Janet Protasiewicz wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race

April 5, 2023, 7:55 amjudicial elections, redistrictingJustin Levitt

And the NYT offers a prediction about the first order of business: Once Judge Protasiewicz assumes her place on the court on Aug. 1, the first priority for Wisconsin Democrats will be to bring a case to challenge the current… Continue reading

“How Wisconsin became the ‘wild west’ of campaign spending”

April 5, 2023, 7:54 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

Steven Walters writing at Isthmus about the campaign finance landscape behind the state supreme court slugfest.

“Gov. Murphy Signs Law Decried as a ‘Frontal Assault’ on Good Government”

April 5, 2023, 7:53 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

NYT with the report: New Jersey increases contribution limits and, inter alia, cuts off current investigations with a change to the statute of limitations. More here from nj.com: “Murphy signs controversial N.J. campaign money law after election watchdogs resign … Continue reading

If you bring the polls to where the people are…

April 5, 2023, 7:53 amelection administrationJustin Levitt

They vote. A story on Chicago’s most active precinct (in 2020): the Cook County jail. (The vast majority of people housed at the jail have not yet faced trial, and are eligible to vote.)

“Could Ballot Images Loosen the Grip of Disinformation?”

April 5, 2023, 7:52 amelection subversion riskJustin Levitt

Steven Rosenfeld discusses an Arizona measure with the backing of both Adrian Fontes and Ken Bennett, which would publicly release registration rolls, voter lists, scanned ballot images, and final electoral tallies. Much of that information is already available (voter rolls… Continue reading

“New Mason County auditor rejects ‘election denier’ label, pledges big changes for office”

April 5, 2023, 7:52 amelection subversion riskJustin Levitt

And here’s a newly elected county official offering full cooperation to citizen vigilantes with a propensity for partial research.

“A hero to election deniers, Michigan clerk has a new fight: keeping her job”

April 5, 2023, 7:52 amchicanery, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

Bridge Michigan with a story about a recall effort for the election clerk of Adams Township, Michigan.

“Tennessee House moves to expel 3 Democrats after gun protest”

April 5, 2023, 7:51 amlegislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

Stories from the AP, the Tennesseean, and Fox review the resolutions to expel three members of the Tennessee House for leading students in the gallery in chanting for gun reform, without being recognized to speak. (They’d apparently not… Continue reading

Ballot access in Montana

April 5, 2023, 7:51 amballot access, third partiesJustin Levitt

A top-two primary, but only for U.S. Senate, and only for 2024. That’s in one bill that Montana legislators advanced on Monday. A second Montana bill advancing Monday would raise thresholds for parties to qualify for the ballot, and… Continue reading

“Florida Republicans poised to make more changes to election laws”

April 5, 2023, 7:50 amelection administration, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

Looks like, among other items on the menu, more tussling over Amendment 4 and voters with convictions, and more tussling over restrictions on independent voter registration groups.

“Is Proportional Representation On the Way?”

April 5, 2023, 7:49 amalternative voting systemsJustin Levitt

Walter Olson reacts, at Reason, to the new Protect Democracy-Unite America report on proportional representation blogged here.

Congrats to Interim Dean Franita Tolson

April 5, 2023, 7:49 amelection law bizJustin Levitt

And really, congrats to the USC Gould Law community. Franita’s the latest thoughtful scholar of democracy (and the third ELB contributor (!), joining Heather and Dan) to step further into law school leadership, and you love to see it.

Principles for corporate political responsibility

April 5, 2023, 7:48 amcampaign financeJustin Levitt

Thomas Lyon and Elizabeth Doty, of the University of Michigan’s Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, post today about the launch of the Erb Principles for Corporate Political Responsibility – guidelines from business leaders for business leaders about political activity.

The other Murdoch defamation case

April 5, 2023, 7:48 amchicanery, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

I had not realized that Lachlan Murdoch was pursuing a defamation case in Australia over the aftermath of the 2020 elections, even as Fox is defending one in the US. The case is about a piece published by Crikey on… Continue reading