Performance vs. Governing

The Save Act.

National Voter List.

Birthright Citizenship.

While President Trump and his lackeys in the GOP are wringing their hands and clutching their pearls about the prospect of Democrats winning stealing elections, Virginia Governor Abigail has quietly taken steps to actually strengthen the security of elections in Virginia. You know, like elected officials are supposed to do.

A little over a week ago, she signed an executive order requiring the Virginia Department of Elections to consistently maintain voter registration rolls and to bring Virginia back into an interstate, nonpartisan coalition through which states collaborate on tracking identification and voter registration data. This is significant, because the Constitution clearly gives the states (not that whatever-he-is-in-the-White-House) the power to organize and manage elections.

ERIC (the Electronic Registration Information Center), formed in 2012, is a consortium of 25 other states and the District of Columbia to help states identify inaccurate or out-of-date voter registration records, deceased voters, individuals who appear to be eligible to vote but who are not yet registered, and possible cases of illegal voting. Although Republican Bob McDonnell was governor when Virginia became a founding member of this group, in 2023 Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin withdrew from the compact following criticism from right-wing conspiracy sites and the departure of seven other GOP-led states. IN 2024, Youngkin vetoed legislation to rejoin ERIC.

These states are members of ERIC.

Here’s the list of the other GOP-led states that left the compact at about the same time Virginia did.

We learned yesterday (in a series of decisions that went against Trump) that the courts are holding the line against his power grab. Today, we will be treated to the spectacle of the Supreme Court hearing oral argument on birthright citizenship. Trump says he’ll be in the courtroom for this event, although, as a coequal branch of government, the Supremes have no obligation to let him bully his way into the chamber. It would be fun to see them turn him away.

The states are also holding the line against him and his nonsense. Right now, Ballotpedia identifies states with governing trifectas — where one party holds the governor’s seat and controls both houses of the state legislature.

The states with Democratic trifectas account for about 40% of the population and 40% of the House of Representatives. They can hold the line against intrusion from the President.