“Supreme Court seems destined to play pivotal role in 2024 elections”

December 21, 2023, 7:35 amUncategorizedSCOTUS, TrumpSpencer Overton

Washington Post: The Supreme Court will be pressed to answer multiple questions crucial to next year’s presidential election, thrust into a pivotal role not seen since its 2000 decision that sealed the victory for President George W. Bush.

Roundup: Colorado Supreme Court’s Disqualification of Trump from 2024 Primary Ballot

December 20, 2023, 7:37 amUncategorized14th AmendmentSpencer Overton

Select Coverage: WSJ & WaPo Analysis/Opinion: Aaron Blake, David Frum, Democratic & Republican lawmakers (The Hill & Time Magazine), Maggie Haberman, Rick Hasen, Maya King, Harry Litman, Derek Muller, Hans von … Continue reading

“Portland’s campaign finance program scales back ahead of 2024 election”

December 20, 2023, 7:18 amUncategorizedCampaign finance, public financingSpencer Overton

Oregon Public Broadcasting: Portland’s campaign financing program doesn’t have enough money to operate at full capacity ahead of a historic election year. For some candidates, this means losing hundreds of thousands of anticipated dollars to run their 2024 campaigns. The… Continue reading

“Voting rights groups file sweeping lawsuit against NC redistricting plans”

December 20, 2023, 7:17 amUncategorizedVoting Rights ActSpencer Overton

NC Newsline: Voting rights groups in North Carolina filed a sweeping redistricting lawsuit Tuesday that claims the Republican-led legislature violated federal law by racially gerrymandering the state House, state Senate and congressional plans for election districts. The suit by the… Continue reading

“Voting-rights groups sue over new Ohio elections law”

December 20, 2023, 7:15 amUncategorizedVoting Rights ActSpencer Overton

Cleveland.com: COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a new federal lawsuit, voting-rights groups say that a recently passed Ohio law which makes it a felony for someone other than a postal worker or a close relative to handle someone’s absentee ballot… Continue reading

“Georgia redistricting tests if the Voting Rights Act protects ‘coalition districts’”

December 20, 2023, 7:14 amUncategorizedcoalition districts, Voting Rights ActSpencer Overton

NPR: NORCROSS, Ga. — Anthony Pacheco is Latino, but for the last several years he has worked as a community organizer at the nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. More than once, people have asked him why. “I see a… Continue reading

Will the U.S.Supreme Court Keep Donald Trump Off the Ballot ? Some Initial Thoughts

December 19, 2023, 5:40 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

I am traveling and so I offer only some brief and initial thoughts here about what the United States Supreme Court may and should do in light of the Colorado Supreme Court’s determination that Donald Trump is ineligible to serve… Continue reading

BREAKING: by 4-3 vote, Colorado Supreme Court bars Trump from primary ballot

December 19, 2023, 3:06 pmballot accessDerek Muller

The Colorado Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, has issued its decision in Anderson v. Griswold, here. (Disclosure: I filed an amicus brief in support of neither party in the case.) From the opinion: In this appeal from a… Continue reading

“Defamed Georgia poll workers who won $148M from Giuliani sue him again”

December 19, 2023, 6:43 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

WaPo: Lawyers for the two Georgia election workers who won $148 million in damages from former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani last week filed a new lawsuit Monday, asking a federal judge to order him to stop repeating his damaging… Continue reading

“DeSantis Faces F.E.C. Complaint Over His Campaign’s Ties With Super PAC”

December 19, 2023, 6:40 amUncategorizedCampaign finance, coordinationSpencer Overton

NYT: A campaign watchdog group filed a complaint on Monday with the Federal Election Commission against the campaign of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and a super PAC backing his presidential bid, accusing them of a “textbook example” of… Continue reading

“A lawsuit by Latinos in Kansas claims their city’s election method is unfair”

December 19, 2023, 6:37 amUncategorizedvote dilution, Voting Rights ActSpencer Overton

WaPo: DODGE CITY, Kan. — For the past 13 years, Hector Almendarez has picked up his hard hat every workday and driven down Wyatt Earp Avenue — passing the Cowboy Capital Saloon & Grill and the Boot Hill Museum,… Continue reading

“Cheektowaga faces challenge to election methods under new state voting rights law”

December 19, 2023, 6:35 amUncategorizedState Voting Rights Act, vote dilutionSpencer Overton

The Buffalo News: A former Cheektowaga Town Board candidate claims the town’s voting system prevents minority candidates from being elected and is urging officials to consider making a change. Ken Young, a Black resident who campaigned as a Democrat… Continue reading

“5th Circuit Upholds Strict Texas Voting Law, But Rules That Private Plaintiffs Can Enforce Civil Rights Law”

December 19, 2023, 6:33 amUncategorizedMateriality ProvisionSpencer Overton

From Democracy Docket: Last Friday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 opinion upholding Texas’ so-called “wet ink signature” law for voter registration, but affirming that private parties can sue under a consequential Civil … Continue reading

Five law profs file amicus in bribery/Hobbs Act case

December 19, 2023, 5:45 amUncategorizedbribery, Campaign financeSpencer Overton

The full brief, which was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, is on SSRN: This brief—filed by five law professors as amici curiae in United States v. Sittenfeld, No. 23-3840 (6th Cir.)—argues that the… Continue reading