“GOP eyes legal challenges as Harris assumes control of Biden’s war chest”

July 22, 2024, 7:32 amUncategorizedCampaign finance, FECSpencer Overton

Washington Post: But as Biden tries to hand over the committee’s millions in remaining cash to Harris, Republican lawyers and operatives are saying “not so fast.” . . . . Within hours of Biden announcing his decision, the committee… Continue reading

Thanks Dan . . .

July 22, 2024, 7:30 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

Thanks to Dean Dan Tokaji of the University of Wisconsin Law School for blogging over the last two weeks, and for his contributions to the election law field and to the legal academy generally. I had the good fortune of… Continue reading

“Kamala Harris Replacing Joe Biden Is Not Antidemocratic; Hey Republicans, No Coup for You”

July 22, 2024, 6:51 amballot access, political partiesRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: With news of President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, some Republicans are claiming he cannot be removed from the presidential ballot in November and in any case it is… Continue reading

Over to Overton . . .

July 21, 2024, 9:30 pmUncategorizedDan Tokaji

Thanks to Rick Hasen for allowing me to guest blog these past two weeks. It’s been a crazy time, with both historic and horrific things happening. Keeping track of it all has been exciting, if sometimes exhausting, which makes me… Continue reading

The Virtual Roll Call and Harris’s Candidacy

July 21, 2024, 9:09 pmballot access, political partiesDan Tokaji

After President Biden’s historic announcement earlier today, many people are wondering what will happen next. While no one yet knows for sure, there’s been speculation about the possibility of an open convention or even a “blitz primary.” But the… Continue reading

“ActBlue rakes in nearly $50 million in 7 hours after Harris campaign launch”

July 21, 2024, 8:00 pmcampaign financeDan Tokaji

The Hill on this post: “As of 9pm ET, grassroots supporters have raised $46.7 million through ActBlue following Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launch. This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired… Continue reading

“Stop panicking. Replacing Biden on ballots isn’t a problem.”

July 21, 2024, 7:49 pmballot access, political partiesDan Tokaji

Andy Craig in MSNBC: “There is no credible basis for the claims that the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, whoever that may be, will be kicked off the ballot in any state. As things stand currently, no relevant deadlines… Continue reading

I Spoke with the PBS News Hour About Legal Issues Surrounding the Biden Withdrawal (Link to Video)

July 21, 2024, 3:00 pmballot access, campaignsRick Hasen

You can watch at this link.

Breaking: Biden Out — What Happens Now?

July 21, 2024, 11:21 ampolitical partiesDan Tokaji

First of all, wow! His “My Fellow Americans” letter may be found here. The key paragraph: It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek… Continue reading

“Republicans could file challenges if Biden replaced, Speaker Johnson says”

July 21, 2024, 9:20 amballot access, political partiesDan Tokaji

Politico on the Speaker’s smoke blowing: “Technically, Biden has not yet been formally nominated to be the Democratic presidential candidate and won’t be until a vote of the delegates selected to the Democratic National Convention. Still, Johnson said there might… Continue reading

“Trump’s Conviction and Biden’s Poor Debate Sent Big Money Into the Race”

July 21, 2024, 6:29 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

NYT: New campaign-finance filings released this week revealed the degree to which Mr. Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts on May 30 and Mr. Biden’s disastrous debate performance on June 27 became seminal moments in the fund-raising race…. The… Continue reading

“Legal fight continues with appeals over proposed immigration initiative for Arizona Nov. 5 ballot”

July 21, 2024, 5:39 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

AP: The fight to keep a proposed border initiative off Arizona’s Nov. 5 ballot is not over yet. Immigrant advocates kept the issue alive this week by filing notice to the state Supreme Court that they will appeal the… Continue reading

“Alaska election officials to recalculate signatures for ranked vote repeal measure after court order”

July 21, 2024, 5:36 amalternative voting systems, direct democracyDan Tokaji

AP: A state court judge on Friday disqualified numerous booklets used to gather signatures for an initiative that aims to repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting system and gave elections officials a deadline to determine if the measure still had… Continue reading

“Biden was far outspending Trump — with little to show for it — even before the debate”

July 21, 2024, 5:28 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

Politico reports that Biden outspent Trump 6:1 in June, a “massive spending differential [that] helped Trump’s operation extend its cash advantage, underscoring the vastly different financial and political realities of the two campaigns at a key moment in the cycle.”… Continue reading