“Wisconsin election officials want to revive ‘critical’ plan”

May 8, 2023, 9:42 amelection administration, Uncategorizedrestoring public trustTabatha Abu El-Haj

Harm Venhuizen (Associated Press): The Republican chair of the Bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission remains determined to restore confidence in Wisconsin’s elections. This despite a set back last week for a bipartisan plan that would have funded a new… Continue reading

Electing Women Could Reduce Polarization

May 8, 2023, 5:14 ampolitical parties, political polarizationNew ScholarshipTabatha Abu El-Haj

A thanks to Lee Drutman for resurfacing a 2022 article in the American Political Science Review, based on an original dataset of political parties in 20 Western democracies, suggesting that having more elected officials who are women associated with… Continue reading

Richard Bernstein: Time to Unanimously Dismiss Moore v. Harper on Jurisdictional Grounds

May 7, 2023, 6:23 pmlegislation and legislatures, redistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The following is a guest post from Richard Bernstein, who wrote an amicus brief supporting affirmance in Moore v. Harper but who expresses his own views here: Whatever your view of the Elections Clause issues in Moore v. Harper, the… Continue reading

You’re in Tabatha’s Hands Now

May 7, 2023, 4:48 pmUncategorizedJustin Levitt

and that’s bound to be an upgrade. Please send tips her way.

“We Just Want Someone Sane”

May 7, 2023, 4:47 pmchicanery, election administration, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

Frank Wilkinson in Bloomberg, in a piece with a Howitzer of a subheader: Washington County, Pennsylvania, was never known as Crazytown. Then election deniers decided to run for local office.

“Why so many women are on the way out after making historic gains in N.J. Legislature”

May 7, 2023, 4:46 pmpolitical parties, primaries, redistrictingJustin Levitt

Redistricting and the “party line” in New Jersey primaries receive some (but not all) of the blame.

“In Trump Case, Bragg Pursues a Common Charge With a Rarely Used Strategy”

May 7, 2023, 4:45 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryJustin Levitt

The NYT works through the details of a falsifying business records charge and – despite the fact that there’s apparently no legal requirement to do so – the rarity of not making clear the underlying crime to convert the misdemeanor… Continue reading

“Three Cases in North Carolina, Decades of Democracy Undone”

May 7, 2023, 4:45 pmelection administration, election law and constitutional law, felon voting, judicial elections, redistricting, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

Gene Nichol spitting fire in Slate.

“Try again on no-excuse mail voting”

May 7, 2023, 4:44 pmabsentee ballotsJustin Levitt

Henry Berger, of the New York City Bar’s Election Law Committee and the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct, and Kathy Boockvar, former Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, urge New York to return no-excuse mail balloting to the permanent policy… Continue reading

“There’s only one way to fix gerrymandering (and it’s not through the courts)”

May 7, 2023, 4:44 pmlegislation and legislatures, redistrictingJustin Levitt

In The Hill, Grant Tudor and Beau Tremitiere highlight their report on the congressional single-member-district statute. I think various institutions in several states might want a word about the “only one way” in the headline (which op-ed columnists usually… Continue reading

“A group offered cities money to opt in to ranked choice voting. State elections office warns accepting that is likely illegal”

May 7, 2023, 4:42 pmalternative voting systems, election administration, The Voting WarsJustin Levitt

In response to a question at a city council meeting, an advocacy organization’s representative apparently noted that one county’s implementation of RCV might cost an extra $36,000 for software licensing, ballot design, and the like … and that the… Continue reading

“Small donations equals big trend: Experts anticipate small donors to play large role in 2024 election”

May 7, 2023, 4:41 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The Republic, out of Columbus, Indiana, really nicely connects a national trend to local giving practices.

“Michigan commission finds ‘misconduct’ by pro-Trump attorneys in 2020 lawsuit”

May 6, 2023, 8:35 amchicanery, election administration, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

Bridge Michigan with news on the state’s Attorney Grievance Commission, and its formal complaint against Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and others (including 3 Michigan attorneys).

“Arizona official targeted by election deniers now struggles with PTSD”

May 6, 2023, 8:34 amelection administration, election law biz, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

WaPo with a profile of Maricopa Supervisor Bill Gates, and the extraordinary pressures on local officials when grifters drive the fever dream of conspiracy viral.