Monthly Archives: March 2019

“2020 hopefuls visit Selma for anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ march”

March 4, 2019, 3:27 amVoting Rights ActDan Tokaji

The Hill reports: Several Democratic presidential hopefuls visited Selma, Ala., on Sunday to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the “Bloody Sunday” civil rights march in the city.Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who have each announced their… Continue reading

Rick Hasen, Raw Enemy Activist

March 3, 2019, 7:08 pmfraudulent fraud squadDan Tokaji

Next, maybe EAC Comm'r McCormick, who agreed to serve on the bogus Pence-Kobach Commission, can avoid false statements like election administration is an "area that … constitutionally rests solely with the states." Elections Clause gives Congress power to set fed… Continue reading

“Doctors’ PACs Favored Candidates Opposing Gun Background Checks”

March 3, 2019, 12:13 pmcampaign financeDan Tokaji

WSJ: ” Political-action committees affiliated with doctors’ organizations donated more money to congressional candidates who opposed tighter gun laws than to those supporting them, according to a new study that has revived a debate over what role physicians should… Continue reading

Sen. Jones calls on Congress to “put seem teeth back” in VRA

March 3, 2019, 12:08 pmVoting Rights Act, VRAADan Tokaji

Pointed remarks from Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) on today’s Face the Nation: Well, you know I think if you look at– carefully you have to look at the state legislatures, governors and members of Congress that are Republicans. For… Continue reading

“Court battles could test constitutionality of California voting rights law”

March 3, 2019, 8:36 amVoting Rights ActDan Tokaji

LA Times: ” [A] conservative group is backing Poway’s former mayor in a federal court fight, arguing that the California [Voting Rights Act] forces ethnic gerrymandering on unwilling citizens and their elective bodies. The case is before the U.S.… Continue reading

Big 10 Redistricting Conference

March 3, 2019, 5:11 amelection law biz, redistrictingDan Tokaji

I’m off to College Park this afternoon for the Big Ten Strategic Partnership for Applied Redistricting Knowledge (SPARK) Conference Monday and Tuesday, hosted by the University of Maryland.

Trial to Begin in Ohio Partisan Gerrymandering Case

March 3, 2019, 4:58 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

AP reports that the trial before the three-judge district court is scheduled to start Monday in Cincinnati.

“The Democrats’ New Voting-Rights Moment”

March 3, 2019, 4:54 amVRAADan Tokaji

The Atlantic: The third time will certainly not be the charm for the Voting Rights Advancement Act….But that doesn’t mean that this time around is purely symbolic, either…. [A] s big, new progressive ideas like the Green New Deal,… Continue reading

Republicans Plan Ballot Harvesting Amendment to H.R. 1

March 3, 2019, 4:48 amabsentee ballotsDan Tokaji

The Washington Examiner: Among the provisions Republicans may attach to the campaign finance legislation is one that would prohibit ballot harvesting, which is the practice of collecting absentee ballots and delivering them to a polling site with the intent… Continue reading

Two Members of Maryland Redistricting Commission Resign

March 3, 2019, 4:38 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

The Baltimore Sun reports: Two members of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s redistricting commission resigned after The Baltimore Sun asked questions about whether their participation in the body redrawing Maryland’s congressional districts violated state rules.The move came as the commission… Continue reading

“Mitch McConnell On NC Ballot Harvesting: Why Is It Legal In California?”

March 2, 2019, 4:57 amabsentee ballotsDan Tokaji

Charlotte NPR: Earlier this week, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell spoke about the North Carolina Board of Election’s vote to hold a new election in the 9th Congressional District because absentee mail ballots were illegally harvested. McConnell spoke about… Continue reading

Ryan Williamson, “Examining the Effects of Partisan Redistricting on Candidate Entry Decisions”

March 2, 2019, 4:49 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

The abstract of this new ELJ article: Redistricting has been a highly contentious topic in American politics for many decades. The many instances of politicians exploiting the redistricting process to achieve a partisan goal have been widely chronicled. Nonpartisan… Continue reading

“State election officials opt for 2020 voting machines vulnerable to hacking”

March 2, 2019, 4:42 amvoting technologyDan Tokaji

Politico reports on Georgia, Delaware, and Philadelphia’s plans to buy ballot-marking devices that “allow voters to use a touchscreen to select their choices” and then “print a slip of paper with the vote both displayed in plain text and embedded… Continue reading

“Abbott blames flawed voter purge effort on ‘faulty information’ from Department of Public Safety”

March 2, 2019, 4:19 amvoter registrationDan Tokaji

San Antonio Express-News: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is blaming the Texas Department of Public Safety and its director for a flawed effort to purge non-citizens from the state voter rolls. “The Secretary of State [David Whitley] was hamstrung by… Continue reading