Category Archives: The Voting Wars

“Texas GOP voting bill on fast track after standstill ends”

August 21, 2021, 7:52 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

AP: The sudden end of Texas Democrats’ 38-day walkout has put Republicans back on a fast track to pass a sweeping voting bill and is causing rifts among some Democrats who said Friday they felt “betrayed” by colleagues who returned… Continue reading

“Fight Over Voting Rights in Texas Nears End as Democrats Return”

August 19, 2021, 9:25 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

NYT: A 38-day walkout by Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives effectively ended on Thursday as three previously absent members arrived in the Capitol, clearing the way for Republicans to establish a quorum and pass restrictive voting rules.Despite efforts… Continue reading

Georgia: “State Appoints Bipartisan Panel To Review Fulton Election Board’s Actions”

August 18, 2021, 7:54 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Stephen Fowler for GPB: The Georgia State Election Board has appointed a bipartisan three-member panel to initiate a performance review of Fulton County’s elections board, the latest step in a lengthy process allowed under a new GOP-backed state law… Continue reading

“Texas Supreme Court says House Democrats can be arrested and brought to the Capitol, siding with Republicans trying to secure a quorum”

August 18, 2021, 7:05 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: Texas House Democrats who refuse to show up to the state Capitol in their bid to prevent Republican lawmakers from passing a voting restrictions bill can be arrested and brought to the lower chamber, the Texas Supreme Court… Continue reading

“‘Center of the maelstrom’: Election officials grapple with 2020’s long shadow”

August 18, 2021, 7:00 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Zach Montellaro for Politico: The nation’s secretaries of state used to be little-known, wonky bureaucrats who operated in near-anonymity. But after the 2020 election, they are now on the frontlines of the battle over trust in American democracy.Since the last… Continue reading

“Voting Rights Groups File Federal Lawsuit Challenging Arizona’s New Voter Suppression Laws”

August 17, 2021, 9:17 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Free Speech for People release and complaint.

Details on the RNC’s future election litigation strategy

August 12, 2021, 5:38 amelection administration, political parties, The Voting WarsDerek Muller

Breitbart (ed.: not often linked on the pages of ELB?) interviews Justin Riemer, chief counsel at the Republican National Committee: The Republican Party has built a “permanent” structure to battle the left nationwide on election integrity over the last eight… Continue reading

“Senate Republicans block effort by Democrats to advance voting and election bill”

August 11, 2021, 7:26 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

CNN: Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats to advance their signature voting and elections overhaul bill in the early hours of Wednesday morning.This was an effort by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats in the chamber to… Continue reading

Must-Read Jane Mayer on Bradley Foundation Funding Behind Efforts to Undermine Election Integrity and Steal the 2020 Election for Trump: “The Big Money Behind the Big Lie”

August 2, 2021, 7:32 amElection Meltdown, election subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squad, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

No one connects the dots like Jane. What a story. I’ll have more to say soon about the connection between the false claim that the election was stolen and reliance on the “Independent State Legislature” doctrine as briefly described by… Continue reading

Wrangling over info in NC continues

July 28, 2021, 8:05 amcourt decisions, Department of Justice, The Voting WarsNed Foley

Raleigh News & Observer on the latest court ruling in the tug-of-war between federal and state officials, as well as the press, over voting records in North Carolina.

Panic setting in over new voting rules

July 26, 2021, 10:46 amThe Voting Wars, voter id, voter registration, votingNed Foley

Politico reports on the fear among Democrats and voting rights activists that getting out the vote (GOTV) will be much harder in light of the new more restrictive voting laws being adopted in states like Georgia. The article is useful… Continue reading

Political Conduct and the First Amendment

July 26, 2021, 7:43 amelection law and constitutional law, First Amendment theory, social media and social protests, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, votingFirst Amendment, Protests, Right of Assembly, voting rightsTabatha Abu El-Haj

Now that I have finished a draft of a new Article, Political Conduct and the First Amendment, I am eager to join the conversation on the ELB. I couldn’t be more thankful to Rick for including me as part… Continue reading

Brennan Center Updates Report

July 22, 2021, 7:53 amelection administration, legislation and legislatures, The Voting Wars, voter id, votingNed Foley

Voting Laws Roundup: July 2021. I saw this just after posting on Politfact’s caution on the need to be nuanced when characterizing these new state laws. To the Brennan Center’s credit, this July update prominently states up front: “The… Continue reading

Nuanced Analysis of New Laws

July 22, 2021, 7:21 amelection administration, legislation and legislatures, The Voting Wars, votingNed Foley

Kudos to Politifact for this careful and detailed explanation of the degree to which the new state laws on voting make it harder to vote in those states. Their analysis makes clear that they considered only the issue of retrogression:… Continue reading