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in the lower courts: A Montana state court has ruled that the Montana Constitution bars the legislature from having repealed election-day registration.U.S. District Court has struck down Arkansas ballot access procedures for new or previously… Continue reading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

“Where Democrats’ Grip on Minority Voters Could Slip in Midterm Elections”

September 30, 2022, 1:03 pmvotingparty, voter turnout, voters of colorTabatha Abu El-Haj

Unfortunately, behind a firewall, the WSJ offers an interesting and nuanced analysis of the likely impact of increased support among voters of color for the Republican Party. The bottom line is turnout next month will be key. As per usual,… Continue reading

“Trump allies have interviewed nearly 200 election officials to probe for weaknesses”

September 30, 2022, 12:43 pmchicanery, election subversion riskTabatha Abu El-Haj

Jen Fifield at Vote Beat reports on “a coordinated, multi-state effort to probe local election officials in battlegrounds such as Michigan, Arizona, and Texas ahead of the November election” in an effort to exploit for vulnerabilities for political gain. “The… Continue reading

“Gerrymandering Isn’t Giving Republicans the Advantage You Might Expect”

September 30, 2022, 4:58 amredistricting2022 Election CycleTabatha Abu El-Haj

Nate Cohn for The Upshot offers an intricate analysis of the 2022 congressional maps in historical perspective. Lots of interesting graphs to get to his basic take: “In reality, Republicans do have a structural edge in the House, but it… Continue reading

“Conservative activists in Georgia wage campaign to purge voter rolls ahead of November’s election”

September 30, 2022, 4:50 amvotingTabatha Abu El-Haj

CNN reports on how conservative activists in Georgia are invoking the state’s recent controversial election law to “attempt to remove thousands of voters from the rolls with just weeks to go before the October 17 start of in-person early voting.”

Election Law is Local

September 30, 2022, 4:15 amelection administration, election subversion risklegal resourceTabatha Abu El-Haj

In recognition of the fact that election laws vary by states, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and All Voting is Local have released 7 state-specific guides for election officials that explain the legal safeguards in place to… Continue reading

“Ginni Thomas claims 2020 election was stolen in meeting with House Jan. 6 committee”

September 29, 2022, 6:14 pmUncategorizedJanuary 6Tabatha Abu El-Haj

U.S.A. Today reports on Ginni Thomas’ meeting with the January 6 Committee, where she “repeated claims the 2020 election was stolen, despite a lack of evidence.” The New York Times’ take on the hearing is here and the Washington Post’s… Continue reading