New York, NY — This week Demos, a national, non-partisan public policy research and advocacy center, is pleased to announce two significant staffing changes:
Tamara Draut has been named Vice President for Policy and Programs, joining Demos President Miles Rapoport in the executive leadership of the organization. Previously, she served for nearly eight years as Director of the Economic Opportunity Program at Demos, where she oversaw research, policy and advocacy efforts on issues related to economic security and mobility in America's households.
Twelve years after starting college, white men have paid off 44% of their student loan balances on average, while black men saw their balances grow by 11%, according to an analysis from Demos.
Twelve years after starting college, the white female borrower has paid off 72% of her loan balance. Over the same time period, the typical Black female borrower's balance has grown by 13%.
"Many of these folks are asking what is the point of voting since politicians all seem to perpetuate a broken system. We need them to see voting as meaningful, and for them to see voting as meaningful they need to, I think, have a real choice."
“Without a doubt, the secret to Democratic victories in the past three years has been women’s leadership. The idea that that wouldn’t translate into the first woman president was heartbreaking for many of us."
"As the court recognized, purging voters with no notice based on a system that disproportionately targets Black and brown voters violates our democratic principles and undermines the democratic process.”
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has begun mailing voter registration forms to nearly 1.3 million Medicaid recipients who have had their benefits automatically renewed within the past year.
“The right to vote has never been more important, and access to voter registration is key to exercising that right...This lawsuit is necessary to ensure that South Dakotans can have their voices heard.”
"At a time when people are struggling to find work and keep their families afloat, Missouri has chosen to make what should be the simple act of casting a ballot unnecessarily complicated and burdensome."
"In sending hundreds of thousands of voter registration applications to public assistance clients during a global pandemic, Kansas is doing exactly what the National Voter Registration Act intended and requires."
States must now take swift action to design racially equitable voting systems—including dramatically scaling up vote by mail, while also maintaining accessible in-person voting—so communities are not disenfranchised this fall.
Florida’s online voter registration (OVR) system did not function properly on the day and night of the voter registration deadline. The State has extended the deadline, but not long enough for voters to complete their registrations.
"We stress the urgency in resolving this matter and extending the voter registration deadline so that all eligible Floridians have the opportunity to vote and participate in the November 3 election.”
The state of Florida once again violated its duty to ensure all eligible Floridians can participate in free, fair and safe elections. Thousands of eligible residents will not be able to participate in the November election.