PLI Bulletin

Supreme Court, COVID Hotspots, Reproductive Rights and More

Posted on September 23, 2020

National Popular Vote Agreement Act: Because of states’ winner-take-all systems of selecting who votes in the Electoral College, the popular vote loser was chosen as President of the United States in two of the last five elections (2000 and 2016). This is simply undemocratic. The National Popular Vote Agreement Act is a compact among the states to elect the President by national popular vote.

A Supreme Court for the rich? One of the top issues of the day, of course, is a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. When progressives talk about this issue, we usually focus on Roe v. Wade. But that’s not the most persuasive story to tell. For more, see the latest IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.

Who Are the Women Under Consideration to Replace RBG? This podcast, sponsored by National Public Radio, discusses the women most likely to be appointed to the Supreme Court vacancy.

Strong correlation between COVID-19 “Hotspots” and Red states: This map from the Kaiser Family Foundation labels states as Hotspots if they have high COVID positivity rates or substantial increases in cases. While not an exact match, every state likely to vote for Trump is currently a Hotspot while every non-Hotspot state is likely to vote for Biden. Fascinating.

Absentee and Mail Voting Policies in Effect for the 2020 Election: Very recently updated, this listing from the National Conference of State Legislatures shows who allows mail voting and when ballot processing begins.

How to talk about the issue of reproductive rights: The Supreme Court vacancy will increase interest in reproductive rights during this election year. Are you using the best messaging? Read this chapter from PLI’s messaging guide.