A $1.2M grant to process DNA evidence in sexual assault cases in Texas, canceled. Promised 20% electricity bill cuts for low-income Nevada households, gone.

Lost Funds shows the real-life impact of federal funding disruptions in every state: https://www.lostfunds.org/

$174 billion in federal funding cut, frozen, or slowed, affecting 3,188 local governments, 752 school districts, and 15,000+ other recipients. Lost Funds tracks it all, state by state.

https://www.lostfunds.org/

TODAY: Early voting begins in Maine and California, and the process has already started in many other states across the U.S.

Are YOU registered to vote?

As the Trump administration ramps up its attacks on voting, it’s time to check your registration status: https://demdock.com/4gRtE8P

The election is now. Nearly 1 million votes have already been cast nationwide. Early voting is beginning in states across the country this week, with more states joining every day. Don’t wait for Election Day. Vote as soon as you can. Find out where vote411.org @lwv.org @lwvva.bsky.social

In @newsweek.com, our CEO @joannalydgate.bsky.social and former NJ AG @mattplatkin.bsky.social explain how states are trying to win back over $174B in withheld funds and winning.

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-took-your-money-state-leaders-are-fighting-to-get-it-back-opinion-12517580

@RachelKleinfeld takes a closer look at the impacts federal funding cuts had in her home state of Alaska. Remote coastal communities were cut off from medical care when ferry funding slowed to a trickle.

https://rachelkleinfeld.substack.com/p/what-states-lost-in-full-color-with

Since January 2025, $177B in federal funding has been disrupted across all 50 states. Budgets cut, staff laid off, research stalled. Our Lost Funds Project, built with @Grantwitness tracks it all. 🔗 lostfunds.org

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/25/metro/nih-grant-witness-lost-federal-funds/

How do we restore trust in elections? Start with the people voters already trust: the state and local officials who run elections. Our CEO @JLydgate writes for @democracyproject.bsky.social about why confidence in our elections matters. 🗳️

https://bit.ly/4xZUgtg

@joannalydgate.bsky.social (CEO of @statesunited.org) has a new "Elections 2026" essay — "How to Restore Trust in Elections? Voters Are Telling Us."

🚨Elections 2026: new by @joannalydgate.bsky.social, CEO of @statesunited.org —"How to Restore Trust in Elections? Voters Are Telling Us."

We're publishing daily essays on potential threats to the election process & mechanisms to manage them

Read the essay here: democracyproject.org/posts/how-to...

AI is an important part of how voters find election information, but the results are not always complete.

@joannalydgate.bsky.social sat down with Luis Lozada of Democracy Works to discuss our recent AI report and the role of AI in elections.
https://statesunited.org/what-voters-deserve-from-ai/

ICYMI: Last week another round of major democracy updates, from election administration and voting rights to legal battles over voter data. Catch up here: https://statesunited.org/watch-this/

More than 6 in 10 Americans trust their local election officials to run free, fair, and secure elections. At #TribFest, our CEO @joannalydgate.bsky.social explained why and how 10,000+ officials are making sure every eligible vote counts this November. 🇺🇸

"The D.O.J. left me. I didn't leave the D.O.J."

Our Rule of Law Program Director Samantha Trepel spoke with @newyorker.com about leaving the Justice Department and why she's now helping states push back on federal overreach.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/10/05/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go

President Trump announced plans to cancel $810 million in Congressionally approved spending, a move that some in his own party are calling illegal. n.pr/4iMlJdT

CA: $17B - TX: $16B - NY: $14B - IL: $10B - NC: $7B -
FL: $5B - OH: $5B - PA: $5B - GA: $4B - MI: $3B -
NJ: $3B - WI: $2B - ME: $985M - VT: $642M - NH: $635M

Funding cuts and freezes are causing chaos and harm across the country. See how much your state has faced. www.lostfunds.org

Crystal Mason’s triumph in court is a significant moment for democracy. We’re proud to have stood firmly alongside her against the injustice she’s endured. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/texas-court-crystal-mason-voting-case

“Whether it’s a sheriff in Riverside or the President of the United States, we won’t let anyone take away Californians’ voice in our democracy,” AG Rob Bonta. https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/supreme-court-ruling-sheriff-ballot-seizure/