“Election law violates rights of voters with disabilities in Ohio, judge rules”

July 24, 2024, 7:32 amUncategorizedVoting Rights ActSpencer Overton

The Hill: A federal judge in Ohio struck down parts of Ohio’s 2023 election law changes, ruling on Monday the law violates the rights of voters with disabilities in the state. . . The law, which went into effect… Continue reading

“Can Robert Menendez’s Bribery Conviction Survive an Appeal?”

July 24, 2024, 7:31 amUncategorizedbribery, corruptionSpencer Overton

NYT: After Senator Robert Menendez was found guilty of bribery and corruption charges, his lawyers said they would appeal his conviction aggressively and expected that he would be vindicated. Defense lawyers make such claims routinely, but in the realm… Continue reading

“Signatures certified: Ohio anti-gerrymandering amendment on its way to November ballot”

July 24, 2024, 7:26 amUncategorizedgerrymandering, independent redistricting commissions, redistrictingSpencer Overton

Ohio Capital Journal: A proposed anti-gerrymandering amendment in Ohio that would remove politicians from the redistricting process in favor of a citizens commission has gathered enough signatures to proceed to voters on the November ballot.

“Measure aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked voting system still qualifies for ballot, officials say”

July 24, 2024, 7:25 amUncategorizedfinal four primary, RCVSpencer Overton

Washington Post: JUNEAU, Alaska — An initiative aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked choice voting system still has sufficient signatures to qualify for the November ballot, attorneys for the state said in court filings Tuesday, days after a judge disqualified… Continue reading

Trump Campaign Complaint About Harris Using Biden-Harris Campaign Funds Is Unlikely to Get Anywhere at the FEC or In Court, and If It Does It Will Likely Take Years

July 23, 2024, 4:12 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

The New York Times reports that the Trump campaign has filed a complaint at the FEC against Kamala Harris for using the Biden-Harris campaign funds for her own campaign following Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race. Most campaign finance lawyers… Continue reading

I Spoke with Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance for Their Podcast on Legal Issues Surrounding the Biden Withdrawal

July 23, 2024, 3:57 pmballot access, campaignsRick Hasen

You can listen here. It was a great conversation.

Fusion or Super-Fusion?

July 23, 2024, 3:25 pmUncategorizedNed Foley

“What Institutional Reform Would Most Depolarize Politics?” A new Common Ground Democracy essay examines, with sympathetic skepticism, the growing interest among scholars in fusion voting, as evidenced by the recent open letter advocating it. The essay explains why, given the… Continue reading

“Harris Clinches Majority of Delegates as She Closes In on Nomination”

July 23, 2024, 7:41 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

NYT: Vice President Kamala Harris moved swiftly to assert herself as the de facto Democratic nominee for president on Monday, her first full day as a candidate, as virtually every potential remaining rival bowed out and she clinched the… Continue reading

“Can Harris — or any other Democrat — access Biden campaign money?”

July 23, 2024, 7:39 amUncategorizedCampaign finance, FECSpencer Overton

NPR: The short answer seems to be that Vice President Harris — who is already poised to be the new Democratic nominee — has a strong claim to the funds, because she was and is on the filing statements… Continue reading

“Republicans claim a ‘coup’ attempt to delegitimize Kamala Harris’s candidacy”

July 23, 2024, 7:37 amUncategorizedSpencer Overton

The Guardian: Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House, suggested that Republicans would file lawsuits to try and prevent Biden from being removed from the ballot. The Oversight Project at the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind… Continue reading

“Kamala Harris Could Be the New Democratic Presidential Nominee — Here’s Her Record on Voting Rights”

July 23, 2024, 7:32 amUncategorizedvoting rightsSpencer Overton

From Democracy Docket.

“RFK Jr. floated a job in a Trump White House as he weighed endorsing Trump”

July 23, 2024, 7:31 amUncategorizedquid pro quoSpencer Overton

Washington Post: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held talks this month with former president Donald Trump about endorsing his campaign and taking a job in a second Trump administration, overseeing a portfolio of health and medical issues,… Continue reading

“$30 million gift will fund center to push for Supreme Court overhaul”

July 23, 2024, 7:29 amUncategorizedSCOTUS ReformSpencer Overton

Washington Post: A business executive and philanthropist has pledged $30 million to launch a first-of-its-kind center pushing to overhaul the Supreme Court, after a series of ethics controversies and conservative rulings prompted rising scrutiny of the justices. The major… Continue reading