All posts by Derek Muller

“Ex-Gov. Blagojevich files federal lawsuit challenging state law precluding him from running again”

August 4, 2021, 6:40 amballot accessDerek Muller

Chicago Tribune: The last time convicted ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich appeared in federal court in Chicago, he watched sullenly via a video link from prison as a judge resentenced him to 14 years in prison for an array of corruption… Continue reading

“The voting fix that cannot wait: Stopping partisan gerrymandering”

August 4, 2021, 6:34 amredistrictingDerek Muller

Michael Li op-ed in the Washington Post. As he notes, “On Aug. 16, the Census Bureau releases map data to states. After that, states are expected to rush to complete maps. Eighteen states, including Texas, Ohio and North Carolina,… Continue reading

“Redistricting battles kick off early as Democrats scramble to try to cut into GOP advantages”

August 3, 2021, 7:03 pmredistrictingDerek Muller

Washington Post: The battle over the once-a-decade realignment of legislative and congressional districts is underway across the country even before new maps have been drawn, with lawsuits filed in nearly a dozen states, signaling how intense the fight for… Continue reading

“DOJ officials rejected colleague’s request to intervene in Georgia’s election certification: Emails”

August 3, 2021, 12:56 pmelection subversion riskDerek Muller

From ABC News: Top members of the Department of Justice last year rebuffed another DOJ official who asked them to urge officials in Georgia to investigate and perhaps overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the state — long a… Continue reading

“Ranked-Choice Voting Increased Minority Candidates’ Chances”

August 3, 2021, 12:55 pmalternative voting systemsDerek Muller

Steven John Mulroy at RealClearPolitics: “New York City’s first-ever citywide ranked-choice voting election presents a good opportunity to examine a concern raised by RCV opponents: whether the new system hurts racial minorities. Both the New York City experience and… Continue reading

“Meet the Technocrat Who Keeps Killing Trump Voter Fraud Claims”

August 3, 2021, 12:55 pmelection administrationDerek Muller

Bloomberg: Christopher Thomas took a consulting gig last year thinking he’d use his decades of experience as Michigan’s elections director to help Detroit prepare for a recount.It didn’t turn out to be the routine retirement gig he expected.Thomas became… Continue reading

“Maricopa County and Dominion won’t comply with new subpoenas issued by Arizona Senate”

August 3, 2021, 5:22 amelection administration, recountsDerek Muller

The Arizona Republic: Maricopa County supervisors and Dominion Voting Systems refused to produce additional election material on Monday in response to new subpoenas filed by the Arizona Senate.The subpoenas, issued July 26 by Republican Senate leaders, demanded that representatives for the county… Continue reading

“Threats of violence spark fear of election worker exodus”

August 3, 2021, 5:22 amelection administrationDerek Muller

John Kruzel at The Hill: There is growing concern that election workers will leave their posts in droves following a 2020 presidential contest that saw an unprecedented rise in violent threats against administrators.Election workers had their homes broken into.… Continue reading

“Census Data Change to Protect Privacy Rattles Researchers, Minority Groups”

August 3, 2021, 5:21 amcensus litigation, redistrictingDerek Muller

Wall Street Journal: A plan to protect the confidentiality of Americans’ responses to the 2020 census by injecting small, calculated distortions into the results is raising concerns that it will erode their usability for research and distribution of state… Continue reading

“America’s Hidden Crisis of Power and Place”

August 2, 2021, 5:55 pmcampaigns, legislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

From David Fontana in the Washington Post Magazine. Perhaps a little Wendell Berry in our politics! A snippet: Paul Ryan was elected to Congress in 1998 from Janesville, Wis., current population about 64,000. Ryan attended college outside Wisconsin. He… Continue reading

“Texas audit proposed by GOP would miss minor but real errors”

August 2, 2021, 11:27 amelection administration, recountsDerek Muller

Associated Press: A group of Texas Republicans wants to audit the 2020 election results in just the large, mostly Democratic counties across the state. If they get their way, they’ll miss many of the real — but minor —… Continue reading

“As Kansas district attorney refuses to enforce election law, voter groups won’t resume registration drives”

August 2, 2021, 11:26 amvoter registrationDerek Muller

Topeka Capital-Journal: Voter advocates won’t resume registration drives in Kansas, despite the Douglas County district attorney’s refusal to enforce a new election law.Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez, a Democrat, announced last week that her office won’t prosecute people… Continue reading

“How Does Georgia’s Election Board Takeover Law Work? Not Quickly”

August 2, 2021, 11:24 amelection administrationDerek Muller

Detailed analysis and context from Georgia Public Broadcasting: The latest battle over Georgia’s massive new voting law is over sections that allow state officials to temporarily take over county elections boards, with Republicans eyeing Fulton County in particular. But… Continue reading