Monthly Archives: August 2020

“LeBron James and a Multimillion-Dollar Push for More Poll Workers”

August 24, 2020, 8:18 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

NYT: More Than a Vote, a collective of athletes headlined by LeBron James that is fighting to combat voter suppression, will announce a multimillion-dollar initiative to increase the number of poll workers in Black electoral districts ahead of November’s general… Continue reading

“Pa. Republicans propose election law changes as anxiety builds over mail voting”

August 24, 2020, 8:12 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Philadelphia Inquirer: Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Senate introduced legislation Monday that would effectively prohibit the use of mail-ballot drop boxes that President Donald Trump has criticized, make it more likely that a winner in the presidential race is known… Continue reading

“Michigan board vote may mandate future state takeover of Detroit elections”

August 24, 2020, 8:05 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Detroit Free Press: A Michigan board generally tasked with verifying election results wants Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to have broad authority over election operations in Detroit this fall unless the city meets certain requirements. The Michigan Board of… Continue reading

“Federal Court Blocks Indiana Voter Purge Law”

August 24, 2020, 6:41 pmNVRA (motor voter)Rick Hasen

WBIW: A federal court has blocked an Indiana law that would have allowed county elections officials to kick voters off the rolls immediately without notice.The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Indiana, Demos, and the firm Davis Wright Tremaine… Continue reading

Sixth Circuit Rejects Attempts of Socialist Equality Party to Get Relaxed Ballot Access in Michigan Due to COVID [Corrected]

August 24, 2020, 6:34 pmballot accessRick Hasen

In essence the court held that party officials had enough time to try to gather signatures during the pandemic, and so the burden was not severe enough to justify easing the requirements. Note: The original post had an incorrect name… Continue reading

“In 1981 a ‘task force’ intimidated voters at the polls. Will Republicans revert to their old tactics?”

August 24, 2020, 12:29 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

The Guardian reports.

Politifact Gives “Pants on Fire” Rating to Trump’s Claim That The Only Way He Would Lose Reelection is If the Election is “Rigged”

August 24, 2020, 11:00 amfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Sad this was necessary to fact check (but it was).

“‘Mind-bogglingly irresponsible’: meet the Republican donors helping QAnon reach Congress; Marjorie Taylor Greene received donations from groups tied to Donald Trump’s chief of staff and several party mega-donors, filings show”

August 24, 2020, 10:19 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

The Guardian reports.

“As Census Count Resumes, Doubts About Accuracy Continue to Grow; Officials project optimism. But a chorus of experts says the pandemic and politics could lead to a deeply flawed count.”

August 24, 2020, 10:18 amcensus litigationRick Hasen

Michael Wines for the NYT.

Joan Biskupic: “Trump revives Bush v. Gore in his crusade against mail-in voting”

August 24, 2020, 10:17 amBush v. Gore reflections, Supreme Court, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Reporting at CNN.

Poll: College Students Lack Confidence in Legitimacy of 2020 Election

August 24, 2020, 7:35 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

From a new Knight Foundation survey: Students lack confidence in the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Nearly half (49%) say it won’t be fair and open, and a majority (55%) say it will not be administered well. A full 81% say… Continue reading

“DHS Chief Wolf Says He Lacks Authority To Police Polling Sites Despite Trump Vow To Deploy Agents”

August 23, 2020, 8:12 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Forbes: “That’s not what we do at the Department of Homeland Security,” Wolf told CNN’s Jake Tapper when asked about Trump’s comments on policing election sites on, adding that the president has not ordered him to do so. Asked what… Continue reading

I Spoke on KCRW’s Left, Right, and Center About Election Meltdowns and Cheap Talk About Post-Election Chaos

August 23, 2020, 7:13 pmElection MeltdownRick Hasen

Listen here.

Is Kanye West Going to Break the Law and Not File FEC Reports?

August 23, 2020, 7:03 pmfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Some thoughts: The @kanyewest candidacy may seem like a joke to some, but getting this filing would tell us a lot more about who is paying and who is benefitting. Have we ever seen a presidential candidate spend this much… Continue reading

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The law of politics and the politics of law