MyPillow’s CEO is at it again

July 30, 2021, 6:45 amelection subversion riskNed Foley

WSJ reports that My Pillow is pulling all its ads from Fox News because of controversy over an ad that CEO Mike Lindell wanted to run to promote a “cyber symposium” he’s organized to propagate his conspiracy theories about how… Continue reading

“Georgia Republicans take first step to Fulton elections takeover”

July 29, 2021, 11:27 amelection administration, election subversion riskNed Foley

Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. The article notes that Fulton County is “home to a tenth of all Georgians.” Under Georgia’s new law, “the State Election Board can replace a county’s election board following a performance review/audit/investigation. Then, a temporary… Continue reading

Georgia may not be done revising its election laws

July 28, 2021, 1:28 pmelection administration, election subversion riskNed Foley

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. The Georgia legislature is thinking of new ways to strip power from the Secretary of State’s office, another apparent rebuke to Brad Raffensperger. To be fair, the whole idea of elected partisans running elections… Continue reading

Panic setting in over new voting rules

July 26, 2021, 10:46 amThe Voting Wars, voter id, voter registration, votingNed Foley

Politico reports on the fear among Democrats and voting rights activists that getting out the vote (GOTV) will be much harder in light of the new more restrictive voting laws being adopted in states like Georgia. The article is useful… Continue reading

State-Districts Competitiveness Gap

July 25, 2021, 3:52 pmredistrictingNed Foley

Axios has a report on a data project that Election Law at Ohio State (ELOSU) is pursuing. The idea is to compare how competitive the House districts in a state are as a group versus the competitiveness of the state… Continue reading

The effect of Brnovich v. DNC on the intentional discrimination lawsuit against Georgia

July 23, 2021, 8:00 amabsentee ballots, Department of Justice, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActDerek Muller

Over at RealClearPolitics, I have this piece looking at the potential effect of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee on intentional discrimination claims, including the lawsuit recently filed by the Justice Department against portions of Georgia’s SB 202. Much of the… Continue reading

“21st Century Jim Crow” or Electoral McCarthyism?

July 21, 2021, 12:19 pmelection subversion risk, voting, Voting Rights ActNed Foley

This op-ed in The Washington Post, by John C. Ackerman, an Illinois county clerk, argues that calling the new state laws that cut back on voting opportunities “21st century Jim Crow” is a “vilification campaign” aiming “to smear Republicans… Continue reading

Announcing the New Fair Elections and Free Speech Center at UCI Law

July 20, 2021, 8:13 ampedagogyRick Hasen

I’m delighted to share the news, scooped by Politico, that my UCI Law colleague David Kaye and I have started the Fair Elections and Free Speech Center at the law school. Why such a Center? As I state in our… Continue reading

Report on the Georgia hearing; what’s next?

July 19, 2021, 7:39 pmelection subversion risk, redistricting, voting, Voting Rights ActNed Foley

Washington Post summarizes. Given the Republican non-participation, this doesn’t sound like an effective strategy to overcome a filibuster. USA Today reports that Senate Democrats, essentially abandoning S1, will turn instead to VRA reform “this autumn”; if true, this presumably… Continue reading

Good morning. Georgia on my mind.

July 19, 2021, 6:22 amelection administration, redistricting, voting, Voting Rights ActSenateNed Foley

Thanks, Dan, we so miss you at Ohio State, but are glad to reconnect whenever there’s an opportunity. Thanks, Rick, for this opportunity to join the ELB blogging team. As I start, the Senate Rules Committee hearing today is top… Continue reading

Senate Rules Committee Hearing on Voting Rights in Georgia

July 18, 2021, 5:30 amlegislation and legislatures, Voting Rights ActDan Tokaji

The U.S. Senate Rules Committee will hold a field hearing in Atlanta tomorrow, on Protecting the Freedom to Vote: Recent changes to Georgia voting laws and the need for basic federal standards to make sure all Americans can vote in … Continue reading

“By the numbers: Voting, redistricting wars fought in least-white states”

July 14, 2021, 12:44 pmredistrictingDan Tokaji

Axios: “Texas, Georgia, Florida and Arizona have been at the center of a partisan war over voting rules that could impact voters of color — they’re also among the top 10 states with the lowest percentage of white residents.”

“With Record 2020 Turnout, Youth Activists Turn Their Energy To 2021 Redistricting”

July 13, 2021, 5:25 amredistrictingDan Tokaji

NPR: Across the country, the once-a-decade mapmaking process known as redistricting is about to get underway. In Georgia, when state lawmakers held their first virtual town hall seeking public feedback on the process, several commenters stood out amidst the… Continue reading

“Trump’s Revenge Begins in Georgia”

July 13, 2021, 3:55 amelection administration, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

The Atlantic: To many Americans, Brad Raffensperger is one of the heroes of the 2020 election. Georgia’s secretary of state, who is a conservative Republican, refused then-President Donald Trump’s direct pleas to “find” the votes that would overturn his… Continue reading

Douglas: “Beyond All-Star Game: MLB history shows many ways to champion voting”

July 12, 2021, 11:57 amUncategorizedDan Tokaji

Josh Douglas in USA Today, combining his loves for voting and baseball: Baseball took a good first step in punishing Georgia for its new restrictive voting rules and rewarding Colorado for its strong approach to democracy. But to really… Continue reading