All posts by Justin Levitt

“IRS Probes Nonprofit Political Groups”

June 29, 2012, 11:57 amcampaign finance, tax law and election lawJustin Levitt

That’s the title of a story from yesterday’s Wall St. Journal. As a follow-up, Paul Streckfus’ EO Tax Journal (paid service) asked some intriguing questions about the source of the information that the IRS is taking steps to investigate… Continue reading

“Rangel’s Rivals Make Allegations Of Voter Fraud And Uncounted Ballots”

June 28, 2012, 6:57 pmThe Voting WarsJustin Levitt

Here we go again. Also, please note, the story itself does not mention any actual allegation of fraud by any voter.

“New Web Tool Makes Absentee Voting Easier”

June 28, 2012, 3:38 pmabsentee ballotsJustin Levitt

The lead story in this week’s electionlineWeekly.

“Date Blamed for Low Vote in [New York] Primaries”

June 28, 2012, 3:23 pmmilitary voting, primariesJustin Levitt

And really, if you read the NY Times article, the MOVE Act is apparently being blamed for the date change, which is being blamed for 5% turnout on Tuesday — less than the 7% turnout for New York’s presidential… Continue reading

The Other Other Supreme Court Case: Arizona Voter Registration

June 28, 2012, 3:16 pmNVRA (motor voter), Supreme Court, voter registrationJustin Levitt

Beyond Affordable Care, beyond Stolen Valor, the Supreme Court took a third very important action today. The Ninth Circuit — first as a panel, then en banc — decided that Arizona’s refusal to accept federal voter registration forms without… Continue reading

Fourth Circuit Upholds Ban on Corporate Contributions

June 28, 2012, 11:05 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

It’s been an active day in the courts even beyond the health care rulings. In the Danielczyk case, the Fourth Circuit has reversed the Virginia district court opinion striking down the federal ban on corporate contributions to candidates in the… Continue reading

Federal Court Declines to Enjoin Disavowed Florida Purge Under NVRA

June 28, 2012, 10:53 amelection administration, NVRA (motor voter), statutory interpretation, The Voting Wars, voter registrationJustin Levitt

In a decision released this morning, a federal court declined to issue a temporary restraining order in the DOJ’s NVRA challenge to Florida’s purported purge of noncitizens. Part of the reason was that the Florida Secretary of State Detzner apparently… Continue reading

Alaska state legislative districts precleared

June 28, 2012, 1:24 amredistrictingJustin Levitt

See this Anchorage Daily News report. State legislative districts in Alabama and Mississippi, and congressional districts in New Hampshire (and, of course, Texas districts beyond the 2012 interim plan) still need preclearance, but most statewide plans are done at this… Continue reading

NH legislature overrides voter ID veto

June 28, 2012, 1:01 amvoter idJustin Levitt

Yesterday, the NH legislature overrode Governor Lynch’s veto of a new voter ID bill. The bill — now law — asks voters to show a photo ID. But crucially, those who do not have a photo ID can vote a… Continue reading

“WWE Asks Feds To Toss Newspaper’s Complaint”

June 28, 2012, 12:38 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The Hartford Courant reports on the intersection of the WWE and the FEC. And it somehow resists asking the question at the heart of it all: When is a tag-team not coordination?

More from Montana

June 28, 2012, 12:30 amjudicial electionsJustin Levitt

This time, judicial elections. The Missoulian reports on a federal court decision, denying a preliminary injunction against a Montana law that prohibits political parties from endorsing judicial candidates. Watch for more as the litigation continues — this could be… Continue reading

“Conservative Groups Sign Court Brief Backing FEC Rule Allowing Donor Secrecy”

June 28, 2012, 12:17 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

BNA ($) has the story. A snippet: “More than a dozen conservative groups that do not disclose their funding sources for election spending joined a brief filed June 27 in a key federal court case testing disclosure requirements for groups… Continue reading

Nick Stephanopoulos Responds to Himself

June 28, 2012, 12:01 amredistrictingJustin Levitt

In the newest addition to the Harvard Law Review Forum, Nick Stephanopoulos updates his very interesting examination of “Spatial Diversity” and its role in the redistricting process. His latest uses census data to analyze the new congressional districts… Continue reading