it’s up to you.
Nationwide nonpartisan Election Protection (EP) hotline...
An incumbent president drops out, mid-race. A former president becomes a party’s nominee for the first time in more than a century. There are multiple occurrences of political violence against a candidate. Newly emergent AI tools spread disinformation. And a Supreme Court that may be called upon to decide the race is perceived by the electorate as increasingly politicized.
The 2024 election cycle has already made its share of histor...
Imagine you’re at home when you hear a knock. At your door are people who want you to share, in detail, who you voted for in the last election, months ago. When you ask them who they are and where they’re from, they remain vague and perhaps even aggressive.
This was the case for some Americans in the years after the 2020 election, part of a spate of behaviors by election skeptics and deniers that, in some cases, amounted to voter in...
When New Hampshire voters picked up the phone earlier this year and heard what sounded like the voice of President Joe Biden asking them not to vote in that state’s primary election, the stage was set for an unprecedented election year. The call was a deepfake — and the first major instance of artificial intelligence being used in the 2024 election. With the rise of AI tools that can credibly synthesize voices, images and videos, h...
Election certification has traditionally been a mostly symbolic process in the United States. You vote, your vote gets counted, your precinct and others get tallied together (“canvassed” is the term of art) and, within a few days, everyone looks at the counts and agrees on a winner. But lately, this banal, bland procedure has become a political flashpoint, as people who question the election process impose unrealistic requirements ...
The peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of American democracy that sets the United States apart — the so-called north star of our electoral system. Yet the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 challenged that tradition profoundly. In the lead-up to this November, we answer the question that is on the minds of many voters: Will the months after this presidential election look like the aftermath of the last one?
Fortunat...
Voter registration is the number one obstacle to voting in the United States. It should be easy, accessible and secure, but too often, states are moving backwards; making voter registration more difficult and less equitable. Here, we introduce a new type of episode: an up-to-the-minute interview with an expert to help you better understand some of the most important issues affecting elections. Danielle Lang, a voting rights attorne...
Election workers are the people in your neighborhood. They’re our friends, neighbors and co-workers who help keep American democracy safe and secure... But in 2020, many of them were maligned, harassed and threatened in battleground states — the targets of bad actors who sought to sow distrust in the electoral process.
How can we better protect and support the many dedicated civil servants and volunteers who provide such crucial wor...
American elections work because we have tried-and-tested systems in place to make sure votes are cast fairly and counted correctly, and that when threats arise, everyone has their part to play: lawmakers, poll workers, voting rights advocates, and everyday voters alike.
To understand how our elections continue to evolve, this season of Democracy Decoded takes a deep dive into our electoral system, exploring the checks and balances...
In this bonus episode we’re featuring content from one of our favorite podcasts called “When the People Decide”. Host Jenna Spinelle explores what happens when neighbors and local government work together to make their communities stronger and more inclusive.
The episode takes place in Decatur, Georgia and tells the story of “Decatur 101” a straightforward class open to anyone in Decatur to learn about how their city government work...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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Across the country, voters are organizing to protect their right to elect ca...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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When we elect representatives, we expect them to be held accountable to the people they represent ...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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Campaign contribution limits are one of the few mechanisms in place to prevent wealthy special int...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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When elected officials aren’t prioritizing the needs of their constituents, voters can make their ...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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An enormous amount of work goes into planning for Election Day. For months, poll workers and elect...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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One of the most crucial but often overlooked aspects of American democracy is voter registration. ...
We want to hear from you! Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete our survey. Your feedback helps understand what you love about Democracy Decoded and how we can make it even better. To show our thanks, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 American Express gift card. We appreciate your time!
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Why do local and state elections matter, and how can voters be sure that their voices are being re...
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