Category Archives: Uncategorized

“FBI should clean up its interactions with online platforms, DOJ watchdog says”

July 25, 2024, 7:45 amUncategorizedcontent moderationSpencer Overton

Washington Post: Weeks after the Supreme Court rejected a conservative-led push to block contacts between the U.S. government and social media companies, a new report from the Justice Department’s inspector general found that intelligence agencies’ communications with the companies… Continue reading

“Vance once advocated that children get votes that parents could cast”

July 25, 2024, 7:43 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

Washington Post: A year before J.D. Vance was elected to the Senate, he advocated for a novel way to enhance the political strength of families — by giving parents the ability to cast tens of millions of additional votes… Continue reading

“Election officials continue to face threats, harassment ahead of November”

July 25, 2024, 7:41 amUncategorizedelection administration, harassmentSpencer Overton

ABC News: “Election workers are still dealing with a lot of lies that are being told about the elections, and are in many ways bearing the kind of the consequences of those lies with harassment, abuse and sometimes threats,”… Continue reading

“Shouldn’t Officials Who Oversee Their Own Elections Be Able to Recuse Themselves?”

July 25, 2024, 7:40 amUncategorizedconflict of interest, recusalSpencer Overton

Kevin Johnson in Governing: ….State and federal laws, codes of conduct, and judicial training provide substantial guidance on recusal, and court systems are ready to provide needed replacements. But what about a secretary of state overseeing his own race… Continue reading

“Trump-friendly panel shapes Georgia’s election rules at long, often chaotic meetings”

July 25, 2024, 7:39 amUncategorizedelection administrationSpencer Overton

ABC News: ATLANTA — The Georgia State Election Board, which once toiled in relative obscurity, now hosts raucous meetings where public comment spans several hours and attendees regularly heckle its members. The shift highlights how election administration has become increasingly… Continue reading

“Newbern, Alabama Will Hold First Election Since 1965”

July 25, 2024, 7:38 amUncategorizedVoting Rights ActSpencer Overton

Democracy Docket: A federal judge signed off Tuesday on the settlement agreement reached in Newbern, Alabama in Mayor Patrick Braxton’s case, officially giving him all mayoral powers and privileges after being blocked from office by the previous white town… Continue reading

“Trump campaign wants FEC to block Harris from accessing Biden’s campaign money”

July 24, 2024, 7:37 amUncategorizedFEC, Federal Election CommissionSpencer Overton

ABC News: The Trump campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign cannot take over President Joe Biden’s campaign’s money, calling it a violation of campaign finance contribution limit. “Kamala… Continue reading

“State election directors fear the Postal Service can’t handle expected crush of mail-in ballots”

July 24, 2024, 7:35 amUncategorizedabsentee ballots, VBM, vote by mailSpencer Overton

AP: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — State election directors from across the country voiced serious concerns to a top U.S. Postal Service official Tuesday that the system won’t be able to handle an expected crush of mail-in ballots in the November… Continue reading

“Nebraska push for winner-take-all will wait in line after property tax relief”

July 24, 2024, 7:34 amUncategorizedThe Electoral CollegeSpencer Overton

Nebraska Examiner: LINCOLN — Nebraska Republicans who want to change how the state awards its Electoral College votes before the presidential election this fall will have to wait a little longer. Gov. Jim Pillen’s office confirmed Monday that his… Continue reading

“Election law violates rights of voters with disabilities in Ohio, judge rules”

July 24, 2024, 7:32 amUncategorizedVoting Rights ActSpencer Overton

The Hill: A federal judge in Ohio struck down parts of Ohio’s 2023 election law changes, ruling on Monday the law violates the rights of voters with disabilities in the state. . . The law, which went into effect… Continue reading

“Can Robert Menendez’s Bribery Conviction Survive an Appeal?”

July 24, 2024, 7:31 amUncategorizedbribery, corruptionSpencer Overton

NYT: After Senator Robert Menendez was found guilty of bribery and corruption charges, his lawyers said they would appeal his conviction aggressively and expected that he would be vindicated. Defense lawyers make such claims routinely, but in the realm… Continue reading

“Signatures certified: Ohio anti-gerrymandering amendment on its way to November ballot”

July 24, 2024, 7:26 amUncategorizedgerrymandering, independent redistricting commissions, redistrictingSpencer Overton

Ohio Capital Journal: A proposed anti-gerrymandering amendment in Ohio that would remove politicians from the redistricting process in favor of a citizens commission has gathered enough signatures to proceed to voters on the November ballot.

“Measure aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked voting system still qualifies for ballot, officials say”

July 24, 2024, 7:25 amUncategorizedfinal four primary, RCVSpencer Overton

Washington Post: JUNEAU, Alaska — An initiative aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked choice voting system still has sufficient signatures to qualify for the November ballot, attorneys for the state said in court filings Tuesday, days after a judge disqualified… Continue reading

Fusion or Super-Fusion?

July 23, 2024, 3:25 pmUncategorizedNed Foley

“What Institutional Reform Would Most Depolarize Politics?” A new Common Ground Democracy essay examines, with sympathetic skepticism, the growing interest among scholars in fusion voting, as evidenced by the recent open letter advocating it. The essay explains why, given the… Continue reading