“Pritzker Calls for Campaign Finance Reform After Spending $323m on Campaigns”

May 2, 2023, 4:02 pmcampaign finance, judicial electionsJustin Levitt

This piece from Illinois Policy points out, among other things, that Illinois law prohibits any “single person” from donating more than $500K to a single campaign … and that both Pritzker’s campaign committee and his revocable trust donated the… Continue reading

“Billionaire backing effort to raise Ohio amendment threshold funded election deniers, Jan. 6 rally”

May 2, 2023, 4:01 pmdirect democracy, legislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

The Ohio Capital Journal notes that one of the ostensible reasons for raising Ohio’s threshold to pass citizen-initiated constitutional amendments is to “keep powerful out-of-state interests from meddling with the Ohio Constitution” … and that a significant donor to the… Continue reading

Ranked choice on the menu

May 2, 2023, 4:00 pmalternative voting systems, political parties, political polarization, primariesJustin Levitt

There must be something in the water today. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board decries a “two-party system in a one-party town,” in advocating a switch from splintered partisan primaries to a nonpartisan primary with ranked-choice voting. Illinois state Rep. Kam… Continue reading

“Small-dollar donors didn’t save democracy. They made it worse.”

May 2, 2023, 12:57 pmUncategorizedRichard Pildes

From the Washington Post: Small-dollar donors were supposed to save democracy. Reformers had hoped that grass-roots political fundraising — connected by the internet and united against corruption — would become a formidable force to counter the money that wealthy individuals… Continue reading

Congratulations to Anthony Johnstone …

May 2, 2023, 7:21 amelection law bizJustin Levitt

who is (among many other professional accomplishments) a former election law professor, and now the most recent Ninth Circuit judge.

Montana state legislator sues over censure

May 1, 2023, 7:47 pmelection law and constitutional law, First Amendment theory, legislation and legislatures, petition clause, political equalityJustin Levitt

The lawsuit filed today in state court by Rep. Zephyr – Montana’s first openly transgender lawmaker — and several of her constituents contends that her censure and subsequent barring from Capitol grounds violates the Montana state constitution. I’m still hoping… Continue reading

“Americans fault news media for dividing nation”

May 1, 2023, 7:44 pmpolitical polarizationJustin Levitt

This latest AP-NORC poll on the public’s assessment of media impact on democracy and polarization isn’t great news. I don’t know if they polled on the impact of different media formats separately (and I’d love the pointer if anyone does… Continue reading

“Independent State Legislature” Theory, North Carolina, and Ohio

May 1, 2023, 7:43 pmelection law and constitutional law, Elections Clause, legislation and legislatures, redistricting, Supreme CourtJustin Levitt

Vik Amar and Jason Mazzone suggest that the Court grant cert. pronto in Huffman v. Neiman, the Ohio partisan gerrymandering case, as it considers whatever just happened in North Carolina. Rick had similar thoughts.

“As 2024 Campaigns Begin, States Confront Threats to Election Workers”

May 1, 2023, 7:42 pmchicanery, election law biz, election subversion risk, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

And yet, there’s a lot more to be done. NCSL has more on a disturbing trend that should be of concern to every single one of its members. And good for Kansas SOS Scott Schwab for speaking up here (and… Continue reading

“Exclusive: Dominion Voting Systems tells its Fox News lawsuit story”

May 1, 2023, 7:41 pmcheap speech, chicanery, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

Axios with a bit of oral history.

“Military voting access boosted with new Michigan election law”

May 1, 2023, 7:40 pmabsentee ballots, election administration, military votingJustin Levitt

Michigan Live notes the new grace period for receiving military and overseas absentee ballots – the first part of an effort to implement Prop 2 from last year.

“The Judges Have Too Much Power”

May 1, 2023, 7:38 pmlegislation and legislatures, Supreme CourtJustin Levitt

Molly Coleman with a bunch of suggestions for Congress that probably sounded like good ideas to various Court-watchers with very different political orientations in different eras, trying to impose the “passive virtues.” I’d add shadow docket reform, particularly in the… Continue reading

“Florida commission slaps down Trump PAC’s ethics complaint against DeSantis”

May 1, 2023, 7:37 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, ethics investigationsJustin Levitt

Fox notes the Florida Ethics Commission decision that MAGA Inc. hadn’t sufficiently alleged the violation of Florida law in DeSantis’s will-he-or-won’t-he activities.