All posts by Justin Levitt

“Mississippi: Election lawsuit is not about voting rights”

July 17, 2019, 5:16 pmelection law and constitutional law, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

The AP has a story about a lawsuit challenging the requirement for winning statewide office that candidates win both a majority of the popular vote and a plurality of the vote in the majority of Mississippi state house districts.

“Make the Guarantee Clause Great Again”

July 17, 2019, 5:15 pmpolitical equality, political parties, redistrictingJustin Levitt

A clever title for a clever piece about partisan gerrymandering, and the doctrine holding the Guarantee Clause nonjusticiable. I’m inclined to agree on the substance.

Common Cause wants you to know what presidential candidates think about democracy

July 17, 2019, 5:15 pmprimariesJustin Levitt

They’ve got a 17-question survey polling the candidates on particular campaign and electoral reforms. Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, Booker, Williamson, and Bullock have turned in their take-home exams already.

Voters file petition to get Pennsylvania to reconsider voting technology

July 17, 2019, 5:15 pmvoting technologyJustin Levitt

The fight in Pennsylvania continues.

Redistricting using a citizenship count

July 17, 2019, 5:14 pmcensus litigation, redistricting, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

Ari Berman adds his voice to discussion of the potential ahead.

Estimating the undocumented without the census

July 17, 2019, 5:13 pmcensus litigationJustin Levitt

Demographers weigh in on alternatives to a direct count. (Note: this is an update of a piece published in 2016. Apparently, the issue is still of some interest.)

“It’s time voting be constitutionally limited to U.S. citizens”

July 17, 2019, 5:12 pmvotingJustin Levitt

A would-be movement to amend state constitutions to provide that only U.S. citizens may lawfully vote in state elections. Of course, all state constitutions have currently been interpreted to provide that only U.S. citizens may lawfully vote in state elections.

“The Feds Have Helped Some Gerrymandering to Thrive”

July 17, 2019, 5:11 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

A letter in the WSJ claims that Eric Holder helped to lead the charge in Bethune-Hill, after approving Virginia districts in 2011. Consider me skeptical. The letter appears to conflate preclearance approval (which focused on two particular legal standards;… Continue reading

“It May Not Seem That Way, but Politicians Often Do What Voters Want”

July 17, 2019, 5:10 pmlegislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

New data analysis in The Upshot.

“In Queens district attorney race, voters want affidavit ballots counted”

July 17, 2019, 5:09 pmprovisional ballots, recountsJustin Levitt

Provisional or affidavit ballots are counted even when there’s not a recount. But there’s a whole lot more attention on them when the recount comes to town.

Looking to the high schools

July 17, 2019, 5:09 pmvoter registrationJustin Levitt

The Civics Center has been particularly active in encouraging eligible high school students to register and vote. A post today discusses the path forward after legislation failed in Maryland, following on a post a few weeks ago discussing a pending… Continue reading

“Leahy casts his 16,000th vote, joining an exclusive Senate club”

July 17, 2019, 5:08 pmlegislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

After a vote on a tax treaty with Japan, Vermont’s only Democratic Senator ever is now one of four Senators in history to reach the 16,000-vote plateau.