Daniel Nichanian

editor-in-chief of BoltsMag.org (npub1hpg…yrre) (BoltsMag.org). also contributing editor of Inquest.

Last Notes

2026-07-17 01:24:09 GMT

NEW: We reported two years ago that Chicago police had made 200,000 secret traffic stops, failing to disclose them as required by law.
Chicago police then admitted the problem, & promised to 'fix' it in a legislative hearing.
We just investigated again: The secrecy problem... got worse. https://boltsmag.org/chicago-police-traffic-stops-declined-but-unreported-traffic-stops-increased-under-snelling/

2026-06-09 15:56:02 GMT

NEW: The author of a new book on the spread of digital surveillance tools has fairly dire warnings: "We live under the surveillance as if we were all guilty."
We asked you Bolts readers to ask him questions—and he did!
I, for one, learned a ton:
https://boltsmag.org/everything-everywhere-all-at-once-surveillance-your-questions-answered/

2026-04-24 04:46:15 GMT

Virginia adopted a new law yesterday to forbid sheriffs & local police from contracting with ICE — if ICE doesn't say it'll follow state laws & agree to let its agents be prosecuted.
Everyone seems to agree ICE won't promise that, and that this spells the end of ICE contracts in Virginia. https://boltsmag.org/virginia-bill-on-local-contracts-with-ice/

2025-03-03 17:04:07 GMT

The former head of the Social Security Administration says he expects the agency to miss on some payments over the next three months, interrupting some people's benefits, for the first time in Social Security's history of eight decades: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/01/doge-actions-may-cause-social-security-benefit-interruption-ex-agency-head.html

2025-03-01 22:20:31 GMT

Two national polls of Canada’s elections this week had the Liberal Party ahead of the conservatives. This was the first time any poll has shown this since mid-2023.

2025-02-23 16:00:42 GMT

“I’m not going to tell you I will never touch Social Security:” Rep. Pete Sessions, a longtime GOP member of Congress from Texas. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/us/politics/republicans-congress-town-halls-trump.html

2024-11-19 05:32:14 GMT

BIG NEWS: A Wyoming judge just struck down WY's abortion bans.
And get this: The judge invoked a constitutional amendment codifying a right to make health care decisions... that was passed in 2012 by conservatives who thought it'd screw Obamacare! Just backfired.
We explained this lawsuit here: https://boltsmag.org/abortion-access-and-measures-against-obamacare-ohio-wyoming/

2024-11-02 17:26:39 GMT

An epidemiologist is running for mayor in Sacramento, and she's putting that experience at the core of how she wants to approach the office—saying her public health background is key to address gun violence & homelessness.
What that looks like: https://boltsmag.org/the-epidemiologist-running-for-mayor-to-bring-public-health-to-sacramento/

2024-10-28 21:12:27 GMT

As people vote, keep in mind: millions are barred from the ballot.
Mississippi still has a LIFETIME voting ban on people convicted of felonies like theft or perjury.
There was hope that'd end this year, but a federal court reinstated the ban: https://boltsmag.org/mississippi-lifetime-voting-ban-upheld-fifth-circuit/

2024-10-28 05:03:01 GMT

A set of races that's not getting a lot of attn: the effort by a MAGA slate to take over election offices in Florida.
This coalition is running six candidates in the general: two in now-open races, four against Dem incumbents.
https://boltsmag.org/florida-supervisors-of-elections-2024/

2024-10-17 01:24:27 GMT

Nebraska’s GOP attorney general in July announced unilaterally roughly 100,000 Nebraskans shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
This morning, the state Supreme Court stepped in and rebuffed him.
With days to go, it’s now a mad race to register people — with NE-2, NE-Sen, and presidential election implications. https://boltsmag.org/nebraska-voting-rights-supreme-court-rules/

2024-10-07 15:22:48 GMT

Today is the last day to register to vote in many states:
Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, & Tennessee.
Even if you believe you're registered, it only takes a few moments to check, so you can act if there's an issue.

2024-10-03 02:13:00 GMT

NEW: November is close, so it's time to launch my cheat sheet of what's on the ballot!
I guide you thru *520* elections (for now) I'm watching, and why: Congress, judges, DAs, sheriffs, lawmakers, many ballot measures, AGs, & more.
Bookmark, and explore bit by bit: https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/your-guide-to-the-elections-in-november-2024/

2024-08-14 16:08:06 GMT

NEW: DeSantis had suspended Tampa's Dem prosecutor, replacing him with a Republican. Within days, the new prosecutor rolled back local reforms.
Now, two years later, local voters finally get their say — & the removed prosecutor wants his job back: https://boltsmag.org/hillsborough-county-tampa-state-attorney-2024-election/

2024-08-13 03:03:49 GMT

BFD: Arizona officials announce that an abortion rights measure, the Arizona Abortion Acess Act, *will* be on the November ballot.
It would enshrine abortion rights in the constitution.
If you care about this measure—here are 3 more related AZ elections you must know about. ⬇️

2024-08-10 15:40:27 GMT

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2️⃣ An epidemiologist is running for mayor in California, and she is putting her public health background front and center.
Piper French profiles her as she makes the case that public health approaches can change things on homelessness & gun prevention: https://boltsmag.org/the-epidemiologist-running-for-mayor-to-bring-public-health-to-sacramento/

2024-08-10 15:38:41 GMT

Some great pieces at @BoltsMag this week I don't want you to miss!
1️⃣ Michigan's supreme court struck down a GOP maneuver to gut labor ballot initiatives—a BFD. But the 4-3 decision is also a stark reminder of the stakes of November's supreme court races. https://boltsmag.org/direct-democracy-ruling-michigan-supreme-court/