Election-Campaign Law

Alabama: state requirements for ballot access upheld

Posted on July 23, 2009
Ballot Access News reports: On July 23, U.S. District Court Mark Fuller, a Bush, Jr., appointee, upheld the number of signatures required for an independent U.S. House candidate in Alabama. Shugart v Chapman, middle district, 2:08-cv-1016-MEF. Here is the 7-page...

On the House calendar today: the Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and Confirm Act

Posted on July 21, 2009
Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and Confirm Act (Reported in House) HR 2510 RH Union Calendar No. 85 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2510 [Report No. 111-169] To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to reimburse States for...

Scotland: "Commons should adopt PR, say Scots voters"

Posted on July 20, 2009
The Herald reports: Scots are the most satisfied about the way democracy works in the UK, a poll published today shows. Yet the snapshot of 2000 Britons, taken by YouGov for the Fabian Society earlier this month, also shows that...

Congratulations to Brenda Wright and Tova Wang

Posted on July 16, 2009
From Demos: Demos is delighted to announce two significant staffing changes in its Democracy Program, which works to strengthen democracy in the United States by reducing barriers to voter participation and encouraging civic engagement. Effective June 1, Brenda Wright has...

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"Future of the Voting Rights Act"

Posted on July 10, 2009
The New American Foundation announces: On June 30th, over 100 people attended "The Future of the Voting Rights Act," a morning conference cosponsored by the New America Foundation and FairVote. The conference featured some of the nation's top voting rights...

Happy Birthday

Posted on July 04, 2009
-- to the United States, only 233 years old. I was listening to the reading of the Declaration of Independence on NPR's Morning Edition yesterday, and these words struck me: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all...

Alabama: "Recusals delay ex-secretary of state's case"

Posted on June 26, 2009
AP reports that the recusal of three members of (of five) on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has delayed the appeal of the State in former Secretary of State Nancy Worley's criminal case. Read the full story --> Recusals...

Alabama: more inmates are registering to vote

Posted on June 25, 2009
The Dothan Eagle reports: Some inmates in the city and county jails will have the chance to vote in upcoming municipal elections, thanks to the Rev. Kenneth Glasgow. Glasgow and The Ordinary People Society will be registering inmates in the...

Alabama: Birmingham gets preclearance for earlier election

Posted on June 22, 2009
The Birmingham News reports that the City of Birmingham finally received preclearance for its earlier election date. For earlier stories on this, see here, here, and here....

Alabama: Birmingham's election date still up in the air

Posted on June 16, 2009
The Birmingham News reports: Just a week remains before Birmingham city officials must either set early August city elections or revert to the original fall date. Candidates, city officials and city attorneys still don't know when the election will take...

Alabama: Poarch Creek Indians deny challenges to election results

Posted on June 15, 2009
The Atmore Advance reports that the Election Board of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians has denied the election challenges brought by 4 candidates. Read the whole story --> The Atmore Advance > Breaking News...

Alabama: Challenge to results of Poarch Band of Creek Indians election

Posted on June 11, 2009
The Atmore Advance reports on an election contest filed against the results of the special election held by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians' election for the offices of vice-chairman and two member-at-large positions. -- Read the whole article at...

Alabama: military-voting bill keeps Alabama at the back of the pack

Posted on May 31, 2009
The Montgomery Advertiser reports: A bill that would have made voting easier for Alabama's mil­itary members died in the last days of the legislative session. Both houses passed a version of the bill that had little opposi­tion this year and...

New Hampshire: DOJ drops Tobin case

Posted on May 27, 2009
TPMmuckraker reports: Has the New Hampshire phone-jamming case finally come to a quiet end? Federal prosecutors have dropped their case against former regional NRSC official James Tobin in connection with a GOP plot to jam the phone lines of the...

Alabama: Birmingham's election date still undetermined

Posted on May 21, 2009
The Birmingham News reports: Birmingham City Council members and candidates for city elections are incensed that there still is no definite date set for council and school board elections. The City Council three months ago voted to ask the Department...

New Jersey: "E-Voting Machines on Trial"

Posted on May 20, 2009
Danielle Citron writes on Concurring Opinions: On Monday, a New Jersey Superior Court wrapped up a fifteen-week trial in Gusciora v. Corzine. There, plaintiffs challenged New Jersey's use of e-voting machines on the grounds that the machines cannot be trusted...

Alabama: election contest voided by state supreme court

Posted on May 16, 2009
The Gadsden Times reports: In an opinion released Friday, all nine justices of the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee County Circuit Court did not have jurisdiction to decide the election contest case that evolved from the Cedar Bluff...

Alabama: PAC-to-PAC transfer bill dies after effort to tack on anti-Artur Davis provision

Posted on May 16, 2009
The Birmingham News reports: Legislation aimed at helping soldiers overseas vote electronically in elections died Friday after the Senate added an unrelated provision to prohibit a federal campaign from giving to a state race. Secretary of State Beth Chapman said...

Alabama: prosecutors did not charge Sen. McClain with misuse of campaign funds, but want to enhance his corruption sentence any way

Posted on May 15, 2009
The Birmingham News reports: Federal prosecutors today will ask a judge to sentence former state Sen. E.B. McClain to 17½ years in prison. A lengthy prison sentence is warranted, prosecutors say, because McClain has a penchant for breaking the law...

Alabama: Birmingham's slow preclearance request for election-date change has potential candidates and council worried

Posted on May 11, 2009
The Birmingham News reports: The city last week filed its formal request with federal officials to move up the City Council and school board elections - more than two months after the City Council voted for the change. ... However,...

Alabama: judicial candidates to face additional requirements

Posted on May 09, 2009
The Montgomery Advertiser reports: The Alabama Legislature has passed a bill to set minimum expe­rience requirements for judges. The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that requires a state appeals court judge to have been a lawyer for...

Alabama: ethics charges against Hale County judge arising from election investigation

Posted on May 06, 2009
The Tuscaloosa News reports: A Hale County circuit judge has been accused by the state's Judicial Inquiry Commission of ethical violations over how he handled a voter fraud investigation involving three of his relatives. The complaint handed down by the...

Over 33 Million Dollars Wasted in 100 counties in 2008 Due to Antiquated Voter Registration System

Posted on May 06, 2009
Guest post by Lisa Gilbert, U.S.PIRG Democracy Advocate If only one lesson was well learned in the recent elections, it is that their success or failure is entirely dependent on the resources and skills of our local and state-level election...

Alabama: GOP block non-partisan election of judges in Marshall County

Posted on April 29, 2009
Republicans block nonpartisan judicial elections - NewsFlash - al.com AP reports: "Republicans block nonpartisan judicial elections." In Alabama we have a strange creature called a "local constitutional amendment" by which the voters of one city or county can amend the...

Alabama: Sparks accuses Davis of violating state campaign law by using congressional fundraising for gubernatorial campaign

Posted on April 25, 2009
The TimesDaily reports: Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks said Friday that U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, of Birmingham, broke campaign finance laws for using money from congressional fundraisers for his gubernatorial bid before June 1. June 1 is the first day candidates...

Washington State: Legislature passes National Popular Vote bill

Posted on April 16, 2009
National Popular Vote.org reports: The Washington House of Representatives passed the National Popular Vote bill, thereby sending the bill to Governor Chris Gregoire. The Washington House is the 26th state legislative chamber in the country to pass the National Popular...

Florida: keep those lawyers away from the voters

Posted on April 16, 2009
The New York Times reports: Republican lawmakers, who control both houses of the Legislature, have proposed sweeping changes to the state's election laws, including new procedures on registering voters, and requiring voters to use a provisional ballot if they move...

Texas: GOP governors differ on the NAMUDNO case

Posted on April 13, 2009
AP reports: Republican governors offer differing views on major voting rights case at Supreme Court -- Differing views in GOP on voting rights case | TPM News Pages Note: Because the AP is threatening legal action against those who quote...

Scotland: SNP considering fundraising at funerals

Posted on April 12, 2009
The Sunday Herald reports: THE SNP has been accused of "grave robbing" after the party put forward a "macabre" plan for fundraising at funerals. Nationalist bosses are asking grieving relatives if they can place envelopes on seats at memorial services...

Yglesias on STV replacing SMD

Posted on April 12, 2009
Matt Yglesias writes on his eponymous blog: Ed Kilgore's interesting post on polarization in congress seems like a good opportunity to point out that there are some practical, structural steps we could take that would probably reduce polarization. One such...

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