California: “Gavin Newsom floats November special election for his anti-Trump redistricting push”

July 31, 2025, 3:40 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Politico: Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he will likely call a November special election to have voters approve new House maps that boost Democrats. By embracing a public vote, Newsom teed up a nationalized contest that opens a prominent front… Continue reading

“The Fact Checker rose in an era of false claims. Falsehoods are now winning.”

July 31, 2025, 3:32 pmcheap speechRick Hasen

Glenn Kessler’s final WaPo column as their fact checker: In reviewing many of the some 3,000 fact checks I have written or edited, there is a clear dividing line: June 2015, the month Donald Trump rode down the Trump Tower… Continue reading

D.C. Bar Committee Recommends that Jeffrey Clark, Who Tried to Help Trump Subvert the 2020 Presidential Election, Be Disbarred

July 31, 2025, 12:00 pmchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

From the report and recommendation: Having reviewed the record in this matter, including the parties’ arguments before the Board, we reject Respondentís procedural arguments and dispositive motions. On the merits, we conclude that Disciplinary Counsel proved by clear and… Continue reading

“Overcoming the Barriers that Native Americans Face in the Voting Process”

July 31, 2025, 9:58 amvoting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

James Thomas Tucker, Jacqueline De León & Daniel Craig McCool have written this article for the Urban Lawyer. This article describes the many barriers that Native American voters face, litigation brought to remove those barriers, and proposed policy solutions.

“Corporate America has largely abandoned its post-January 6 promises on democracy”

July 31, 2025, 9:46 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

CREW: Since the January 6 insurrection, over 2,000 corporate and industry group PACs have given over $174 million to members of the Sedition Caucus—those 147 lawmakers who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election as well as Donald Trump and… Continue reading

“Shifting Attention to Internal Administrative Law in the States”

July 31, 2025, 8:54 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Chris Walker at Jotwell, reviewing Kevin M. Stack, The Internal Law of Democracy, 77 Vand. L. Rev. 1627 (2024): In The Internal Law of Democracy, Professor Stack examines how internal administrative law has shaped election administration. After Part I… Continue reading

Wice: “Congressional bills threaten equal representation, census accuracy”

July 31, 2025, 8:52 amcensus litigation, redistrictingRick Hasen

Jeff Wice Newsday oped: Fair representation in Congress is under attack. Several bills aim to limit the population used for allotting the 435 congressional districts among the states. …These current efforts threaten equal representation, and census accuracy, for Long… Continue reading

The Downballot on Why the Texas Gerrymander is Likely to be Effective and Not a “Dummymander”

July 31, 2025, 8:47 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Downballot: Texas Republicans unveiled a congressional redistricting proposal on Wednesday that would, as Donald Trump asked, further gerrymander the state’s map by making five Democratic-held seats more likely to flip in next year’s elections. The plan, which could change… Continue reading

Michael Li Answers Reader Questions about Texas Gerrymandering at Bolts

July 31, 2025, 8:45 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Read here.

As redistricting eyes turn again to California

July 31, 2025, 7:06 amelection law and constitutional law, redistrictingindependent redistricting commissions, state constitutionsJustin Levitt

Justin here. I find much of the work of the UCLA Voting Rights Project to be really valuable — but I have to say, I agree with Rick’s take on their read of the California Constitution‘s provisions on redistricting.… Continue reading

“[County Executive] Sam Page indicted on election and theft charges over St. Louis County proposition mailer”

July 31, 2025, 6:47 amcampaign finance, direct democracyTravis Crum

STLPR reports: A St. Louis County grand jury on Wednesday indicted County Executive Sam Page on charges involving the use of public money to campaign against Proposition B ahead of the April election. The measure would have allowed the St.… Continue reading

UCLA Voting Rights Project Experts Argue, Wrongly in My View, that the California Legislature Could Engage in Re-Redistricting California’s Congressional Districts without Voter Approval

July 30, 2025, 4:22 pmdirect democracy, redistrictingRick Hasen

What a difference half a day makes. Contrary to the earlier reporting from Politico that California Democrats might try to call a special election to get voter approval for a Democratic gerrymander of congressional districts (to counter the expected… Continue reading

Georgia: “State Election Board accuses Lyft of violating the law by offering discounted rides to the polls”

July 30, 2025, 2:28 pmvote buyingRick Hasen

News from the States: Georgia’s State Election Board has accused the rideshare company Lyft of violating Georgia’s election law by offering discounted rides to users who were heading to the polls. At a Tuesday meeting, the board voted 3-1 to… Continue reading

“Despite grand claims, a new report shows noncitizen voting hasn’t materialized”

July 30, 2025, 10:56 amchicanery, election administration, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Miles Parks for NPR: After President Trump and many other Republicans warned that vast numbers of non-U.S. citizens would influence last year’s election, states and law enforcement have devoted more resources than ever before to root out those ineligible voters.… Continue reading