Pennsylvania: Mediocre Student
March 17, 2015
By Adama Sirleaf
A new report by Common Cause, found that Pennsylvania is having mixed results in applying the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. Alternatively, as WITF stated, “Pennsylvania is a mediocre student when it comes to heeding the advice for improving the voting experience.” (more…)
State of Elections Goes on Spring Break Hiatus
March 6, 2015
The writers and editors of State of Elections are currently on our spring break hiatus. We will return with new content soon.
Another Election, Another Voting Controversy in Florida
March 3, 2015
By Nick Raffaele:
At this point, most everyone is familiar with Florida’s comically pitiful track record when it comes to administering elections. The state certainly earned this reputation when it suffered what is probably its most notorious voting disaster in 2000, and Broward County in particular has consistently maintained poor performance ever since. The county was a standout in 2000 when it used lackadaisical standards in reviewing contested punch card ballots containing dimpled chads, and even included these unclear votes in their certified results. Broward doubled down on their anything goes attitude towards elections in 2003, when they sent mail-in ballots to voters who had moved and sparked fear of fraudulent votes. (more…)
Friday at 6pm: Another Example of Changes in Ohio’s Election Regulation
March 1, 2015
By: Mark Listes
Ohio is no stranger to changes in election administration and regulation. The Supreme Court determined the constitutionality of Ohio’s voter ID laws. The Sixth Circuit recently permanently enjoined the enforcement of Ohio’s campaign fair practice law that prohibited making false statements in campaigns. Ohio was highlighted in the 2004 election for extraordinarily long lines at its polls, and just eleven days before the 2014 midterm, the Sixth Circuit reversed the Southern District of Ohio, denying the right to vote to persons incarcerated but not yet convicted. (more…)
William & Mary Law School Election Law Society Annual Symposium Cancelled Due to Weather
February 26, 2015
By: The William & Mary Election Law Society
Due to inclement weather in Williamsburg, William & Mary’s Annual Election Law Society symposium has been cancelled as result of school closings. In the early morning on February 26th, Williamsburg received several inches of snow, which resulted in the law school closing for the day. Several symposium panelists had also previously alerted the Election Law Society of flight cancellations in anticipation of weather. Will Cooke and Jacob Kipp of the Election Law Society did an incredible job planning and organizing this event, and society members were disappointed as months of planning evaporated in an evening.
Some Special Interests More Special than Others
February 24, 2015
By: Joe Castor
Which special interests have the most clout in New Jersey? On September 10th, the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission released a study of the amount of money in New Jersey elections controlled by special interests. The report found that from 1999-2013 special interests poured in over $311 million. Special interests from unions to large business interests all take part in the massive election spending spree in New Jersey. This money is calculated from spending on campaign contributions, lobbying, and independent spending on campaigns. (more…)
If You Build It, They Will Come: College-Age Voters in North Carolina
February 22, 2015
By: Julie Tulbert
As another election season wraps up, the eternal question remains: why don’t young people vote in midterm elections? (more…)
The Primary Problem
February 19, 2015
By Staff Writer:
As the turmoil over the election season comes to a close, the battle between Thad Cochran and Chris McDaniel seems to have finally been put to rest. The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled in late October that McDaniel had missed the twenty day deadline to challenge the results of the primary runoff. However, as some conservative supporters were quick to point out, the Court never reached the merits of the case. McDaniel’s claims were dismissed based on court precedent, not black letter law, regarding timely filing. This lead some online news sources to question whether the law was properly applied or whether McDaniel might challenge Cochran’s seating in the Senate. However, despite the McDaniel campaign’s continued assertion that true justice has been denied, it appears that Thad Cochran will serve a seventh term as a U.S. Senator for Mississippi. (more…)
Oil-lections: North Dakota Elections Are Corrupted But Nothing Needs To Change
February 18, 2015
By August Johannsen
North Dakota is perhaps best known for the Midwestern “charm” portrayed in the 1996 film, Fargo. However, even that movie took place almost entirely in Minnesota. In other words, North Dakota is about as nondescript a State as States come. But then North Dakota suddenly hit the national headlines when technological advances allowed for the extraction of oil from the state’s Bakken Shale Formation. This oil boom has drastically increased the state’s financial well-being, its oil output, and its population. By now, you may be asking, “What does this have to do with state election law?” The answer is, “A lot.” (more…)
California Considers Compulsory Voting: Getting out the Vote in the Golden State
February 14, 2015
By Aaron Colby:
There was little mystery or controversy to California’s elections this year. In the 2014 elections, the historically ‘blue’ state elected a Democrat governor and lieutenant governor by over 15 percentage points each, and chose a democrat for the office of Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, and Attorney General all by greater than 5 percentage points. Democrats hold a supermajority in the State Assembly and are close to having a supermajority in the State Senate. While California has republican representation in its congressional districts, 72% of the State’s congresspersons are Democrat. (more…)