Monthly Archives: September 2019

Must Read: Hofeller Files, Leaked to David Daley in New Yorker, Show Use of Race in Gerrymandering and Considering Impact of Voter ID

September 6, 2019, 2:09 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Blockbuster: Hofeller did not follow his own advice. Before his death, in August, 2018, he saved at least seventy thousand files and several years of e-mails. A review of those records and e-mails—which were recently obtained first by The… Continue reading

“The Cybersecurity 202: Ransomware attack against the 2020 election could disrupt statewide voting databases”

September 6, 2019, 7:48 amelection administrationRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Congressional Standoff May Delay Federal Election Oversight”

September 6, 2019, 7:42 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Ken Doyle: The Federal Election Commission’s paralysis on key campaign-finance matters could be extended indefinitely as leaders in Congress skirmish over how to appoint new commissioners.Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), want to install six new… Continue reading

Ex-FEC Commissioner Petersen Left FEC Without a Quorum In Order to Work at Holtzman Vogel

September 5, 2019, 10:51 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Anna Massoglia: Ex-@FEC vice chair Matthew Petersen—whose departure effectively thwarts any FEC enforcement action going into 2020 elections—is joining Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky, a political law firm known for creative legal maneuvers hiding "dark money" donors https://t.co/8EL1aDrPjx pic.twitter.com/7bLEJSlNXK—… Continue reading

“An Op-Ed From the Future on Election Security”

September 5, 2019, 11:11 amElection MeltdownRick Hasen

Must-read Alex Stamos in Lawfare.

What’s Going to Happen with a Challenge to North Carolina’s Congressional District Partisan Gerrymander? Two Significant Hurdles to a Lawsuit.

September 5, 2019, 9:34 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Democrats are now pondering a state court challenge to North Carolina’s partisan gerrymandering of the state’s 13 congressional districts, following a state court ruling that the state legislative districts are a partisan gerrymander. The U.S. Supreme Court in the… Continue reading

“The Battle Over the Files of a Gerrymandering Mastermind”

September 5, 2019, 9:15 amredistrictingRick Hasen

NYT: At the heart of a decisive court ruling on Tuesday striking down North Carolina’s state legislative maps was evidence culled from the computer backups of the man who drew them: Thomas B. Hofeller, the Republican strategist and master… Continue reading

The Supreme Court as Gerrymandering Outlier

September 5, 2019, 7:54 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

Remarkably, yesterday’s decision striking down North Carolina’s state legislative maps as partisan gerrymanders was the eighth straight ruling against gerrymandering by a state or lower federal court. Florida and Pennsylvania state courts preceded yesterday’s decision by a three-judge North Carolina… Continue reading

“Summer 2019 Election Law Round-Up”

September 5, 2019, 7:45 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Goldfeder and Perez in the NYLJ.

“Republicans fear drubbing in next round of redistricting”

September 5, 2019, 7:15 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Politico: Democrats were caught napping in the 2010 election ahead of the last round of redistricting — and it cost them control of Congress for nearly a decade.Now Republicans are warning the same thing could happen to them.Senior Republicans… Continue reading

“No, Presidential Elector Litigation Will Not Lead To Chaos”

September 4, 2019, 8:06 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Jason Harrow for Take Care: Rick Hasen is among the sharpest minds in the world of election law, and I find myself nodding in violent agreement with most of what he writes. That’s why I was surprised to read his… Continue reading

“North Carolina court steps up to defend democracy”

September 4, 2019, 8:01 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Josh Douglas CNN oped.

“The Coming Reckoning Over the Electoral College; A ploy to bring the issue to the Supreme Court could backfire.”

September 4, 2019, 8:16 amelectoral collegeRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: Since the 2016 election, some Democrats have raged against the Electoral College as an anti-democratic institution that does not reflect the will of the people. Some Republicans have defended the institution… Continue reading