New York City’s ranked-choice primary

June 23, 2025, 12:45 pmalternative voting systems, primariesballot design, ranked-choice votingJustin Levitt

With the hotly-contested ranked choice primary in NYC on Tuesday, voters in NYC (and well beyond) are getting a lot of publicity about how ranked-choice voting works. The New Republic offers praise for what it calls the “generally friendly, policy-focused”… Continue reading

FTC ad placement consent decree with a … very unusual provision

June 23, 2025, 12:43 pmcampaigns, cheap speech, First Amendment theorydemocratic backsliding, political advertisingJustin Levitt

The FTC announced its approval today of a consent agreement governing the acquisition by Omnicrom of The Interpublic Group – both offer (inter alia) media buying services. The agreement allows the purchase but prohibits Omnicrom from directing ad spending to… Continue reading

SCOTUS denies cert. on felony disenfranchisement case (allowing case to proceed)

June 23, 2025, 12:41 pmSupreme Courtfelony disenfranchisementJustin Levitt

Back in December, I flagged an important 4th Circuit opinion rejecting Virginia’s claims that it was immune from suit under the Virginia Readmission Act, which plaintiffs’ assert prevents the Commonwealth from disenfranchising citizens for convictions that wouldn’t have been common… Continue reading

“Bachenberg agrees to pay $500,000 to settle voting machine audit lawsuit”

June 23, 2025, 12:40 pmchicanery2020 Election Conspiracies, The Big LieJustin Levitt

Armchair Lehigh Valley and The Morning Call have a report on some of the latest in 2020 fallout: A prominent Lehigh Valley Republican and major supporter of President Trump has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that… Continue reading

“Arizona budget proposes millions for Maricopa County recorder as he clashes with supervisors”

June 23, 2025, 12:36 pmelection administration, election law bizJustin Levitt

Votebeat continues to be on top of the expanding fight between Maricopa’s (Republican) recorder and Maricopa’s (Republican) board of supervisors, both of which exercise control over different parts of the electoral ecosystem and are at odds about who should have… Continue reading

“Survey shows Californians want ballots in more languages”

June 23, 2025, 12:35 pmVoting Rights Actlanguage accessJustin Levitt

The LA Times reports, as we near the 50th anniversary in August of the expansion of language protections under the federal Voting Rights Act.

“Colorado has been expanding some of its privacy protections, but how do they work, and who qualifies?”

June 23, 2025, 12:35 pmcampaign finance, voter registrationpolitical violenceJustin Levitt

Colorado Public Radio has a story on privacy protections (and concerns) with respect to the voter rolls, the state’s campaign finance database, and beyond.

A Few Points about the Structure of NYC’s Democratic Primary for Mayor

June 23, 2025, 7:40 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

Proponents of ranked-choice voting often say the system will lead to more moderate candidates being elected. I don’t think that’s correct or the right way to put things. RCV makes it more likely that candidates who are the preference of… Continue reading

“Minnesota assassination prompts many lawmakers to wonder: Is service worth the danger?”

June 22, 2025, 5:18 pmlegislation and legislatures, political polarizationdemocratic backsliding, political violenceJustin Levitt

From the Alabama Reflector, with the subhead based on a Brennan Center report: Nearly 9 in 10 state lawmakers reported facing insults and 4 in 10 facing harassment and threats. And these threats aren’t evenly distributed: Women were… Continue reading

DOJ weighs in in Alabama preclearance

June 22, 2025, 5:16 pmDepartment of Justice, redistricting, Voting Rights Actbail-in, preclearance, Section 3Justin Levitt

In the Alabama redistricting case, readers will recall the May 8 unanimous 571-page-opinion from one judge first appointed by Reagan and two judges appointed by Trump; the opinion said, inter alia, “try as we might, we cannot understand the… Continue reading

“N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary May Hinge on Early Voters as Heat Wave Looms”

June 22, 2025, 5:14 pmabsentee ballots, election administration, primariesearly voting, voter turnout, weatherJustin Levitt

Yet another reminder that early and mail voting options help mitigate the degree to which a system of voting only on one day is subject to anomalies on that day that don’t really have anything to do with accurately conveying… Continue reading

“Amid upcoming redistricting deadline, massive changes could soon be coming for Ohio’s congressional map”

June 22, 2025, 5:12 pmconflict of interest laws, election law and constitutional law, political parties, redistrictingpartisan gerrymanderJustin Levitt

Ohio’s redistricting process has been, charitably, a mess. WLWT in Ohio focuses on the coming summer redraw of Ohio’s congressional lines, which were valid only for 2022 and 2024 under Ohio’s constitution, because they were passed by a… Continue reading

“Hawaiʻi Senator Didn’t Disclose Possible Conflict Of Interest Before Voting”

June 22, 2025, 5:11 pmconflict of interest laws, ethics investigations, legislation and legislaturesJustin Levitt

From the Honolulu City Beat article: Donovan Dela Cruz voted four times in favor of passing a bill designed to protect māmaki tea, even though he owns a māmaki tea business. . . . The Senate’s rules require that members… Continue reading

Me again

June 22, 2025, 5:09 pmUncategorizedJustin Levitt

Hi, all. It’s Justin again. With profound thanks to Tabatha for wrestling with the news fire hose for the last week, I’m afraid you’re stuck (mostly) with me for the next week or so. Tips / suggestions / scandalous gossip… Continue reading