All posts by Rick Hasen

“New report illustrates immense fundraising pressure faced by legislative leaders to boost parties’ political war chests”

March 27, 2025, 11:28 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Issue One: A new Issue One report provides a glimpse into the relentless fundraising pressure faced by legislative leaders in Congress, whom party leaders frequently lean on to raise astonishing amounts of money for the parties’ political war chests under… Continue reading

My New One at Slate: “The Ultrarich Have Reshaped Presidential Elections. Here’s Where They’re Looking Next. Billionaire money could have even more of an impact on these races than it did on the 2024 election.”

March 27, 2025, 6:48 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: Although it has been more than a decade since judicial and administrative rulings freed the ultrawealthy to contribute unlimited sums to outside political groups, 2024 marked a sea change in… Continue reading

“Utah Gov. Cox signs away the state’s popular universal vote-by-mail election system”

March 26, 2025, 5:14 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Salt Lake Tribune: Tucked in the middle of a list of 100 bills Gov. Spencer Cox signed Thursday was “Amendments to Election Law,” or HB300 — the law that is set to end Utah’s popular universal vote-by-mail election system. The… Continue reading

Watch My Appearance on “Meet the Press NOW” with Kristen Welker Talking About Trump’s Election-Related Executive Order

March 26, 2025, 3:33 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Watch here.

My New One at MSNBC Opinion: “Trump’s executive order on elections is a blatant power grab; It seems especially dangerous to take power away from the states when there are many threats to our democracy.”

March 26, 2025, 2:51 pmauthoritarian threats in US, election administration, Election Assistance Commission, fraudulent fraud squad, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

I have written this piece for MSNBC Opinion. It begins: By design, presidents have no power over the conduct of federal elections. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on election administration aims to flip that, trying to take power… Continue reading

“Trump Is Trying to Gain More Power Over Elections. Is His Effort Legal?”

March 26, 2025, 2:45 pmauthoritarian threats in US, election administration, Election Assistance CommissionRick Hasen

Nick Corasaniti for the NYT: President Trump pushed on Tuesday to hand the executive branch unprecedented influence over how federal elections are run, signing a far-reaching and legally dubious order to change U.S. voting rules. The executive order, which seeks… Continue reading

New Book on “Electoral Geography”

March 26, 2025, 12:03 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Igor Okunev has written this new book (sample on Amazon). Here is the description: Electoral geography is the study of the spatial dimension of the electoral process. It examines the factors and patterns underlying long-standing ideological and political splits… Continue reading

“Trump Administration Considers Money for Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters”

March 26, 2025, 7:44 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: President Donald Trump said his administration was considering whether to establish a compensation fund for pardoned rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop certification of the election that he lost to former President Joseph. R.… Continue reading

President Trump Issues Dangerous Executive Order That Would Shift to Presidency More Power Over the Conduct of Federal Elections and Potentially Disenfranchise Millions of Voters

March 25, 2025, 2:03 pmelection administration, Election Assistance Commission, Election Meltdown, election subversion risk, Elections Clause, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

I am still making my way through this new Trump executive order on election administration (helpfully posted by Chris Geidner). There is a lot in here, but let me make four initial points as I still digest this. An executive… Continue reading

“Elon Musk Revealed Why He’s Spending Millions to Flip the Wisconsin Supreme Court; It’s all about preserving gerrymandered districts that lock in Republican power.”

March 25, 2025, 10:12 amjudicial elections, Plutocrats United, redistrictingRick Hasen

Ari Berman in Mother Jones: On March 22, Elon Musk hosted conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel and US Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) for a discussion on X about the importance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April… Continue reading

“Law firms refuse to represent Trump opponents in the wake of his attacks”

March 25, 2025, 7:40 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

WaPo: President Donald Trump’s crackdown on lawyers is having a chilling effect on his opponents’ ability to defend themselves or challenge his actions in court, according to people who say they are struggling to find legal representation as a result… Continue reading

“Madison’s missing-ballot mess leads to an unusual claim for monetary damages”

March 25, 2025, 7:36 amvotingRick Hasen

Votebeat: Election officials in Madison are already facing a state and city investigation into the series of errors that resulted in nearly 200 absentee ballots not being counted in last fall’s election. Now officials there face a claim for compensation… Continue reading

“GOP legislators ask US Supreme Court to let them sue over Mich. election rules”

March 25, 2025, 7:32 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Michigan Public Radio: A group of Republican state lawmakers is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to clear the way for them to challenge two voter-approved amendments to the Michigan Constitution. This is a last-ditch effort by the GOP legislators to… Continue reading

“US Supreme Court turns away casino mogul Wynn’s bid to challenge NY Times v. Sullivan defamation rule”

March 25, 2025, 7:29 amFirst Amendment theory, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

John Kruzel for Reuters: The U.S. Supreme Court turned away on Monday a bid by casino mogul Steve Wynn to roll back defamation protections established in its landmark 1964 ruling in the case New York Times v. Sullivan – a… Continue reading

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law