“State’s attorney’s race tightens to just 2,000 votes as city elections board acknowledges mail-in ballot miscalculation”

March 25, 2024, 6:39 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Chicago Tribune: Already the Chicago area’s most closely watched primary campaign this year, the race for Cook County state’s attorney devolved into some confusion and much frustration this weekend as city election officials acknowledged a mistake in communicating how many… Continue reading

“The disinformation war has taken a toll, but researchers feel a shift”

March 24, 2024, 11:49 amcheap speechRick Hasen

NBC News: After weathering a yearslong political and legal assault, researchers who study disinformation say they see reasons to be cautiously hopeful as their efforts heat up ahead of the 2024 election. These researchers, along with the universities and nonprofits… Continue reading

“Trump escalates solidarity with Jan. 6 rioters as his own trials close in”

March 24, 2024, 7:56 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

WaPo: Shortly after Donald Trump walked onstage at a recent rally, the voice of an announcer instructed the crowd to rise “for the horribly and unfairly treated January 6th hostages.” Trump saluted, and the loudspeakers blasted a rendition of the… Continue reading

“Are We in the Midst of a Political Realignment?”

March 24, 2024, 7:54 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Nate Cohn for the NYT: “Realignment” is the holy grail of American politics — the fantasy of every political consultant who wants to usher in a new era of Democratic or Republican dominance. What’s a realignment? It’s a lasting shift… Continue reading

“The Supreme Court and Young Voter Turnout”

March 22, 2024, 5:15 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: Georgia, with its long history of the suppression of Black voters, has been ground zero for fights about voting rights laws for decades. The state has often seen stark differences in turnout between white and nonwhite communities, with the… Continue reading

“Meredith Sumpter Named FairVote CEO”

March 22, 2024, 10:08 amelection law bizRick Hasen

Release: Meredith Sumpter has been named President and CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all. Sumpter’s appointment was unanimously approved by the FairVote Board, and she will begin on April 1. Sumpter is an experienced… Continue reading

Must-read WaPo: “Republicans plan blitz of election-related lawsuits, but prospects uncertain”

March 22, 2024, 7:27 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

WaPo: When Donald Trump installed a new chairman of the Republican Party this month, he explained privately and publicly what he wanted from the GOP: a bigger focus on election-related lawsuits, a more aggressive operation to monitor voting and a… Continue reading

“Inside Garland’s Effort to Prosecute Trump: In trying to avoid even the smallest mistakes, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland might have made one big one: ending up in a race against the clock.”

March 22, 2024, 7:23 amDepartment of JusticeRick Hasen

NYT deep dive.

No Labels Leader Floats Insane “Contingent Election” Scenario

March 22, 2024, 7:16 amelectoral collegeRick Hasen

Just wow via NYT: No Labels, the group that for months has pledged to run a centrist presidential ticket in the event of a rematch between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, is running out of time to… Continue reading

“Coordination in Plain Sight: The Breadth and Uses of ‘Redboxing’ in Congressional Elections”

March 22, 2024, 7:09 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Gabriel Foy-Sutherland and Saurav Ghosh have written this article for ELJ. Here is the abstract: This article examines the campaign strategy known as “redboxing.” Redboxing refers to efforts by candidates and parties to bypass laws prohibiting them from coordinating campaign… Continue reading

Ohio: “Organizers sue Yost over rejection of ballot proposal that would abolish qualified immunity”

March 22, 2024, 7:05 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

Cleveland.com: Citizens behind an effort to abolish “qualified immunity” – a legal doctrine that can shield police from liability amid accusations of excessive use of force – are suing Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, alleging he’s illegally blocking them from… Continue reading

“Trump’s invite to major donors prioritizes the committee paying his legal bills over the RNC”

March 21, 2024, 1:57 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: Donald Trump’s new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee directs donations to his campaign and a political action committee that pays the former president’s legal bills before the RNC gets a cut, according to a fundraising invitation… Continue reading

“Ballot Measure May Scare Away the People Who Help Run Wisconsin Elections”

March 21, 2024, 11:52 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Bolts: For the past two years, Nick Ramos has volunteered his time to ensure more Wisconsinites can participate in elections: with a mobile printer in hand, he visits polling places in the Milwaukee area to help people who lack proper… Continue reading

“South Carolina Republicans ask justices to let district ruled a racial gerrymander go forward”

March 21, 2024, 11:47 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Amy Howe for SCOTUSBlog: Telling the justices that if they do not intervene they will create “confusion and uncertainty over this year’s elections,” a group of Republican lawmakers from South Carolina came to the Supreme Court this week, asking the… Continue reading