“New polling shows most Portlanders prefer ranked choice”

February 24, 2025, 9:21 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Axios: A new poll shows most voters in Portland preferred ranked-choice voting to the city’s previous election method. Why it matters: Previous polling showed the new system was widely understood by most voters, but this survey is the first to… Continue reading

Pennsylvania: “Millbourne officials charged with brazen voter fraud scheme to try to steal a mayoral election”

February 24, 2025, 7:44 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Philly Inquirer: Three officials in a tiny borough in southeast Delaware County illegally cast dozens of ballots in a 2021 mayoral race, only to have their candidate lose, federal prosecutors allege. Federal prosecutors charged Millbourne Borough Council Vice President… Continue reading

“GOP Email System Infiltrated by Chinese Hackers Last Summer, New Book Reveals”

February 24, 2025, 7:41 amchicaneryRick Hasen

WSJ: As the Republican National Committee was gearing up for its convention in Milwaukee, it was also quietly dealing with a serious security breach of its internal communications by hackers with ties to the Chinese government, according to people familiar… Continue reading

“The Death of Competition in American Elections”

February 23, 2025, 4:32 pmpolitical parties, political polarization, redistrictingRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump’s return to Washington has tested the bounds of presidential power and set off alarms among Democrats, historians and legal scholars who are warning that the country’s democratic order is under threat. But a close review of… Continue reading

“Trump again raises idea of running for an unconstitutional third term”

February 23, 2025, 4:28 pmauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

Washington Post: The suggestion followed a stretch of days in which Trump referred to himself as a king and quoted a dictator in suggesting that he was immune from following laws — all while his administration has continued pushing the … Continue reading

“Proving Tilden Was Right”

February 23, 2025, 4:24 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Jerry Goldfeder column on preserving the rule of law.

On Political Fragmentation: How Easy or Difficult Will it Be for Germany to Put Together a Stable Government After Sunday’s Election?

February 22, 2025, 8:29 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

I’m following the fascinating German election, which takes place tomorrow, closely. One of the intriguing issues is how the role of the small parties, and the 5% threshold for a party to win any seats, will affect the ability to… Continue reading

“The State(s) of Foreign Information Operations”

February 22, 2025, 8:08 amchicaneryRick Hasen

New report from the Alliance for Securing Democracy: “A State-by-State Look at ForeignInformation Manipulation in the United States.”

“Uncovering Conflicts of Interest and Self-Dealing in the Executive Branch”

February 22, 2025, 8:06 amconflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

New from the Brennan Center: rump’s reelection and the start of his second term have also been notable for how extensively he leaned on ultra-wealthy donors to fund his campaign and staff his administration. Money has always played a role… Continue reading

“Musk and His Millions Enter Wisconsin Supreme Court Race”

February 21, 2025, 10:55 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: Elon Musk’s super PAC is back. Mr. Musk, the country’s largest donor during the 2024 election, is returning to campaigns by funding a new effort to help elect Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.… Continue reading

“Reform for Realists: The False Promise of Condorcet Voting”

February 21, 2025, 10:36 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Mike Parsons and Rachel Hutchinson have posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: As Americans grow disenchanted with democracy, many scholars suggest that election reforms may offer a path forward. The fastest growing of these reforms is ranked… Continue reading

“Call for Correction of False Statements in the Paper Claiming that the National Popular Vote Compact Would Undermine Election Integrity”

February 21, 2025, 10:34 amelectoral collegeRick Hasen

John Koza has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This paper is in response to a paper entitled “The National Popular Vote (NPV) Proposal for U.S. Presidential Elections Undermines Election Integrity” by Ronald Rivest and Philip B.… Continue reading

Pre-symposium “Law & Democracy” Podcast with Nick S.

February 20, 2025, 1:48 pmUncategorizedNed Foley

To whet your appetite for tomorrow’s symposium on “Election Law in a Misaligned America”, a preview “Law and Democracy” podcast with Nick Stephanopoulos is available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. It’s an informative conversation, which I plan to… Continue reading

“Trump Dismantles Government Fight Against Foreign Influence Operations”

February 20, 2025, 9:21 amauthoritarian threats in US, election subversion riskRick Hasen

NYT: The Trump administration is targeting government officials who had been flagging foreign interference in U.S. elections, despite ongoing concerns that adversaries are stoking political and social divisions by spreading propaganda and disinformation online, current and former government officials said.… Continue reading