All posts by Derek Muller

“The Common Good and Voter Polarization”

August 14, 2021, 7:30 ampolitical polarization, voter initiativesDerek Muller

New draft on SSRN by John G. Matsusaka and Chad Kendall: Do voters see democracy entirely as a game of self-interest in which one person’s gain is another’s loss, or do they also view it as a search for… Continue reading

Harvard Law and Policy Review releases symposium issue on the Electoral College

August 14, 2021, 6:00 amelectoral collegeDerek Muller

I’ll highlight some more academic work this weekend. Up first: It was a pleasure to participate in this terrific event with a fantastic lineup! Volume 15, Issue 1 of the Harvard Law & Policy Review is here. Lawrence Lessig,… Continue reading

“Colorado redistricting panel votes to end ‘prison gerrymandering’ in new legislative maps”

August 13, 2021, 4:29 pmredistrictingDerek Muller

Colorado Newsline: For the first time in the state’s history, Colorado will change how it counts incarcerated people when drawing up new legislative maps, a redistricting panel confirmed in a vote on Friday.Historically, prison inmates have been counted by… Continue reading

“Compton city councilman charged with election rigging, bribery in race decided by one vote”

August 13, 2021, 4:26 pmvotingDerek Muller

Stories like this show how rare fraud is–and how hard it is to get away with even on the very smallest of scales. It’s also a low turnout, narrow margin (i.e., 1), local election, where the risk of fraud is… Continue reading

“Democrats File First Wisconsin 2021 Redistricting Lawsuit”

August 13, 2021, 10:39 amredistrictingDerek Muller

Wisconsin Public Radio: Democrats filed the first Wisconsin lawsuit related to the 2021 redistricting process on Friday, arguing a federal court should step in to draw the state’s next set of political maps because state lawmakers and Gov. Tony… Continue reading

“Experts: False claims on voting machines obscure real flaws”

August 13, 2021, 10:33 amelection administrationDerek Muller

Kate Brumback for the Associated Press: The aftermath of the 2020 election put an intense spotlight on voting machines as supporters of former President Donald Trump claimed victory was stolen from him. While the theories were unproven — and… Continue reading

“Nearly a dozen new state laws shift power over elections to partisan entities”

August 13, 2021, 10:32 amelection administration, legislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

ABC News. I think there’s an important part missing in the headline: “shift power over elections from partisan entities to partisan entities.” (At least in most cases.) A law shifting power from the (partisan) Secretary of State to the… Continue reading

“New intel reports indicate fresh efforts by Russia to interfere in 2022 election”

August 13, 2021, 5:19 amcampaignsDerek Muller

CNN: The Biden administration is receiving regular intelligence reports indicating Russian efforts to interfere in US elections are evolving and ongoing, current and former officials say, and in fact, never stopped, despite President Joe Biden’s warnings to Russian President… Continue reading

“Pelosi says the House will raise the maximum annual pay rate for Capitol Hill aides”

August 13, 2021, 5:18 amlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

New York Times: Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that the House would raise the maximum annual pay rate for Capitol Hill aides, in a long-awaited move intended to help recruit and retain congressional staffers.In a letter to lawmakers,… Continue reading

“No evidence that national conservative group Heritage Action lobbied for Iowa election law, ethics board says”

August 13, 2021, 5:17 amlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

Following up on a May report, details at the Des Moines Register: An Iowa ethics board has found no evidence that a national conservative organization illegally lobbied for an election law that cut the amount of time residents have to… Continue reading

“Colorado voting officials feud over alleged security breach”

August 12, 2021, 2:17 pmelection administrationDerek Muller

Follow up on this story, Patty Nieberg at the Associated Press: What began as an investigation into how election equipment passwords from a rural Colorado county got posted on a right wing blog has turned into a feud… Continue reading

“Cuomo Has $18 Million in Campaign Cash. What Can He Do With It?”

August 12, 2021, 1:39 pmcampaign finance, campaignsDerek Muller

New York Times: Even after his resignation takes effect in less than two weeks, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will still control the largest pot of campaign cash in New York politics, an $18 million war chest amassed in apparent… Continue reading

Same judge on same day denies motions to dismiss in Dominion, Devin Nunes defamation lawsuits

August 12, 2021, 1:38 pmcampaignsDerek Muller

Jacqueline Thomsen at the National Law Journal has more on Dominion v. Powell and Nunes v. Washington Post. For more, the Wall Street Journal on Dominion and Law360 on Nunes. From Dominion (with some citations removed): Powell contends… Continue reading

“Dems plot last-ditch voting rights push as midterm clock ticks”

August 12, 2021, 5:39 amlegislation and legislatures, Voting Rights ActDerek Muller

Politico: Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are preparing to take one more big swing at voting rights. They may end up hitting their base with a huge letdown.The House will return to Washington later this month to vote on… Continue reading