Monthly Archives: August 2015

“A wealthy oligarchy of donors is dominating the 2016 election”

August 5, 2015, 7:44 amcampaign finance, Plutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

WaPo editorial: THE UNITED States may be turning a corner in presidential politics. Although the election itself is more than a year away, the latest reports to the Federal Election Commission show that a wealthy oligarchy of donors has… Continue reading

WI John Doe Case Could Well Be Heading to #SCOTUS

August 5, 2015, 7:34 amcampaign finance, campaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Patrick Marley for the Journal Sentinel: A special prosecutor this week asked Wisconsin’s high court to reconsider its decision ending an investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign, in a sign he is considering taking the matter to the U.S. Supreme… Continue reading

Federal Court Upholds AL Ban on Certain Party PAC-to-PAC Transfers

August 5, 2015, 7:32 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Alabama Democratic Conference v. Strange: Alabama’s Fair Campaign Practices Act (“FCPA”) prohibits a political action committee (“PAC”) from making contributions, expenditures, or transfers of funds to another PAC, except that a PAC that is not a “principal campaign committee”… Continue reading

“Election Law’s Path in the Roberts Court’s First Decade: A Sharp Right Turn But with Speed Bumps and Surprising Twists”

August 5, 2015, 6:25 amcampaign finance, election administration, political parties, redistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I have posted this draft on SSRN. It is still an early draft. Comments welcome! Here is the abstract: The first decade of election law cases at the Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Roberts brought election law… Continue reading

Election Litigation Rate Inches Up, Still More Than Double Pre-2000 Levels

August 5, 2015, 6:23 amelection administrationRick Hasen

I’ve updated my count of election litigation through 2013-and 14. In the 2013-14 election season, the high rate of election litigation the country has witnessed since Bush v. Gore increased slightly.[1] With 266 cases in 2013 and 302 cases… Continue reading

“First GOP Debate To Take Place In A State Where Access To Voting Rights Is Getting Worse”

August 5, 2015, 6:18 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Alice Ollstein writes for Think Progress.

“The Voting Rights Act at 50”

August 5, 2015, 6:17 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

NYT editorial.

“Does America need to restore the Voting Rights Act?”

August 5, 2015, 6:15 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Stephanie Condon writes for CBS News.

“Congress Has the Power to Improve Elections”

August 5, 2015, 6:09 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

I have written this contribution for the New York Times Room for Debate forum on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. A snippet: When a state rolls back conveniences for voters and makes it more burdensome to register… Continue reading

“Ensuring Voting Rights in the 21st Century”

August 5, 2015, 6:07 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

NYT Room for Debate asks what’s next on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Contributions: DEBATERS Change from the Grass Roots GUY-URIEL CHARLES, DUKE UNIVERSITY AND LUIS FUENTES-ROHWER, INDIANA UNIVERSITY The Law Worked, and Now It’s Time to … Continue reading

“Scott Walker, GOP lawmakers want to change elections board by 2016”

August 5, 2015, 6:05 amcampaign finance, election administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans who control the Legislature plan to restructure the agency that runs elections by the fall of 2016, when Walker hopes to top the ballot as a candidate for president. GOP lawmakers also plan… Continue reading

CCP v. Harris Cert Petition

August 5, 2015, 6:02 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Read it here. The question concerns whether CA AG Harris can have access to CCP’s donor list for law enforcement purposes (and not for public disclosure) or whether such access violates the First Amendment.