UCLA School of Law emeritus professor Daniel Lowenstein has earned the 2025 John Hart Ely Prize in the Law of Democracy, which is presented by the election law section of the Association of American Law Schools. Lowenstein was the first American law professor to specialize in election law, and he established a leading reputation in that field over several decades.

In presenting him with the honor, the election law section of the AALS wrote, “This prize is presented annually by the executive committee of the section to a senior scholar in the field for his or her extraordinary lifetime contributions to the study of election law and the law of democracy in the United States. Professor Lowenstein was a natural selection for the prize, given his role in inaugurating the field now known as election law, or, the law of democracy. … Professor Lowenstein has a prolific publication record, having written on a wide range of election law subjects, and served as a mentor to later generations of election law scholars.”

Among his many accomplishments, Lowenstein is a co-author, with UCLA Law professor Rick Hasen and others, of Election Law: Cases and Materials (Carolina Academic Press, sixth edition, 2022). When Lowenstein initially wrote it, the textbook was the first in the 20th century to focus on that area of the law. In addition, he and Hasen launched the Election Law Journal, which is the leading journal in the field. He came to UCLA Law in 1979 after a distinguished career in public service. This included his work as the main drafter of the Political Reform Act, an initiative statute that California voters approved in 1974, thereby creating the Fair Political Practices Commission. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him as first chairman of the commission in 1975.

In 2009, Lowenstein became director of the new UCLA Center for the Liberal Arts and Free Institutions (CLAFI), which promotes the study of the great works and achievements of western civilization. He currently teaches undergraduate courses, primarily in literature.