Democratic backsliding is not just a matter of how the government treats citizens

November 17, 2025, 1:50 pmauthoritarian threats in USTabatha Abu El-Haj

We often work and think in silos. Law of democracy scholars assess the state of democracy by considering the fairness of our elections. Traditionally, our focus is on whether voting rules and representation are fair. Lately, the scope of questions… Continue reading

“Why Curtis Sliwa Stayed in the Race—and the Billionaires Who Tried to Buy Him Out”

November 17, 2025, 1:22 pmcampaign financemoney in politics, NYC 2025 Mayoral RaceTabatha Abu El-Haj

Time has a new story on big money in New York City politics. “In the final stretch of the New York City mayoral campaign, Curtis Sliwa says he was offered $10 million by a group of unnamed billionaires to drop… Continue reading

“The Unraveling of the Justice Department”

November 17, 2025, 1:10 pmauthoritarian threats in USdemocratic backsliding, Rule of Law, Trump AdminstrationTabatha Abu El-Haj

From the N.Y. Times Magazine, a long profile of the internal workings of the Justice Department and the complete abandonment of basic rule of law norms, based on interviews with 60 former DOJ attorneys. The interviews include lawyers from… Continue reading

Eighth Circuit Panel, in a Decision Opening with the line: “Voter fraud is no myth,” Upholds Conviction for a Voter Doctoring 26 Documents to Cast Mail-in Ballots

November 17, 2025, 11:51 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Judge Stras is the author.

Rebecca Green Joins Election Law Blog as ELB Contributor

November 17, 2025, 11:07 amelection law bizRick Hasen

I’m delighted to announce that Rebecca Green of William & Mary Law will be joining ELB as a contributor. She will post on issues and interests from time to time, and she will also take a turn each year as… Continue reading

New online tool for navigating state election laws

November 17, 2025, 7:38 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Announcement via email on an exciting new tool for election law researchers, election administrators, and others: Election statutes, regulations, and advisory opinions are now available in one place using the Election Law Navigator, a free, comprehensive online tool. Released by… Continue reading

Is the Working Families Party the New Boss Tweed?

November 17, 2025, 7:26 ampolitical partiesTabatha Abu El-Haj

In August, Joseph Burns ran an article in City Journal, accusing the Working Families Party of being “the New Boss of New York Politics,” a “modern equivalent of Boss Tweed.” I have read this article multiple times since August:… Continue reading

At the NYU Democracy Project, John Samples on Post New Deal Politics

November 17, 2025, 5:14 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

John Samples, a vice president at the Cato Institute, argues in A Fourth Republic? that the New Deal era characterized a Third Republic dominated by experts and that this era has come to an end. He raises questions about how… Continue reading

“Indiana lawmaker who opposed Trump’s redistricting push is victim of a swatting”

November 17, 2025, 4:58 amauthoritarian threats in US, redistrictingTabatha Abu El-Haj

AP News reports that one of the two Indiana lawmakers, who resisted the White House’s redistricting push to have Republicans redraw the state’s congressional boundaries, was the victim of a swatting call Sunday that brought sheriff’s deputies to his home.… Continue reading

“Eva has entered the chat: Ohio debuts AI election assistant”

November 16, 2025, 10:51 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Cleveland.com: When Ohio’s local election officials have a question about how to handle a ballot issue or process a voter file, they no longer have to dig through manuals. They can ask Eva. Eva — short for Elections Virtual… Continue reading

“Thousands of ballots rejected due to new birth year law”

November 15, 2025, 2:49 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Daily Montanan: Voters who did not follow a new Montana law requiring electors write their birth year on the envelope of an absentee ballot had the chance to fix the issue if they responded to a call, mailed notice… Continue reading

“Maps Show How Latinos Who Shifted Right in 2024 Snapped Back Left in 2025”

November 15, 2025, 9:57 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: In the recent New Jersey governor’s race, the Democratic Party clawed back much of the ground it had lost with Hispanic voters in the 2024 presidential race, according to a township-level analysis of results by The New York Times.… Continue reading

At the NYU Democracy Project, Pozen on Constitutional Conventions, Azari on the Politics of Racial Backlash, and Heath Mayo on Civic Engagement

November 15, 2025, 7:44 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

From Marquette’s Julia Azari, To Save Democracy, We Can’t Shy Away From the Toughest Issues: “[N]ot confronting the racial realities of American society only pushes the problem further down the road, leaving us vulnerable to a repeat of the… Continue reading

“Indiana redistricting push likely dead despite White House pressure”

November 14, 2025, 2:28 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Politico: President Donald Trump’s effort to force mid-decade redistricting suffered a major setback Friday, after Indiana’s GOP state Senate leader declared the chamber will not convene in December to redraw maps. In response, Trump’s team has begun summoning Indiana… Continue reading