I Spoke with Dahlia Lithwick for Slate Amicus Podcast on the Risks to the Voting Rights Act at the Supreme Court and the Emerging Redistricting Wars
Slate Plus listeners can find the podcast here.
All posts by Rick Hasen
Federal Court in Kohls v. Bonta, in Striking Down California Deep Fake Law on First Amendment Grounds, Sees Constitutional Path for More Narrowly Tailored Laws Aimed at False Statements About When, Where, and How People Vote
Via Eugene Volokh (who is cited in the court’s opinion), here’s a snippet from Kohls v. Bonta:
AB 2839 regulates a broad spectrum of election-related content that is “materially deceptive” and permits any recipient of this content to sue… Continue reading
“Millions of dollars in special-election redistricting TV ads scheduled to start airing Tuesday”
LA Times:
Millions of dollars worth of political TV ads are expected to start airing Tuesday in an effort to sway Californians on a November ballot measure seeking to send more Democrats to Congress and counter President Trump and the… Continue reading
Missouri: “Kehoe calls lawmakers to redraw congressional map, make it harder to amend constitution”
St. Louis Post Dispatch:
After weeks of internal talks and a pressure campaign by President Donald Trump, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on Friday called lawmakers into a special session beginning next week to redraw the state’s congressional maps.
With a… Continue reading
“Lawsuit challenges new proof of citizenship requirement at Ohio BMV for voter registration”
Ohio Journal:
The women’s political organization Red Wine and Blue has sued Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose over changes to the voter registration process at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Thanks to the federal “motor voter” law, car… Continue reading
“Abbott Signs Gerrymandered Map as Texas G.O.P. Moves Further Right”
NYT:
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed into law on Friday a newly gerrymandered map for Texas’ U.S. House districts, openly declaring that the state’s congressional delegation would soon be more Republican.
The redistricting push has triggered a scramble in… Continue reading
“A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice won’t run again, creating an open seat”
Scott Bauer for AP:
A conservative justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court said Friday that she will not seek reelection, creating an open race for a seat on the court that’s controlled 4-3 by liberals.
Justice Rebecca Bradley’s decision not… Continue reading
“Trump and Democrats Float Unusual Midterm Conventions”
NYT:
President Trump suggested on Thursday that the Republican Party should host an unusual national convention ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“I am thinking of recommending a National Convention to the Republican Party, just prior to the Midterms. It… Continue reading
“Emil Bove Continued to Work at Justice Dept. After Judicial Confirmation”
NYT:
Emil Bove III, a senior Trump administration official, was narrowly confirmed last month to serve as an appeals court judge, brushing past a bitter confirmation fight despite concerns that he would carry out the president’s directives while on the… Continue reading
“Utah to proceed with redrawing map that could help Dems, despite pressure from Trump”
WaPo:
Republican leaders of the Utah Legislature said Thursday they would follow a court order to redraw the state’s congressional map — which could help Democrats — even as President Donald Trump pressures them to shut the opposition party out.… Continue reading
With Louisiana Essentially Flipping Sides in Callais Case Before Supreme Court and Arguing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is Unconstitutional, Full Defense Shifts to Voting Rights Groups
As noted yesterday, Louisiana essentially flipped sides in the Lousiana v. Callais case. In an earlier brief, Louisiana argued that its congressional districts were not a racial gerrymander because politics, rather than race, predominated in drawing district lines. Now… Continue reading
“Trump attacks Utah’s anti-gerrymandering ruling”
Axios:
President Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon to attack a Utah court ruling that ordered new congressional maps pursuant to an anti-gerrymandering lawsuit.
What they’re saying: Trump claimed Monday’s order by state judge Dianna Gibson is “absolutely” unconstitutional.… Continue reading
“Louisiana urges Supreme Court to bar use of race in redistricting, in attack on Voting Rights Act”
Mark Sherman for the AP:
Louisiana on Wednesday abandoned its defense of a political map that elected two Black members of Congress and instead called on the Supreme Court to reject any consideration of race in redistricting in a case… Continue reading
California Supreme Court, Over No Noted Dissents, Will Allow Special Election over California Redistricting to Go Forward; There Will Likely Be Post Election Challenges to the Redistricting If the Measure Passes
Details via At the Lectern.