Monthly Archives: February 2018

“Evidence of a winning-cohesion tradeoff under multi-winner ranked-choice voting”

February 6, 2018, 8:03 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Jack Santucci has written this article for Electoral Studies. Here is the abstract: New interest in “multi-winner ranked-choice voting” raises old questions about effects on party cohesion. Earlier scholars thought this single transferable vote (STV) rule was net-problematic for parties.… Continue reading

“Did Donald Trump profit from his own presidential transition?”

February 6, 2018, 7:59 amconflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

CPI reports.

“Pennsylvania Republican launches effort to impeach state supreme court to save GOP gerrymander”

February 5, 2018, 8:14 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Ian Millhiser for Think Progress: In a direct attack on the rule of law, Pennsylvania state Rep. Cris Dush (R) sent a memo to his colleagues Monday evening asking them to cosponsor articles of impeachment against five of the state’s… Continue reading

“Court fights could erase some of the Republicans’ edge in Congress, legislatures”

February 5, 2018, 8:10 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Richard Wolf for USA Today.

“Justices Won’t Block Pennsylvania Gerrymandering Decision”

February 5, 2018, 8:06 pmredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Adam Liptak for the NYT.

“Ohio Senate passes bipartisan congressional redistricting plan, sending it to the House”

February 5, 2018, 8:01 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Cleveland.com: The Ohio Senate on Monday passed a bipartisan proposal to change how Ohio draws its congressional districts, advancing the proposed constitutional amendment one step closer to appearing on the May ballot. Advocates for redistricting reform say the proposed changes… Continue reading

“Movement in the Fight for Voting Rights Restoration”

February 5, 2018, 7:59 pmfelon votingRick Hasen

Miles Rapoport for TAP.

Maine: “Ranked-choice voters submit signatures for ‘people’s veto’ ballot initiative”

February 5, 2018, 1:01 pmalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

The Press Herald reports.

“Draining the swamp? D.C. lobbying during Trump administration surges to highest level in 7 years”

February 5, 2018, 1:00 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for USA Today.

“Seattle finds Facebook in violation of city campaign finance law”

February 5, 2018, 12:59 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

David Ingram for Reuters: Seattle’s election authority said on Monday that Facebook Inc is in violation of a city law that requires disclosure of who buys election ads, the first attempt of its kind to regulate U.S. political ads on… Continue reading

Breaking: Justice Alito Denies Emergency Stay in Pa. Congressional Districting Case

February 5, 2018, 9:56 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

I called it a long shot, but had doubts when Justice Alito delayed things and asked for a response, but now the Justice has denied the request without referring it to the full court. Failure to refer usually means… Continue reading

“Republicans Fighting to Protect Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania Have an Ethics Problem”

February 5, 2018, 8:11 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Pema Levy: Last week, after the Pennsylvania state supreme court invalidated the state’s GOP-friendly congressional map, top Republicans in the state legislature asked the state supreme court to throw out the decision. One of the Democratic justices, they argued, should… Continue reading

“After Years of Investigation, a Sudden Folding of the Case Against Menendez”

February 4, 2018, 9:00 pmbribery, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

NYT: Five days after the Department of Justice announced that it would retry Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the judge in the case all but ripped out its core. Prosecutors, he said in an 53-page opinion, had failed to… Continue reading

“Kobach will represent himself in upcoming trial. Is it a smart move?”

February 4, 2018, 8:40 pmfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Wichita Eagle: When a federal lawsuit challenging Kansas’s proof of citizenship voter law goes to trial in March, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach plans to be in the courtroom. He’ll be the attorney defending the law he crafted. Rarely,… Continue reading

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