All posts by Rick Hasen

“Did Changes to the Voting Rights Act Cause Electoral Backsliding in the States?”

November 1, 2024, 6:29 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Alice Malmberg has written this article for Election Law Journal. Here is the abstract: When announced in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision immediately raised concerns that its invalidation of the coverage formula stipulated in Section… Continue reading

“Thousands of ballots are at stake as the Supreme Court considers Pennsylvania voting rules”

November 1, 2024, 6:27 amelection administration, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Marc Meredith and Michael Morse: The latest update from [Oct. 31]— after the general statewide deadline to request a mail ballot — shows there were 2,193,578 mail ballot applications ever approved. Of those, 1,622,675 have been logged by local… Continue reading

“Amazon donates to group backing hardline anti-abortion Republican; DoorDash and CVS also contributing funds to Raga group trying to re-elect Todd Rokita, who favors total abortion ban”

November 1, 2024, 6:25 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

The Guardian: Amazon, DoorDash and CVS Health are among major US companies publicly committed to supporting reproductive rights that have nonetheless contributed this year to a group supporting the re-election of Todd Rokita, the Republican attorney general of Indiana… Continue reading

“Dems say they will certify a Trump victory — even though some see him as ineligible for office”

October 31, 2024, 2:45 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Politico: Democrats in Congress for years have labeled Donald Trump an “insurrectionist,” impeached him for stoking violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and suggested he is constitutionally prohibited from returning to the White House. But even as those lawmakers continue to… Continue reading

“Suspicious voter registration forms in Pennsylvania linked to Arizona city councilman’s company”

October 31, 2024, 2:40 pmchicanery, voter registrationRick Hasen

Votebeat: Two Pennsylvania counties have identified an Arizona-based company as the source of thousands of last-minute voter registration applications that they are investigating. The company, Field+Media Corps, which conducts voter registration and outreach programs, is run by Francisco Heredia, a… Continue reading

Breaking: Justice Alito Won’t Put Cornel West’s Name at this Late Date on Pennsylvania Ballot

October 31, 2024, 2:36 pmballot access, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Justice acted without referring the matter to the Court, something that only happens when a matter is unlikely to attract the support of even a single Justice.

“Chinese national in Michigan casts irretrievable ballot in US election, now faces charges”

October 31, 2024, 1:46 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

USA Today: A Chinese national studying at the University of Michigan is facing serious charges after officials say he voted this past weekend in the battleground state. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit … Continue reading

“Elon Musk’s America PAC Has Created an Election Denial Cesspool on X”

October 31, 2024, 1:42 pmcheap speech, election subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Wired: For months, billionaire and X owner Elon Musk has used his platform to share election conspiracy theories that could undermine faith in the outcome of the 2024 election. Last week, the political action committee (PAC) Musk backs took it… Continue reading

Steve Mazie in The Economist on Whether Litigation May Matter to the Outcome of the 2024 Election

October 31, 2024, 12:44 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Here: Amid teetering uncertainty over who will win next week’s presidential election, little suspense looms about one thing: if Donald Trump loses, he will not concede to Kamala Harris. Instead, as he has been doing throughout his campaign, Mr… Continue reading

Undated/Misdated Mail-in Ballot Issue Returns to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, with Republicans Wanting a Lower Court Order to Count Them Put on Hold for 2024

October 31, 2024, 12:42 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Yesterday I wrote about this decision of the PA Commonwealth Court, that has injected new uncertainty over the treatment of misdated or undated but timely mail in ballots in Pennsylvania. This issue keeps percolating up to the PA Supreme Court,… Continue reading

AP on Those Potentially Fraudulent Voter Registration Forms in Lancaster PA

October 31, 2024, 8:15 amchicanery, voter registrationRick Hasen

AP: York County Chief Clerk Greg Monskie confirmed this week that his county was reviewing suspect forms. County Commissioner Julie Wheeler issued a statement saying voter registration forms and mail-in ballot applications were among a “large delivery containing thousands… Continue reading

“Fearing Election Day violence, local cops are becoming fast experts in election law”

October 31, 2024, 7:32 amchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

Politico: As Election Day nears, police chiefs and sheriffs around the country are bracing themselves for violent threats against election workers, turmoil at voting sites and intimidation of voters. In Maricopa County, Arizona, multiple emergency hubs will be running… Continue reading

“‘January 6th is going to be pretty fun’: How MAGA activists are preparing to undermine the election if Trump loses”

October 31, 2024, 7:30 amchicanery, election subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

CNN: Before Election Day has even arrived, the “Stop the Steal” movement has reemerged in force, with some of the same activists who tried to overturn former President Donald Trump’s 2020 loss outlining a step-by-step guide to undermine the results… Continue reading

“Michigan Election Denial Activists Seize on Voter Report Glitch”

October 31, 2024, 7:28 amcheap speech, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: Election denial activists on Wednesday seized on errors in a routine Michigan voting report to claim that multiple people were casting ballots under a single voter’s name. The report was marred by a glitch that made it appear as… Continue reading

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law