“Legal challenge to come against Oklahoma bill capping initiative petition signatures”

May 28, 2025, 5:29 pmdirect democracy, legislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

The Oklahoman covers (paywall) threats of litigation to a new Oklahoma requirement (with some comparisons to recent measures in other states restricting direct democracy) that restricts the number of signatures for an initiative coming out of any given county to… Continue reading

“Trump administration begins cracking down on federal employees’ use of leave for voting”

May 28, 2025, 5:28 pmThe Voting WarsExecutive Orders, time to voteJustin Levitt

From Government Executive: With some key primary elections at the state level occurring in the coming weeks, the Trump administration has begun notifying employees they can no longer use paid administrative leave to vote. The reminder, so far sent… Continue reading

“Flawed, but ultimately fair, chief electoral officer says of B.C. election”

May 28, 2025, 5:27 pmelection administrationinternational electionsJustin Levitt

From the Vancouver Sun, the most important paragraph in my mind is this one: Still, Boegman insists that in each case the problems were fixed and the overall outcome of the election was not affected. As long as humans… Continue reading

Private rights of action and the DOJ’s HAVA complaint against North Carolina

May 28, 2025, 6:48 amcourt decisionsDerek Muller

Justin nicely summarizes the heart of the DOJ’s HAVA complaint against North Carolina. I just wanted to highlight one other detail: the private right of action. Back in October, I noted that a federal court in North Carolina held there… Continue reading

“Donald Trump’s Politics of Plunder”

May 27, 2025, 10:48 pmcampaign finance, chicanery, conflict of interest laws, ethics investigationsdemocratic backsliding, Pay-to-PlayJustin Levitt

Evan Osnos, in the latest issue of the New Yorker, reviews the state of American oligarchy and the First Family’s use of the Oval Office as a private moneymaking machine. One small excerpt: Even seasoned practitioners of Washington pay-to-play have… Continue reading

DOJ files first voting complaint of new Administration – and it’s a follow-up to the Riggs/Griffin judicial race in NC

May 27, 2025, 10:47 pmDepartment of Justice, election administration, judicial elections, voter registrationdue process, HAVAJustin Levitt

The Civil Rights Division is out with its first new voting case of the new Administration, and it comes directly out of the long-contested Riggs/Griffin race for the North Carolina Supreme Court. In the Riggs/Griffin contest, there were three main … Continue reading

“Trump wants an investigation of Democrats’ fundraising. His own campaign has issues”

May 27, 2025, 10:45 pmcampaign finance, Department of JusticeJustin Levitt

The AP’s lede: When President Donald Trump directed his attorney general last month to investigate online fundraising, he cited concerns that foreigners and fraudsters were using elaborate “schemes“ and “dummy accounts” to funnel illegal contributions to politicians and causes.… Continue reading

“High-profile lawyers face lasting consequences of election fraud claims”

May 27, 2025, 10:44 pmchicanery, election law biz, ethics investigations, fraudulent fraud squadJanuary 6, The Big LieJustin Levitt

Elections have consequences. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reminds us that — at least sometimes – lying about elections has consequences too.

“Eric Adams sues Campaign Finance Board for denying him millions in matching funds”

May 27, 2025, 10:43 pmcampaign finance, chicanerymatching funds, public financingJustin Levitt

Politico has the latest in the Eric Adams adventure.

“Pennsylvania tallies up votes for poll workers, amid shortage of candidates”

May 27, 2025, 10:42 pmelection administrationpollworkersJustin Levitt

Someone once explained me to a third person thus: “‘Pollworker’ is Justin’s love language.” They weren’t wrong. Pennsylvania ran primaries for electing its 27,000 pollworkers last week, and Votebeat has the story on the now-unique practice dating back to 1799. … Continue reading

“Experts: Narrow timeline creates strain on New Bedford’s elections”

May 27, 2025, 10:39 pmelection administration, primarieselection timingJustin Levitt

This is a good article about a horrible idea: an October 7 municipal primary for a November 4 municipal general election. In accessible fashion, the local independent New Bedford Light breaks down a bunch of the logistics that occupy election… Continue reading

“Elections board prepares to revamp R.I.’s aging campaign finance software. It just needs the money.”

May 27, 2025, 10:39 pmcampaign finance, election administrationelection budgetsJustin Levitt

Yet another piece – this one from States Newsroom affiliate the Rhode Island Current – about yet another impact of radically underfunding elections offices.

“What Just Happened: The Trump Administration’s Dismissal of Voting Rights Lawsuits”

May 27, 2025, 7:48 amDepartment of Justice, The Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

Hot off the presses at Just Security, Chiraag Bains — a former colleague at both DOJ and the White House — walks through in impressive detail the current Administration’s dismissal of “all salient pending cases” brought by the decimated… Continue reading