Monthly Archives: February 2019

Census Challengers in NY Case Agree That If Supreme Court Review is Necessary, It is Better to Review Now and Skip the Second Circuit

February 11, 2019, 4:33 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

From the NY brief: Respondents recognize, however, that the resolution of this dispute over the Secretary’s decision to add a citizenship question to the decennial census has consequences for the Nation that may lead this Court to conclude that… Continue reading

“Updated: Small-Donor Matching Funds for New York State Elections: A Policy Analysis of the Potential Impact and Cost”

February 11, 2019, 4:26 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Updated Campaign Finance Institute report.

Today’s Must-Read: “‘Private Mossad for Hire: Inside a plot to influence American elections, starting with one small-town race.”

February 11, 2019, 7:18 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Adam Entous and Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker: Psy-Group’s larger ambition was to break into the U.S. election market. During the 2016 Presidential race, the company pitched members of Donald Trump’s campaign team on its ability to influence… Continue reading

“6 Days When 2020 Democratic Hopefuls Scored With Small Donors”

February 10, 2019, 4:54 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: In the 2020 race for the White House, small donors are expected to play a more significant role than ever before. With so many Democratic candidates running, and only so much money to go around, whom small donors… Continue reading

“House Democrats and HR 1: Voting rights expansion or federal power grab?”

February 10, 2019, 4:46 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Politifact analysis.

Utah: “A state lawmaker says a San Juan County split should be on the table, after a court-ordered redistricting that ‘disenfranchised’ his voters”

February 10, 2019, 4:33 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Salt Lake Tribune: After a landmark power shift that gave San Juan County its first majority Navajo Democrat commission, a state lawmaker from mostly white, Republican Blanding is broaching the subject of secession.The sheer size of the state’s largest… Continue reading

“Federal judges reject state of Ohio’s request to delay gerrymandering trial”

February 10, 2019, 4:29 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Cleveland.com: A three-judge federal panel on Friday rejected a request from the state of Ohio to delay a gerrymandering lawsuit that aims to put a new Ohio congressional district map in place in time for the 2020 election.The state wanted… Continue reading

“FEC’s status quo is hazardous — proposed legislation would help fix it”

February 10, 2019, 4:27 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Dan Weiner oped in The Hill.

Blackman: What happens if the Virginia Lieutenant Governor resigns?

February 8, 2019, 6:40 pmstatutory interpretationRick Hasen

The following is a guest post from Josh Blackman: In Virginia, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General are all being called upon to resign. If the Governor resigns, Article V, Section 16 of the Virginia Constitution provides a… Continue reading

The Impact of Partisan Gerrymandering on Political Parties — Part II

February 8, 2019, 2:27 pmUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

In yesterday’s post, I described the data and methods that Chris Warshaw and I use in a new paper on the effects of partisan gerrymandering on parties’ associational activities. Today I’ll discuss our findings and their implications. In a… Continue reading

North Carolina Cites ELB Blog Post by Nick Stephanopoulos to Argue Court Intervention in Partisan Gerrymandering Cases is Unnecessary

February 8, 2019, 1:13 pmredistricting, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

From the opening brief:

“The Civil Rights Division Bails Out of Bail-In in Texas”

February 8, 2019, 1:12 pmDepartment of Justice, redistricting, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

Justin here. I’ve got a new post up at the Take Care blog, on a filing last week from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. It’s a reversal of position, signed by a political appointee rather than career staff, of a request… Continue reading

North Carolina Poll Worker Pleads Guilty to Advising Noncitizen to Register and Vote; DOJ Press Release Misleadingly Refers to Worker as a “Board of Elections Election Official”

February 8, 2019, 11:40 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

The DOJ press release headline refers to the worker as a “Board of Elections Election Official” but that seems incorrect. From an earlier HuffPost piece: The sole U.S. citizen facing charges ― Denslo Allen Paige, a 66-year-old Walmart worker… Continue reading

“Georgia voters suing for paper ballots win appeal to 11th Circuit”

February 8, 2019, 9:58 amelection administration, voting technologyRick Hasen

AJC: A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a judge’s ruling that said Georgia’s electronic voting system poses a “concrete risk” to secure elections.The decision from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allows the voting system lawsuit to… Continue reading