This week's Democracy Notes
Gandalf, Georgia, and funding for local news
Welcome back!
Yesterday morning (lukewarm off the presses, some might say), a judge in Fulton County, Georgia, ruled that certifying elections is mandatory for county election officials.
Better yet, he quoted Gandalf in his ruling:
“As only lawyers (and judges) can, we have muddied and mangled the meaning of the word ‘shall’ in our business. To users of common parlance, ‘shall’ connotes instruction or command: You shall not pass!”
Shoutout to all the Tolkein fans in the democracy space!
Okay, back to business:
For more on certification in Georgia, check out Campaign Legal Center President Trevor Potter’s piece in Democracy Takes from September.
The Democracy Notes podcast is back!
Here’s my conversation with Hahrie Han, “Building Multiracial Democracy…in an Evangelical Megachurch.”
It’s been a while…~1,500 of you subscribed since we last released an episode.
Democracy Notes 10/16
What’s happening in philanthropy:
($$$)
Cash for local news! On Monday, the Knight Foundation announced investments of:
$13.3M over five years to support five new Press Forward chapters in Knight cities and bolster three existing ones.
$2.2M in the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to create a peer network across these Knight communities.
$1.2M over five years to the Poynter Institute to offer training to funders brought in by Press Forward who are new to funding journalism. (Big fan of this.)
Democracy Fund has been diving deep into the question: “how is journalism strengthening democracy?”
Yesterday, they released a revised Healthy News & Information Ecosystem framework (in partnership with Impact Architects) which will inform their Equitable Journalism strategy going forward.
What to read:
(The big news)
We’ve got some newly-minted democracy celebs! Protect Democracy co-founders Ian Bassin and Justin Florence were featured in TIME’s 2024 TIME100 Next.
Whenever the American Academy of Arts & Sciences releases something on democracy it’s a big deal. (Throwback to the Our Common Purpose report.)
That same team just released a new report: Habits of Heart & Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture, driven by a working group of civic leaders, including: Eric Liu, Ben Klutsey, Eboo Patel, Eunice Lin Nichols, and more.
Launch webinar on 10/28 at 1pm ET!
What is strategic foresight? And why should democracy funders care?
Check out Democracy Funders Network’s new report, “Becoming Futures-Ready,” authored by Suzette Brooks Masters, Maya Ingram, and Hillary Hooke.
Youth! Youngins! We need you again!
Youth250 is building a National Youth250 Bureau—it’s like a Gen Z hotline for institutions planning for America’s 250th in 2026.
They’re hiring 100 paid, part-time advisors who will write, speak, create, and advise institutions. Those ages 18-30 can apply by 11/9.
Want to support or partner? Contact Caroline@HistoryMadeByUs.org.
One more for ya: the Civic Season design fellowship application is now open! (Due 11/1.)
What to watch/listen to/attend:
(Events, podcasts, and more)
The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (CSSE)…on Jon Stewart’s podcast?? What could be better.
Great episode with Matt Masterson, Senior Director of Microsoft’s Democracy Forward Program, and Stacy Abrams.
CSSE is powered by Protect Democracy, the Brennan Center for Justice, the R Street Institute, and The Elections Group.
Live podcast event in DC with Anne Applebaum and Peter Pomerantsev on 10/29!
How to mitigate political violence in the US? Seems like a problem for the experts!
Freedom House virtual event on 10/30 with Rachel Kleinfeld, Mark de la Iglesia, and Nicole Bibbins Sedaca.
Where to work:
(Jobs, jobs, jobs!)
Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION):
Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy — remote, $110K
Community Manager — remote, $85K
Knight Foundation Communities Program Associate — Miami, $51K–$56K
Protect Democracy (remote):
Paralegal/Impact Associate — $61K-$77K
Graphic Designer — $84K-$99K
Unite America Sr. Director of Financial Strategy & Operations — Denver, $150K-$175K
Generation Citizen Special Events Support Specialist (temporary, part time) — remote/New England, $25/hour
Democracy Works VP of Development — remote, $140K-$162K
Some really excellent jobs (and consulting gigs) have been posted in the Slack recently. I don’t regularly include them here, so please do check that channel!
Transitions, transitions:
(Where the movers are moving and the shakers are shaking)
Georgia Lyon is now a Comms Associate at Issue One focused on big tech reform! She previously worked in comms roles at CLC and the EFI Foundation.
Shoutout to Issue One for sending flowers!
Al Vanderklipp is now a Senior Research Associate with the Democracy and Elections team at Sightline Institute! He was previously with the Election Reformers Network.
Investigative journalist Laura Weffer and Emmy Award-winner Sahar Akbarzai have joined The Pivot Fund as Fellows! They’re diving into investigative reporting in Georgia.
Submit your job transitions here!
Can’t get enough of Democracy Notes? Join the Slack community!
Take care,
Gabe