“Ten years of a crippled Voting Rights Act: how states make it harder to vote”

June 26, 2023, 7:34 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Sam Levine and Kira Lerner for The Guardian: In 2013, the US supreme court gutted the pre-clearance requirement in a landmark case called Shelby county v Holder. In a 5-4 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Voting… Continue reading

“Oregon lawmakers send ranked choice voting proposal to November 2024 ballot”

June 26, 2023, 6:56 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

KTVZ: The Oregon Legislature on Sunday’s final day of the session passed House Bill 2004, which puts a proposal to move to ranked choice voting for federal and statewide races on the statewide ballot in November 2024.

Breaking: Supreme Court Dismisses Louisiana Voting Rights Act Cert Grant, Sends Case Back to 5th Circuit to Resolve “in Advance of the 2024 Congressional Elections”

June 26, 2023, 6:36 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

The Court had initially agreed to hear this case finding a voting rights violation in the failure to draw another majority-minority district in Louisiana, but now dismisses the cert. grant as improvidently granted after the Court’s decision in Milligan last… Continue reading

“GOP state legislatures seek greater control over state and local election offices”

June 25, 2023, 1:09 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: Lawmakers in several Republican-led states have been looking to exert more authority over state and local election offices, claiming new powers that Democrats warn could be used to target left-leaning counties in future elections. The moves range from requiring… Continue reading

“As Legal Fees Mount, Trump Steers Donations Into PAC That Has Covered Them”

June 25, 2023, 1:06 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Facing multiple intensifying investigations, former President Donald J. Trump has quietly begun diverting more of the money he is raising away from his 2024 presidential campaign and into a political action committee that he has used to pay his… Continue reading

“The super PAC frenzy redefining campaign operations”

June 25, 2023, 1:01 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: Super PACs have been growing in strength for more than a decade, but this cycle are swimming in more money than ever. They have started earlier, with more than $14 million in independent expenditures in the primary already, according… Continue reading

“A.I.’s Use in Elections Sets Off a Scramble for Guardrails”

June 25, 2023, 1:00 pmcampaigns, cheap speechRick Hasen

NYT: What began a few months ago as a slow drip of fund-raising emails and promotional images composed by A.I. for political campaigns has turned into a steady stream of campaign materials created by the technology, rewriting the political playbook… Continue reading

July ELB Blogging Schedule

June 25, 2023, 12:57 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Thanks to Ned Foley for blogging these past two weeks. I’m back with you this week, as the Supreme Court finishes its term. I will also be blogging the week of July 3 (updated), and Dan Tokaji will be blogging… Continue reading

“Today’s Senate: Less debate, fewer votes and taking forever to do it”

June 24, 2023, 12:31 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Paul Kane for WaPo: The world’s greatest deliberative body, as senators like to call their club, is not living up to that moniker: they’re voting less often and taking longer to hold those roll calls, while debating the issues far… Continue reading

“Former Trump Campaign Official in Talks to Cooperate in Jan. 6 Inquiry”

June 23, 2023, 4:58 pmchicanery, election subversion risk, electoral collegeRick Hasen

NYT: Michael Roman, a top official in former President Donald J. Trump’s 2020 campaign, is in discussions with the office of the special counsel Jack Smith that could soon lead to Mr. Roman voluntarily answering questions about a plan to… Continue reading

“Death threats and harassment: 2024 election workers already are scared”

June 23, 2023, 1:50 pmchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

NPR News reports.

“Pro-RFK Jr. Super PAC Has Deep Ties to Marjorie Taylor Greene, George Santos”

June 23, 2023, 11:39 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Rolling Stone: There’s nothing abnormal about a candidate getting a super PAC, even a candidate making a longshot bid like Kennedy’s. What is abnormal, however, is that Kennedy is running as a Democrat in the Democratic primary, while the creators… Continue reading

“Exclusive: Special counsel trades immunity for fake elector testimony as Jan 6 probe heats up”

June 23, 2023, 9:40 amchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

CNN: Special counsel Jack Smith has compelled at least two Republican fake electors to testify to a federal grand jury in Washington in recent weeks by giving them limited immunity, part of a current push by federal prosecutors to swiftly… Continue reading

Atlanta Journal-Constitution & AP on Georgia voting machine debate

June 23, 2023, 9:38 amUncategorizedNed Foley

In light of the POLITICO story posted earlier today, a reader points to two recent stories in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the same topic, one behind a paywall and the other not: “Georgia officials lay out obstacles to updating … Continue reading