“Explainer: Shaping Democracy: 2023’s Statewide Ballot Measures and What Lies Ahead in 2024”

January 18, 2024, 1:19 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Derek Clinger: The past year saw a continued trend of increased interest in direct democracy, with the highest number of statewide ballot measures for an odd-numbered election year in over 15 years. These measures, which came from both state legislatures… Continue reading

“Auditors find no fraud in SC election process, but make some clean-up suggestions”

January 18, 2024, 1:18 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

South Carolina Daily Gazette: A review of South Carolina’s election process found no fraud that could have swayed results, but auditors do recommend cleaning up the voter rolls more often. Findings include a few instances of ballots cast by voters… Continue reading

Ned Foley-Ben Ginsberg-Rick Hasen Amicus Brief Warns SCOTUS of Political Instability, Potential Violence, and Voter Disenfranchisement If It Avoids Deciding Merits in Trump Disqualification Case

January 18, 2024, 11:30 ampolitical polarization, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Thanks to the excellent work of Michael Kimberly and Charles Seidell of the McDermott Firm, Ned Foley, Ben Ginsberg and I have filed this amicus brief supporting neither party in the Trump disqualification case at the Supreme Court. Below is… Continue reading

“Congressional map with Gov. Jeff Landry’s backing clears Louisiana Senate”

January 18, 2024, 7:42 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Louisiana Illuminator: The Louisiana Senate gave its approval Wednesday to a congressional redistricting proposal that increases the number of majority-Black districts to two out of six. Gov. Jeff Landry backs the legislation that faces an end-of-month deadline for approval. Senate … Continue reading

“Voting Laws Roundup: 2023 in Review”

January 18, 2024, 7:37 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Brennan Center: This roundup looks back on voting laws enacted in 2023 and looks forward to the voting landscape in 2024 based on legislation already pending. In 2023, we once again saw an unprecedented volume of state legislation changing the… Continue reading

“Maine judge delays Trump ballot decision until Supreme Court ruling”

January 17, 2024, 8:07 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: A Maine judge on Wednesday put off deciding whether Donald Trump’s name can appear on that state’s primary ballot, saying the Supreme Court needs to rule on the issue first in a similar case out of Colorado. The ruling… Continue reading

“Federal judge allows quick runoffs under Georgia voting law”

January 17, 2024, 7:43 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

AJC: A federal judge upheld Georgia’s shortened four-week runoff period mandated by the state’s 2021 voting law, ruling Friday that there wasn’t evidence to prove discrimination against Black voters. U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee’s decision keeps in place quick … Continue reading

“A Silenced Generation: How the Power of the Youth Vote Collides with Barriers to Voting”

January 17, 2024, 7:34 amvotingRick Hasen

New report from the Movement Advanced Project.

“Historians Council on the Constitution”

January 17, 2024, 7:32 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Smart idea and very impressive lineup of historians: In recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly relied on history to decide major questions of constitutional law. But the Court’s historical accounts are often deeply flawed, departing significantly from historians’… Continue reading

“Ranked Choice Voting Elections Benefit Candidates and Voters of Color: 2024 Update”

January 17, 2024, 7:31 amalternative voting systems, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

New from FairVote.

“Democratic law firm challenges Wisconsin’s congressional district lines in filing with state Supreme Court”

January 16, 2024, 4:04 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: A high-powered Democratic law firm is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reconsider the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2024 election, arguing a redistricting decision last month calls into question the battleground state’s current district lines. Elias… Continue reading

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tries Creating Own Party to Get on Ballot in 6 States”

January 16, 2024, 2:33 pmballot access, third partiesRick Hasen

NYT reports.

January 23 Safeguarding Democracy Project Free Webinar with Ryan Reilly, Author of “Sedition Hunters” (Date corrected)

January 16, 2024, 10:18 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Join us for a conversation on January 23 at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT for a free Safeguarding Democracy Project webinar (free registration required) with Ryan Reilly, author of Sedition Hunters: How January 6 Broke the Justice … Continue reading

1868 and 2024: The Relevance of the Past to the Present

January 16, 2024, 8:02 amUncategorizedNed Foley

I’ve posted on SSRN this paper relevant to one of the key issues in the pending SCOTUS case from Colorado on whether or not section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment bars Trump from returning to the presidency. Here’s the abstract:… Continue reading