“Clippers Cut a Wide Swath Making Political Campaign Videos Go Viral”

June 24, 2024, 6:08 amcheap speechRick Hasen

NYT: When Andrew Lawrence begins his night shift, he powers on his monitor to sift through Fox News’ evening programming. He and his small team at Media Matters for America, the liberal nonprofit media watchdog group, spend hours each day… Continue reading

“Disappointment and ‘depression’: Biden’s biggest fundraisers watch their advantage vanish”

June 23, 2024, 2:42 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: Joe Biden’s campaign planned to bury Donald Trump in an avalanche of cash. Instead, his allies are bracing for a slugfest without the benefit of a fatter wallet, as financial reports showed Trump outraising Biden in back-to-back months, hauling… Continue reading

“A Guide to Election Year Activities of Section 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) Organizations”

June 23, 2024, 2:36 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Steven Sholk’s latest update.

How Much Does the Hunt for Small Donors Contribute to the Extremism of Our Political Culture?

June 23, 2024, 11:42 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

This Washington Post story is full of examples of how extreme rhetoric turns on the spigot of small donations. This isn’t surprising; as I’ve noted, in the days of direct mail, consultants also understood that extreme rhetoric was a key… Continue reading

“Judge dismisses Nevada fake electors case over lack of jurisdiction”

June 22, 2024, 3:32 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Nevada Independent: A Clark County judge has dismissed the charges filed against the six Nevada Republicans who submitted an invalid slate of electoral votes for former President Donald Trump in 2020, ruling that the county was not the appropriate jurisdiction… Continue reading

“Trump Allies Begin First Line of Attack Against Arizona Election Case”

June 22, 2024, 3:31 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

NYT: Allies of former President Donald J. Trump charged in a sweeping Arizona election case on Friday began filing what is expected to be a series of challenges, seizing on a new state law aimed at curbing litigation and prosecutions… Continue reading

“Trump campaign seeks to head off convention revolt from its right flank”

June 22, 2024, 3:28 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: Arizona delegates to the Republican National Convention gathered this month in a Phoenix suburb, showing up to get to know each other and learn about their duties. Part of the presentation included a secret plan to throw the party’s… Continue reading

“France’s ‘snap’ legislative elections are a warning”

June 22, 2024, 7:44 amUncategorizedNed Foley

New Common Ground Democracy essay with this subtitle: “The likelihood that extremist parties on the right and left will gain at the expense of the middle illustrates with hyper-polarization necessitates electoral reform.“ The essay begins: “France is facing a political… Continue reading

“Here are the states where 2020 Trump electors have been charged”

June 21, 2024, 4:44 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo roundup.

California Supreme Court blocks tax initiative from ballot as an unconstitutional “revision”

June 21, 2024, 7:45 amvoter initiativesDerek Muller

Unanimous decision in Legislature of the State of California v. Weber. From the introduction: Petitioners — the Legislature of the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, and elector and former Senate President Pro Tempore John Burton — filed this… Continue reading

“Ranked-Choice Voting Draws Bipartisan Ire”

June 21, 2024, 6:53 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

TAP: In an era warped by extreme partisan discord, ranked-choice voting has managed to unsettle Republican and Democratic politicians alike. Long fearful of African American voter strength and cross-racial coalitions that sometimes spring up, many white Republican political power brokers… Continue reading

“Georgia becomes first state to require election law training for police”

June 21, 2024, 6:51 amelection administrationRick Hasen

The Guardian: Georgia is the first state to mandate training in election law in order for police to become state certified, a reflection of lessons learned in the aftermath of the state’s 2020 race. The new requirement for police trainees… Continue reading

“Republican lawmakers working on sweeping changes to Ohio election administration”

June 21, 2024, 6:48 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Ohio Capital Journal: Legislation in the Ohio House and Senate would make sweeping changes to the way Ohioans vote and how those votes are counted. Despite sterling post-election audits in Ohio and the arrival last year of strict new… Continue reading

“Trump raised so much last month he erased Biden’s cash advantage”

June 21, 2024, 6:44 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: Former President Donald Trump’s huge May fundraising haul erased President Joe Biden’s longstanding cash advantage as the two gear up for a rematch. Trump’s campaign had $116.6 million in the bank at the end of May, compared to $91.6… Continue reading