Some perspective on this week’s recent election law disputes

October 29, 2024, 6:42 amabsentee ballots, election administration, Supreme CourtDerek Muller

Virginia has around 5,800,000 active registered voters. In Beals v. Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, about 1600 voter registrations are in dispute–about 0.02% of the total registered voters. (And of course, while not all registered voters vote, many of… Continue reading

“Unsealed court documents show judges have long worried about Trump ‘delay tactics'”

October 29, 2024, 6:41 amchicaneryRick Hasen

Politico: More than 18 months ago, as Donald Trump sought to delay several high-profile witness’ testimony to a grand jury investigating his effort to subvert the 2020 election, Washington’s top federal district judge sensed a potential calamity. “The special counsel’s… Continue reading

“Nevada Supreme Court rules non-postmarked ballots can be counted within 3 days of election”

October 28, 2024, 3:52 pmabsentee ballotsRick Hasen

Nevada Independent: The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that election officials can count mail ballots with no postmark received as many as three days after Election Day. In a decision Monday, five of the high court’s seven justices disagreed with… Continue reading

ABA Standing Committee on Election Law Did an Event for Judges on Election Cases with Former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Mark Martin, Who Helped Trump Try to Overturn the 2020 Election On Spurious Grounds

October 28, 2024, 3:38 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Very disappointing to see this. More on Martin’s activities in 2020 at The Intercept.

“Extremists inspired by conspiracy theories pose major threat to 2024 elections, U.S. intelligence warns”

October 28, 2024, 2:52 pmchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

NBC News: U.S. intelligence agencies have identified domestic extremists with grievances rooted in election-related conspiracy theories, including beliefs in widespread voter fraud and animosity toward perceived political opponents, as the most likely threat of violence in the coming election. … Continue reading

Pennsylvania Dispute Over Provisional Ballots (after Flawed Mailed Ballots) Reaches U.S. Supreme Court on Emergency Docket

October 28, 2024, 2:50 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Docket. RNC filing raising “independent state legislature theory” and trying to apply Purcell to state courts. It asks for a sequestration of ballots in the alternative. Response due Wednesday. My earlier coverage.

“Trump Hints at ‘Little Secret’ With House Republicans, Setting Off a Panic”

October 28, 2024, 1:57 pmchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

NYT: Speaker Mike Johnson was taking in former President Donald J. Trump’s grievance-fueled closing rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon when the main actor onstage turned to him and drew him into the drama. “I think with… Continue reading

“MN voter fraud: Woman cast ballot for Trump under dead mom’s name, charges say”

October 28, 2024, 12:52 pmabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

Fox 9 reports: On Oct. 11, the sheriff’s office spoke with Miller about the ballot signature envelopes. She said she filled out her mom’s absentee ballot and signed her mom’s name on the envelope. She admitted her mom was… Continue reading

“Anti-Gerrymandering Groups Warn That Ohio’s Ballot Language Is Misleading Voters”

October 28, 2024, 12:51 pmchicanery, direct democracy, redistrictingRick Hasen

New at Bolts.

“Why We Vote”

October 28, 2024, 12:48 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

You can read here for free the first chapter of Owen Fiss’s new book, Why We Vote.

“Dark Money from Shadow Parties Is Booming in Congressional Elections”

October 28, 2024, 9:56 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

New from the Brennan Center.

This is What Insanity Looks Like

October 28, 2024, 9:44 amfraudulent fraud squad, UncategorizedRick Hasen

I can’t even… There are three recommendations that I have. Most depend on Elon Musk, who has the resources and megaphone to make these a reality. The first is a whistleblower program that offers a multi-million dollar reward for… Continue reading

Oregon: “Ballot boxes in Portland and Vancouver lit on fire”

October 28, 2024, 8:36 amchicaneryRick Hasen

KGW: A ballot box in Southeast Portland and another in Vancouver were lit on fire early Monday morning. It’s currently unclear whether the two incidents are connected. Portland police officers responded around 3:30 a.m. to reports of a fire… Continue reading

Safeguarding Democracy Project Recordings of our Fall 2024 Events on the Upcoming Elections

October 28, 2024, 8:15 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Recordings of our Fall 2024 EventsIf you missed any of our events this fall, you can catch up with these recordings or visit our website www.safeguardingdemocracyproject.org. Sept. 12: From Here to There: How States Can and Should Certify the Results… Continue reading