[EL] nonpartisan election administration

[Rob Richie]

Such an agency is the international norm, and it often works extremely well.

But the devil is in the details. Without a right to vote in the
Constitution (which Rick's proposed amendment does not have) and statutory
criteria governing decisions, for example, Rick's agency could make highly
problematic decisions without much of a check.

 We've found that similar set-ups at the local and state level do not
necessarily work well if the staff administrators have too much power --
boards tend to rubber-stamp their decisions, and because they are beyond
political influence, they can effectively be beyond anyone's influence.  To
prevent that, we need to ensure there is transparency in the
decision-making process and clear accountability for those decisions based
on well-defined criteria and extensive data collection.

My observations are shaped by the fact that FairVote is based in the state
of Maryland and has done a lot of reform work in San Francisco. Both
entities have relatively independent election administrators.

- Rob Richie

On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 2:43 PM, Alysoun McLaughlin
<AMcLaughlin at dcboee.org>wrote:

>  A nudge for a bit of language clarity. By “run”, I think you mean
> “regulate”.****
>
> ** **
>
> I’ve attended quite a few conferences of local election officials where
> the “fine, you do it then” argument re: federal mandates has prompted
> giggles at the vision of hordes of federal workers fanning out across the
> country to verify petition signatures and recruit pollworkers for separate
> elections for federal office.****
>
> ** **
>
> Alysoun McLaughlin
>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [mailto:
> law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] *On Behalf Of *Hasen,
> Richard
> *Sent:* Thursday, June 14, 2012 1:32 PM
> *To:* JBoppjr at aol.com
> *Cc:* law-election at uci.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [EL] nonpartisan election administration****
>
> ** **
>
> I hope you will reevaluate after considering my fuller arguments but
> (spoiler alert!) there's a reason my book ends on a note of profound
> pessimism about finding common ground in the current era of hyper
> polarization.
>
> Rick Hasen ****
>
> ** **
>
> Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse typos. ****
>
>
> On Jun 14, 2012, at 10:15 AM, "JBoppjr at aol.com" <JBoppjr at aol.com> wrote:**
> **
>
>  Thank you Rick, I have.  All you say at the end is that we can trust
> that the person will be "nonpartisan" if he or she can run the gauntlet of
> being nominated by the President and confirmed by 2/3rds of the Senate. But
> there a plenty of partisans that can run that gauntlet, especially when one
> party or the other has substantial power.  ****
>
>  ****
>
> Further, what happens if no person enjoys that level of support so that we
> have no "election czar" who is confirmed.  Do we just cancel the elections
> because we have no one to run them?  No, they will be run by some
> bureaucrat, not vetted the way you suggest, who could be a wild-eyed
> partisan.  I am afraid that there is no procedural way to accomplish the
> substantive result you want.****
>
>  ****
>
> But I thought you could take it a step further -- from theory to practice
> -- by just naming one person who would fit the bill to be your "election
> czar."  I am afraid I don't know anyone that does and if your suggestion is
> a practical one then one must exist and you or someone else could tell us
> who he or she is.  Failing that, I am afraid that this is just an
> unrealistic -- and very dangerous -- fantasy.  Jim****
>
>  ****
>
> In a message dated 6/14/2012 12:04:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> rhasen at law.uci.edu writes:****
>
> If you read to the bottom of my piece (and not just the excerpt on the
> blog) you will see that I address this point.  I also address it in great
> detail in both the book, and a 2005 article, Beyond the Margin of
> Litigation.
> It actually works in most other mature democracies quite well.****
>
> On 6/14/2012 8:59 AM, JBoppjr at aol.com wrote:****
>
>  Isn't this really a fantasy:  "Create an independent, nonpartisan agency
> to run our federal elections."****
>
>  ****
>
> If the federal agency would be "independent," who would appoint them under
> our system other than the President.  Well, the President is a little
> partisan.  And how therefore would it then be "nonpartisan." And if all
> elections in every state were run by one federal agency, this federal
> agency would be the biggest prize to control for partisan ends ever devised.
> ****
>
>  ****
>
> Why isn't it better to, (1) acknowledge the reality than anyone who
> bubbles up in the political system to run elections are likely to be
> partisan, (2) therefore, create lots of checks and balances by involving
> both parties in election administration so they can watch over each other,
> and (3) disperse the control of elections as widely as possible - say at
> the county level.  As a result, it is true that there will be Republican
> control of elections in some counties and Democrat control of election in
> others, but this will balance out over the whole country.****
>
>  ****
>
> If we have one federal agency in charge, I am sure the "reformers" will
> want one person in charge of that agency -- no more "tie" votes like at the
> FEC.  Well this is the biggest partisan prize ever.****
>
>  ****
>
> Ok, lets test my theory.  Name me one, just one living breathing person,
> not some theoretical or dead person, who would be so "independent" and
> "nonpartisan" and that the President would nominate and the Senate would
> confirm who everyone would trust with this awesome power.  Just one.****
>
>  ****
>
> Jim Bopp****
>
>  ****
>
> In a message dated 6/14/2012 11:29:56 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> rhasen at law.uci.edu writes:****
>
> ** **
>  “End the Voting Wars: Take our elections out of the hands of the
> partisan and the incompetent.” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35724> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 8:28 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35724> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> I have written this piece<http://hive.slate.com/hive/how-can-we-fix-constitution/article/end-the-voting-wars>for
> *Slate*, part of its ts “How to Fix the Constitution” Hive<http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_hive.html>.
> It begins:****
>
> My field is election law, and in this area it’s really easy to come up
> with a sexy but risky fix that might improve the U.S. Constitution:
> Abolish <http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/> the Electoral College.
> Overturn <http://movetoamend.org/> *Citizens United* and the flood of
> corporate money in elections<http://hive.slate.com/hive/how-can-we-fix-constitution/article/the-once-and-for-all-solution-to-our-campaign-finance-problems>.
> Establish <http://ni4d.us/> a national initiative allowing voters to vote
> directly on legislation instead of going through Congress, making the
> United States more like California.  I have a change that will sound less
> sexy but is more needed than all of them: Create an independent,
> nonpartisan agency to run our federal elections.****
>
>   The United States is one of the few mature democracies that leaves the
> rules for counting elections in local hands, and, in a majority of states,
> that means partisan officials are in charge.  Think about it: We have
> people running our elections whose ultimate allegiance is not to the
> integrity of the vote count but to the Republican Party or the Democratic
> Party.****
>
> So when Florida’s Republican Gov. Rick Scott defends<http://www.theledger.com/article/20120606/POLITICS/120609606/1004/news?p=1&tc=pghttp://www.theledger.com/article/20120606/POLITICS/120609606/1004/news?p=1&tc=pg>his latest purge of voters as necessary to keep illegal voters from voting,
> why should we believe <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35134> he is doing
> this in the best interest of the integrity of the elections rather than to
> give Romney and edge over Obama in the perennial swing state? And when
> Obama’s Justice Department objects to the purge, why should we believe<http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/301900/who-may-vote-florida-hans-von-spakovsky>it is acting to preserve voter access to the polls rather than trying
> to give that edge<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/us/florida-vows-to-continue-its-search-for-ineligible-voters.html?ref=politicshttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/us/florida-vows-to-continue-its-search-for-ineligible-voters.html?ref=politics>to Obama?
> ****
>
> As I document <http://thevotingwars.com/> in my upcoming book, *The
> Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300182031/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0300182031>
> *, the fights over election rules, especially over controversial new
> voter identification rules, have gotten much worse since *Bush v. Gore*in 2000….
> ****
>
>  [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35724&title=“End
> the Voting Wars: Take our elections out of the hands of the partisan and
> the incompetent.†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35724&title=%E2%80%9CEnd%20the%20Voting%20Wars%3A%20Take%20our%20elections%20out%20of%20the%20hands%20of%20the%20partisan%20and%20the%20incompetent.%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The
> Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>
> | Comments Off ****
>   “Money and the ‘Appearance of Corruption’”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35720>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 8:22 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35720> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Paul Sherman WSJ oped<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303768104577462822206922422.html?mod=googlenews_wsj>:
> “But there is also a third possibility: The Supreme Court could double down
> on *Citizens United *and reject, once and for all, the flawed
> justification underlying much of America’s failed experiment with
> campaign-finance law—the so-called appearance-of-corruption standard.”****
>
> This is what I mean when I asked whether liberals were shooting
> themselves in the foot <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=34885> by seeking
> cert. in the Montana case.  The best way to win in the Roberts Court if you
> are a liberal is to stay out<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2009/09/how_liberals_can_win_by_losing_at_the_roberts_court.html>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35720&title=“Money
> and the ‘Appearance of Corruption’†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35720&title=%E2%80%9CMoney%20and%20the%20%E2%80%98Appearance%20of%20Corruption%E2%80%99%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “New Arizona election plea (UPDATE)”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35717>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 8:19 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35717> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> SCOTUSBlog <http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/06/new-arizona-election-plea/>:
> “Arizona state officials asked the Supreme Court
> <http://sblog.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/11A1189-AZ-applic.pdf>on
> Wednesday to allow election officials there to demand that all voters show
> proof of citizenship before they may register to vote   The divided *en
> banc* Ninth Circuit Court ruled in April<http://sblog.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/9th-CA-ruling-on-voter-regist.-4-17-12.pdf>that the citizenship proof requirement conflicts with a 1993 federal law
> passed to make it easier for individuals to sign up to vote.  The state
> took its plea for a delay of that ruling, for the duration of this year’s
> election season, to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who has the option of
> acting alone or referring the issue to his eight colleagues.  The
> application (11A1189) was filed in *Arizona v. Gonzalez, et al.  *The *en
> banc* Ninth Circuit, over three judges’ dissents, had denied a stay<http://sblog.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/9th-CA-stay-denial-AZ-election-case-6-7-121.pdf>last week.”
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35717&title=“New
> Arizona election plea (UPDATE)†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35717&title=%E2%80%9CNew%20Arizona%20election%20plea%20%28UPDATE%29%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> | Comments
> Off ****
>   Pipe Dream Dept. <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35713> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 8:00 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35713> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> “After one nuclear winter of an election, rich partisans could agree to
> mutual disarmament.”****
>
> –E.J. Dionne, Secret Money Fuels the 2012 Elections<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/secret-money-fuels-the-2012-elections/2012/06/13/gJQAsZ4FaV_story.html>
> .****
>
> See also Adelson’s Donations Could Be “Limitless”<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/06/14/adelsons_donations_could_be_limitless.html>
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35713&title=Pipe
> Dream Dept.&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35713&title=Pipe%20Dream%20Dept.&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Aetna Hides $7 Million in Political Spending”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35710>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:58 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35710> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> CREW has posted this release.<http://www.citizensforethics.org/press/entry/aetna-political-spending-american-action-network-chamber-of-commerce>
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35710&title=“Aetna
> Hides $7 Million in Political Spending†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35710&title=%E2%80%9CAetna%20Hides%20%247%20Million%20in%20Political%20Spending%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   An Inside Look at the Most Dysfunctional Appellate Court in the U.S.<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35707>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:55 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35707> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> The latest<http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/judicial-commissions-first-vote-on-prosser-complaint-was-unanimous-ci5p21t-158912155.html>from Wisconsin.
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35707&title=An
> Inside Look at the Most Dysfunctional Appellate Court in the
> U.S.&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35707&title=An%20Inside%20Look%20at%20the%20Most%20Dysfunctional%20Appellate%20Court%20in%20the%20U.S.&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in ethics investigations <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=42>, judicial
> elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments Off ****
>   “The Money Crisis: How Citizens United Undermines Our Elections and the
> Supreme Court” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35704> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:50 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35704> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Russ Feingold has written this piece
> <http://www.stanfordlawreview.org/online/money-crisis>for the *Stanford
> Law Review Online.*****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35704&title=“The
> Money Crisis: How Citizens United Undermines Our Elections and the Supreme
> Court†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35704&title=%E2%80%9CThe%20Money%20Crisis%3A%20How%20Citizens%20United%20Undermines%20Our%20Elections%20and%20the%20Supreme%20Court%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Alaska Native Group Suing Division of Elections”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35701>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:42 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35701> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> New section 5 suit<http://www.alaskapublic.org/2012/06/11/alaska-native-group-suing-division-of-elections/>in Alaska.
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35701&title=“Alaska
> Native Group Suing Division of Elections†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35701&title=%E2%80%9CAlaska%20Native%20Group%20Suing%20Division%20of%20Elections%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in Voting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Top Two in California Primaries, June 2012: By the Numbers: High Rates
> of Invalid Ballots; Perverse Outcomes; Major Parties Dominate”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35698>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:39 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35698> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> FairVote has issued this press release<http://www.fairvote.org/top-two-in-california-primaries-june-2012-by-the-numbers#.T9n3c1LNnTt>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35698&title=“Top
> Two in California Primaries, June 2012: By the Numbers: High Rates of
> Invalid Ballots; Perverse Outcomes; Major Parties Dominate†&description=]
> ****
>
> Posted in alternative voting systems <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=63>,
> political parties <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=25>, primaries<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=32>
> | Comments Off ****
>   “Ex-prosecutor George Holding defends John Edwards case”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35696>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:37 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35696> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Must-read<http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2012/06/exprosecutor-george-holding-defends-john-edwards-case-126118.html>Gerstein.
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35696&title=“Ex-prosecutor
> George Holding defends John Edwards case†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35696&title=%E2%80%9CEx-prosecutor%20George%20Holding%20defends%20John%20Edwards%20case%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>,
> John Edwards <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=17> | Comments Off ****
>   “Ex-lawmaker lobbyists more likely to put leftover campaign money to
> political use” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35694> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:36 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35694> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> WaPo reports<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ex-lawmaker-lobbyists-more-likely-to-put-leftover-campaign-money-to-political-use/2012/06/13/gJQApprNbV_story.html>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35694&title=“Ex-lawmaker
> lobbyists more likely to put leftover campaign money to political useâ€
> &description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35694&title=%E2%80%9CEx-lawmaker%20lobbyists%20more%20likely%20to%20put%20leftover%20campaign%20money%20to%20political%20use%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, legislation
> and legislatures <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27>, lobbying<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>
> | Comments Off ****
>   “No New Trial for John Edwards” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35691> **
> **
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:32 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35691> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> NYT reports<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/us/politics/john-edwards-charges-dismissed.html?ref=politics>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35691&title=“No
> New Trial for John Edwards†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35691&title=%E2%80%9CNo%20New%20Trial%20for%20John%20Edwards%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>,
> John Edwards <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=17> | Comments Off ****
>   “Beltway Bundlers Have Mitt Romney Sitting Pretty”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35689>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:31 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35689> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Roll Call reports<http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_151/Beltway_Bundlers_Have_Mitt_Romney_Sitting_Pretty-215368-1.html?pos=htmbtxt>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35689&title=“Beltway
> Bundlers Have Mitt Romney Sitting Pretty†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35689&title=%E2%80%9CBeltway%20Bundlers%20Have%20Mitt%20Romney%20Sitting%20Pretty%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “The Anti-ALEC alliance: Group at heart of anti-conservative crusade is
> shadowy organization funded by leftwing millionaires and billionaires”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35687>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:31 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35687> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> The right wants disclosure <http://freebeacon.com/the-anti-alec-alliance/>of
> funding for issue advocacy.  Interesting. (h/t Eric Brown<http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2012/06/14/good-morning-here-are-todays-political-law-links-for-thurs-june-14th/>
> )****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35687&title=“The
> Anti-ALEC alliance: Group at heart of anti-conservative crusade is shadowy
> organization funded by leftwing millionaires and billionairesâ€
> &description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35687&title=%E2%80%9CThe%20Anti-ALEC%20alliance%3A%20Group%20at%20heart%20of%20anti-conservative%20crusade%20is%20shadowy%20organization%20funded%20by%20leftwing%20millionaires%20and%20billionaires%E2%80%9D&de>
> ****
>
> Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off
> ****
>   “The Missing Right To Vote; What we’d get from amending the
> Constitution to guarantee it.” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35685> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:29 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35685> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Heather Gerken has written this Slate contribution<http://hive.slate.com/hive/how-can-we-fix-constitution/article/the-missing-right-to-vote>to its “How to Fix the Constitution”
> Hive <http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_hive.html>.****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35685&title=“The
> Missing Right To Vote; What we’d get from amending the Constitution to
> guarantee it.†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35685&title=%E2%80%9CThe%20Missing%20Right%20To%20Vote%3B%20What%20we%E2%80%99d%20get%20from%20amending%20the%20Constitution%20to%20guarantee%20it.%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in voting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=31> | Comments Off ****
>   “Campaign Aid Is Now Surging Into 8 Figures”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35683>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:27 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35683> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> NYT<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/us/politics/sheldon-adelson-sets-new-standard-as-campaign-aid-surges-into-8-figures.html?_r=1&smid=pl-share>:
> “Even in a political season marked by unprecedented levels of political
> spending, Sheldon Adelson<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/a/sheldon_g_adelson/index.html?inline=nyt-per>stands alone.”
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35683&title=“Campaign
> Aid Is Now Surging Into 8 Figures†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35683&title=%E2%80%9CCampaign%20Aid%20Is%20Now%20Surging%20Into%208%20Figures%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Corporate Cash in State Elections Gets U.S. High Court Scrutiny”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35681>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 14, 2012 7:25 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35681> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Bloomberg reports<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-14/corporate-cash-in-state-elections-gets-u-s-high-court-scrutiny.html>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35681&title=“Corporate
> Cash in State Elections Gets U.S. High Court Scrutiny†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35681&title=%E2%80%9CCorporate%20Cash%20in%20State%20Elections%20Gets%20U.S.%20High%20Court%20Scrutiny%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Fla. Gov. Rick Scott Defends Noncitizen Voter Purges”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35678>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:29 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35678> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> NPR reports<http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/06/13/154935265/fla-gov-rick-scott-defends-noncitizen-voter-purges?ft=1&f=1014&sc=tw>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35678&title=“Fla.
> Gov. Rick Scott Defends Noncitizen Voter Purges†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35678&title=%E2%80%9CFla.%20Gov.%20Rick%20Scott%20Defends%20Noncitizen%20Voter%20Purges%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The
> Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>
> | Comments Off ****
>   “Justice Department Is Dropping Case Against Edwards”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35675>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:15 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35675> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Carrie Johnson reports<http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/06/13/154951540/justice-department-is-dropping-case-against-edwards>for NPR.
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35675&title=“Justice
> Department Is Dropping Case Against Edwards†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35675&title=%E2%80%9CJustice%20Department%20Is%20Dropping%20Case%20Against%20Edwards%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>,
> John Edwards <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=17> | Comments Off ****
>   “Angus King pledges to discourage super PAC money if his opponents do
> the same” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35673> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:14 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35673> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> News<http://bangordailynews.com/2012/06/13/politics/angus-king-pledges-to-discourage-pac-money-if-his-opponents-do-the-same/?ref=videos>from Maine.
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35673&title=“Angus
> King pledges to discourage super PAC money if his opponents do the sameâ€
> &description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35673&title=%E2%80%9CAngus%20King%20pledges%20to%20discourage%20super%20PAC%20money%20if%20his%20opponents%20do%20the%20same%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “New Wine Into Old Bottles: Adapting Text Messaging Proposal to 1970’s
> Era Rules Gains FEC Approval” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35671> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:13 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35671> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Larry Norton blogs
> <http://www.politicallawbriefing.com/my-blog/2012/06/new-wine-into-old-bottles-adapting-text-messaging-proposal-to-1970s-era-rules-gains-fec-approval-.html>at
> Venable’s new Political Law Briefing blog.****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35671&title=“New
> Wine Into Old Bottles: Adapting Text Messaging Proposal to 1970’s Era
> Rules Gains FEC Approval†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35671&title=%E2%80%9CNew%20Wine%20Into%20Old%20Bottles%3A%20Adapting%20Text%20Messaging%20Proposal%20to%201970%E2%80%99s%20Era%20Rules%20Gains%20FEC%20Approval%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Gingrich: Elections ‘rigged’ for the rich”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35668>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:08 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35668> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Newt Gingrich, whose presidential campaign stayed alive as long as it did
> only because of his rich Super PAC benefactors, now complains<http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/gingrich-elections-rigged-for-1457276.html>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35668&title=“Gingrich:
> Elections ‘rigged’ for the rich†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35668&title=%E2%80%9CGingrich%3A%20Elections%20%E2%80%98rigged%E2%80%99%20for%20the%20rich%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Dice Roll Decides Election in Texas Town”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35666>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 1:07 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35666> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> ABC News reports<http://news.yahoo.com/dice-roll-decides-election-texas-town-165130275.html>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35666&title=“Dice
> Roll Decides Election in Texas Town†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35666&title=%E2%80%9CDice%20Roll%20Decides%20Election%20in%20Texas%20Town%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off
> ****
>   Larry Tribe Calls for Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens
> United <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35662> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 11:49 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35662> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Read his proposal<http://hive.slate.com/hive/how-can-we-fix-constitution/article/the-once-and-for-all-solution-to-our-campaign-finance-problems>here in Slate, part of their How
> to Fix the Constitution <http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_hive.html>“Hive” series.
> ****
>
> Up in the Hive tomorrow: more election law-related proposals from Heather
> Gerken and from me.****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35662&title=Larry
> Tribe Calls for Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens
> United&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35662&title=Larry%20Tribe%20Calls%20for%20Constitutional%20Amendment%20to%20Overturn%20Citizens%20United&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
> Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29> | Comments Off ****
>   “Ex-Gov. White says state voter laws flawed”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35659>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 10:21 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35659> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> Houston Chronicle<http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Ex-Gov-White-says-state-voter-laws-flawed-3629126.php>:
> “Voter registration restrictions imposed by the Texas Legislature<http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news%2Fhouston-texas&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Texas+Legislature%22>last session are unnecessary and make it more difficult to register voters,
> former Texas Gov. Mark White<http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news%2Fhouston-texas&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Mark+White%22>testified Tuesday in Galveston federal court.”
> ****
>
> See also this report<http://www.chron.com/default/article/Volunteer-says-Texas-voter-laws-cause-fear-of-3626148.php>
> .****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35659&title=“Ex-Gov.
> White says state voter laws flawed†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35659&title=%E2%80%9CEx-Gov.%20White%20says%20state%20voter%20laws%20flawed%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, NVRA
> (motor voter) <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=33>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>,
> voter registration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off ***
> *
>   “New York Deal Near for Simplified Ballots”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35657>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 10:19 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35657> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> NYT’s “City Room” blog reports.<http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/deal-near-for-simplified-ballots/>
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35657&title=“New
> York Deal Near for Simplified Ballots†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35657&title=%E2%80%9CNew%20York%20Deal%20Near%20for%20Simplified%20Ballots%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> | Comments
> Off ****
>   “Appellate Lawyer of the Week: Anthony Johnstone”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35655>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 10:18 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35655> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> NLJ<http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleSCI.jsp?id=1202555936944&slreturn=1>:
> “In 2009, Anthony Johnstone and his home state of Montana played supporting
> roles in the legal drama surrounding the Citizens United campaign finance
> challenge. Today, the law professor and state officials stand center stage
> in a fight to save Montana’s law in the wake of the Supreme Court’s
> decision.”****
>
> I’m looking forward to joining Anthony and a great crowd at the University
> of Montana at the end of the September for a conference on money and
> politics.****
>
> (h/t How Appealing <http://howappealing.law.com/061312.html#046115>)****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35655&title=“Appellate
> Lawyer of the Week: Anthony Johnstone†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35655&title=%E2%80%9CAppellate%20Lawyer%20of%20the%20Week%3A%20Anthony%20Johnstone%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off ****
>   Quote of the Day <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35652> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 9:41 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35652> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> “On both the left and the right, then, originalism is no longer a theory
> of judicial restraint, as it was once described by Black or Scalia, but a
> means of advancing partisan preferences.”****
>
> –Jeffrey Rosen, Constitution Avenue:Liberals discover a theory to crush
> conservative jurisprudence.<http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/103943/magazine/constitution-avenue-supreme-court?page=0,0>
> ****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35652&title=Quote
> of the Day&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35652&title=Quote%20of%20the%20Day&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in Supreme Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29> | Comments
> Off ****
>  “Sen. Grassley demands re-vote on 9th Circuit judge nomination”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35649>
> ****
>
> Posted on June 13, 2012 8:04 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35649> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3> ****
>
> The Hill<http://thehill.com/video/senate/232395-grassley-demands-re-vote-on-9th-circuit-nominee>:
> “Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) late
> Tuesday demanded that the Senate vote again on the confirmation of Andrew
> Hurwitz to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the 9th Circuit, and said he was not
> aware that Senate Democrats were planning to ask for a speedy voice vote on
> the nomination.”****
>
> [image:
> http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=35649&title=“Sen.
> Grassley demands re-vote on 9th Circuit judge nomination†&description=]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D35649&title=%E2%80%9CSen.%20Grassley%20demands%20re-vote%20on%209th%20Circuit%20judge%20nomination%E2%80%9D&description=>
> ****
>
> Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off
> ****
>
> -- ****
>
> Rick Hasen****
>
> Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science****
>
> UC Irvine School of Law****
>
> 401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000****
>
> Irvine, CA 92697-8000****
>
> 949.824.3072 - office****
>
> 949.824.0495 - fax****
>
> rhasen at law.uci.edu****
>
> http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html****
>
> http://electionlawblog.org****
>
> Pre-order The Voting Wars: http://amzn.to/y22ZTv****
>
> www.thevotingwars.com****
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Law-election mailing list
> Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
> http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/law-election****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> -- ****
>
> Rick Hasen****
>
> Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science****
>
> UC Irvine School of Law****
>
> 401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000****
>
> Irvine, CA 92697-8000****
>
> 949.824.3072 - office****
>
> 949.824.0495 - fax****
>
> rhasen at law.uci.edu****
>
> http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html****
>
> http://electionlawblog.org****
>
> Pre-order The Voting Wars: http://amzn.to/y22ZTv****
>
> www.thevotingwars.com****
>
> ** **
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Law-election mailing list
> Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
> http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/law-election
>



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