Monthly Archives: November 2020

Must-Read from NYT’s Alex Burns: “Trump Stress-Tested the Election System, and the Cracks Showed”

November 24, 2020, 2:13 pmElection MeltdownRick Hasen

I was going to write a piece like this until I read Alex’s: As President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election have steadily disintegrated, the country appears to have escaped a doomsday scenario in the campaign’s epilogue: Since… Continue reading

“Pennsylvania certifies its presidential election results, officially declaring Joe Biden the winner”

November 24, 2020, 2:11 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Philadelphia Inquirer: Pennsylvania’s top elections official certified the state’s presidential election results on Tuesday, officially declaring Joe Biden the winner and paving the way for him to receive the state’s 20 Electoral College votes next month.Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy… Continue reading

“Right-Wing Social Media Finalizes Its Divorce From Reality”

November 24, 2020, 12:03 pmcheap speech, Election MeltdownRick Hasen

Renee DiResta for The Atlantic: Yet reducing the supply of misinformation doesn’t eliminate the demand. Powerful online influencers and the right-wing demi-media—intensely partisan outlets, such as One America News and Newsmax, that amplify ideas that bubble up from internet message… Continue reading

The PA Supreme Court’s Interesting Recent Decision

November 24, 2020, 7:48 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

I realize this is of interest only to election-law folks at this point, but I wanted to highlight some noteworthy aspects of the PA Supreme Court’s recent 3-1-3 election-law decision. The issues are whether absentee ballots are valid votes if… Continue reading

A Note of Thanks, And a Blog Slowdown, as I Complete My “Cheap Speech” Book Manuscript and Contemplate the Future of the Election Law Blog and Election Reform Work

November 24, 2020, 7:34 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

This election season has been a challenge to American democracy, one that was even more severe than I anticipated in Election Meltdown. That book came out in February, the day of the Iowa caucus debacle, and things declined from… Continue reading

“Roiled by Election, Facebook Struggles to Balance Civility and Growth”

November 24, 2020, 7:06 amcheap speechRick Hasen

NYT: In the tense days after the presidential election, a team of Facebook employees presented the chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, with an alarming finding: Election-related misinformation was going viral on the site.President Trump was already casting the election as rigged,… Continue reading

“How Trump’s fundraising could benefit his post-White House political life”

November 24, 2020, 7:00 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for CNN: But the legal fine print on each shows that a new Trump fundraising arm, Save America, actually will get the first cut of any money that comes in. And because spending rules for leadership PACs are… Continue reading

“Republicans probably won’t subvert the presidential election — this year”

November 24, 2020, 6:54 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

David Daley Boston Globe oped.

“Trump Administration Approves Start of Formal Transition to Biden”

November 23, 2020, 7:53 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump’s government on Monday authorized President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. to begin a formal transition process after Michigan certified Mr. Biden as its winner, a strong sign that the president’s last-ditch bid to overturn the results of… Continue reading

“Mich. Supreme Court rejects appeal, but 2 justices urge looking into election fraud claims”

November 23, 2020, 7:45 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Detroit Free Press: In what is likely a final blow to the effort to delay the certification of election results in Michigan, the Michigan Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal in a lawsuit filed against Detroit and Wayne County… Continue reading

“IA-02: Three counties use voting machines to assist hand recount, defying Secretary of State opinion”

November 23, 2020, 7:36 pmelection administration, recountsRick Hasen

Iowa City Press-Citizen: Three county recount boards are defying a recent legal opinion from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and using a machine to aid the recount of ballots in the ultra-close 2nd District congressional race.Recount boards in… Continue reading

“How Misinformation ‘Superspreaders’ Seed False Election Theories”

November 23, 2020, 4:52 pmcheap speech, chicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: On the morning of Nov. 5, Eric Trump, one of the president’s sons, asked his Facebook followers to report cases of voter fraud with the hashtag, Stop the Steal. His post was shared over 5,000 times.By late afternoon, the… Continue reading