All posts by Tabatha Abu El-Haj

“What Comes Next? A Post-Election Discussion”

December 1, 2024, 7:32 amUncategorizedTabatha Abu El-Haj

Very excited to participate in this virtual event sponsored by the Boston Review next week. Event Details A post-election discussion with Boston Review contributors Maurice Mitchell, Lee Drutman, Doran Schrantz, Sam Rosenfeld, Tabatha Abu El-Haj, and Cerin Lindgrensavage. Join us for a virtual… Continue reading

“The danger of a narrative”

December 1, 2024, 7:18 am19th AmendmentTabatha Abu El-Haj

Interesting post from Seth Masket on the real-world consequences of suggesting “Harris lost because she’s a woman” without evidence. “Unless we’re really 100% sure Kamala Harris lost because she was a woman — and that, by extension, the Democratic Party… Continue reading

“Johnson condemns ‘insane’ bomb threats against Democrats”

December 1, 2024, 7:15 amauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

Axios: Several Democratic lawmakers received threats on Thanksgiving Day. The threats were signed to suggest they were from “MAGA.” A handful of Republican lawmakers also received threats in the past week. “This is dangerous and insane behavior,” Johnson… Continue reading

New Article: “A Path to Multiparty Democracy”

November 29, 2024, 7:36 amballot accessTabatha Abu El-Haj

Nate Ela (Temple Beasley School of Law) has posted a new article in relation to the state constitutional challenges to anti-fusion laws that are currently underway. Building on the work of Jessica Bulman-Pozen and Miriam Seifter, Ela argues that many… Continue reading

“Republican and Democratic Former Senate Counsels Agree: F.B.I. Checks on Trump Nominees Are a Must”

November 29, 2024, 7:23 amauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

Noah Bookbinder (former counsel for Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee) and Gregg Nunziata (formerly counsel for Republicans on the committee and chief nominations counsel beginning in 2006) in a Guest Essay at the New York Times: “Efforts to… Continue reading

“Trump signs transition agreement with Biden, but it lacks key guardrails”

November 27, 2024, 7:39 amauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post: “The agreement clears the way for Trump-appointed ‘landing teams’ to start entering government offices to receive briefings from career staff about the operations of hundreds of federal agencies, a ritual of presidential transitions.” Security clearances remain a… Continue reading

“Ranked-choice voting continues to work in Alaska. It would everywhere else, too.”

November 27, 2024, 7:29 amalternative voting systems, primariesrank choice votingTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post’s Editorial Board comes out in favor of RCV, arguing it is working well in both Alaska and Maine to select more moderate candidates that are more likely to reflect the preferences of electoral majorities, and that it is… Continue reading

Governor Cooper Vetos Bill that Would Shift Power from Executive Offices (soon to be held by Democrats)

November 27, 2024, 7:10 amchicaneryNorth CarolinaTabatha Abu El-Haj

Raleigh News & Observer reports that Governor Cooper has temporarily halted efforts by the Republican legislature to restructure power in North Carolina to limit the impact of Democratic wins in the state. Republicans have repeatedly overridden Cooper’s vetos during this… Continue reading

Governing Likely to Be in Short Supply Come January

November 27, 2024, 6:51 amelection subversion risk, political polarizationgovernanceTabatha Abu El-Haj

The 119th Congress is highly unlikely to be able to deliver effective government. Politico Playbook projects, “House Republicans are facing roughly two months with a 217-215 split — a one-seat majority.” “The math … If the current leads hold,… Continue reading

“The Surprising Impact of North Carolina’s New Voter ID Law”

November 24, 2024, 7:56 amvoter id2024 Election Cycle, North CarolinaTabatha Abu El-Haj

NY Times: 2024 is the first general election under the state’s new voter ID law. Overall, the new voter ID law did not result in many votes being rejected. That said, the current law is significantly more voter-friendly than… Continue reading

“RNC Voluntarily Dismisses Challenge to Michigan’s Expanded Voter Registration Sites”

November 24, 2024, 7:30 amvoter registration, votingnew vote denialTabatha Abu El-Haj

Democracy Docket has posted an update on the RNC’s challenge to Governor Whitmer’s decision to expand voter registration sites in Michigan. The RNC had take the position that Whitmer was acting outside of her executive authority in increasing the number… Continue reading

“Replacing JD Vance in the U.S. Senate sets off scramble in Ohio”

November 24, 2024, 5:40 ampolitical parties, political polarizationTabatha Abu El-Haj

An interesting article from CBS News on the intraparty negotiations in Ohio, where Governor Mike DeWine will be filling JD Vance’s seat until the required special election. DeWine’s goal apparently is to avoid picking a weak candidate that might lead… Continue reading

New Article: “The Brave New World of Judicial Elections: What We Know and What We Don’t”

November 23, 2024, 12:07 pmjudicial electionsNew ScholarshipTabatha Abu El-Haj

Charles Gardner Geyh (Indiana University Maurer School of Law) has posted this new article on judicial elections on SSRN: In this essay, I begin with a discussion of established legal theory, which elucidates the difficulties created by calling upon judges… Continue reading

“Powered by Native Voters, Ranked-Choice Voting and Open Primaries Survive in Alaska”

November 23, 2024, 11:53 amUncategorizedTabatha Abu El-Haj

Bolts Magazine reviews the role of Native Voters in Alaska’s ballot reform efforts, noting, among other things, that “[a]reas with large Alaska Native populations provided the winning margin against repeal. Across the state’s three majority-Native House districts, the ‘no’ vote… Continue reading