Minnesota Governor signs “Democracy for the People” law

May 5, 2023, 9:51 amcampaign finance, election administration, election subversion risk, voter registrationJustin Levitt

The bill, signed Friday morning, includes (among other provisions) opt-out voter registration, pre-registration for 16- and 17-year olds, expanded language access, protections against interfering with the election process, and prohibitions against spending in state races by corporations in which… Continue reading

“Bipartisan election bills address worker safety, poll closures, campaign finance and more”

May 5, 2023, 9:50 amcampaign finance, election administration, election law bizJustin Levitt

One of the pieces of the “and more” finding some initial bipartisan support in Wisconsin: Kenosha News notes a welcome provision to let the state pick up the tab for special elections for state offices. Local elections departments need all… Continue reading

“A GOP claim that Michigan purposely tried to encourage voter fraud doesn’t fit with facts”

May 5, 2023, 9:49 amelection administration, NVRA (motor voter), voter registrationJustin Levitt

News from the States: Republicans at a recent congressional hearing accused Michigan’s chief election official of deliberately leaving tens of thousands of dead voters on the rolls in order to encourage illegal voting. Even at a time of intense… Continue reading

“How to Police Gerrymanders? Some Judges Say the Courts Can’t.”

May 5, 2023, 9:48 amelection law and constitutional law, political parties, redistrictingJustin Levitt

The NYT “teaches the controversy” about policing partisan gerrymandering. I have to say, I agree with some of the line-drawing concerns when it comes to deciding how much is too much. Which is why I’ve argued for a… Continue reading

No Labels co-founder warns against No Labels’ impact on presidential race

May 5, 2023, 9:47 ampolitical parties, third partiesJustin Levitt

William Galston with an op-ed in the WSJ.

“The Impact of COVID-19, Election Policies, and Partisanship on Voter Participation in the 2020 U.S. Election”

May 5, 2023, 9:47 amabsentee ballots, election administrationJustin Levitt

New from Paul Herrnson and Charles Stewart: The COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to wreak havoc on elections. Democracies initiated varied policies to minimize health risks to voters and election workers. This study assesses the impact of voting policies,… Continue reading

“A Critical and Historical Analysis of Ohio’s Post-Millennium Regression to Major-Party Monopoly”

May 5, 2023, 9:46 amballot access, political equality, political parties, third partiesJustin Levitt

New in the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly, from Capital’s Mark Brown: a review of recent ballot access battles in Ohio. I suspect there’s even more to add to the “major-party monopoly” argument if you add the legislature’s all-out gerrymandering… Continue reading

Two election-related state budget stories

May 5, 2023, 9:45 amcampaign finance, fraudulent fraud squadJustin Levitt

In New York, the new public financing system (with a 6-1 match for small local contributions) gets some cash. And in Florida, DeSantis’s election investigations office gets a 20% increase (though not the 280% increase DeSantis requested).

Two important discussions on Wednesday next week

May 5, 2023, 9:44 amelection administration, election law biz, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

On May 10, Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs is hosting The Profession of Democracy: Election Administration and State Associations. Elections administrators, the people who referee our democracy, are literally and figuratively under threat. Long hours, harassment, malicious open… Continue reading

You’re stuck with me until Sunday…

May 5, 2023, 7:56 amUncategorizedJustin Levitt

… but starting Monday, Prof. Tabatha Abu El-Haj will be your faithful guide through the election law wilderness. Please send tips her way!

“Dianne Feinstein Has to Act”

May 5, 2023, 7:55 amUncategorizedJustin Levitt

The NYT editorial board joins a drumbeat.

More Moore

May 4, 2023, 8:54 pmelection law and constitutional law, redistricting, Supreme CourtJustin Levitt

The Court has asked for another round of briefing on what the heck should happen in Moore v. Harper, the current vehicle for the “independent state legislature” challenge, now that the North Carolina Supreme Court has said that the… Continue reading

“Iowa Democrats’ plan: Hold 1st caucuses, report votes later”

May 4, 2023, 8:52 pmprimariesJustin Levitt

Huh? Iowa Democrats are proposing a novel way to get around their demotion from the leadoff spot on the party’s presidential nominating calendar: They would still put on the first-in-the-nation caucuses but would be open to withholding the results until… Continue reading