Matt Cohen
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Senior Reporter @democracydocket, covering voting rights, democracy, extremism, etc. Collector of records, plants, tattoos, and bad horror movies on VHS.
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Articles by Matt Cohen
Could Trump take over voting by declaring a ‘national emergency’?
When lawyer and conspiracist Peter Ticktin appeared on far-right commentator Wayne Allyn Root’s podcast earlier this month, he made an alarming suggestion: President Donald Trump needed to seize control over elections from the states. Trump is “going to have to declare martial law,” he said.
The Plot To Rule The World: A Choose Your Own Destiny Story
Illustrated by Erin Nations and written by Matt Cohen Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by Matt Cohen and illustrated by Erin Nations Written by...
5 ways to build financial resilience to support mental health
Personal Group's Matt Cohen explains how to achieve valuable psychological headroom by combining protection with prevention. For a CFO, resilience is what you strive for. A strong balance sheet does not eliminate uncertainty, but it does give an organisation the capacity to absorb a shock, respond calmly to adversity and bounce back from setbacks.
Exclusive: EAC commissioner communicated with Cleta Mitchell’s group on proof of citizenship, emails show
President Donald Trump may have dismantled the leadership of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). But new emails shared with Democracy Docket reveal that one of the agency’s then-commissioners last year communicated with a top anti-voting group to try to boost President Donald Trump’s plan to require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
Pro-voting groups sue to prevent Trump admin from sending federal agents to intimidate voters
A group of pro-voting and civil rights organizations is asking a federal court to prevent the Trump administration from using federal law enforcement to intimidate voters during the midterm elections.
DOJ is 0-24 in its voter roll grab after Vermont demand rejected
The Trump administration suffered its 24th straight court loss in its voter roll grab Thursday, after a federal judge in Vermont denied the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) effort to access Green Mountain State voters’ unredacted personal data. It’s another bruising defeat for the DOJ in its crusade to collect states’ private voter data.
Exclusive: These international observers have monitored US elections for decades. This time, the Trump admin didn’t invite them
For over two decades, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has sent a mission to observe every federal election in the United States, after receiving an invitation from the administration. But the regional security organization told Democracy Docket that it hasn’t received an invitation from the Trump administration to observe the midterms. It’s the latest ominous sign that the U.S. is backsliding on democracy.
Appeals court rejects New Hampshire’s bid to quickly dismiss DOJ’s voter data lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will soon explain to a federal appeals court why New Hampshire must hand over its unredacted voter rolls, after the court rejected the state’s bid to have the case thrown out. The DOJ heading to court potentially sets the department up for the next loss in its wildly unsuccessful attempt to gain access to states’ unredacted voter rolls.
‘A big loss for Republicans’: Trump, MAGA attack conservative Supreme Court over mail voting ruling
President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday morning after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the administration’s mail voting restrictions for November’s midterm elections. The target of his ire?
An election worker tried to protect mail ballots. Now he faces prison amid Trump’s push for voting cases
When Joey Norris volunteered as an election worker during the 2024 presidential race, he could never have imagined it would get him arrested two years later. Then, this July, sheriff’s deputies showed up on his doorstep in Red Oak, Iowa, and took him into custody. Norris now faces up to five years in prison on a felony charge over a verbal disagreement he had with other election officials, who he said weren’t following the proper rules for counting absentee ballots.
Mississippi’s mail ballot receipt deadline affirmed by federal appeals court after pivotal Supreme Court ruling
A federal appeals court formally put into effect a ruling allowing Mississippi to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day. The order follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling that upheld the state’s five-day grace period for ballots postmarked by Election Day. The ruling — issued last week by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — is the final word in the GOP’s lengthy legal battle to ban mail ballots that arrive after, but postmarked by, Election Day.
MAGA crashes out over Missouri gerrymander loss
After the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked Missouri from using a gerrymandered congressional map favoring the GOP during the midterms, far-right figures and election deniers had a full-blown meltdown on social media, raging against the Court’s conservative majority and effectively accusing them of supporting Democrats. “This is why I don’t celebrate anything the Supreme Court does right,” anti-voting activist Seth Keshel said.
Thousands of overseas voters could be disenfranchised by Trump mail voting rule, advocates warn
As they’ve sought to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order attacking mail voting, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) have maintained that the restrictions would not apply to U.S. citizens voting from abroad, including military service members stationed outside the country.
Supreme Court denies right-wing group’s bid to force Michigan proof-of-citizenship measure on November ballot
In a win for voters, the U.S. Supreme Court has denied a right-wing group’s request to force Michigan to place a proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of citizenship to vote on the November 2026 ballot. The denial by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative appointed by President Donald Trump, likely means the amendment is dead. Sept. 4 is the deadline for state election officials to finalize the November ballot.
Maryland Supreme Court upholds Democrats’ redistricting plan
In a win for voters, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that a constitutional amendment on redistricting proposed by state Democrats can appear on the ballot in November. Should voters approve the measure, it would clear the way for Maryland Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional districts for the 2028 election to counteract a wave of gerrymanders Republican-led states carried out over the past year at the behest of President Donald Trump.
Federal judge won’t block New Hampshire’s student ID voting ban — for now
In a loss for voters, a federal judge in New Hampshire will allow the state’s new ban on using student IDs for voting to remain in place for the Sept. 8 primary election. But the judge left the door open to possibly ban the law for November’s general election. The pro-voting group Coalition for Open Democracy (COD) sued New Hampshire last month to block the GOP-backed state law from taking effect, but District Court Judge Joseph Laplante — a George W.
New Hampshire asks appeals court to quickly dismiss DOJ’s voter roll grab
New Hampshire could be the site of the next bruising defeat for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in its nationwide campaign to obtain states’ unredacted voter rolls. Secretary of State David Scanlan (R) asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit Tuesday to quickly dismiss the DOJ’s voter roll lawsuit, arguing that a full briefing is not necessary because the department’s case is so weak.
Right-wing group asks Supreme Court to put Michigan proof-of-citizenship amendment on November ballot
A right-wing group asked the U.S. Supreme Court Monday to ensure a proposed constitutional amendment requiring Michigan voters to show proof of citizenship will be on November’s ballot. The request comes less than a week after the ballot measure failed to secure approval to appear before voters because the state’s Board of Canvassers deadlocked during a vote on it.
Second judge blocks Maryland Democrats’ redistricting plan, but state Supreme Court will have final word
A second judge in Maryland has blocked a constitutional amendment on redistricting proposed by Democrats, preventing it from appearing on the November ballot. The fate of the measure now depends on the state Supreme Court. The ruling is yet another blow to state Democrats’ efforts to counteract a wave of gerrymanders backed by President Donald Trump that Republican-led states carried out over the past year. In an order issued Friday, Maryland Circuit Court Judge S.
Exclusive: Another election denial leader, hired by DHS, drafted letter threatening states over voting audits
When Democracy Docket reported last year that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had hired Heather Honey, a prominent election denial activist, to a senior post, democracy advocates expressed alarm. Now, online records show that a close Honey associate, who has pushed to ban voting machines and brought a slew of lawsuits that risked disenfranchising large numbers of voters, has quietly been brought into the same DHS office.
Judge blocks Maryland Democrats’ redistricting plans, setting up state Supreme Court appeal
Maryland Democrats’ redistricting plans may be in trouble after a judge blocked a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the November ballot. But Maryland Circuit Court Judge Robert Thompson also paused his order blocking the amendment pending a likely appeal, and ultimately, a ruling from the Maryland Supreme Court.
Michigan board rejects proof-of-citizenship ballot measure for November election, but legal challenge looms
A proposed constitutional amendment requiring voters to show proof of citizenship failed to secure approval to appear on the ballot in Michigan this November after the state’s Board of Canvassers deadlocked on the measure. But that doesn’t mean it’s dead. Backers of the restrictive anti-voting measure are expected to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to decide whether it will go on the ballot in November.
The election deniers influencing Trump’s anti-voting policy from the outside
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, his administration has appointed an unprecedented number of election deniers and conspiracists to prominent government jobs. There’s Heather Honey, a Pennsylvania-based anti-voting activist who was tapped for a newly created “election integrity” post at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
California senators call for ‘maximum oversight’ over conspiracist Tina Peters’ new election job
Both of California’s senators are deeply worried about convicted election denier Tina Peters’ possible new job assisting with elections in the conservative bastion of Shasta County — and they’re urging the state’s election chief to keep a close eye on her if she takes the gig. In a letter sent Wednesday to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D), Sens.
Conservative activist Scott Presler accused of violating Pennsylvania campaign finance laws
Conservative activist and social media influencer Scott Presler has made a name for himself by traveling around the country to stump hard for MAGA’s anti-voting agenda: the SAVE America Act, voter roll purges and GOP candidates in consequential local elections.
Election denier Tina Peters gets alarming new elections job in deep red California county
Convicted election denier Tina Peters has been out of prison for just over two months, but she may already have a new job lined up that would allow her to meddle with voting: assistant registrar of voters in Shasta County, California. Shasta Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis, an outspoken election skeptic, said Sunday that he had tapped Peters to replace his current assistant in September, Action News Now reported.
Ripple Ventures Fund IV
We are excited to announce that Fund IV is live. We held a first close earlier this year, added a second this summer, and we are heading towards our final close before the end of the year. In this vehicle, two new institutions joined as anchor and significant LPs, including Northleaf Capital Partners and one of Canada's largest private conglomerates. These investors were joined by the RBC / RBCx , which returns as an existing co-anchor LP from Fund III.
Michigan judge tosses GOP lawsuit that aimed to make it easier to challenge voter eligibility
In a victory for voters, a Michigan judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee (RNC) that sought to make it easier for partisan poll challengers to dispute voter eligibility and interrupt the state’s ballot-counting process.
Election denier Mike Lindell denies own double-digit loss in Minnesota GOP governor primary
Pillow magnate and election conspiracist Mike Lindell is refusing to concede after losing his race to be the GOP’s candidate for Minnesota governor. Instead, he alleges that people on his election team found “a couple anomalies” in the vote tally, calling the results into question. Lindell — a towering figure in the election denial movement and founder of the company MyPillow — to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R) by more than 10 percentage points.
Election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell loses Minnesota GOP governor primary
Mike Lindell, a pillow magnate and prolific election denier who helped mainstream the conspiracy theory that compromised voting machines were used to steal the 2020 election, lost Minnesota’s Republican primary for governor Tuesday. Lindell, who founded the company MyPillow in 2004, frequently touted his close ties to President Donald Trump throughout his campaign. But he couldn’t leverage his personal relationship with the president enough to win over GOP voters in the North Star State.
Election deniers bombarded Michigan with voting conspiracies during Democratic Senate primary
Weeks before Michigan voters headed to the polls in a closely watched primary, the Trump administration and prominent election deniers pounced on the key battleground state. They quickly revived years-old, debunked conspiracy theories and began spreading false claims of fraudulent voter registrations, Democrats scheming to steal votes, and supposedly widespread Election Day irregularities in recent races.
Maryland Republicans sue to stop voters from weighing in on Democrats’ redistricting plan
Maryland Republicans filed a lawsuit late Thursday to block voters from weighing in this November on a redistricting plan proposed by Democrats. If voters were to approve the measure, it would allow the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature to redraw Maryland’s congressional map to counter recent GOP gerrymanders ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
Maryland Republicans threaten lawsuit to block vote on Democrats’ redistricting plan
After Maryland Democrats approved a proposed constitutional amendment Tuesday to change the rules for congressional redistricting, Republicans are threatening to sue to prevent voters from weighing in on the issue. The GOP intends to “get this into the court as soon as we possibly can to try to put any type of delay that we can,” Maryland Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R) told reporters Tuesday. Currently, Republicans hold only one seat in the Maryland congressional delegation.
Trump, MAGA already pushing conspiracies about Michigan mail voting
It didn’t take long after polls closed in Michigan Tuesday evening for President Donald Trump and prominent MAGA figures to start spreading false claims of mail voter fraud. Early Wednesday morning, before the Democratic Senate primary election was called, Trump jumped on social media to suggest fraudulent mail ballots would push Rep.
Mike Rogers, GOP convert to election denial, wins Michigan GOP Senate primary
Mike Rogers, a former U.S. congressman who pushed false claims of a stolen 2024 election in Michigan and praised Trump’s recent primetime tirade against elections, won Michigan’s Republican primary election for an open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday. Rogers will face Abdul El-Sayed — the former director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human, and Veteran Services —in November’s general election, a key race that could determine which party controls the Senate.
Michigan election chief Jocelyn Benson to face prominent election denier in governor’s race
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a critical opponent of President Donald Trump’s anti-voting agenda, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday to be the state’s next governor. Now, she’ll face off against a Republican who opposes virtually everything she stands for. Rep. John James (R), the GOP candidate for governor, has Trump’s endorsement and a long history of promoting false claims and conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
Maryland Democrats clear first hurdle on path to redistricting
The Democratic majority in the Maryland House passed a bill Tuesday to amend the state’s constitution to clarify the rules for drawing new congressional maps. If the bill passes the Senate — and is then approved by voters in November — it would allow lawmakers to draw a new map to dismantle Maryland’s lone GOP-majority district ahead of the 2028 presidential election. The effort is aimed at countering the GOP gerrymanders in Texas, Florida, and others, driven by President Donald Trump.
Michigan election officials prepare for Trump DOJ to monitor primary elections
As Michigan election officials get ready for voters to head to the polls Tuesday, they’re also preparing for federal election monitors sent by the Trump administration to keep watch over primary voting in three majority-Democratic municipalities.
Maryland Democrats take first step toward 2028 redistricting with special session
Maryland is the latest state to dive into the redistricting wars, as lawmakers are set to convene Monday to take the first steps toward redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2028 presidential election. The Democratic-controlled legislature’s goal is to eliminate the state’s only GOP-held district, in order to counter Republican gerrymanders in Texas, Florida and other states. House Majority Leader Del.
Republicans want to make it easier to reject votes cast by mail in Iowa
Republicans asked a state judge Thursday to lift a 2019 court order blocking part of an Iowa voter-suppression law that restricts absentee voting. If the order is lifted, it would make it much easier for election officials to toss out absentee ballots if they can’t match a voter’s signature with the one on their voter registration.
GOP sues California over ballot language that accurately describes voter ID measure
The GOP backers of a sweeping voter ID measure set to appear on California’s ballot in November are suing state officials for slightly altering the proposal’s language for voters.
Judge refuses to pause ruling blocking New Hampshire’s proof of citizenship law
A federal judge Thursday refused to pause a previous ruling that struck down New Hampshire’s restrictive documentary proof of citizenship law while the state’s appeal is pending before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Maryland governor candidate tries, fails to soften election denier views
For years, Dan Cox pushed false claims about the 2020 election. But in a recent radio interview, the former Maryland state lawmaker who is now the GOP nominee for governor, tried to soften his views. Cox’s comments show how some GOP candidates running for state office in November are trying to distance themselves from MAGA’s obsession with the 2020 election — even if many of those candidates previously echoed President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election.
‘Cut off at the knees’: Election chiefs fear long-term damage from Trump’s EAC firings
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA— When President Donald Trump dismantled the leadership of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) earlier this month, state election officials warned about the impact it could have on the upcoming midterm elections. But some fear the impact could go well beyond this November’s vote and see the move as part of the president’s grander scheme to wrest control of elections from states.
‘That was some bull****’: State election chiefs condemn Trump’s long-debunked election lies
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA — State election officials widely condemned President Donald Trump’s Thursday night speech, which pushed debunked election lies alleging foreign interference in the 2020 election. Many election chiefs gathered here this week for a conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) to discuss preparations for the midterm elections. When Trump delivered his address to the nation, the secretaries attended a dinner at Mount Rushmore.
Trump DOJ 0 for 13 in voter roll grab after court dismisses West Virginia lawsuit
A federal judge tossed out the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit to access West Virginia’s unredacted voter rolls, which marks 13 straight court losses for the department’s floundering effort to seize sensitive voter data from every state. U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston, who was appointed by former president George W. Bush, granted West Virginia’s motion to dismiss DOJ’s lawsuit Monday.
‘This is a big blow to the SAVE America Act’: Trump uses Lindsey Graham’s death to push stalled anti-voter bill
President Donald Trump seized on Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) unexpected death Saturday to push for the SAVE America Act, the sweeping anti-voting bill that’s currently stalled in the Senate. But Trump acknowledged that the bill now faces an even steeper hurdle given Graham’s untimely passing.
‘Dangerous … reckless … desperate’: Trump’s firing of EAC leaders escalates his war on voting, election chiefs and lawmakers warn
Following reports that President Donald Trump fired the leadership on the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), lawmakers, election officials and voting rights advocates are sounding the alarm that the move is another blatant attempt by the president to meddle with voting in the months before midterms. “President Trump is trying to dismantle yet another independent guardrail of our democracy designed to keep elections fair and secure,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Rep.
Trump DOJ to monitor voting in Michigan’s primary elections
The Department of Justice (DOJ) plans to send election monitors to observe voting in three majority-Democratic cities in Michigan for the state’s upcoming primaries. In letters to officials in Lansing, East Lansing and Detroit — three of Michigan’s biggest Democratic strongholds — DOJ voting section deputy chief Timothy Mellett said the department is sending monitors to assess voting procedures amid reports of election issues in the 2024 election.
Maryland schedules special redistricting session to counter GOP gerrymanders
Maryland’s top Democratic lawmakers announced a special session for early August to address congressional redistricting in an effort to counter recent Republican gerrymanders. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) said Tuesday that the General Assembly will convene Aug. 3-5 to consider legislation to put a redistricting amendment before voters in November.
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