All posts by Tabatha Abu El-Haj

“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

New Study: “Voting on Tribal Lands”

November 23, 2024, 11:33 amelection administration, votingNative AmericansTabatha Abu El-Haj

A New Brennan Center study on voter participation on tribal lands highlights the impact of systemic inequities on turnout. Key findings include: “Voter participation in federal elections from 2012 to 2022 averaged 11 percentage points less on tribal lands than… Continue reading

“Trump’s hush money sentencing is delayed yet again”

November 22, 2024, 12:26 pmauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

Politico: “In a one-page decision, Justice Juan Merchan postponed the sentencing, which had been set for Nov. 26, in order to weigh Trump’s bid to dismiss the case entirely based on the fact that he is now president-elect.”

“Three California Minor Parties File Federal Lawsuit Against Top-Two System”

November 22, 2024, 12:22 pmpolitical parties, primariesTabatha Abu El-Haj

Ballot Access News: This week, three California minor parties filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the California top-two system. The parties are Peace & Freedom, Green, and Libertarian. Here is the 12-page Complaint in Peace & Freedom… Continue reading

6th Circuit Issues Decision in Brown v. Yost

November 22, 2024, 7:57 amcourt decisions, direct democracyTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Sixth Circuit (with one concurrence) has ended the appeal of the district court’s denial of a preliminary injunction on grounds of mootness. Background from the opinion, “This appeal arises from a ballot proposal initiated by Cynthia Brown. In February… Continue reading

New Interactive Data Base from the Center for Political Accountability

November 22, 2024, 5:57 amcampaign financeTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Center for Political Accountability today announced the launch of The Barbara and Morris Pearl 527 Interactive Database, a user-friendly interactive database created to shine a spotlight on under-the-radar corporate political spending in the United States. The database has two… Continue reading

“A Setback for Election Reformers?”

November 22, 2024, 5:49 amprimarieselection reform, rank-choice voting, RCVTabatha Abu El-Haj

Walter Olson at Cato has the following reflection on the recent round of election reform in which he cautions commentators to distinguish “ambitious” reforms that “abolish[] party primaries and then employ[] RCV in a general election” (like in Alaska)… Continue reading

“Buttigieg Warns Trump-Panicked Democrats, ‘We Cannot Be Mesmerized’”

November 21, 2024, 4:08 pmpolitical partiesTabatha Abu El-Haj

Pete Buttigieg urges Democrats not to get on Trump’s rollercoaster . . . by which he means off their phones and out in communities engaging in associational party building. From the NY Times: “Mr. Buttigieg suggested that Democrats… Continue reading

“This Election’s Surprising Bright Spot for Progressives Is a Very Big Deal”

November 21, 2024, 9:18 amjudicial elections2024 Election Cycle, state supreme courtsTabatha Abu El-Haj

Mark Joseph Stern (Slate) offers a round-up on state supreme court races and analysis. “Across the country, voters also elected liberal justices to their state Supreme Courts, which function as a key backstop for civil rights and democracy as federal… Continue reading

Attacks on Press Begin …

November 21, 2024, 8:07 amauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

NY Times reports, “Trump Tells Republicans to ‘Kill’ Reporter Shield Bill Passed Unanimously by House.” Democracy is not possible without a free press. Authoritarian attacks on the “enemies of the people” begin with seemingly innocuous changes that fall… Continue reading

“Trump ignores transition rules. It’s a ‘hostile takeover,’ ally says.”

November 21, 2024, 8:01 amauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

Washington Post: Trump is breaking norms in Washington with glee. Not only is the transition team refusing to subject various appointees to FBI background checks, but the team is fencing executive departments out of the transition process. “In calls… Continue reading

“Three undecided House races will determine size of GOP’s narrow majority”

November 21, 2024, 5:46 amvotingTabatha Abu El-Haj

CNN: Iowa’s 1st District: “Miller-Meeks — the winner of 2020’s closest race, notching a six-vote victory before redistricting shifted Iowa’s congressional boundaries — leads Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan by about 800 votes in southeast Iowa’s 1st District, which stretches… Continue reading

“Losing GOP candidate for NC Supreme Court challenges 60,000 ballots as recount starts”

November 21, 2024, 5:34 amabsentee ballots, ballot access, judicial elections, provisional ballots, recounts2024 Election Cycle, North CarolinaTabatha Abu El-Haj

News&Observer: Jefferson Griffin, the Republican candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court, requests a recount where he trails by 625 votes while also filing “a series of election protests on Tuesday challenging the validity of over 60,000 ballots cast across… Continue reading

“Ranked choice voting and open primaries retained in Alaska after final ballot count”

November 20, 2024, 8:15 pmprimariesAlaska, rank-choice voting, RCVTabatha Abu El-Haj

An update on the Alaska ballot initiative from the Anchorage Daily News. The total ballot count in the end was 340,510. The repeal effort appears to have failed by 664 votes. “A coalition of left-leaning and moderate legislators in the… Continue reading