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

“How Conservative Christians Cracked a 70-Year-Old Law”

July 30, 2025, 8:44 amtax law and election lawRick Hasen

NYT deep dive: Earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service reinterpreted the ban, known as the Johnson Amendment, saying for the first time that churches could endorse candidates from the pulpit. The change, which came via a legal settlement, functionally… Continue reading

“Texas House Republicans unveil new congressional map that looks to pick up five GOP seats”

July 30, 2025, 8:32 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: Texas GOP lawmakers released their first draft of the state’s new congressional map Wednesday, proposing revamped district lines that attempt to flip five Democratic seats in next year’s midterm elections. The new map targets Democratic members of… Continue reading

“How Newsom could redraw career ambitions”

July 30, 2025, 7:58 amredistrictingRick Hasen

California Playbook: MAPPING IT OUT: The potential contours of a snap California redistrict are coming into focus (more on the politics of that exercise below). Attorney General Rob Bonta suggested yesterday that lawmakers could put a new, fully realized map before voters… Continue reading

Ellen Katz: “Redistricting Texas Now is Illegal and the U.S. Department of Justice is the Reason Why”

July 30, 2025, 7:53 amchicanery, direct democracy, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Ellen Katz has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to the Texas Governor and Attorney General that claims four Texas congressional districts violate the Voting Rights Act and the… Continue reading

North Carolina: “All-GOP Appeals Court panel ruled against Stein in elections board dispute”

July 29, 2025, 2:36 pmchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

Carolina Journal: Three Republican members of the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued the April order that blocked a lower court ruling favoring Democratic Gov. Josh Stein in a dispute over state elections board appointments. Appeals Court rules blocked release… Continue reading

“DOJ Is Said to Plan to Contact All 50 States on Voting Systems”

July 29, 2025, 1:46 pmchicanery, Department of Justice, election administrationRick Hasen

Democracy Docket: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has said it intends to contact all 50 states about their compliance with federal voting law, a national association of state election officials told Democracy Docket. “As states recently began to receive… Continue reading

League of Women Voters, ACLU and Rutherford Institute File Amicus Brief Supporting Republican Representative Bost’s Standing to Sue over Accepting Ballots Arriving After Election Day

July 29, 2025, 1:10 pmcampaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

They disagree on the merits of Bost’s position, but this filing at the Supreme Court supporting standing for Rep. Bost is still notable. See also this interesting amicus brief from Professor Michael Morley.

ACLU et. al. Amicus Brief Supports Standing in The Election-Law Case to be Argued Next Term

July 29, 2025, 12:20 pmUncategorizedRichard Pildes

The ACLU, the League of Women Voters, and other groups have filed an amicus brief in support of the standing claim raised by candidate for Congress Michael Bost in Bost v. Illinois State Bd of Elections. Bost is seeking to… Continue reading

“Justice department asked California to give info on non-citizens on voter rolls”

July 29, 2025, 9:14 amchicanery, Department of Justice, election administrationRick Hasen

The Guardian: The Department of Justice has asked several large California counties to provide detailed personal information of non-citizens who got on to the state voter rolls, an unusual request that comes as the Trump administration has asked about a … Continue reading

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