Category Archives: absentee ballots

“Courts view GOP fraud claims skeptically as Democrats score key legal victories over mail voting”

September 28, 2020, 10:06 pmabsentee ballots, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

WaPo: For six months, the rules for how Americans can vote during the coronavirus pandemic have been locked in court battles while states across the country rushed to embrace mail ballots.Now, with just weeks to go before the Nov. 3… Continue reading

“Federal judge rules against voting-rights activists’ challenge of Ohio signature-matching rules on absentee ballot applications”

September 28, 2020, 8:48 pmabsentee ballots, court decisionsRick Hasen

Cleveland.com: A federal judge has ruled Ohio’s system of verifying signatures on absentee ballot applications is not burdensome enough to be struck down as illegal, rejecting arguments made by a coalition of voting-rights groups that sued the state.U.S. District Judge… Continue reading

“On-again, off again: Court nixes SC witness requirement on absentee ballots — for now”

September 25, 2020, 8:34 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

The State: The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond has, at least temporarily, reinstated a ruling by a South Carolina federal judge that would allow S.C. voters who vote absentee to do it without having a witness signature.The ruling… Continue reading

“Republican party sues to stop late ballot ruling”

September 25, 2020, 2:15 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Detroit News reports.

“Special Report: Will your mail ballot count in the U.S. presidential election? It may depend on who’s counting and where”

September 25, 2020, 7:33 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Reuters reports.

“Michigan lawmakers give clerks more time to process ballots”

September 24, 2020, 7:50 pmabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Very good bipartisan news: The Michigan Legislature gave final approvals Thursday to a bill that would give local clerks 10 hours extra before the election to begin processing absentee ballots, a nod to the expected uptick in absentee voting… Continue reading

“Pennsylvania election officials warn of 2000 Florida redux; A court ruling on so-called naked ballots ‘is going to cause electoral chaos’ in one of the nation’s biggest swing states.”

September 23, 2020, 8:08 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Politico reports.

“America’s Electorate is Increasingly Polarized Along Partisan Lines About Voting by Mail During the COVID-19 Crisis,

September 22, 2020, 5:10 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has just published a new paper, “America’s Electorate is Increasingly Polarized Along Partisan Lines About Voting by Mail During the COVID-19 Crisis,” by Mackenzie Lockhart, Seth J. Hill, Jennifer Merolla,… Continue reading

Twenty (Republican-led) States File Amicus Brief Urging 9th Circuit to Stay District Court Order Easing Missing Signature Cure Provisions for Absentee Ballots

September 22, 2020, 5:01 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

The states make an argument on the merits under Anderson-Burdick balancing and argue it is too late to make changes to election rules under the Purcell Principle. I expect Purcell to be invoked more and more as we proceed… Continue reading

“Republican Party seeks to reverse Georgia absentee deadline ruling”

September 22, 2020, 1:27 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

AJC: The Republican National Committee is getting involved in an appeal over absentee ballot deadlines in Georgia, making it the 20th state where the Republican Party is fighting election lawsuits.The RNC and the Georgia Republican Party filed a motion… Continue reading

“Has the President Handicapped His Own Party’s Efforts on Absentee Voting?”

September 22, 2020, 7:52 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

NYT: The North Carolina Republican Party spent $213,000 on glossy mailers sent out in August to voters believed to be supporters of President Trump.“Urgent Notice,” the mailers warned, alongside a photo of the president. On the flip side, voters found… Continue reading

Tweet of the Day (Penn Profs That Didn’t Have Their Absentee Ballots Count in PA Because of Voter Error)

September 22, 2020, 7:12 amabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Jonathan Lai: A lot of comments/replies have been about how easy it is to know to use the secrecy envelope. A child could do it; it’s not rocket science; how dumb do you have to be; etc.Here’s part of an… Continue reading

“How ‘naked ballots’ in Pennsylvania could cost Joe Biden the election”

September 21, 2020, 2:12 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Jonathan Lai for the Inquirer: The state Supreme Court in Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state that’s seen as increasingly likely to determine who wins the White House, last week ordered officials to throw out what’s known as “naked ballots”… Continue reading

Ohio SOS LaRose Argues Courts Should Defer to His “Reasonable” Interpretation of Ohio Law to Allow Only One Drop Box for Absentee Ballots Per County; He Should Favor an Interpretation Enfranchising Voters

September 21, 2020, 1:59 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

You can find the brief at this link. This is disappointing from Secretary LaRose. The brief argues that to the extent the statute is ambiguous, the courts should give his interpretation deference. Yet Secretary LaRose has said he favored … Continue reading

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