Monthly Archives: October 2022

“Lawmakers Confront a Rise in Threats and Intimidation, and Fear Worse”

October 2, 2022, 8:27 pmUncategorizedFranita Tolson

New York Times: Lawmakers face increasing threats as our politics have become more polarized and more dangerous, especially in the wake of January 6th. A number of representatives, who span the ideological spectrum, have fallen victim to in-person intimidation and… Continue reading

Handing the ELB off to Franita Tolson

October 2, 2022, 2:27 pmUncategorizedTabatha Abu El-Haj

Thanks to everyone for all their tips. Handing the ELB off to Franita Tolson for the first week of the new SCOTUS term . . . and now I might have time to read her new article on the independent… Continue reading

“Laboratories of Democratic Backsliding”

October 2, 2022, 6:15 amUncategorizedNew ScholarshipTabatha Abu El-Haj

Looking forward to reading Jake M. Grumbach‘s (Department of Political Science, University of Washington) new book, Laboratories Against Democracy: How National Parties Transformed State Politics, which was profiled a few weeks ago on NPR. In the meanwhile,… Continue reading

Lower courts ruled this week in favor of easier access for voters and parties

October 2, 2022, 6:00 amballot accesselection day registration, same day registrationTabatha Abu El-Haj

BallotAccessNew reports two new cases in the lower courts: A Montana state court has ruled that the Montana Constitution bars the legislature from having repealed election-day registration.U.S. District Court has struck down Arkansas ballot access procedures for new or previously… Continue reading

Rank Choice Voting: A Scaleable Reform?

October 1, 2022, 2:19 pmalternative voting systems, votingrank choice votingTabatha Abu El-Haj

As more jurisdictions are considering introducing rank choice voting (the issue will be on the ballot in Nevada this fall), Politico offers this long-form essay on Alaska’s experience. Can Alaska “point the way to a more moderate, more nuanced way… Continue reading

“Ticket-splitting voters were going extinct. Now they may decide 2022’s biggest races.”

October 1, 2022, 1:40 pmpolitical parties, political polarizationFracturing PartiesTabatha Abu El-Haj

Fascinating new NBC report on polling: “In battleground states from Georgia to New Hampshire to Ohio, a potentially decisive slice of voters tell pollsters they’re supporting a Democrat for one high-profile office and a Republican for another. Nowhere is the… Continue reading

“GOP congressional candidate Joe Kent’s ties to white nationalists include interview with Nazi sympathizer”

October 1, 2022, 5:46 amelection subversion riskRepublican Extremism, White NationalismTabatha Abu El-Haj

This headline from CNN says it all. Actually to be fair, Joe Kent has offered various explanations of this interview. But the bottom line appears to be: “The lady doth protest too much.” “While Kent has tried to shift his… Continue reading

“Judge upholds Georgia election laws on all counts in voting rights case”

October 1, 2022, 5:39 amabsentee ballots, votingVoting RestrictionsTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Fair Fights Action has lost its 2018 challenge to Georgia’s election laws after four years. Georgia’s voter registration and absentee ballot practices, while not perfect, the Judge concluded, did not violate either the Constitution or… Continue reading