Taniel
@taniel.bsky.social
Daniel Nichanian. Editor in chief of @boltsmag.org (follow us!). Elections, (local) politics, voting rights, criminal justice, and drag race.
Big tax results out of Missouri tonight: Voters statewide rejected by an huge margin a GOP ballot measure to phase out the income tax. They also renewed a sales tax to keep state parks free. And Kansas City approved a package of $1.7 billion of bonds for infrastracture.
Brilliantly laid out here. Really user friendly. A guide to all up-coming elections & all new results are updated.
Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 10h agoWhat did you miss tonight? Bolts' elections guide has been updated with the final results of dozens of elections that took place on Tuesday — even as you wait for the final result in Michigan. Here: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
Rather absurd framing when you consider the results up and down the ballot, and where expectations were before just the last few weeks.
Politico@politico.com · 8h agoProgressives didn’t get the big election night they wanted
Abdul El-Sayed has won, NBC News says. And there are other wins for the left in Michigan: —William Lawrence wins his U.S. House primary. —A DSA-backed candidate is leading a Democratic incumbent for state House. —Abbas Alawieh, co-founder of Uncommitted, leads for state Senate.
A major defeat for conservatives in Kansas, who were hoping to make inroads on the state supreme court by switching the state to regular elections. Their measure was defeated 61/39. (I'll have more to say on what this means for the court going forward soon.)
The board of a Michigan township agreed to rezone a terrain to make way for a data center. Residents opposed to the data center forced a vote on the matter, and they blocked the rezoning tonight: www.mlive.com/news/ann-arb...
Big tax results out of Missouri tonight: Voters statewide rejected by an huge margin a GOP ballot measure to phase out the income tax. They also renewed a sales tax to keep state parks free. And Kansas City approved a package of $1.7 billion of bonds for infrastracture.
What did you miss tonight? Bolts' elections guide has been updated with the final results of dozens of elections that took place on Tuesday — even as you wait for the final result in Michigan. Here: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
a PSA for election watchers tonight: I'm traveling on vacation, & will not be live posting or commenting results as they come in as I usually do — but I’ll be sure to overview in the morning!
When are polls tonight closing? —7pm local time (ET) in Virginia —7pm local time in Missouri, which is 8pm ET —7pm local time in Kansas (8pm or 9pm ET) —8pm local time in Michigan (8pm, mostly, or 9pm ET) —8pm local time in Washington (11pm ET) What to watch? boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
The Missouri SoS dragged out his office's examination of the veto referendum (of the GOP gerrymander) for most of 2026 to ensure he can run out the clock; and finally declared today, on the deadline by which he had to act, that he thinks the veto referendum is entirely unconstitutional.
The Redistrict Network (mirror 🤖)@redistrictnet.bluesky.bot · 18h ago#BREAKING: Missouri Secretary of State Hoskins has deemed the Missouri Redistricting Referendum as insufficient due to it being unconstitutional.
Important to know/remember: States are generally terrible at notifying formerly disenfranchised people of their voting rights. Many have no idea they’re allowed to vote. Many more avoid voting because they’re not sure if they can. I wrote about this in Kentucky but it’s a problem all over.
Kentucky Activists Step In to Deliver on the Promise of Voting Rights Restoration - Bolts
After the governor restored hundreds of thousands of people’s rights in 2019, a coalition led by formerly incarcerated Kentuckians is working to inform people of their rights.
boltsmag.org
this should get so much more attention — two states within 3 weeks have made major moves on rights restoration.
Alex Burness@burness.bsky.social · 23h agoA combined 100,000+ people with past felony convictions have either already gained or will soon gain voting rights in Missouri and Virginia, which both have elections today. More: boltsmag.org/gop-run-miss... boltsmag.org/virginia-gov...
A combined 100,000+ people with past felony convictions have either already gained or will soon gain voting rights in Missouri and Virginia, which both have elections today. More: boltsmag.org/gop-run-miss... boltsmag.org/virginia-gov...
happy Election Day too those who celebrate!
Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 3d agoTuesday is big. Besides #MISen: —Missouri measures on direct democracy & income tax —Fate of Kansas supreme court —Left/center rifts in Seattle, Ann Arbor, & more —GOP rifts in Missouri —Challenge to Thanedar & comebacks of Sawant, Cori Bush, Bill Eigel —More! Explore: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
“Ronald Lauder, a Billionaire G.O.P. Backer, Closes His Wallet: Ronald S. Lauder, a major funder of conservative political causes, has not given a single dollar this year to Republicans in his home state, and his super PAC has gone idle.” — www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/n...
Ronald Lauder, a Billionaire G.O.P. Backer, Closes His Wallet (Gift Article)
Ronald S. Lauder, a major funder of conservative political causes, has not given a single dollar this year to Republicans in his home state, and his super PAC has gone idle.
nytimes.com
It's almost like lawmakers don't want to represent their constituents...
Pascal Sabino@pascalsabino.bsky.social · 2d agoTomorrow’s ballot in Missouri includes a GOP-backed proposal that would kill the popular initiative process that allows voters to use referendums to enact the policies that lawmakers refuse to act on: boltsmag.org/missouri-ame...
Tomorrow’s ballot in Missouri includes a GOP-backed proposal that would kill the popular initiative process that allows voters to use referendums to enact the policies that lawmakers refuse to act on: boltsmag.org/missouri-ame...
Under this August Measure, All of Missouri’s Recent Popular Initiatives Would Have Failed - Bolts
Republicans have dominated Missouri’s legislature for over two decades, but they haven’t entirely controlled state lawmaking, in large part because Missouri empowers citizens to petition for ballot re...
boltsmag.org
Here's @phillipvancesmith2.bsky.social, a journalist incarcerated in North Carolina, talking about his recent story in @boltsmag.org about three-strikes laws—featuring the voices of a man serving life, and the victim he shot who’s been pushing for his release full story boltsmag.org/north-caroli...
Phill Smith, an incarcerated journalist you’ve likely read in Bolts, just recorded an audio narration of a story we published last week—the one about a North Carolinian who is up for clemency with the help of the man he shot. Check out Phill’s voice: tiktok.com/@boltsmag/video/7669915463341591821
big day coming up (i’m vacationing and traveling this week so I’ll have to be pretty silent 😖 but everything I have to possibly preview is in here)
Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 3d agoTuesday is big. Besides #MISen: —Missouri measures on direct democracy & income tax —Fate of Kansas supreme court —Left/center rifts in Seattle, Ann Arbor, & more —GOP rifts in Missouri —Challenge to Thanedar & comebacks of Sawant, Cori Bush, Bill Eigel —More! Explore: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
one of the biggest stakes tomorrow: boltsmag.org/missouri-ame...
Under this August Measure, All of Missouri’s Recent Popular Initiatives Would Have Failed - Bolts
Republicans have dominated Missouri’s legislature for over two decades, but they haven’t entirely controlled state lawmaking, in large part because Missouri empowers citizens to petition for ballot re...
boltsmag.org
Exclusive: We obtained a leaked playbook that Flock gives to cops to coach them on "how to speak to city council" to avoid getting their contracts canceled. Includes strategies like "own the narrative" by talking to mayor "before public comment periods" www.404media.co/own-the-narr...
‘Own the Narrative’: Leaked Flock Guide Shows How It Teaches Cops to Promote Its Tech
"This document shows a coordinated effort from Flock Safety to compel law enforcement agencies to convince our elected leaders to represent their interests as a company rather than the interests of co...
404media.co
Ballot measures on direct democracy and data centers. Heated congressional primaries. Socialist challenges to state lawmakers. Conservative challenges to lawmakers who opposed redistricting. Buckle up for a busy Election Day tomorrow. 🗓️
110 Elections to Watch This August - Bolts
A string of high-profile Senate and governor primaries will headline August and set the stage for November. They include the rushed special primary to replace the late Lindsey Graham in... Read More
boltsmag.org
On Tuesday, Spokane County, WA voters will consider renewing a 0.2% sales tax to fund operations of Spokane Transit Authority for the next 20 years & also fund the city’s 2nd BRT line, on Division. On @boltsmag.org:
110 Elections to Watch This August - Bolts
A string of high-profile Senate and governor primaries will headline August and set the stage for November. They include the rushed special primary to replace the late Lindsey Graham in... Read More
boltsmag.org
Tuesday is big. Besides #MISen: —Missouri measures on direct democracy & income tax —Fate of Kansas supreme court —Left/center rifts in Seattle, Ann Arbor, & more —GOP rifts in Missouri —Challenge to Thanedar & comebacks of Sawant, Cori Bush, Bill Eigel —More! Explore: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
“I’m definitely aware of my inability to vote and to be able to affect my community in that way,” said Quadaire Patterson, who completed his sentence in 2024. “My being disenfranchised keeps me a few steps away from the freedom I was hoping when I was released.”
Bolts@boltsmag.org · 5d agoNEW in Bolts: Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced she is restoring the voting rights of about 66,000 people with past felony convictions, reversing the course set by her predecessor, Glenn Youngkin.
biiiiig referendum the GOP has put on the ballot that could kill direct democracy in Missouri on Tuesday. this Tuesday
Bolts@boltsmag.org · 4d agoUnder a proposed rule for citizen measures in Missouri, all five popular initiatives that voters in the state have approved since 2020 would have failed, a Bolts analysis found. On Tuesday, Missourians will vote on the measure:
“Let him go,” Wilson told me. “The man has done 30 years. Sh*t. What else do they want? If I can forgive him, why can’t everybody else? I’m the one he shot.” boltsmag.org/north-caroli...
In North Carolina, a Shooting Victim Pleads for His Shooter’s Release After 30 Years - Bolts
Ramulus Mason was sentenced to life without parole due to North Carolina’s three-strikes law. The man he shot insists that he shouldn’t still be in prison.
boltsmag.org
