Social media and democracy

June 2, 2025, 3:59 amFirst Amendment theoryDerek Muller

Some reflections from Senator Todd Young over at Politico: As I talk about this topic with regular citizens — that is, those who don’t own major social media companies or work at Washington, D.C., think tanks — there is… Continue reading

Election updates from Mexico, Poland, South Korea

June 2, 2025, 3:57 amcomparative election lawDerek Muller

One more story on Mexico’s judicial elections, from the Wall Street Journal: Weak requirements for candidates risk elevating underqualified magistrates. Drug cartels could try to influence elections for judges who work at high-security prisons where top criminals are locked… Continue reading

Good night, and good luck

June 1, 2025, 4:45 pmelection law bizJustin Levitt

As always, when Rick loans the blog for a bit, I’m inevitably surprised by how much work it can entail, and humbled by the fact that he’s at the helm day in and day out. So I’ll close my guest… Continue reading

A few more pieces on today’s judicial elections in Mexico

June 1, 2025, 9:17 amelection administration, judicial electionsballot design, international electionsJustin Levitt

The NYT has one all about ballot design. And another replaying some debates about electing judges that will be very familiar to domestic versions of the same question. And still another reviewing the political dynamics of the elections right… Continue reading

“North Carolina elections take a risky turn”

June 1, 2025, 9:16 amelection administration, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

Steve Ford discusses the NC legislature’s partisan transfer of the power to select the State Board of Elections from the governor to the state auditor.

“Why stricter voting laws no longer help Republicans”

June 1, 2025, 9:15 amelection administration, political parties, The Voting Wars, voter registrationvoter turnoutJustin Levitt

The Economist, making my point from yesterday.

“Noem urges Poles to elect Trump ally as CPAC holds its first meeting in Poland”

May 31, 2025, 11:38 amUncategorizedinternational electionsJustin Levitt

I somehow missed this AP report from Tuesday, about the current U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (with a cameo by John Eastman) expressly campaigning in Poland for a particular candidate in tomorrow’s Polish presidential election. (While OLC has interpreted … Continue reading

“Judicial Candidates Try TikTok and Tinder in Mexico’s Sprawling Elections”

May 31, 2025, 11:10 amcampaign finance, campaigns, cheap speech, judicial electionsJustin Levitt

I mentioned Mexico’s historic upcoming judicial elections a few days ago, but hadn’t then focused on the campaign finance regime. Now the NYT digs a little deeper: They weren’t allowed to buy ads on television, radio, billboards or… Continue reading

“Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare Speaks on Redistricting Effort, Partisanship Claims”

May 31, 2025, 11:09 amelection law and constitutional law, political parties, redistrictinglocal redistricting, partisan gerrymanderJustin Levitt

A coming vote on new mid-decade maps for Tarrant County, Texas (where Ft. Worth is the county seat) has been quite controversial, with charges of racial and partisan impropriety, and likely litigation on the horizon. County Judge Tim O’Hare has… Continue reading

“Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet”

May 31, 2025, 11:06 amelection administration, The Voting Warsvoter turnoutJustin Levitt

The Daily Caller calls out low-propensity Republican voters. Given that restrictions on access to the ballot generally hit low-propensity voters harder, I’ve been wondering for a while whether the political incentives on election administration issues might be changing. (And that’s… Continue reading

“What the REAL ID delay tells us about implementing proof-of-citizenship laws”

May 31, 2025, 11:05 amelection administration, The Voting Wars, voter idproof of citizenshipJustin Levitt

That’s the subject line of this week’s Votebeat newsletter, covering a bunch of reporting from a bunch of states that it’s been less straightforward for people to get the right kind of ID than it might at first seem.

“What is the president’s role in federal elections?”

May 31, 2025, 11:04 amelection administration, Election Assistance Commission, election law and constitutional lawExecutive OrdersJustin Levitt

David Becker, on CBS, says “not much” for 6 and a half minutes.

“School Choice and Household Participation in School District Politics”

May 31, 2025, 11:03 amvotinglocal elections, voter turnoutJustin Levitt

A fascinating new Annenberg Institute paper from three MSU researchers on the connection between school choice and voter turnout in local bond elections. Theoretically, I can understand why sending your kid to a different school might change incentives to vote… Continue reading

Quote of the Day

May 31, 2025, 9:18 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

“They don’t want someone who’s just going to be like, ‘We’re going to follow the law and do the originalistic thing, and whatever the result is, so may be it,’” said the consultant. “They want someone [who] can figure out… Continue reading