Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

“Fight over NC 9th District election could drag on for months, with no one seated”

January 3, 2019, 7:51 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Charlotte Observer: A new election might not take place in North Carolina’s disputed 9th District for months even if a new State Board of Elections orders a re-run of the contest, leaving local elections officials scrambling and constituents without representation… Continue reading

#NC09: “Is There a Vacancy in North Carolina?”

January 2, 2019, 12:48 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Must-read from Mike Stern.

#NC09: “Hoyer says House will not seat a North Carolina Republican amid questions about integrity of election”

December 28, 2018, 2:17 pmlegislation and legislatures, recountsRick Hasen

WaPo: Incoming House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said Friday that Democrats next week will not seat a North Carolina Republican amid allegations of election fraud in the state’s 9th Congressional District. “Given the now well-documented election fraud that took… Continue reading

“International Workshop on ‘Rearranging the Arrangements Law: Comparative, Multidisciplinary, Empirical and Normative Perspectives on Omnibus Legislation'”

December 25, 2018, 5:33 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

This looks like a great conference at Bar Ilan University on Jan 1-3.

“AZ LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL? A Special Election To Replace Senator McCain Must Be Held In 6 Months, Claims New Lawsuit”

November 29, 2018, 12:17 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Arizona’s Politics reports.

Tokaji: A Grand Election Bargain That Everyone Should Support

November 20, 2018, 12:21 pmlegislation and legislatures, voter id, voter registrationDan Tokaji

In collaboration with Take Care, Election Law Blog is pleased to present a series of posts offering thoughts on legislation to reform the U.S. electoral process. Election reform is back on Congress’s agenda. Having won control of the U.S.… Continue reading

Is A Bigger House of Representatives a Good Idea? A Bad Idea?

November 13, 2018, 8:53 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT Editorial says yes. Jonathan Bernstein says no.

“Is democracy rigged? The debate over Senate representation ignores a much more plausible reform”

November 6, 2018, 7:51 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Steve Vladeck: Perhaps because it plays no direct role in the judicial confirmation process, these more recent conversations have largely ignored the House of Representatives. That’s a mistake. Although it’s not the only way to make our political branches (and,… Continue reading

[Corrected] Supreme Court Summarily Rejects Constitutional Challenge to the Size of the House of Representatives

November 5, 2018, 7:03 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

There were no noted dissents in this order dismissing the case for lack of jurisdiction. From my earlier coverage: The legal claim is more than a bit nutty, and it does not appear to be litigated very well. But… Continue reading

“To Fix Congress, Make It Bigger. Much Bigger.”

October 29, 2018, 7:14 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Lee Drutman for Washington Monthly.

“How the Senate Got Its Groove Back With the Power of the Purse”

August 19, 2018, 9:05 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: Against the backdrop of rising partisan rancor over the Supreme Court vacancy, an unlikely bipartisan breakthrough is quietly taking place in the Senate, where the annual spending bills are advancing in a way that hasn’t been seen in years.… Continue reading

“Frustrated by Gridlock, House Members Propose Rules Overhaul”

July 25, 2018, 8:01 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: Trying to ease gridlock in Congress, a bipartisan group of frustrated House members is coming forward with a rules overhaul intended to give rank-and-file lawmakers more say. The proposal, to be formally unveiled Wednesday by the House Problem Solvers… Continue reading

“Should Democrats Have Saved Their Filibuster for the New Court Fight?”

July 15, 2018, 8:38 amlegislation and legislatures, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

NYT, CouldWouldaShoulda Dept: “Now, as the Senate faces another court vacancy — one that could tilt the court’s ideological balance and cement a conservative majority — the Democrats have few tools to fight the nomination. A different outcome last… Continue reading

Litigating to a Larger House of Representatives Based on a Secretly Ratified Constitutional Amendment?

June 6, 2018, 4:19 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

It is no secret that the size of Congressional districts is dramatically larger now than at the time of the ratification of the Constitution. Many have argued over the years that we would have better representation if we increased the… Continue reading