Monthly Archives: December 2017

“Asking Better Questions About Voter Identification Laws”

December 17, 2017, 3:46 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Eli Poupko: Everyone agrees that voters must be identified before casting a ballot. The debate is over the particulars of the identification procedure. Specifically, we might ask: How much of the burden of this administrative process may a state… Continue reading

Roy Moore’s End Game in the Alabama Senate Race

December 15, 2017, 5:26 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Roy Moore has not conceded in a race where he is down by about 1.5 percent, and today he has announced an election “integrity” fund for a possible recount. There’s an automatic recount for a difference less than 0.5%, and… Continue reading

“Nine more women say judge subjected them to inappropriate behavior, including four who say he touched or kissed them”

December 15, 2017, 5:10 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Matt Zapatosky reports for WaPo.

Should FEC Commissioner Matt Petersen’s Performance at Senate Judiciary Hearing Be Disqualifying for Federal Bench? That’s Not an Easy Question

December 15, 2017, 8:10 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Earlier this week I linked to an NLJ story about FEC Commissioner Petersen’s performance at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on whether he should be confirmed to a position as a federal district judge in DC. Since that time, the… Continue reading

After DNC Takes Sean Spicer Deposition About Violation of Consent Decree in RNC v. DNC Case, DNC Wants More Discovery and RNC Wants Court to Acknowledge Consent Decree Over

December 15, 2017, 7:53 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Following he Spicer deposition, we see these two post-deposition letters from the RNC. In the second, the RNC writes: The RNC believes that a mere reading of the deposition transcript will refute the DNC’s assertions, which range from wholly speculative… Continue reading

Alabama SOS Office Still Saying, Apparently Contrary to Alabama Law, that Roy Moore Can Pay for a Recount If He Wants One

December 15, 2017, 7:40 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Al.com: Alabama’s election handbook spells out several offices that are not included in state laws for contesting elections: lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, and U.S. representative. There are other provisions, however, that indicate a candidate or political party could request a… Continue reading

Wisconsin Republican Legislative Leaders Look for Force Out Michael Haas and Brian Bell, Purportedly Over John Doe

December 14, 2017, 8:23 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Patrick Marley with the details on this. I don’t know Bell but Haas is one of the country’s finest election administrators.

“Facebook Political Ads Get Bare-Bones Guidance From FEC”

December 14, 2017, 8:06 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: Candidates and political groups may be heading into another congressional election cycle without guidance about what their ads should reveal about who’s paying to influence Facebook’s almost 160 million U.S. users. The Federal Election Commission deadlocked along party… Continue reading

“The Price Black Voters Paid to Defeat Roy Moore; Black voters endured waves of voter suppression to help elect Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate, and it didn’t have to be that way.”

December 14, 2017, 7:59 pmThe Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Brentin Mock for CityLab.

“Did Alabama Just Violate Federal Voting Law? Assessing the state’s ‘inactive’ voter scheme.”

December 14, 2017, 7:56 pmNVRA (motor voter)Rick Hasen

Slate: Theoretically, voters who received the first postcard and did nothing (as instructed) remained active and received no further correspondence. Stuart Naifeh, a voting rights attorney at Demos, told me that, under the federal National Voter Registration Act, states… Continue reading

“Proposal to Let Churches and Other Nonprofits Get Political Blocked from Tax Bill”

December 14, 2017, 7:55 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

WSJ: Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) says the chamber’s parliamentarian has blocked a proposal to let churches and charities engage in partisan politics, keeping it out of the final tax bill set to be unveiled Friday. The repeal of… Continue reading

Alabama SOS Deputy Chief of Staff Says Alabama Rules May Allow Moore to Request Recount, Despite Plain Language in the Alabama Code to the Contrary

December 14, 2017, 2:27 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Interview with Business Insider: Beyond that, Moore might not have a recourse. “However, several offices are not included in Alabama’s law for contesting elections: lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, and U.S. representative,” Alabama’s election handbook reads. “The omission of U.S. senators… Continue reading

Is Gerrymandering The Best Way To Make Sure Black Voters Are Represented?

December 14, 2017, 1:40 pmVRAARichard Pildes

This is the third installment of FiveThirtyEight’s well-regarded podcast series called “The Gerrymandering Project.” This episode focuses on racial gerrymandering in North Carolina. Commentary comes from, among many others, Anita Earls, who is now running for a seat… Continue reading

Point-Counterpoint in Compliance Week on Proposed SEC Disclosure Rule on Corporate Political Spending

December 14, 2017, 9:11 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Read.

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law