Monthly Archives: September 2020

“Court Orders Census Counting To Continue Through Oct. 31; Appeal Expected”

September 25, 2020, 7:26 amcensus litigationRick Hasen

Hansi Lo Wang for NPR: A federal court has ordered the Trump administration to abandon last-minute changes to the 2020 census schedule and extend the time for counting for an additional month.The preliminary injunction issued Thursday by U.S. District… Continue reading

“Could Republicans ignore the popular vote and choose their own pro-Trump electors?”

September 25, 2020, 7:03 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

From the Guardian: A Trump campaign spokesperson said the report in the Atlantic was not true. “The Atlantic story is false and ridiculous. The types of contingency plans included in the story are impossible,” the spokesperson said. “States have… Continue reading

“Trump Again Sows Doubt About Election as G.O.P. Scrambles to Assure Voters”

September 24, 2020, 8:55 pmchicanery, Election MeltdownRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump declined for a second straight day to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election, repeating baseless assertions that the voting would be a “big scam,” even as leading Republicans scrambled to assure… Continue reading

“Facebook Takes Down Networks Linked to Russian Disinformation”

September 24, 2020, 8:51 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: Facebook announced on Thursday that it was taking down three disinformation networks that it said were linked to Russia’s military and intelligence agencies, and to the Internet Research Agency, which was central to Moscow’s interference in the 2016… Continue reading

“Trump’s escalating attacks on election prompt fears of a constitutional crisis”

September 24, 2020, 8:47 pmElection MeltdownRick Hasen

WaPo: President Trump reiterated Thursday that he may not honor the results should he lose reelection, reaffirming his extraordinary refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power and prompting election and law enforcement authorities nationwide to prepare for… Continue reading

“East Texas official arrested for alleged mail-in voter fraud involving 2018 Democratic primary for local seat”

September 24, 2020, 8:41 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: An East Texas county commissioner was arrested Thursday on charges that he and three associates committed voter fraud in a 2018 primary election.A grand jury indicted Shannon Brown, a Democratic Gregg County commissioner whose office is in Kilgore,… Continue reading

“Justice Dept. Discloses Pa. Ballot Inquiry, Prompting Fears of Politicization”

September 24, 2020, 8:35 pmchicanery, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

NYT: The Justice Department on Thursday released details about an investigation into nine discarded mailed-in ballots in Pennsylvania, an unusual step that stoked new fears that President Trump’s political appointees were using the levers of law enforcement to sow doubt… Continue reading

Minnesota: “Competitive congressional election delayed after death of third-party candidate”

September 24, 2020, 8:07 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Politico: The death of a third-party candidate running against freshman Democratic Rep. Angie Craig has triggered the postponement of this year’s vote and scheduleda special election next year in her Twin Cities-area district.The Minnesota secretary of state’s office confirmed Thursday… Continue reading

“Battles Over Voting Rules Fuel Concern About Postelection Fights”

September 24, 2020, 7:55 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: Even before his comments over the past several days, the confusion surrounding how ballots should be cast and counted had reached a level rarely before seen.In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, two states pivotal to the outcome of the presidential race… Continue reading

“Michigan lawmakers give clerks more time to process ballots”

September 24, 2020, 7:50 pmabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

Very good bipartisan news: The Michigan Legislature gave final approvals Thursday to a bill that would give local clerks 10 hours extra before the election to begin processing absentee ballots, a nod to the expected uptick in absentee voting… Continue reading

“Actually, We Will Know a Lot on Election Night”

September 24, 2020, 5:41 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Nate Persily and Charles Stewart in the WSJ: Pundits are warning that election night in November may turn into election week or even election month. Amid the pandemic, election officials are bracing for a flood of ballots sent by mail,… Continue reading

“Dan Forest asks Trump administration to investigate NC Democrats over mail-in voting”

September 24, 2020, 4:33 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

News and Observer: President Donald Trump’s administration should launch an investigation into a proposed change in North Carolina’s vote-by-mail rules, N.C. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest said Thursday.Forest, a Republican like Trump, wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr… Continue reading

Sounds Like Election Administrator Error Rather Than Malfeasance in Early Reporting on Those 9 Ballots in PA

September 24, 2020, 4:30 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

New DOJ letter: In addition to the military ballots and envelopes that were discarded and recovered as detailed above, investigators recovered four (4) apparently official, bar-coded, absentee ballot envelopes that were empty. Two (2) of those envelopes had the completed… Continue reading

Senator Rick Scott Wants to Disenfranchise Military and Other Voters Voting by Mail By Stopping Counting After 24 Hours

September 24, 2020, 3:12 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Jeremy Stahl for Slate: On Thursday, Florida Sen. Rick Scott proposed a bill that would change election laws with less than six weeks to go until November’s election, causing complete mayhem and ensuring that untold number of otherwise valid votes… Continue reading