“Mississippi can’t restrict absentee voting assistance this year, US judge says as he blocks law”

July 26, 2023, 10:22 amabsentee ballots, voters with disabilitiesDan Tokaji

AP reports: “A federal judge [Henry Wingate] blocked a new Mississippi law that would set criminal penalties for some people who help others with absentee voting — a ruling that comes as absentee ballots are already available in party… Continue reading

“How Alabama could get away with defying the Supreme Court”

July 26, 2023, 9:55 amredistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Ian Millhiser in Vox, concluding that the Alabama legislature’s “defiance [of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Allen v. Milligan] is unlikely to be tolerated by the courts,” but that “there is a risk that the Supreme Court will… Continue reading

“Trump’s ‘Elite Strike Force Team’ Falls on Hard Times”

July 26, 2023, 9:37 amelection subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadDan Tokaji

Politico Magazine on the consequences that Trump’s lawyers and advisers have faced for their attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. It begins: The scene was instantly infamous. There was Rudy Giuliani — once “America’s Mayor,” now a man ridiculed … Continue reading

“Giuliani Concedes He Made False Statements About Georgia Election Workers”

July 26, 2023, 7:52 amelection subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: Rudolph W. Giuliani has conceded that while acting as a lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump, he made false statements by asserting that two Georgia election workers had mishandled ballots while counting votes in Atlanta during the 2020… Continue reading

“FEC asked to investigate flower shop’s $500,000 contribution to super PAC backing Suarez’s 2024 bid”

July 26, 2023, 5:34 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

AP: A government watchdog group is asking federal regulators to investigate a $500,000 contribution to a super PAC backing Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s presidential bid, citing possible campaign finance laws violations. The nonpartisan group Campaign Legal Center said… Continue reading

“Texas trial to be first major test of Voting Rights Act since Supreme Court decision”

July 26, 2023, 5:24 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActDan Tokaji

NPR’s Morning Edition: “A voting map drawn by Republicans for one Texas county [Galveston] eliminated the only precinct represented by a non-white Democrat. Now, that map is being challenged.”

“The Ohio GOP’s bold abortion gambit has imploded”

July 26, 2023, 4:59 amabsentee ballots, direct democracyDan Tokaji

The Fix on the August ballot measure that would raise the threshold for amending the state constitution from 50% plus one to 60%, in order to make it more difficult to enact an abortion rights initiative later this year: It… Continue reading

“Head of US cybersecurity agency sees progress on election security, with more work needed for 2024”

July 26, 2023, 4:52 amelection subversion risk, voting technologyDan Tokaji

AP, with news from the National Association of State Election Directors conference in South Carolina: “Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, announced plans to boost resources within the agency, hiring 10… Continue reading

“Need extra money? Poll workers are in demand and getting a pay raise before the 2024 election.”

July 26, 2023, 4:48 amelection administrationDan Tokaji

USA Today on the response to increasing threats and harassment that poll workers face: “Multiple states moved to create new poll worker protections this year, and in recent months a handful have moved to further incentivize the people many view… Continue reading

“Top election security expert fired by Trump confirms he spoke with special counsel”

July 26, 2023, 4:45 amDepartment of Justice, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

CNN: “Chris Krebs [former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] confirmed to CNN publicly for the first time Tuesday that he has spoken with investigators. Krebs sat down with special counsel Jack Smith’s team in early… Continue reading

“‘Lose the courts, lose the war’: The battle over voting in North Carolina”

July 26, 2023, 4:42 amfelon voting, judicial elections, redistricting, voter idDan Tokaji

Center for Public Integrity has this story, part of its series on state high courts, tracing the state’s long-running fights over voting. Spoiler alert: “The North Carolina Supreme Court released its opinions in the redistricting, voter ID and… Continue reading

“New York Redistricting Case Could Help Sway Control of Congress”

July 26, 2023, 4:26 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

WSJ: New York’s highest court is set to weigh in on a new set of congressional maps in the state, a ruling that analysts say could position Democrats to pick up as many as five U.S. House districts in… Continue reading

The Federal Role in U.S. Elections, in One Picture

July 26, 2023, 4:19 amDepartment of Justice, election administration, Election Assistance Commission, federal election commissionDan Tokaji

Bipartisan Policy Center has this explainer, which “identifies the primary entities from each branch of the federal government with a role in elections and their overlap and inter-agency collaboration to equip election stakeholders to better use existing resources and… Continue reading

“The origins of the next Trump indictment”

July 26, 2023, 4:14 amDepartment of Justice, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

Politico’s dive into the different strands of the effort to overturn the 2020 election result: Two and a half years have passed since the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Yet investigators are still piecing together the breadth of Trump’s attempt… Continue reading