Fair Count

Mail voting fraud: Data points to low risk and high benefits for voters | Brookings Analysis finds mail voting fraud in the U.S. is exceedingly rare and shows universal vote-by-mail boosts access, turnout, and cost efficiency.

A proposed executive order to restrict mail voting nationally is seen by legal experts as a constitutional overreach. This move challenges election procedures at a time when most Americans feel democracy is under threat.

More: bit.ly/4o3vIKY

DHS Agrees to Overhaul Federal Immigration System for Mass Voter Screenings Read more here.

DHS will retrofit its SAVE database for voter verification under a settlement with 4 states (FL, IN, IA + OH). Critics warn the system, prone to error, will now conduct mass citizenship checks, threatening wrongful voter purges and privacy on a large scale.

More: bit.ly/4495mju

We don't just hope for change; we engineer it using data. With 200+ leaders trained and 300+ strategic partnerships forged, our plan is working. This #GivingTuesday, join us by investing in a blueprint for a more equitable Deep South.

Give today! faircount.co/donate

Coffee run? ✅
Lunch plans? ✅
Voting in your local runoff? ✅

GA + MS — it's runoff Election Day!
This is your final opportunity to be heard.

Polls are open until 7pm local time.

Find your official voting info:
GA: bit.ly/3MuwIoV
MS: bit.ly/46184FU

If Trump Sells Student Loan Portfolio, Avenues of Debt Cancellation Could Close Privatizing student loan debt would mean less protection for debtors, more suffering, and fewer paths to relief.

The push to privatize the student loan portfolio fits a broader vision of governmental retreat. This model abandons public support for education, creating a system where wealth dictates opportunity and debt becomes a permanent, privately-managed burden.

+ bit.ly/47DWXXp

Federal Census policy breaks Georgia’s democracy — state lawmakers can fix it Georgia’s redistricting data was once again skewed after the 2020 Census; the state needs to take action to fix the issue for 2030.

Prison gerrymandering dilutes the political power of nearly all Georgians by inflating the population counts of districts w/prisons. It disproportionately harms Black communities, cementing the racial inequities of mass incarceration into electoral maps.

bit.ly/3JB5Rfa

Georgia isn’t redrawing districts despite Trump’s push. At least for now. Georgia's Republican leaders say they will wait until the U.S. Supreme Court's Voting Rights Act ruling before deciding whether to redraw congressional maps.

The GA GOP isn't planning new maps. Yet. "Redrawing district lines in Georgia could make some Republican seats in the closely divided state competitive. And any changes could be preempted by a pending [SCOTUS] decision on the Voting Rights Act."

[+] bit.ly/4oEvWsm

Young Republicans challenge 2020 census results as part of wider GOP attack on head count Two young Republican groups have challenged the 2020 census results in a Florida federal court. They claim the statistical methods used were flawed.

Two conservative groups are challenging the statistical methods used for the 2020 census, four years later. The lawsuit targets the population figures that determine congressional apportionment, continuing the broader attack on the count's legitimacy.

[+] bit.ly/4npY6Xi

A major census test begins recruiting workers as some warn about delays The Census Bureau is looking for temporary workers to carry out next year's major field test of the 2030 census in six states, as the national head count's advocates raise concerns about preparations.

"The next U.S. census isn't scheduled to be taken until 2030, but the federal government says help is wanted well before then in six states for the national head count's major field test."

The 2026 Census Test includes parts of AL, AZ, CO, NC, SC and TX.

bit.ly/48eu6tr

GA – The VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE is TODAY, Mon, OCT 6 for the Nov 4th municipal and statewide PSC election.

Register or update your registration ➡️ mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/

A major census test begins recruiting workers as some warn about delays The Census Bureau is looking for temporary workers to carry out next year's major field test of the 2030 census in six states, as the national head count's advocates raise concerns about preparations.

BREAKING: The Census Bureau’s website says applications are now open for temporary “2026 Census Test” jobs in six states as some of the national head count’s advocates warn about delays in preparing for next year’s major field test of the #2030Census

Georgia Supreme Court sides with Gullah Geechee in Sapelo Island dispute The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a case involving Gullah Geechee residents of Sapelo Island, a McIntosh County ordinance revision and a citizen referendum.

Georgia Supreme Court sides with Gullah Geechee in Sapelo Island dispute

A squabbling State Election Board struggles after Georgia Supreme Court ruling The State Election Board is mired in squabbles and political advocacy even after the Georgia Supreme Court rebuked the board for exceeding its authority.

Despite overstepping their authority in the past, the GA State Election Board continues to push for control. In addition to squabbles over its chair's authority, the Board wants to ending no-excuse absentee voting and eliminate touchscreens.

More: www.ajc.com/politics/202...

Department of Commerce Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations (Sept. 29, 2025)

2. Here's a backup link to the Commerce Department's latest "Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations"
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

In the event of a lapse in appropriations, the U.S. Census Bureau anticipates that most activities will cease. The agency will have access to balances which will allow minimally necessary operations and activities to ensure the safety and security of data, IT resources, and property. Prior to any lapse in appropriations, an assessment will be performed to determine the level of budget authority available to continue operations. Administrative and information technology infrastructure activities supporting these programs will continue, funded by overheads collected against the funding sources above. The Census Bureau will use carryover balances to continue the activities needed to remain on a critical readiness path for a fully scoped, and on-time 2026 Census Test, a mission critical priority for ensuring 2030 Census operational viability as described throughout this section. If the lapse in appropriations continues for a significant length of time and these funds are exhausted, then most employees working on these activities will be furloughed, consistent with the Contingency Plan described below. The activities that the Census Bureau will not continue include the following: 1. Economic Indicators: U.S. monthly economic indicators would not be available. 2. Disaster Assistance and Recovery: The Census Bureau would be unable to provide updated data to jurisdictions impacted by natural disasters. 3. 2030 Census Planning (Non-Test Activities): All other activities necessary to plan, manage, and prepare for the 2030 Census not directly tied to the 2026 Census Test, including Geographic Support and Frames, will be paused. 4. American Community Survey: Data Collection for the ACS will be discontinued.

NEW: In case of a federal government shutdown, the Census Bureau will stop work on economic indicators, the American Community Survey, disaster assistance & recovery data & most #2030Census planning. "2026 Census Test" work would continue until funds are "exhausted"
www.commerce.gov/sites/defaul...

OMB Announcing Timeline Extensions for SPD 15 Implementation September 26, 2025 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is extending timelines in its Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. The provisions of OMB’s most recent updates to its race and ethnicity data standards continue to be in effect. However, through this announcement, OMB is changing two particular dates. The standards require the Chief Financial Officers Act Agencies and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to submit to OMB an Action Plan on Race and Ethnicity Data by September 28, 2025. OMB is extending this deadline to March 28, 2026. The standards require Federal information collections that collect race and ethnicity data to be made consistent with the updated standards as soon as possible, but not later than March 28, 2029. OMB is extending this deadline to September 28, 2029.

BREAKING: Office of Management and Budget extends deadline for federal surveys & forms to comply with revised government standards on racial & ethnic data approved during Biden admin, including new “Middle Eastern or North African” & "Hispanic or Latino” checkboxes
spd15revision.gov/content/spd1...

DOJ Urges SCOTUS to End Key VRA Protection for Minority Voters Read more here.

Historically, "…the [DOJ] has been at the forefront of efforts to use Section 2 of the VRA to protect minority voting rights, most frequently in the redistricting process." Now it seeks to "make [the Voting Rights Act] all but useless in stopping racially motivated gerrymanders."

[+] bit.ly/3W9kWXK

NEW: Justice Department argues in friend-of-the-court brief to US Supreme Court that Voting Rights Act's Section 2 protections against racial discrimination in redistricting are no longer constitutional as high court prepares to hear oral arguments again in Louisiana congressional redistricting case

1.2 million immigrants are gone from the US labor force under Trump, preliminary data shows As parades and other events celebrating the contributions of workers in the U.S. are being held for the Labor Day holiday, experts say President Donald Trump’s stepped-up immigration policies are impa...

After 50+ years of steady growth, the U.S. immigrant population is now declining. While hitting a record 53.3M in Jan 2025, by June, more have left or been deported than arrived, shrinking the US labor force by over a million people.

More: bit.ly/3I1hYRO

NEW: The newly formed Independent Census Scientific Advisory Committee calls for the Census Bureau to develop a communication plan for providing regular public updates about privacy protections for #2030Census data, among other recommendations
static1.squarespace.com/static/6890d...

A recent report from Louisiana shows us what we already know: noncitizens voting is not a problem. Election safeguards work.

Partnering for Power: Preparing for the 2025 Elections + Beyond — Georgia Interfaith Power and Light Many Georgia voters don't understand the powerful role of the statewide Public Service Commission (PSC), and that lack of information leads to low voter turnout. Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (G...

Let's partner for power! 🗳️

Ahead of the Nov. 4 GA Public Service Commission (PSC) election, join GIPL, @faircount.bsky.social, @splcenter.org, & @ncnwhq.bsky.social on Sept. 30 (6–7 p.m.) for a virtual voter empowerment session.

Register: gipl.org/events/partn...

#GOTV #YouVoteMatters

Register to vote now at WhenWeAllVote.org, because Election Day is in less than 50 days.

From the economy and jobs to healthcare and fighting racism, let’s use our power to make sure NOTHING is decided about us without us.

#NationalBlackVoterDay #BETWeVote 🗳✊🏾

The Black unemployment rate is at its highest since 2021. Here's why that's a bad sign for the economy. The unemployment rate for Black Americans hit 7.5% in August. Federal workforce reductions and tariff-fueled economic uncertainty may be contributing.

The unemployment rate for Black Americans hit 7.5% in August, "more than double the rate seen for white workers." This is the worst level it's been since the pandemic, some economists seeing this as a sign of worse things to come for the US economy.

[+] yhoo.it/4n6vhQ2

There are no constitutional provisions or statutes that pertain to, prohibit, or limit partisan gerrymandering in the congressional redistricting process in South Carolina. There are no judicially discernible or manageable standards or satisfactory criteria to adjudicate partisan gerrymandering claims. Therefore, we hold partisan gerrymandering claims present a nonjusticiable political question in South Carolina, and we deny the League's claim for relief. RELIEF DENIED. FEW and VERDIN, JJ., concur. KITTREDGE, C.J., concurring in a separate opinion, in which HILL, J., concurs.

BREAKING: The South Carolina Supreme Court has denied a request to strike down the state's congressional district map that was approved by its GOP-controlled state legislature, finding that claims of partisan gerrymandering are not reviewable by South Carolina courts
www.sccourts.org/media/opinio...

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The Push To Exclude Noncitizens From The 2030 Census : 1A The U.S. undertakes the census every 10 years. Hundreds of thousands of Census workers set out to count everyone living in the U.S., regardless of their citizenship status.That data is used to realloc...

Why does it matter who’s counted in the Census? How would making changes to it influence the life of every person living in the US?

The count is a battle over visibility, resources, and power — the stakes are higher than you might think.

Listen 🎧: n.pr/4lthiT2

The Next Phase of the Fight Experts discuss this summer’s biggest stories, including gerrymandering, presidential abuses of power, and elections.

Join me along with the a power packed panel of my expert colleagues online this Thursday!: www.brennancenter.org/events/next-...

Driver v Houston County - 2025-09-02 Order on Motion to Dismiss

NEW: Judge rejects bid by Georgia’s Houston County to throw out claim that electing county commissioners as at-large representatives of one voting district dilutes Black voters' collective power. Two Black voters stepped in to carry on this voting rights case after DOJ under Trump admin stepped away

Automatic voter registration comes under scrutiny by Georgia lawmakers Georgia lawmakers will decide whether to roll back automatic voter registration, which has resulted in high numbers of voters but led to some criticism.

Citing an "excessive" registration rate, Georgia's conservative lawmakers plan to target the state's highly successful automatic voter registration system. Their priorities also include banning no-excuse absentee voting and shortening early voting.

[+] bit.ly/4g6Q2Zo