“Jocelyn Benson vs. GOP: What is this fight over Michigan election manuals really about?”

June 28, 2025, 5:37 pmcampaigns, election administration, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

I agree with Votebeat’s topline description of the latest tiff in the Wolverine State: Michigan’s top election official is locked in a clamorous legal battle with Republican lawmakers over access to election training materials, a conflict that likely has less… Continue reading

“Where the Voting Rights Act stands after the Supreme Court punts on a Louisiana case”

June 28, 2025, 5:37 pmelection law and constitutional law, redistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActgerrymanderingJustin Levitt

Hansi Lo Wang, looking ahead for NPR.

“D.C. elected these noncitizens to office. Congress could oust them.”

June 28, 2025, 5:36 pmUncategorizedhome rule, local elections, noncitizensJustin Levitt

WaPo on three green-card holders elected to “nonpartisan, unpaid positions in D.C.’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions,” whose eligibility to hold office is tied to their eligibility to vote in local elections. DC law currently allows noncitizens to vote in local elections,… Continue reading

“Pierce County Auditor asks young voters to update their signatures”

June 28, 2025, 5:33 pmelection administration, voter registrationsignature verification, young voteresJustin Levitt

PBS reports on a signature verification issue that’s long been a matter of interest for younger voters, but particularly for Zoomers whose primary interactions are online or on touchscreens, rather than paper: Elections officials in Pierce County are contacting all… Continue reading

Calling the Court’s Actions in the Louisiana Racial Redistricting Case a “Punt” Underestimates the Stakes

June 28, 2025, 7:23 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

The Court’s decision to set the case involving the interaction between the Voting Rights Act and the Fourteenth Amendment, Louisiana v. Callais, for re-argument came as a surprise. The supplemental order we will soon get identifying the new issues the… Continue reading

“This Year’s Election Bills Focus On Citizenship, Ranked Choice Voting”

June 27, 2025, 6:37 pmelection administration, legislation and legislatures, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

NCSL’s election bill roundup notes the shift of this year’s crop: With most legislatures having adjourned, the number of election bills introduced was 3,160, with 331 of them enacted into law across 43 states, according to NCSL tracking. Although this… Continue reading

“Cyberattacks shake voters’ trust in elections, regardless of party”

June 27, 2025, 6:36 pmvoting technologyvoter trustJustin Levitt

Ryan Shandler, Anthony DeMattee, and Bruce Schneier in The Conversation, report results of a recent study showing the impact of information about cyberattacks — even cyberattacks unrelated to the election process — on trust in elections. And they’re clear-eyed… Continue reading

Roundup of stories on the Louisiana congressional redistricting case

June 27, 2025, 6:35 pmpolitical parties, redistricting, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

You can read about the punt from (so far): Me, AP, Times-Picayune, Louisiana Illuminator, NPR, CBS, NYT, WaPo, SCOTUSblog, The Hill, Politico, CNN, Cook Political Report, Washington … Continue reading

“Oregon Legislature abandons attempt to postpone campaign finance limits”

June 27, 2025, 6:34 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

Oregon adopted campaign contribution limits in March 2024, and gave themselves a cushion until 2027 for implementation. Earlier this week, after the Secretary of State said he needed more time, there was a last-minute amendment to a bill that… Continue reading

The OC Case Gets Weirder

June 27, 2025, 6:33 pmDepartment of Justice, NVRA (motor voter), voter registrationJustin Levitt

I blogged on Wednesday about the DOJ’s lawsuit against the Orange County registrar for access to voting records, and noted that the suit seemed like a weird one from DOJ. DOJ wanted information, but the stakes for DOJ seemed fairly… Continue reading

A few thoughts on election litigation after Trump v. CASA

June 27, 2025, 2:05 pmcourt decisions, Supreme CourtDerek Muller

Justin helpfully summarized the lay of the land after Trump v. CASA with respect to universal injunctions and graciously linked to my previous takes on the topic. Of note is that statewide relief in federal courts, just like nationwide relief… Continue reading

Election as a Distinct Sphere Under the First Amendment

June 27, 2025, 12:48 pmUncategorizedRichard Pildes

The Balkinization blog is running a symposium, based on an earlier in-person conference, on “Free Speech in Crisis and the Limits of the First Amendment“. My contribution is an excerpt from an essay I published in a book… Continue reading

Supreme Court sets Louisiana congressional case for reargument

June 27, 2025, 8:57 amelection law and constitutional law, redistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

Well, that was unexpected. As mentioned a moment ago, the Court today punted on the Louisiana congressional case, Louisiana v. Callais, setting it for reargument next Term. The order says that the Court will “issue an order scheduling argument… Continue reading

Supreme Court punts on Louisiana congressional map

June 27, 2025, 8:20 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

The Court won’t be issuing an opinion today on Louisiana’s congressional map after all. Instead, they’ll re-hear argument next term. More analysis coming momentarily.