The US Democracy Is Being Undermined by Voter Suppression and Misinformation with Cindy Black

In this episode of The BoricuaBC2 Show, Bill Cancel sits down with Cindy Black. As political tensions rise and public trust in institutions declines, the conversation explores whether today’s challenges are unprecedented or part of a longer historical cycle. Through a grounded and solutions-focused lens, the episode unpacks election security, misinformation, judicial independence, local civic engagement, and structural reforms like ranked choice voting and proportional representation. Most importantly, it offers listeners a realistic roadmap for how everyday citizens can take meaningful action without feeling overwhelmed. Cindy Black is the Executive Director of Fix Democracy First, a Washington State-based advocacy organization focused on strengthening democratic participation and reforming election systems. She has led the organization since 2016, working on issues such as reducing the influence of money in politics, expanding voting access, promoting public campaign financing, and advocating for alternative voting systems like ranked choice voting and proportional representation.   Expect to Learn: What “democracy reform” really means in plain English and why it affects every voter Whether U.S. elections are actually less secure or simply more politicized How misinformation fuels distrust in election outcomes despite lack of fraud evidence Why local elections may matter more than federal ones in strengthening democracy Practical, community-based steps individuals can take to resist authoritarian trends  Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: [00:00] – Introduction to Cindy Black and Fix Democracy First [01:10] – What Democracy Reform Means and Why Voters Feel Disconnected [02:37] – Has It Ever Been This Bad? Historical Context on Democratic Struggles [03:35] – Election Security, the SAVE Act, and Voter Access Concerns [05:30] – Voter Suppression, Gerrymandering, and Public Frustration [11:18] – Ranked Choice Voting & Proportional Representation Explained [14:08] – Structural Threats: Executive Power, Congress, and the Judiciary [16:45] – Misinformation and the Erosion of Trust in Election Results [23:11] – What Ordinary Citizens Can Do Beyond Voting [29:51] – Is America Still a Democracy Model? Hope for the Future   Follow the Guest, Cindy Black: Website: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-black-05635251   Follow the Host, Bill Cancel Website: https://www.theboricuabc2show.com/  BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boricuabc2.bsky.social   Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0j6soWAazqs8DJTJJ9FsZr Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boricuabc2-show/id1802890213 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boricuabc2