Monthly Archives: February 2019

“New emails show Michigan GOP used maps to consolidate Republican power”

February 4, 2019, 4:27 pmredistricting, UncategorizedRick Hasen

Bridge MI: New evidence submitted on the eve of a landmark trial challenging Michigan’s GOP-drawn legislative districts appears to strengthen the claim the maps were drawn in 2011 for partisan, Republican gain.Emails and other documents filed over the weekend in… Continue reading

“A Commissioner’s Guide to Redistricting in Michigan”

February 4, 2019, 3:05 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Sam Wang: Today we’re releasing a detailed report on Michigan’s new Independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commission!In November, Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to their state constitution to remove the power of the state legislature to draw legislative and Congressional… Continue reading

Federal District Court Will Hear Motion for Preliminary Injunction on Feb. 19 from CLC and LULAC in Texas Voter Purge Case

February 4, 2019, 3:00 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Motion here. See also this declaration of Bruce J. Elfant, the elections administrator of Travis County. Elfant says that Travis County is in the midst of a review of voter registration records on Friday and determined that approximately 29%… Continue reading

Federal District Court Grants Motion to Dismiss Constitutional Challenge to California Voting Rights Act in Poway Case

February 4, 2019, 12:06 pmVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can read the 15-page opinion and order here.

Another Lawsuit Filed Against Texas Claims of Noncitizen Voting/Attempted Voter Purge

February 4, 2019, 10:31 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Complaint (via Chris Geidner).

NBER Study Finds Rhode Island Voter ID Law Depressed Turnout, Especially Among Young, Minority, Poor Voters

February 4, 2019, 7:53 amelection administration, voter idRick Hasen

NBER: Effects of Photo ID Laws on Registration and Turnout: Evidence from Rhode IslandFrancesco Maria Esposito, Diego Focanti, Justine S. HastingsNBER Working Paper No. 25503Issued in January 2019NBER Program(s):Law and Economics, Public Economics… Continue reading

“Trump-appointed prosecutor focused on allegations of voting fraud by immigrants amid warnings about separate ballot scheme”

February 4, 2019, 7:42 amchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

Deep dive from WaPo: At about 4 a.m. on Aug. 23, federal agents rousted Jose Solano-Rodriguez from his bed in the suburbs of Raleigh. A couple of hours later, three agents knocked on Hyo Suk George’s door as she… Continue reading

“Specious claims dog Pennsylvania’s noncitizen voter search”

February 3, 2019, 7:25 pmelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

AP: Two Pennsylvania state lawmakers are making a disputed claim in a long-running, and possibly futile, effort by elections officials to determine how many non-U.S. citizens had registered to vote over the years.On Tuesday, the lawmakers, Republican state Reps.… Continue reading

Case Against Kobach’s “Crosscheck” Survives Motion to Dismiss, Raises Novel Constitutional Questions

February 3, 2019, 12:38 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

From the court order (via Sam Levine): Before the court is defendants Kris Kobach and Scott Schwab’s Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 11). It presents two vexing questions of constitutional law: Does the Constitution recognize a right to informational privacy?… Continue reading

“Voting Rights and Wrongs:” Watch Kathay Feng, Justin Levitt Michael Morley, Franita Tolson Discuss Voting and Gerrymandering Issues with Me at the Hammer Museum

February 3, 2019, 12:31 pmelection administration, redistricting, The Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can watch this great conversation here. Voting Rights and Wrongs: Hammer Museum, Jan. 31, 2019

Could Va. Gov. Northam Face a “Recall Trial?”

February 3, 2019, 9:02 amrecall electionsRick Hasen

Joshua Spivak: 1) Virginia has an unusual recall provision called a “recall trial.” No state has this provision — it is not clear any place in the world has it. The recall trial is a modification of what we… Continue reading

“CLC and LULAC Take Texas Secretary of State to Court for Latest Purge Efforts”

February 3, 2019, 9:00 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Release.

“Civil rights group sues Texas over order to investigate potential noncitizen voters with flawed data”

February 2, 2019, 9:24 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Dallas Morning News: A civil rights group has sued the state of Texas for advising counties to review the citizenship of tens of thousands of eligible voters in the state with flawed data, claiming it violates the voting rights of… Continue reading

“Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Compete To Spurn Establishment Cash”

February 2, 2019, 9:19 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Peter Overby for NPR: As Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand jumped into the Democratic presidential nomination contest, they staked out the same position against corporate campaign cash.“The money in politics is corrupting. It controls everything,” Gillibrand… Continue reading