Category Archives: The Voting Wars

“Iowa voter ID law: Judge strikes rule on absentee ballots as ‘irrational, illogical and wholly unjustifiable'”

January 25, 2019, 1:44 pmelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Des Moines Register: An Iowa judge struck down part of a 2017 voter ID law dealing with absentee ballots — a decision opponents of the law say will make it easier for voters to get ballots and Secretary of… Continue reading

“New NC elections board won’t start for a week. But it’s already deep in controversy.”

January 25, 2019, 7:40 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Charlotte Observer: North Carolina’s new bipartisan elections board won’t be named for a week, but it’s already sparked more partisan sniping in the midst of what could be the state’s biggest election scandal in years.The attacks began after former… Continue reading

North Carolina: “Judge denies Mark Harris request to certify his win despite election fraud investigation”

January 22, 2019, 8:32 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

News & Observer: The state’s investigation into alleged election fraud by the Mark Harris campaign will continue, a judge ruled Tuesday morning. Harris is the Republican candidate who appeared to narrowly win an election for North Carolina’s 9th District seat… Continue reading

“Arizona Legislators Launch Dueling Proposals on Voting Rights and Elections”

January 18, 2019, 8:54 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Phoenix New Times: A battle is underway for the future of voting rights in Arizona, featuring liberal lawmakers who want to expand voting opportunities fighting with conservatives who seek to add new restrictions. Democratic legislators unveiled a House resolution on… Continue reading

Mitch McConnell Calls H.R. 1, the Democrats’ Mammoth Election Reform Bill, a “Partisan Power Grab”

January 17, 2019, 2:22 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

New WaPo oped. Here were my more positive thoughts about the bill.

“Congress ignored its election duties for years. That ends now”

January 14, 2019, 2:25 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Matt Weil in Roll Call: House Democrats have waited eight years to regain the speakership, and now that they hold the gavel, they will clearly seek to move on pent-up priorities. For their first act out of the gate, they… Continue reading

“The House Democrats’ Colossal Election Reform Bill Could Save American Democracy”

January 14, 2019, 8:44 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

I’ve written this piece for Slate. It begins: The Democrats’ first order of business as they took control of the 116th Congress was introducing H.R. 1, the colossal “For the People Act.” This 571-page behemoth of a bill covering voting… Continue reading

“Court decision in N.J. voter intimidation case could bring ‘new wave of voter suppression’ in 2020 election, expert says”

January 12, 2019, 12:04 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Jonathan Salant for NJ.com: A federal appeals court has refused to bring back restrictions on Republican National Committee voter activities set in motion 36 years ago by a New Jersey gubernatorial race, a decision that an election law expert warned… Continue reading

“Donald Trump Was Just Handed a Chance to Supercharge Voter Suppression in 2020”

January 8, 2019, 11:50 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: In a short unpublished opinion so far garnering only slight media attention, the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit decided on Monday what may be one of… Continue reading

“DNC loses appeal on Republican election tactics”

January 8, 2019, 7:47 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Josh Gerstein for Politico: A consent decree that limited Republican Party’s use of controversial poll-watching and ballot security efforts for more than three decades appears consigned to the scrap heap of history after a federal appeals court rebuffed a move… Continue reading

Moderating January 31 Event at UCLA Hammer Museum: “Voting Rights and Wrongs”

January 2, 2019, 8:58 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Really looking forward to this, which will later have an archived webcast: HAMMER FORUM Voting Rights and Wrongs THURSDAY JAN 31, 2019 7:30PM The 2018 midterm elections revealed egregious voter suppression tactics and mismanagement of polling places but also… Continue reading

“A New Playing Field for Democracy Reform”

January 2, 2019, 8:03 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Miles Rapoport & Cecily Hines for TAP.

Today’s Must Read: Kira Lerner at TPM: The Powerful Role Confusion Plays In American Elections

December 31, 2018, 7:44 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

TPM: The United States’ byzantine election system is governed by overlapping rules on the county, state, and federal levels. Elections in different states and even different cities are held on different days, with polling places in varying locations… Continue reading