Category Archives: Uncategorized

“Judge sides with disenfranchised voters in challenge to Virginia’s felony voting laws”

October 24, 2025, 5:02 amUncategorizedfelon disenfranchisementSpencer Overton

Courthouse News Service: RICHMOND, Va. (CN) — A judge ruled in favor of a pair of disenfranchised voters Thursday who argued Virginia’s felony voting law violates a 150-year-old federal statute. U.S. District Judge John Gibney ruled from the bench… Continue reading

“Ahead of Mayor Race, Noncitizen New Yorkers Grapple with a Voting Policy Failure to Launch”

October 24, 2025, 5:02 amUncategorizednoncitizen votingSpencer Overton

BOLTS: ….A DACA recipient who arrived in New York City in 2005 as a child from Mexico, [Antonio] Alarcón has been a longtime vocal immigration and community advocate and organizer. But he’s also part of a chunk of the… Continue reading

“Letitia James to Appear in Court as Battle Over Trump-Urged Prosecution Begins”

October 24, 2025, 5:01 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

NYT: New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, is set to appear in federal court in Norfolk, Va., on Friday morning for an arraignment where she is expected to plead not guilty to charges lodged by the Trump administration that… Continue reading

“The 2025 Elections Using Ranked Choice Voting”

October 24, 2025, 5:01 amUncategorizedranked choice voting, RCVSpencer Overton

From FairVote: Ranked choice voting (RCV) is now used in dozens of cities, counties, and states across the U.S. In 2025 alone, 18 cities and counties are using RCV in their elections – including the most populous cities in… Continue reading

“White House List of Donors for President Trump’s $300 Million Ballroom”

October 24, 2025, 5:00 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

NYT: President Trump says he and a group of donors are footing the bill for the 90,000-square foot ballroom that he wants to build where the East Wing of the White House once stood. Here is the list of… Continue reading

“CLC Urges FEC to Hold George Santos Accountable for Campaign Finance Violations”

October 24, 2025, 4:59 amUncategorizedFederal Election CommissionSpencer Overton

From the Campaign Legal Center (disclosure – I am a CLC board member): On October 23, 2025, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) sent a letter to Federal Election Commission (FEC) Commissioners Shana Broussard and Dara Lindenbaum urging them to hold former… Continue reading

“Can New Legal Challenge Reshape State’s Congressional Districts?”

October 23, 2025, 9:55 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

This piece in Urban Milwaukee discusses the anti-competitive gerrymandering claim that has been filed against Wisconsin’s congressional districts (by a team of lawyers of whom some are at HLS’s Election Law Clinic). The piece nicely illustrates how much more competitive… Continue reading

Penn Law Review Multiracial Democracy Symposium Today & Tomorrow

October 23, 2025, 7:59 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

Attend virtually or in-person by clicking here. We’ll hear from leading thinkers on voting rights, including Guy-Uriel Charles, Torey Dolan, Tabatha Abu El-Haj, Nathan Fleming, Damon Hewitt, Ellen Katz, and Michael Morse. We’ll also hear from many top scholars… Continue reading

“A Ballot Measure Targets Mail Voting in Maine”

October 23, 2025, 7:54 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

From a bit back, but worth posting now from BOLTS: Sarah Trites, who is approaching her 60th birthday, has made a point to vote in every federal election since she turned 18. She worries her streak will end soon.… Continue reading

“Indiana Republicans don’t have votes to back Trump’s redistricting, Senate leader spox says”

October 23, 2025, 7:53 amUncategorizedgerrymandering, redistrictingSpencer Overton

POLITICO: Indiana Senate Republicans say they do not have votes to pass mid-cycle redistricting despite a pressure campaign from the White House, according to a spokesperson for Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray – but President Donald Trump’s allies… Continue reading

“The latest redistricting salvo: North Carolina gerrymanders out House Democrat”

October 23, 2025, 7:52 amUncategorizedgerrymandering, redistrictingSpencer Overton

POLITICO: North Carolina Republicans passed a new congressional map Wednesday that will likely give the GOP one more red-leaning seat in next year’s midterms, the latest in a string of White House-backed redistricting efforts…. The new map primarily affects Rep.… Continue reading

“’Democracy is worth fighting for’: Obama rallies California redistricting supporters”

October 23, 2025, 7:52 amUncategorizedgerrymandering, redistrictingSpencer Overton

POLITICO: SACRAMENTO, California — Barack Obama joined Gavin Newsom to rally supporters of California Democrats’ congressional redistricting ballot measure as the Nov. 4 special election nears. The former president during a Wednesday call with volunteers painted Proposition 50 —… Continue reading

“Former Biden and Senate Counsel to Lead Progressive Legal Group”

October 23, 2025, 7:51 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

NYT: Phil Brest, a veteran of the judicial confirmation battles, was named on Wednesday as the new president of the American Constitution Society, a leading progressive organization active on legal issues nationwide. Mr. Brest, 38, was a senior White… Continue reading

How Today’s Campaign Finance System Contributes to Legislative Dysfunction

October 23, 2025, 5:30 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

At the NYU Democracy Project today, Jonathan Adler’s essay, titled Help Legislators Legislate Again, argues that current campaign finance laws contribute to Congress’ increasing inability to generate legislation: Federal campaign finance laws require legislators to fill their war chests… Continue reading