BREAKING: over 3 dissenting justices, Supreme Court allows Galveston County map to remain in place while Fifth Circuit considers Voting Rights Act claim

December 12, 2023, 12:29 pmUncategorizedDerek Muller

After a panel of the Fifth Circuit found that the Galveston County, Texas map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the en banc court stayed the order and allowed the old maps to remain in place while… Continue reading

“Judge: Giuliani may have defamed Georgia election workers again outside DC courthouse”

December 12, 2023, 12:23 pmelection administrationDerek Muller

Politico: Rudy Giuliani’s defiant public statements outside a Washington, D.C., federal courthouse — just minutes after he departed the first day of his civil trial for defaming two Georgia election workers — may have defamed them yet again, the… Continue reading

BREAKING: by 4-3 vote, New York high court orders new congressional maps, as Democrats requested

December 12, 2023, 12:15 pmredistrictingDerek Muller

The decision in Matter of Hoffmann v New York State Independent Redistricting Commission is here. From the New York Times: New York’s highest court ordered the state to redraw its congressional map on Tuesday, making a major pre-election… Continue reading

“‘More money, less disclosure’: N.J.’s new elections law fails a key test”

December 12, 2023, 5:44 amcampaign finance, campaignsDerek Muller

Politico: This fall, the longtime New Jersey political boss George Norcross helped a shadowy group called Jersey Freedom split Republican votes to benefit Democrats in some of the most competitive districts in the state. In ads, the organization promoted… Continue reading

Recent news of pending Section 3 challenges

December 12, 2023, 5:41 amballot accessDerek Muller

In Michigan, the case has been submitted without argument to a court of appeals panel. The Michigan Supreme Court declined to take immediate review of the case. In Colorado, the state supreme court heard oral argument last week.… Continue reading

“Special Counsel Asks Supreme Court to Quickly Rule on Trump’s Immunity”

December 11, 2023, 1:34 pmelection administrationDerek Muller

Jess Bravin and Ryan Barber in the Wall Street Journal: Special counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court to take up Donald Trump’s claim that he is immune from prosecution and can’t face criminal charges related to efforts to… Continue reading

“OpenSecrets Welcomes Hilary Braseth as New Executive Director”

December 11, 2023, 1:34 pmcampaign financeDerek Muller

Press release.

“Still Annoyed at Biden, New Hampshire Democrats Gear Up to Help Him”

December 11, 2023, 1:34 pmballot access, campaignsDerek Muller

New York Times on a primary write-in campaign: New Hampshire Democrats were furious at President Biden when he shook up the party’s nominating calendar last year, diminishing their state’s political importance by pushing its primary election behind South Carolina’s. Kicking… Continue reading

ABA webinar: “Eighth Annual State of Voting Rights”

December 11, 2023, 6:00 amvotingDerek Muller

Today, registration link here.

Recent news on paper ballot shortages

December 11, 2023, 5:49 amelection administrationDerek Muller

In 2022, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania had ballot marking device paper shortages for some voters. Last week, a federal court denied (in part) a motion to dismiss in French v. County of Luzerne, brought by voters who did not… Continue reading

“Jury trial will decide how much Giuliani must pay election workers over false election fraud claims”

December 11, 2023, 5:32 amcampaigns, election administrationDerek Muller

Associated Press.

“The expensive, daunting fight to get RFK Jr.’s name on state ballots”

December 11, 2023, 5:31 amballot accessDerek Muller

Axios: The Kennedy campaign has divided the state requirements into a tiered system based on whether they require a VP pick, the amount of signatures needed, whether there is a date for when they can begin petitioning and their… Continue reading

“Less appetite — and opportunity — to serve as fake Trump electors in 2024”

December 11, 2023, 5:25 amelectoral collegeDerek Muller

Excerpt from the Washington Post: Another force will make it harder for electors to do what Trump’s slates did in 2020: The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022, bipartisan legislation intended to prevent the chaos surrounding the events of… Continue reading

“Talk of a Trump Dictatorship Charges the American Political Debate”

December 9, 2023, 4:31 pmauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

Peter Baker for the NYT: When a historian wrote an essay the other day warning that the election of former President Donald J. Trump next year could lead to dictatorship, one of Mr. Trump’s allies quickly responded by calling for… Continue reading