“Faulty Textbooks: The Strip Mining of Anthony Downs’ ‘Economic Theory of Democracy'”

October 7, 2022, 10:36 amtheoryFranita Tolson

New article by Steven Hill at DemocracySOS that does a deep dive into Anthony Downs’ seminal work, Economic Theory of Democracy, and its ramifications for today’s politics. In particular, the article focuses on how Downs’ work has been misrepresented so… Continue reading

“RNC seizes on political affiliations of poll workers in swing states”

October 7, 2022, 10:29 amUncategorized2022 Election CycleFranita Tolson

The Washington Post reports that there have been increased efforts to recruit partisan poll workers in swing states. Notably, Republicans have filed lawsuits in a number of swing states challenging the regulations that govern poll workers, seeking to make the… Continue reading

“Can Stakeholders Mobilize Businesses for the Protection of Democracy? Evidence from the U.S. Capitol Insurrection”

October 7, 2022, 10:18 amUncategorizedJanuary 6Franita Tolson

New article by Zhao Li and Richard Disalvo in the American Political Science Review. The abstract reads:An unprecedented number of major U.S. companies announced changes to their campaign contributions following the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. We analyze the… Continue reading

“Hand-counting ballots may sound nice. It’s actually less accurate and more expensive.”

October 7, 2022, 10:14 amelection administration, UncategorizedFranita Tolson

This is the second article in a series that NPR is running to shed light on how our voting process works. The article refutes claims that hand-counting ballots are preferable for tabulating votes because the research shows that hand-counts are… Continue reading

“House GOP confronts its 2023 rifts: Impeachments”

October 7, 2022, 5:48 amUncategorized2022 Election CycleFranita Tolson

Politico reports on the House GOP strategy surrounding potential impeachments of President Biden and members of his cabinet should the Republicans retake the House of Representatives after the 2022 midterms.

“Voting Systems: How They Work, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigation”

October 6, 2022, 3:41 pmelection administration, election subversion riskThe Big LieFranita Tolson

New report from Steven Rosenfeld (National Political Report, Voting Booth) and Duncan Buell (Chair Emeritus, USC Dept. of Computer Science). Short description of the report from its authors: This report describes how the systems that create ballots and detect and… Continue reading

“Can Republicans hinder absentee voting in New York a month from Election Day?”

October 6, 2022, 3:00 pmUncategorized2022 Election CycleFranita Tolson

New lawsuit to stop New York voters from using fear of COVID-19 as an excuse to vote absentee. Story available here.

Monopoli on the Nineteenth Amendment

October 6, 2022, 2:39 pm19th Amendment, theory, votingFranita Tolson

Paula Monopoli (University of Maryland Francis Carey School of Law) has a new article out entitled, “Gender, Voting Rights, and the Nineteenth Amendment.” The article is forthcoming in the Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy. The abstract is below:… Continue reading

“A majority of GOP nominees – 299 in all – deny the 2020 election results”

October 6, 2022, 2:33 pmUncategorized2022 Election Cycle, The Big LieFranita Tolson

The Washington Post reports. Yikes.

New Report from the Brennan Center

October 6, 2022, 2:03 pmelection administration, legislation and legislatures, votingFranita Tolson

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law has published “Voting Laws Roundup: October 2022,” their latest roundup of state voting and election laws, and “Restrictive Voting Laws Enacted Since 2020 in Effect for the Midterms,” a… Continue reading

“Money flowing to some election deniers sets off scramble in secretary of state races”

October 6, 2022, 1:55 pmelection subversion risk2022 Election Cycle, The Big LieFranita Tolson

CNN reports.

“Election officials confront a new problem: Whether they can trust their own poll workers”

October 6, 2022, 11:19 amelection subversion risk2022 Election Cycle, The Big LieFranita Tolson

Article in Politico sounding the alarm about 2020 election deniers and far right candidates encouraging like-minded individuals to become poll workers (not poll watchers, poll WORKERS) and engage in behavior that is problematic, to say the least. This development could… Continue reading

“Who’s Bankrolling Election Deniers?”

October 6, 2022, 11:09 amelection subversion risk, Uncategorized2022 Election Cycle, The Big LieFranita Tolson

Issue One has a new report out that shows that election-denying secretary of state candidates have collectively raised more than $12 million for their campaigns this election cycle — including more than $5.8 million raised by election deniers who prevailed in… Continue reading

“The Supreme Court Might Be on the Brink of Making Corruption Easier – Again”

October 6, 2022, 11:01 amUncategorizedcorruption, elections, Supreme CourtFranita Tolson

Important article by Michael Linhorst in The New Republic on Percoco v. United States, a political bribery case that the Supreme Court will hear this term. While the other election law cases on the docket have monopolized much of the… Continue reading