Category Archives: absentee ballots

“Republican National Committee sues California to halt vote-by-mail for November general election”

May 25, 2020, 3:44 pmabsentee ballots, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

CNN: The Republican National Committee and other Republican groups have filed a lawsuit against California to stop the state from mailing absentee ballots to all voters ahead of the 2020 general election, a move that was made in response … Continue reading

Federal District Court in South Carolina Holds It Unconstitutional to Apply Witness Requirement to Absentee Ballots for June Primary in Light of COVID; Rejects Motion to Extend Deadline for Receipt of Absentee Ballots Postmarked by Election Day

May 25, 2020, 3:31 pmabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

You can find the district court’s opinion at this link. On the witness requirement, the district court found that South Carolina does not use the witness requirement to ferret out voter fraud and in any case there is virtually nothing… Continue reading

Montana State Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Barring the Enforcement of Montana Law Limiting Third Party Collection of Absentee Ballots and Requiring Mail Ballots Be Received by Election Day

May 22, 2020, 5:34 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

You can find the 17-page opinion here. Among other things the court found that the limit on third party collection of ballots would suppress voter turnout of Native Americans. This is one of the Marc Elias lawsuits (press release… Continue reading

“The Trailer: The mail voting debate gets more confounding”

May 21, 2020, 3:31 pmabsentee ballots, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Weigel: Since the start of the pandemic, vote-by-mail has been expanded in multiple states. The debate over that expansion has grown increasingly surreal and politically contradictory. As they ramp up their own absentee ballot programs, aimed at their base,… Continue reading

“Trump escalates campaign to discredit mail balloting, threatening federal funds to two battleground states”

May 21, 2020, 6:57 amabsentee ballots, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

WaPo: President Trump on Wednesday escalated his campaign to discredit the integrity of mail balloting, threatening to “hold up” federal funding to Michigan and Nevada in response to the states’ plans to increase voting by mail to reduce the… Continue reading

“Who’s Requesting Mail Ballots in Georgia’s Upcoming Primary? Analyzing absentee ballot request data reveals significant racial, age, and party disparities.”

May 21, 2020, 6:53 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

New Brennan Center analysis.

“Close Results In Paterson Vote Plagued By Fraud Claims; Over 3K Ballots Seemingly Set Aside”–One Race Has a Candidate Leading by 8 Votes

May 20, 2020, 2:38 pmabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

The latest from NBC New York.

“Trump’s bogus attacks on mail-in voting could hurt his supporters, too; The president is undermining democracy. He could also be undermining his own campaign.”

May 20, 2020, 10:51 amabsentee ballots, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

I have written this piece for the Washington Post. It begins: On Wednesday morning, President Trump threatened to withhold aid from Michigan and Nevada because of purportedly illegal activity related to absentee ballots. In reality, the states are doing nothing… Continue reading

“Trump Steps Up Attacks on Mail Vote, Making False Claims About Fraud; President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for Michigan and Nevada if the states moved forward in expanding vote by mail.”

May 20, 2020, 9:42 amabsentee ballots, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump on Wednesday escalated his assault against mail voting, falsely claiming that Michigan and Nevada were engaged in voter fraud and had acted illegally, and threatening to withhold federal funds to those states if they proceed in… Continue reading

There’s a Genuine Absentee Ballot Fraud Scandal Going On in Paterson, New Jersey and It Is Going to Get a Lot of National Attention: What Lessons Should We Learn?

May 20, 2020, 9:31 amabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

Here’s some coverage from NBC New York: Numerous residents are now complaining that they never received or sent in a vote-by-mail ballot — even though Passaic County Board of Election records show a ballot in their name was mailed in.Ramona… Continue reading

“What is ballot harvesting and how is it affecting Southern California elections? Misinformation and deeply partisan divides over ballot collecting remain, even as both parties tap the strategy heading into November.”

May 18, 2020, 7:43 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

OC Register: Even the term for the process is contentious. Republicans uniformly call it “ballot harvesting,” implying that election results are planted and plucked from a field of voters. Democrats and voting rights advocates prefer the term “ballot collection,”… Continue reading

“Sweeping lawsuit seeks to have absentee ballot requests sent to all Wisconsin voters”

May 18, 2020, 7:13 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: A disability rights group and others sued Wisconsin election officials Monday to try to ensure the state has enough poll workers and guarantee voters who want absentee ballots receive them, adding to a cascade of litigation over… Continue reading

“Voting by mail helps the GOP. California’s special election proved that.”

May 18, 2020, 7:11 amabsentee ballots, campaignsRick Hasen

Rob Stutzman WaPo oped.

Breaking: Texas Supreme Court Temporarily Reverses Lower Appeals Court in Absentee Ballot Case, Meaning AG Paxton Can Keep Telling Counties That Voters Can’t Claim Fear of Contracting COVID-19 As Basis to Vote By Mail

May 15, 2020, 5:40 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

The order, with no noted dissents and no reasoning, is here. Oral argument will be on May 20. The stay is temporary, pending resolution of the case. My earlier coverage is: Divided Texas Appeals Court Imposes Stay Pending Appeal … Continue reading

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