[EL] ELB News and Commentary 4/25/13
Rick Hasen
rhasen at law.uci.edu
Wed Apr 24 21:19:54 PDT 2013
If Nelson Beats Scott in Florida, Does Nelson or Scott Appoint
Senate Successor? <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49571>
Posted on April 24, 2013 9:18 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49571>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
More fun
<http://www.rollcall.com/news/farm_team_chaos_and_opportunity_ahead_for_florida_democrats-224323-1.html?pg=1>
in FLA.
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Posted in campaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59> | Comments Off
Florida Senate Strips Controversial Language Assistance Provision
from Election Bill <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49568>
Posted on April 24, 2013 9:16 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49568>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
State may also expand early voting, but Democrats say it is not enough.
NBC Miami:
<http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Florida-Senate-Passes-Bill-That-Could-Expand-Early-Voting--204608341.html>
The Senate did strip a provision that would have created
restrictions on people who assist voters who can't read English, are
blind or have other disabilities. The language would have required a
voter seeking help to know the assistant before Election Day and
wouldn't have let anyone help more than 10 voters. Voting rights
groups criticized the language, pointing at Haitian-American and
other communities where volunteers help voters who have language
barriers.
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voting
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=31> | Comments Off
House Republicans Reject "Helping Sick Americans Now"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49565>
Posted on April 24, 2013 9:09 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49565>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
A self-inflicted wound.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/us/politics/majority-leaders-quest-to-soften-gops-image-hits-wall.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&ref=politics>
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Posted in legislation and legislatures
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27>, political parties
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=25>, political polarization
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=68> | Comments Off
"District should adopt instant-runoff elections"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49562>
Posted on April 24, 2013 8:57 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49562>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
WaPo editorial
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/district-should-adopt-instant-runoff-elections/2013/04/24/71c581e2-ad19-11e2-b6fd-ba6f5f26d70e_story.html>.
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Posted in alternative voting systems
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=63> | Comments Off
The Future of Voting Technology in Los Angeles
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49560>
Posted on April 24, 2013 8:56 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49560>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
The Brad Blog <http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9979> speaks to LA County
Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan. If you can get past the breathlessness,
there's a lot of interesting stuff in here.
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
internet voting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=49>, voting technology
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=40> | Comments Off
"Ethics investigator confirms Gessler did use state funds for
Republican lawyers meeting" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49558>
Posted on April 24, 2013 8:54 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49558>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
The Denver Post reports
<http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23100433/ethics-investigator-confirms-gessler-did-use-state-funds?source=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter>.
AP's @IvanJourno:
<https://twitter.com/IvanJourno/status/327263902377332736> "'Confirms'
is a stretch."
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | Comments Off
"Judge Sets Hearing on Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit on IRS Handling of
Political Groups" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49555>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:58 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49555>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Bloomberg BNA
<http://news.bna.com/mpdm/MPDMWB/split_display.adp?fedfid=30409677&vname=mpebulallissues&jd=a0d7v3b8v4&split=0>:
"A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has set a court hearing for June
25 to hear arguments about whether to allow a lawsuit charging that the
Internal Revenue Service has failed to enforce federal tax laws
restricting political activity of nonprofit organizations (Gill v.
Internal Revenue Service,
<http://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/document/GILL_et_al_v_US_DEPARTMENT_OF_THE_TREASURY_INTERNAL_REVENUE_SERVI>
D.D.C., No. 1:13-cv-00213, order 4/23/13)."
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off
Jon Stewart Skewers Congress for Decimating STOCK Act
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49552>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:53 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49552>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Watch
<http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-april-23-2013/insider-house-rules> (NSFW).
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Posted in conflict of interest laws
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=20>, ethics investigations
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=42> | Comments Off
"Reps. Israel and Slaughter Announce Legislation to Move Election
Day to Weekend " <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49549>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:35 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49549>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Press release
<http://israel.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1174:reps-israel-and-slaughter-announce-legislation-to-move-election-day-to-weekend&catid=57:2013-press-releases>:
"Today, Reps. Steve Israel (D-NY) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY) announced
legislation to move Election Day from the first Tuesday in November to
the first full weekend, thereby making it more convenient for voters and
increasing voter turnout."
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | Comments Off
"The Future of Online Voting Begins Now"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49546>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:32 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49546>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Press release
<http://asmdc.org/members/a19/news-room/press-releases/the-future-of-online-voting-begins-now>:
"Sacramento -- Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) presented
the merits of legislation he authored to create a pathway to online
voting for Californians. AB 19, heard in the Assembly Elections and
Redistricting Committee today, would allow counties to explore the
utilization of secure voting systems with a goal of improving
election-day efficiencies, promoting increased access to voting and
improving participation in the democratic process. The bill passed out
of the committee on a 4 to 2 vote."
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
internet voting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=49>, voting technology
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=40> | Comments Off
"Did Gerrymandering Cost Dems the House? A 33-State Look at
Alternative Nonpartisan Maps Suggests Yes"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49543>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:29 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49543>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Stephen Wolf posts an interesting diary entry
<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/22/1201551/-Did-Gerrymandering-Cost-Dems-the-House-A-33-State-Look-at-Alternative-Non-Partisan-Maps#comments>
at Daily Kos.
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Posted in citizen commissions <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=7>,
redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> | Comments Off
"Conservative Group Photoshops Black Woman's Face Out of Photo in
Anti-Voting Rights Mailer" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49540>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:26 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49540>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
AlterNet reports.
<http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/conservative-group-photoshops-black-womans-face-out-photo-anti-voting-rights>
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Posted in The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> |
Comments Off
"Statement on the Dangers of the Wyden-Murkowski Bill"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49537>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:19 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49537>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
MORE
<http://www.campaignfreedom.org/2013/04/23/statement-on-the-dangers-of-the-wyden-murkowski-bill-2/>from
CCP.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
Comments Off
"ProxyFacts.org: Debunking Myths About Corporate Political Speech"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49535>
Posted on April 24, 2013 5:18 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49535>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Center for Competitive Politics
<http://www.campaignfreedom.org/2013/04/24/proxyfacts-org-debunking-myths-about-corporate-political-speech/>:
"A piece in /The New York Times/ today called "S.E.C. Gets Plea: Force
Companies to Disclose Donations"
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/us/politics/sec-is-asked-to-make-companies-disclose-donations.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130424&_r=1&>
is a good place to begin discussion of why we decided to create a new
website devoted entirely to addressing the facts surrounding activist
investing and corporate political spending. The site, ProxyFacts.org
<http://www.proxyfacts.org/>, is a compendium of information on the
issue, and includes insight and analysis from experts such as CCP's
founder and former Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chairman Brad
Smith, former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins, and James R. Copland,
Director of the Manhattan Institute's Center for Legal Policy."
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
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"Voter ID Bill Passes NC House on Party Lines"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49530>
Posted on April 24, 2013 3:37 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49530>
by Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
AP reports
<http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Republican-voter-ID-bill-ready-for-NC-House-debate-4458869.php>.
[corrected link]
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter id
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
Political Polarization: In Congress or in Us?
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49524>
Posted on April 24, 2013 9:29 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=49524>
by Richard Pildes <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=7>
A new Washington Post-Pew Research Center Poll, here
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/24/why-the-american-public-isnt-mad-as-hell-about-the-failure-of-the-gun-bill-in-numbers/?hpid=z1>,
on the recent failure of gun legislation, casts broader light on the
political polarization that began in the 1980s and has increasingly
characterized American democracy ever since. In sorting out the causes
of this polarization, a major question is whether polarization in
Congress distorts the much more centrist preferences of the broader
public or whether Congressional polarization reflects a polarized public.
A common perception is that a large majority of the public support gun
legislation of the sort that recently failed, which would suggest the
polarization in Congress is a distortion of "public opinion." The most
provocative finding of this new poll, in contrast, is that, of those
"very closely" following the legislation process, the split was
virtually even regarding whether they were pleased or not that the
legislation had failed: 48 percent said they were angry/disappointed,
and 47 percent were relieved or happy. Democracies tend to respond to
the most politically engaged citizens. These data suggest support for
the view that polarization in Congress, on this issue at least, reflects
polarization among the engaged electorate.
This result is also in line with some of best recent empirical work on
polarization more generally. In the mid-2000s, Morris Fiorina and
others published a book, /Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized
America/, which argued that Americans were generally less partisan and
more centrist than members of Congress. More recently, though, Alan
Abramowitz concluded in /The Disappearing Cente/r that the more people
care about and engage in political activity (such as voting), the more
polarized they become; with increased political participation comes
increased polarization. This new poll data on gun legislation appears
to further support that view. If so, Congressional polarization is not
a distortion of what the most politically engaged Americans believe, but
a reflection of those beliefs.
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Posted in political polarization <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=68>,
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
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