“Almost 25,000 mail-in ballots were rejected in Texas for its March 1 primary election”

April 6, 2022, 11:54 amabsentee ballots, election administrationRick Hasen

NPR: A total of 24,636 mail-in ballots were rejected throughout Texas in the March 1 primary election, the Texas secretary of state’s office said Wednesday.That’s a 12.38% rejection rate — far higher than in previous contests.Local election officials,… Continue reading

New “Elections Matter 2022” Series

April 6, 2022, 9:33 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

This midterm election season the Elections Research Center and State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will co-host a series called “Election Matters 2022.” This event series will bring together diverse experts to tackle evolving election-related… Continue reading

Dan Tokaji for “Cheap Speech” Balkinization Symposium: “Why State Courts May Be Democracy’s Last Line of Defense”

April 6, 2022, 7:39 amcheap speechRick Hasen

Dan Tokaji has the first post up in a new Balkinization symposium on my Cheap Speech book. (Other contributors are: Guy-Uriel Charles (Harvard), Julie Cohen (Georgetown), Yasmin Dawood (Toronto), Mary Anne Franks (Miami), Dan Tokaji (Wisconsin), and Eugene Volokh (UCLA).).… Continue reading

“Election claims dominate lively night for Trump, allies at Mar-a-Lago”

April 6, 2022, 7:26 amchicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

WaPo: Former president Donald Trump and a coterie of his top allies, donors and paying club members gathered at his palatial beachfront club Tuesday night for a reunion of sorts: to sip Trump-branded wine, snack on an amuse-bouche of… Continue reading

“Justice Dept. Investigation of Jan. 6 Confronts Sprawling Cast of Characters”

April 6, 2022, 7:24 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

NYT: Among the challenges facing the federal grand jury recently empaneled to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is the sheer number of people who might have information relevant to its inquiry.According to a subpoena issued by… Continue reading

“The Dangers of Partisan Incentives for Election Officials”

April 6, 2022, 6:44 amelection administrationRick Hasen

New report from BPC/ERN.

“January 6 committee obtains emails that former Trump attorney John Eastman sought to keep secret”

April 5, 2022, 6:46 pmchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

CNN: The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol has obtained a cache of emails that right-wing lawyer John Eastman had sought to keep secret.The 101 emails — exchanged between January 4… Continue reading

Watch My Conversation with the League of Women Voters About My Cheap Speech Book and How to Strengthen American Democracy

April 5, 2022, 5:32 pmcheap speechRick Hasen

You can watch the video at this link.

“More Evidence Bolsters Durham’s Case Against Democratic-Linked Lawyer”

April 5, 2022, 1:35 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Charlie Savage for the NYT: The Trump-era special counsel scrutinizing the Russia investigation has acquired additional evidence that may bolster his case against a Democratic-linked lawyer accused of lying to the F.B.I. at a September 2016 meeting about Donald… Continue reading

“Fake Trump Elector Is Running in Wisconsin This Week, Alongside Other Big Lie Supporters”

April 5, 2022, 1:00 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

New at Bolts.

“Political polarization raising fears for future of American democracy”

April 5, 2022, 12:28 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Michael Gormley for Newsday: The question, buried at the bottom of a routine poll, was startling: Do you think the United States will continue to be a democratic republic eight years from now?The response was jarring: 22% of New… Continue reading

“Here’s What Electoral Count Act Reform Should Look Like”

April 5, 2022, 12:12 pmelectoral collegeRick Hasen

Thomas Berry of Cato and Genevieve Nadeau of Protect Democracy offer these ideas over at Lawfare.

“This election expert is very worried about the 2024 election”

April 5, 2022, 12:06 pmcheap speech, election subversion riskRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten interviewed me for CNN.

April 6 BPC/ERN Event: “Neutralizing Partisan Incentives for Election Officials)”

April 5, 2022, 8:37 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

This looks important (free registration required): In the last three years, election administration and election officials have been pulled into the political fray. Most election systems are designed to be led by nonpartisan experts with the best interests of… Continue reading