Bolts (@boltsmag) / X

Assigned to a prison job paying $0.13 per hour, Abron Arrington refused to work, figuring his time could be better spent learning physics. The DOC punished him with bouts of solitary confinement.

Forced Labor Continues in Colorado, Years After Vote to End Prison Slavery

From boltsmag.org

A Pennsylvania pastor was fired by his church for a pro-LGTB message. He decided to run for a local office to denounce the deadly conditions in the local jail. He scored a shock upset and flipped a county government, after running a shoestring campaign.

His Shock Win Flipped a Pennsylvania County. Now He Vows to Raise Hell over Its Lethal Jail.

Michigan automatically registers people to vote when they get a driver's license. This year, it adopted a new law to also register people automatically when they sign up for Medicaid, obtain a Native American tribal ID, or are released from prison.

Michigan Law Is First to Automatically Register People to Vote As They Leave Prison

RESULT: In a judicial race in Kentucky with outsized importance, a local judge defeats a conservative challenger with support from Mitch McConnell. His win helps preserve one of the state's few paths for civil rights litigation. Background in Bolts:

Meet the Local Judge Mitch McConnell’s PAC Wants to Unseat

As a result of the 2022 midterms, an additional 26 million Americans will live in states run by Democratic trifectas. Seven million fewer Americans will live in states run by GOP trifectas.

In Legislative Elections, Democrats Defied Recent History

“When the 8 African American sheriffs took over the largest counties in North Carolina, it became a threat to the good ol’ boy system,” says Charlotte’s sheriff. GOP lawmakers this week passed a bill cracking down on their policies of standing up to ICE:

North Carolina GOP Is Cracking Down on the Black Sheriffs Who Stood Up to ICE

“When the eight African American sheriffs took over the largest counties in North Carolina, it became a threat to the good ol’ boy system.” Now comes the Republican backlash:

North Carolina GOP Is Cracking Down on the Black Sheriffs Who Stood Up to ICE

Andy Moore is scared of voting in Nebraska. Decisions by GOP officials have him fearing they'll say he broke election law. “I do not plan on voting, which is really sad because it’s a pretty critical year. I’m that concerned about going back to prison.”

Nebraska Reverts to 19th-Century Voting Restrictions, Clouding Rights for Thousands

Students at Texas A&M asked county officials to open an additional polling location on campus. Instead, county officials shut down the only polling site on campus during the entire early voting period.

Texas Students Are Again Battling the Closure of a Campus Polling Place

In California, DA Keith Fagundes prosecuted two women over stillbirths, which sparked backlash from Attorney General Rob Bonta and legislation to stop future investigations into pregnancy loss. Fagundes lost his re-election bid yesterday.

California Prosecutions for Pregnancy Loss Spark Outrage, and a Bill to Stop Future Investigations

Tennessee has added new steps for residents who've lost their voting rights and want to regain them. The steps cost money. Resident of Nashville would have to pay $159.50 to petition a judge to regain their rights.

Tennessee Puts Voting Rights at the Whims of State Officials

The national GOP's platform endorses the idea that embryos and fetuses are full legal persons under the 14th Amendment. “I can’t overstate how impactful this would be,” says @profgracehoward, an expert on the policing of pregnancy.

How Pregnancy is Policed: Your Questions Answered

A group in San Diego is patrolling neighborhoods to identify potential ICE presence. They keep watch for vehicles that may belong to federal agencies, and use livestreams, radios, and social media to keep communities informed.

How Volunteer Patrols Are Working to Protect San Diego Immigrant Communities From ICE

Prosecutors in Tennessee are dropping all charges against Pamela Moses, who had been sentenced to six years in prison for trying to register to vote after a state agency told her she could. The case captured national attention.

Prosecutor drops all charges against Pamela Moses, jailed over voting error

From theguardian.com