New Paper–“An Internet Voting System Fatally Flawed in Creative New Ways”

November 20, 2024, 4:38 amvoting technologyNew ScholarshipTabatha Abu El-Haj

Andrew W. Appel (Princeton, Computer Science) and Philip B. Stark (UC Berkeley, Statistics) have a new paper cautioning about a new software designed to accelerate the count for overseas votes by relying on the internet. . . . .… Continue reading

Call for Papers: Democracy Works-in-Progress Conference, April 10-11, 2025

November 20, 2024, 4:22 amUncategorizedcall for papers, ConferencesTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Michigan State University College of Law will be hosting a Democracy Works-in-Progress Conference on April 10-11, 2025. For purposes of the conference, “democracy” is broadly defined. The organizers hope to draw those who write and research in areas that fall under… Continue reading

Want a Jump Start to Follow the Election Law Community on Bluesky? Josh Douglas Has Created an “Election Law Starter Pack”

November 19, 2024, 3:07 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Follow everyone there, or whomever you choose, with just one click. Thanks Josh!

“End the Criminal Cases Against Trump,” says Thomas Goldstein

November 19, 2024, 12:52 pmUncategorizedTabatha Abu El-Haj

Thomas Goldstein (SCOTUS Blog) offers his views on the criminal cases against Trump. The people have spoken; it is time to drop the cases: “Democracy’s ultimate verdict on these prosecutions was rendered by voters on Election Day.” I am not… Continue reading

“Manhattan D.A. Suggests Freezing Trump’s Case While He Is President”

November 19, 2024, 11:48 amUncategorizedNew York Case, Trump convictionTabatha Abu El-Haj

What to do about the sentencing of a convicted felon who will assume the highest office of the land? Trump: Obviously, dismiss the criminal conviction–to do otherwise is to impede my ability to perform my constitutional duties. Manhattan DA: Freeze… Continue reading

NC Supreme Court Race–Update

November 19, 2024, 11:34 amjudicial elections2024 Election Cycle, North Carolina Supreme Court, recountsTabatha Abu El-Haj

WRAL News: North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs, the Democratic incumbent, appears to have won her judicial race by “625 votes out of 5.5 million.” There are still some outstanding votes to be counted, but her Republican challenger… Continue reading

The Bluesky Button is Here to Allow You to Share ELB Posts Directly from Election Law Blog to Your Bluesky Account

November 19, 2024, 11:01 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

It joins buttons for Facebook, Threads, and X at the bottom of each post. Just click on the Bluesky logo and if you have an account, you can post a link to an ELB post in just one click. Thanks… Continue reading

“Effort to repeal ranked choice voting and open primaries in Alaska on track to narrowly fail after latest ballot count”

November 19, 2024, 8:25 amabsentee ballots, primaries2024 Election Cycle, Alaska, rank choice voting, Top Four PrimaryTabatha Abu El-Haj

From Anchorage Daily News: “Results posted Monday showed 50.03% of voters opposed the measure repealing ranked choice voting, while 49.97% were in favor of the repeal. Just 192 votes separated the two camps, with more ballots set to be… Continue reading

“Ranked Choice Voting: What Happened & What’s Next”

November 19, 2024, 7:56 amprimaries2024 Election Cycle., Ballot Initiatives, election reform, rank choice voting, structural reformTabatha Abu El-Haj

Michael Parsons (FairVote, Senior Legal Fellow) and Meredith Sumpter (FairVote CEO) offer reflections at Democracy Takes on what the results of the 2024 ballot initiatives tell us about the future of rank-choice voting as a reform. A peek here: “In… Continue reading

“Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to Alaska campaign finance laws”

November 19, 2024, 7:40 amcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I missed this news yesterday: More than 14 years after the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which removed limits on independent political expenditures by corporations and unions, the justices declined to weigh in on … Continue reading

“FBI investigating post-election text threats sent to Latino, LGBTQ people”

November 19, 2024, 4:59 amUncategorized2024 Election Cycle, hate speech, Misinformation and DisinformationTabatha Abu El-Haj

In the immediate wake of the election various, mostly young, black people were targeted with texts and emails directing them to report to the plantation. Now, the Washington Post reports that similar threats were sent to the Latino and LGBTQ… Continue reading

“Bucks County board chair says comment about violating election law has been misinterpreted”

November 19, 2024, 4:47 amabsentee ballots, recounts, UncategorizedIndependent State Legislature Doctrine, state courtsTabatha Abu El-Haj

Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Diane Ellis-Marseglia, the Bucks County Commissioner, has apologized for the “upset and confusion” caused by her defiant comments last week in which she said: “People violate laws any time they want,” she added. “So, for me,… Continue reading

Bob Bauer: “Did the Legal Process Over the Last Four Years ‘Fail’?”

November 18, 2024, 3:50 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Thoughtful Bob Bauer post at Lawfare.

“Pa. Supreme Court again rules that Philly and other counties cannot count undated mail ballots; The ruling comes after several Philly-area counties defied the court’s previous guidance; The issue has come under close scrutiny as the race between Bob Casey and Dave McCormick undergoes a recount”

November 18, 2024, 3:23 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

See this report from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Via How Appealing, which links to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s per curiam order, two concurring statements (here and here), and a dissenting statement. From the per curiam… Continue reading