Monthly Archives: May 2017

“Google + GIS maps help shed light on gerrymandering”

May 3, 2017, 4:19 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

The following is a guest post from Joseph Elfelt: Google + GIS maps help shed light on gerrymandering Like so many others, last year’s election caused me to wonder how I could best volunteer some time toward civic improvement. Somehow… Continue reading

Indiana: “Common Cause, NAACP sue over Marion County early voting”

May 3, 2017, 4:17 pmelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Indiana Lawyer: Marion County’s single location for early voting provides unequal access to the ballot, argues a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by Common Cause and the NAACP. Plaintiffs in the case allege Indianapolis’ sole early voting precinct is discriminatory and… Continue reading

“Rep. Sewell Reports on Voting Rights in State of Black America”

May 3, 2017, 4:12 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Release: Today, the National Urban League released the 2017 edition of its annual State of Black America report. This year’s report, “Protect Our Progress,” examines the state of job creation, living wages, voting rights, criminal justice reform, education, health care,… Continue reading

“Trump Is Expected to Relax Tax Rules on Churches Taking Part in Politics”

May 3, 2017, 2:00 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump plans to mark National Day of Prayer on Thursday by issuing an executive order that makes it easier for churches and other religious groups to actively participate in politics without risking their tax-exempt status, several administration officials… Continue reading

“Trump Gets a Win He Wasn’t Counting On: He Saved the Filibuster”

May 3, 2017, 7:52 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump may have lost the spending fight, but he can celebrate at least one significant congressional accomplishment this week: He single-handedly saved the Senate filibuster. By demanding in two Twitter posts on Tuesday morning that the Senate… Continue reading

“Noncitizens Will Soon Be Able To Vote In San Francisco — For School Board”

May 3, 2017, 7:50 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

NPR reports.

“Public Policy and the Initiative and Referendum: A Survey with Some New Evidence”

May 3, 2017, 7:45 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

John Matsusaka has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This paper surveys the extensive literature that seeks to estimate the effect of the initiative and referendum on public policy. The evidence on the referendum uniformly finds that… Continue reading

“Supreme Court Urged to Take ‘Soft-Money’ Campaign Finance Case”

May 2, 2017, 8:23 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: Recent Supreme Court rulings have narrowed the legal definition of corruption and cleared the way to strike down federal restrictions on “soft-money” contributions to political parties, a new court filing said (Republican Party of Louisiana v. Federal … Continue reading

Today’s Must-Read: ProPublica’s Jessica Huseman on Texas Voter ID Law, and Its Flawed Implementation

May 2, 2017, 8:19 amelection administration, The Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Spoiler alert: Texas does not look good.

“Brennan Center Launches Online Database of Empirical Evidence on Money in Politics”

May 2, 2017, 7:55 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Post: The confirmation of Neil M. Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court challenges citizens, lawmakers, and others concerned about the influence of big money in politics to bolster their efforts. While super PACs, the growth of secret spending,… Continue reading

“Were up to 58,000 citizens in Maricopa County denied right to vote?”

May 2, 2017, 7:22 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Arizona Republic: Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes is spoiling for a fight over voter-registration procedures meant to keep undocumented immigrants from voting. The newly elected Democrat says the restrictions may have denied as many as 58,000 U.S. citizens in… Continue reading

“The Ways That the 2016 Election Was Perfectly Normal”

May 1, 2017, 7:45 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

Lynn Vavreck for NYT’s The Upshot: Despite the robust record of these models, they didn’t get much attention leading up to 2016. Mr. Trump was such a nontraditional candidate — in his fund-raising; support for atypical G.O.P. positions on trade… Continue reading

“Maryland Election Board Put Voters’ Personal Data at Risk, Auditors Claim”

May 1, 2017, 7:39 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Baltimore Sun: A report released by legislative auditors Friday says the State Board of Elections needlessly exposed the full Social Security numbers of almost 600,000 voters to potential hacking, risking theft of those voters’ identities. The determination that election officials… Continue reading

“Top Ethics Officer Challenges Trump Over Secret Waivers for Ex-Lobbyists”

May 1, 2017, 5:39 pmconflict of interest laws, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: The federal government’s top ethics officer is challenging the Trump administration’s issuance of secret waivers that allow former lobbyists to handle matters they recently worked on, setting up a confrontation between the ethics office and President Trump. The move… Continue reading