All posts by Justin Levitt

“A deceptively edited video of Joe Biden illustrates a big problem in 2020”

January 3, 2020, 4:44 pmchicanery, Election MeltdownJustin Levitt

Rick’s been writing up a storm about dirty tricks like deepfakes in American elections, including in his new book. But the sort of deceptive selective editing at play in the video described here is much more accessible, and has … Continue reading

“America Won’t Give Up Its Hackable Wireless Voting Machines”

January 3, 2020, 4:43 pmvoting technologyJustin Levitt

This Bloomberg piece on Web-connected election machines scapegoats the public craving for instant results. “The pressure to promptly transmit results to news organizations –- and ultimately voters — is so great that election officials have no choice but to briefly… Continue reading

Here come the latest purge demands

January 3, 2020, 4:42 pmThe Voting Wars, voter registrationJustin Levitt

Looks like Judicial Watch released another tranch of NVRA demand letters. Also looks like they’re still identifying allegedly non-compliant jurisdictions at least in part by comparing point-estimate registration data on legal domicile to trend-estimate ACS data on physical CVAP presence.… Continue reading

“Florida legislators’ PACs amass hundreds of millions of dollars”

January 3, 2020, 4:39 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingJustin Levitt

I missed this last week: Direct donations to campaigns for the Florida Legislature are limited to $1,000. . . . [But t]he amount of money a company or individual can donate to a legislator’s PAC is limitless. . .… Continue reading

“Voting Rights Restoration Gives Felons a Voice in More States”

January 3, 2020, 4:38 pmpolitical equalityJustin Levitt

A recap of recent action on the enfranchisement of people with convictions, from Stateline.

“Lowering the Voting Age to 16: Learning from Real Experiences Worldwide”

January 3, 2020, 4:38 pmpolitical equality, votingJustin Levitt

The new year brings another new book on electoral mechanics, edited by Jan Eichhorn and Johannes Bergh. The abstract: This book explores the consequences of lowering the voting age to 16 from a global perspective, bringing together empirical research… Continue reading

“SEC Proposed Proxy Rules Changes—A Risk to Companies, Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability”

January 3, 2020, 4:37 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

Bruce Freed, Dan Carroll, and Karl Sandstrom, at the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, connect proposed SEC rule changes, raising ownership thresholds and limiting repeat attempts for shareholder proxy fights, to the battle over disclosure of corporate… Continue reading

Scheduling of special elections

January 3, 2020, 4:36 pmThe Voting WarsJustin Levitt

There’s always a fair amount of controversy around the scheduling of special elections to fill vacancies, particularly when the date seems to create particularly advantageous or disadvantageous terrain. The latest takes shape in New York, for the special election… Continue reading

California Democratic Party settles lawsuits alleging harassment and discrimination by former leader

January 3, 2020, 4:35 pmpolitical partiesJustin Levitt

The LA Times has the latest on the continuing fallout from the scandal involving the former chair.

The partisan campaign finance horse race

January 3, 2020, 4:35 pmcampaign finance, campaignsJustin Levitt

The WaPo summarizes the reported candidate and party committee hauls for 2019 ($463 million for Trump and the RNC, for example). It seems fair to compare RNC solo fundraising to DNC solo fundraising, and Trump’s re-elect to Obama’s 2012 re-elect. … Continue reading

“Top DFLers, state party defend law that permits Trump-only GOP primary ballots”

January 3, 2020, 4:34 pmelection law and constitutional law, political parties, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

The real story isn’t that state party officials are defending state party associational rights under the First Amendmetn (even if they also benefit opposing parties). The real story is the practical recognition that litigation now begins to creep up on… Continue reading

“Chief Justice Roberts warns we’re taking “democracy for granted.” His rulings haven’t helped.”

January 3, 2020, 4:34 pmcampaign finance, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

Ian Millhiser critiques what he sees as a disconnect between the Chief’s year-end report on the judiciary and our democracy, and the Chief’s actions on the judiciary and our democracy.

“Leaked Trump Camp Tape Reignites Concerns Over GOP ‘Ballot Security’ Plans”

January 3, 2020, 4:33 pmchicanery, political partiesJustin Levitt

Tierney Sneed at TPM highlights the audio Rick blogged before the holidays, about the lapse of the consent decree between the DNC and RNC governing “ballot security” efforts.