“Justice Kavanaugh can help fix gerrymandering”
Jason Harrow in The Hill. I wouldn’t count on it, much as I like the First Amendment associational rights theory that he suggests.
All posts by Dan Tokaji
Mississippi Relaxing Voter Registration Deadline for Runoffs to Comply with NVRA
AP on the state’s action in response to a demand letter from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights on behalf of the NAACP:
Mississippi is updating a voter registration deadline to meet a requirement of a 1993 federal law, giving… Continue reading
“Kavanaugh and Campaign Finance: Republican National Committee v. Federal Election Commission”
Charles Davis on SCOTUSBlog:
Kavanaugh’s opinion showed hostility towards the Supreme Court’s views in McConnell. It questioned the theory that these [soft money] limits could be justified simply by the close connection between political parties and candidates or officeholders,… Continue reading
“The Mystery Firm That Became the NRA’s Top Election Consultant”
Politico on the NRA’s payments to the consulting firm Starboard Strategic:
It was not unusual for the NRA to spend large sums of cash in an election cycle. What was odd was where the money was going. Before 2013, Starboard… Continue reading
Today’s Indictment of Russian Agents Accused of Conspiring to Interfere with 2016 Election
Available here. The indictment alleges a conspiracy to hack the systems of not only the DNC and Clinton campaign, but also election authorities. PBS:
The indictment said two named defendants knowingly conspired to hack computers of U.S. “persons,”… Continue reading
Voting Rights Restoration Project in Alabama
Campaign Legal Center and Southern Poverty Law Center announcement on their efforts to re-enfranchise Alabama voters with felony convictions:
The Alabama Voting Rights Project will take a simple message across the state: A felony conviction does not permanently take away… Continue reading
“Voting Rights Group’s Lawsuit Challenges Education Amendment”
Law.com reports: “A constitutional amendment that could create more charter schools should be removed from the November ballot because it is misleading, the League of Women Voters of Florida alleged in a lawsuit.”
Ari Berman on Judge Kavanaugh and Voting Rights
NYT op-ed: “The threat of voter disenfranchisement will get worse if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed to the court. His opinion in the South Carolina [voter ID preclearance] case and his record in civil rights matters suggests that he will… Continue reading
Experts on Judge Kavanaugh and Election Law
From Politico, here are some excerpts on how his confirmation would affect election law and democracy:
Geof Stone: “Across the entire spectrum of critical constitutional issues – ranging from abortion to gay rights to affirmative action to gerrymandering to… Continue reading
CLC & Demos on Judge Kavanaugh’s Record
Fact sheet available here. Their conclusion: “Judge Kavanaugh’s record raises serious concerns that he would expand the power of big money in politics, weaken voter protections, and insulate the president from the rule of law. Senators must press Kavanaugh… Continue reading
“America’s electoral system gives the Republicans advantages over Democrats”
The Economist:
America’s various disproportional representations are the result of winner-takes-all voting and a two-party system where party allegiance and geography have become surprisingly highly correlated. Places where people live close together vote Democratic, places where they live farther… Continue reading
Judge Kavanaugh on Free Speech and Campaign Finance
Ken White writes that Judge Kavanaugh’s opinions “are consistent with the Supreme Court’s strong protection of free speech rights this century,” and that he has “voted to strike down campaign financing laws and regulations under the First Amendment.” Jonathan Adler… Continue reading
Why Santa Monica Is Fighting California VRA Claim
LAT has this op-ed from two members of the city council on a threatened challenge to the city’s at-large election system, arguing that “carving the city into districts will not meaningfully enhance local Latino political representation.”
“Secret money funds more than 40% of outside congressional ads”
USA Today on TV spending by groups that don’t disclose their donors in the current congressional election cycle.