Lal and Thompson Paper: “Did Private Election Administration Funding Advantage Democrats in 2020?”

October 10, 2023, 9:34 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Important new draft from Apoorva Lal and Dan Thompson. Abstract: Private donors contributed more than $350 million to local election officials to support the administration of the 2020 election. Supporters argue these grants were neutral and necessary to maintain normal… Continue reading

A Bit of Context on Alexander v. the South Carolina Conference of the NAACP

October 10, 2023, 9:24 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

Wednesday, the Court is going to hear its first case from this round of re-districting on whether race unconstitutionally predominated in the drawing of a congressional district, in this case CD 1 in South Carolina (R. Nancy Mace’s district). There’s… Continue reading

“Impeachments and forced removals from office emerge as partisan weapons in the states”

October 10, 2023, 8:07 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Republicans in Wisconsin are threatening to impeach a recently elected state Supreme Court justice and raised the possibility of doing the same to the state’s election director. A Georgia Republican called for impeaching the Fulton County prosecutor who brought racketeering… Continue reading

“Democratic Rep. Clyburn’s Role in Redrawn Congressional Maps Becomes Key in Supreme Court Redistricting Case”

October 10, 2023, 7:58 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

ProPublica: Democratic Rep. James Clyburn’s role in South Carolina’s 2022 redistricting has emerged as a central point of contention between Democrats and Republicans in a racial gerrymandering case to be argued before the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The case… Continue reading

“Analysis of the Lawfulness of Kenneth Chesebro’s Elector Plan Under Federal Election Law”

October 10, 2023, 7:57 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Matthew Seligman at Just Security: his report analyzes the legal propriety of multiple slates of elector-nominees casting ballots purporting to be their state’s votes in the Electoral College. Kenneth Chesebro is one of 19 co-defendants in Georgia’s state criminal indictment… Continue reading

“Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice advises Republican leader against impeachment”

October 10, 2023, 7:55 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: There should be no effort to impeach a liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court justice based on what is known now, a former justice advised the Republican legislative leader who asked him to review the issue. Some Republicans had raised the… Continue reading

“Supreme Court turns away coal baron’s defamation claim against news companies”

October 10, 2023, 7:53 amFirst Amendment theoryRick Hasen

NBC News: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to consider overturning a landmark case that gives protections to news organizations facing defamation claims by rejecting an appeal brought by West Virginia coal baron Don Blankenship. Blankenship, also an erstwhile Republican… Continue reading

“Where an Obsession With Election Integrity Can Lead”

October 10, 2023, 7:52 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Jessica Huseman NYT oped: The Republican Party appears poised to stand by and say nothing while its most die-hard supporters risk disenfranchising themselves and others. There’s a right-wing movement afoot pressuring local governments to manually tally votes on ballots without… Continue reading

“The horrific nightmare scenario where Congress picks our next president”

October 10, 2023, 7:43 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Kevin Kosar oped in The Hill: One thing I worry about is a contingent presidential election. That situation arises when no candidate gets a majority of electoral votes (270 of 538). Should this situation arise, Congress gets to pick the… Continue reading

ELB Book Corner: Michael Kang: “Why Campaign Money Matters”

October 10, 2023, 7:00 amcampaign finance, judicial electionsRick Hasen

I am pleased to welcome Michael Kang to ELB Book Corner. Michael, along with Joanna Shepherd, is author of the new book, Free to Judge: The Power of Campaign Money in Judicial Elections. Here is the second… Continue reading

Wisconsin Republicans May Appeal Decision of Wisconsin Justice Not to Recuse in Redistricting Case to U.S. Supreme Court

October 9, 2023, 1:52 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

So reports Scott Bauer of AP. This may be a smart political move for Wisconsin GOP legislative leader Robin Vos, who would not want to incur the wrath of voters for impeaching a state Supreme Court justice just overwhelmingly voted… Continue reading

Minnesota Law Holding Oct. 30 Conference on Section 3 and Trump Disqualification

October 9, 2023, 1:43 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Details here. Great panelists, many of whom will also be at the online event on this topic October 20 for the Safeguarding Democracy Project.

“Fusion Could Lower the Temperature”

October 9, 2023, 8:49 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Bill Galston column in the WSJ: There is mounting evidence that institutional changes below the level of constitutional amendments can increase opportunities for voters to express more-moderate sentiments. Fortunately, our federal system allows for more experimentation along these lines than… Continue reading

Free Safeguarding Democracy Project Webinar Oct. 17: “The Trump Prosecutions, the First Amendment, and Election Interference” with Genevieve Lakier and Eugene Volokh

October 9, 2023, 8:36 amelection subversion risk, First Amendment theoryRick Hasen

I hope many of you will join us for this webinar on October 17 at 12:15 pm PT. Should be a lively discussion. Free registration required.

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