Category Archives: political parties

Alaska Democratic Party Backs Independent Candidate

September 2, 2014, 7:35 amcampaign finance, political partiesRick Hasen

Alaska Dispatch News: The Alaska Democratic Party broke with long tradition Monday when its central committee voted 89-2 to not field a gubernatorial ticket and instead put its weight behind the independent campaign of Bill Walker and Byron Mallott.… Continue reading

“In state Capitol, intransigence gives way to bipartisan deal-making”

August 31, 2014, 6:15 amcampaigns, citizen commissions, political parties, political polarization, primaries, redistrictingRick Hasen

Important report from Chris Megerian in the LAT. What’s really interesting is that Chris does not mention either the top-two primary or citizen redistricting as connected to this new (perhaps temporary) period of bipartisan cooperation. I’ve been skeptical of claims… Continue reading

“Ballot initiatives become pricey playgrounds of parties and corporations”

August 27, 2014, 7:28 amcampaign finance, political partiesRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Outside Group Mirrors Successful Strategies Of Political Parties”

August 22, 2014, 9:00 amcampaign finance, political partiesDan Tokaji

NPR’s Peter Overby has this report, focusing on AFP’s activities in Iowa.

“GOP Supreme Court candidate banned at fair booth”

August 22, 2014, 6:41 amjudicial elections, political partiesDan Tokaji

The Star-Tribune reports that “[Republican] Party officials passed a resolution banning Michelle MacDonald from the GOP’s booth because of a pending drunken driving case.”

Federal Court Rejects Challenge by Independent Voters to NJ Closed Primary System

August 19, 2014, 7:41 ampolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

The court held there is no constitutional right of independent voters to vote in a major party’s closed primary. The result is unsurprising and the opinion is unpublished.

“The New Racism: This is how the civil rights movement ends”

August 10, 2014, 8:39 pmpolitical parties, political polarization, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Must read TNR cover story by Jason Zengerle on African American political power in Alabama and in the South. Similarly, after a lawsuit was brought by the Alabama Democratic Conference and the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, a three-judge federal court… Continue reading

“Midterms Give Parties Chance for Sweeping Control of States”

August 10, 2014, 8:30 pmcampaigns, legislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NYT reports.

“Congress Off for the Exits, but Few Cheer”

August 2, 2014, 12:27 pmlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

NYT: By traditional measurements, the 113th Congress is now in a race to the bottom with the 112th for the “do nothing” crown, with members of both parties frustrated about the lack of action. As of Wednesday, it had passed… Continue reading

“California doesn’t allow write-in candidates in its general election, so a write-in candidate is suing”

July 31, 2014, 12:24 pmballot access, political parties, primariesRick Hasen

WaPo: “An independent candidate who received a single vote for a U.S. House seat in California is suing the state over it’s top-two primary system, which allows write-in candidates in the primary but not the general election.” UPDATE: Richard … Continue reading

In #MSSEN Challenge with Republican Party, McDaniel Apparently Cites No Evidence of Voter Fraud

July 31, 2014, 11:20 amcampaigns, chicanery, fraudulent fraud squad, political parties, primariesRick Hasen

This, instead of “8300 questionable ballots.”

“Chuck Schumer Is Wrong About the Top-Two Primary “

July 27, 2014, 8:58 pmpolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

Harry Enten writes.

“Don’t expect campaign finance reform to reduce polarization”

July 24, 2014, 8:55 amcampaign finance, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Mann and Corrado respond to La Raja and Schaffner.

“Bad Readers: The judges who ruled against Obamacare are following Scalia down a terrible path of interpretation.”

July 23, 2014, 8:50 amlegislation and legislatures, political parties, political polarization, statutory interpretation, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this new Jurisprudence essay for Slate. It begins: Unless you are a lawyer or a glutton for punishment, you probably want to avoid reading the new D.C. Circuit and 4th Circuit opinions reaching conflicting results on the… Continue reading