[EL] ELB News and Commentary 5/27/20

Tue May 26 20:37:19 PDT 2020

“Facebook Executives Shut Down Efforts to Make the Site Less Divisive; The social-media giant internally studied how it polarizes users, then largely shelved the research”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111676>
Posted on May 26, 2020 6:05 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111676> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

WSJ<https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-it-encourages-division-top-executives-nixed-solutions-11590507499?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1>:

A Facebook<https://quotes.wsj.com/FB> Inc. team had a blunt message for senior executives. The company’s algorithms weren’t bringing people together. They were driving people apart.

“Our algorithms exploit the human brain’s attraction to divisiveness,” read a slide from a 2018 presentation. “If left unchecked,” it warned, Facebook would feed users “more and more divisive content in an effort to gain user attention & increase time on the platform.”

That presentation went to the heart of a question dogging Facebook almost since its founding: Does its platform aggravate polarization and tribal behavior?<https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-throws-more-cash-at-a-tough-problem-stamping-out-bad-content-1526393256?mod=article_inline&mod=article_inline&mod=article_inline>

The answer it found, in some cases, was yes.

Facebook had kicked off an internal effort to understand how its platform shaped user behavior and how the company might address potential harms<https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-acknowledges-some-social-media-use-is-harmful-1513379765?mod=article_inline>. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg<https://www.wsj.com/articles/zuckerberg-lays-out-broad-vision-for-facebook-in-new-mission-statement-1487279562?mod=article_inline> had in public and private expressed concern about “sensationalism and polarization.”

But in the end, Facebook’s interest was fleeting. Mr. Zuckerberg and other senior executives largely shelved the basic research, according to previously unreported internal documents and people familiar with the effort, and weakened or blocked efforts to apply its conclusions to Facebook products.

Facebook policy chief Joel Kaplan, who played a central role in vetting proposed changes<https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebooks-lonely-conservative-takes-on-a-power-position-11545570000?mod=article_inline>, argued at the time that efforts to make conversations on the platform more civil were “paternalistic,” said people familiar with his comments.

Another concern, they and others said, was that some proposed changes would have disproportionately affected conservative users and publishers, at a time when the company faced accusations from the right of political bias<https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-considers-forming-panel-to-review-complaints-of-online-bias-11590238800?mod=article_inline>.

Facebook revealed few details about the effort and has divulged little about what became of it. In 2020, the questions the effort sought to address are even more acute, as a charged presidential election<https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/campaign-wire-election-2020?mod=article_inline> looms and Facebook has been a conduit for conspiracy theories and partisan sparring about the coronavirus <https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-misinformation-spreads-on-facebook-watchdog-says-11587436159?mod=article_inline> pandemic.

In essence, Facebook is under fire for making the world more divided. Many of its own experts appeared to agree—and to believe Facebook could mitigate many of the problems. The company chose not to.
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Posted in social media and social protests<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=58>

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel Tries to Play the “Even Liberal Election Law Expert Rick Hasen” Card<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111674>
Posted on May 26, 2020 5:02 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111674> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Oh boy<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360?s=20>:
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<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
Rick Hasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
✔@rickhasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>

<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>

I've also written: Trump Is Wrong About Dangers of Absentee Ballots: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/09/trump-is-wrong-about-dangers-absentee-ballots/ …<https://t.co/Q6oHbhXjMW>
and Trump’s bogus attacks on mail-in voting could hurt his supporters, toohttps://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/05/20/trump-mail-vote-fraud/ …<https://t.co/uCUcnRcbQu> and
How Republicans are using the pandemic to suppress the votehttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-04-04/coronavirus-voting-republicans-safety-polls …<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE> https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504 …<https://t.co/uOfarxvyFz>
<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
[Wisconsin votes]<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
Op-Ed: How Republicans are using the pandemic to suppress the vote<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>

In November, Republican lawmakers could close polling places in Democratic areas and even prevent people from voting directly for the president.<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
latimes.com<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>

<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
Ronna McDaniel<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
✔@GOPChairwoman<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
Replying to @GOPChairwoman<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>

The allegations are so bad even liberal election law expert Rick Hasen says:

“There is a genuine absentee ballot fraud scandal going on in Paterson.”<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>

<https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1265425785654927360>
116<https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1265425785654927360>
4:33 PM - May 26, 2020<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>
Twitter Ads info and privacy<https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256>
<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>
64 people are talking about this<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>

[cid:image002.png at 01D6339D.72B40210]<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
Rick Hasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
✔@rickhasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>

 · 4h<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>
<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265425785654927360>

I've also written: Trump Is Wrong About Dangers of Absentee Ballots: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/09/trump-is-wrong-about-dangers-absentee-ballots/ …<https://t.co/Q6oHbhXjMW>
and Trump’s bogus attacks on mail-in voting could hurt his supporters, toohttps://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/05/20/trump-mail-vote-fraud/ …<https://t.co/uCUcnRcbQu> and
How Republicans are using the pandemic to suppress the votehttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-04-04/coronavirus-voting-republicans-safety-polls …<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE> https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504 …<https://t.co/uOfarxvyFz>
<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
[Wisconsin votes]<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
Op-Ed: How Republicans are using the pandemic to suppress the vote<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>

In November, Republican lawmakers could close polling places in Democratic areas and even prevent people from voting directly for the president.<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>
latimes.com<https://t.co/nY716rEmQE>

<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
Ronna McDaniel<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
✔@GOPChairwoman<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>
Replying to @GOPChairwoman<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>

The allegations are so bad even liberal election law expert Rick Hasen says:

“There is a genuine absentee ballot fraud scandal going on in Paterson.”<https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1265422715126677504>

[cid:image002.png at 01D6339D.72B40210]<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
Rick Hasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>
✔@rickhasen<https://twitter.com/rickhasen>

When all you've got to play is the "even liberal election law expert Rick Hasen" card....
Here is what I specifically wrote about that mail in ballot scandal in Paterson, NJ (https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111528 <https://t.co/KIsW99or0s> )
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4:37 PM - May 26, 2020<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265426978842177536>
Twitter Ads info and privacy<https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256>
<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265426978842177536>
43 people are talking about this<https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1265426978842177536>

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Posted in fraudulent fraud squad<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=8>

Texas Digs Itself Into a Deeper Hole on Excuses for Absentee Balloting<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111672>
Posted on May 26, 2020 3:29 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111672> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Why does Texas continue to try to discourage voting during the pandemic?

Texas has claimed that lack of immunity to COVID-19 is not a reason enough to vote by absentee. The technical argument is that it is not a “disability” under the relevant statute. (I analyze and explain why this is bad statutory interpretation here<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3604668>.) The issue is currently before the state supreme court.

And yet now Texas is encouraging curbside voting for anyone with COVID-like symptoms<https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1265404791573880834>, viewing this as a disability to allow voting curbside:
[cid:image005.jpg at 01D6339D.72B40210]<https://twitter.com/alexazura>
<https://twitter.com/alexazura>
Alexa Ura<https://twitter.com/alexazura>
✔@alexazura<https://twitter.com/alexazura>

<https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1265404791573880834>

Texas now says voters w/ any COVID-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, when they arrive at polling place should consider curbside voting if they're eligible: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/26/texas-coronavirus-voting-procedures/ …<https://t.co/bbgmBAPric>

Curbside voting eligibility vs voting by mail eligibility based on disability:
[View image on Twitter]<https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1265404791573880834/photo/1>[View image on Twitter]<https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1265404791573880834/photo/1>
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13<https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1265404791573880834>
3:09 PM - May 26, 2020<https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1265404791573880834>
Twitter Ads info and privacy<https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256>
<https://twitter.com/alexazura>
See Alexa Ura's other Tweets<https://twitter.com/alexazura>

To be sure, these are not exactly the same questions: one “disability” is about lack of immunity and about being contagious. But really why split hairs and not just let people vote the way they are safe and comfortable voting in a pandemic?
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Posted in absentee ballots<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=53>

“DOJ: Witness requirement on Alabama absentee ballots not Voting Rights violation”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111670>
Posted on May 26, 2020 3:22 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111670> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Montgomery Advertiser<https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/05/26/doj-witness-requirement-alabama-absentee-ballots-not-voting-rights-violation/5261092002/>:

The U.S. Department of Justice argued in a brief filed Tuesday that Alabama’s current requirement to have witnesses sign an absentee ballot is not a violation of the Voting Rights Act.

The brief, filed in a lawsuit that seeks to loosen Alabama’s strict absentee ballot requirements amid the COVID-19 outbreak, says that state law requiring the signature of witnesses to an absentee ballot does not violate the law’s ban on obstacles to voting, particularly a ban on pre-civil rights era practices that required testimony from other voters that a voter had the qualifications to cast a ballot.

“It is not a literacy test, it is not an educational requirement, and it is not a moral character requirement,” said the brief, signed by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Jay Town. “Nor, contrary to Plaintiffs’ position, is it a voucher requirement prohibited by Section 201’s fourth and final provision.”
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Posted in Voting Rights Act<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>

“DeSantis to appeal Amendment 4 ruling that allows ex-felons to vote”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111668>
Posted on May 26, 2020 3:20 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111668> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Orlando Sentinel<https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/os-ne-amendment-4-appeal-desantis-20200526-hjtuae7zmje2zfht4jz6kgcmny-story.html>:

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he would appeal a federal judge’s decision to strike down a Florida law requiring felons to pay fines and fees associated with their sentences before getting back their right to vote.

“It’ll go to the 11th Circuit, and we’ll see what happens there,” DeSantis told reporters in Miami, referring to the Atlanta-based appellate court.
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Posted in felon voting<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=66>

Federal Court in Litigation Over Conduct of Georgia’s Primary Under Pandemic Conditions Doubles Down in Calling It a NonJusticiable Political Question<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111665>
Posted on May 26, 2020 3:00 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111665> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

You can read the order denying reconsideration here<https://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/ga-reconsider.pdf>. (My earlier coverage<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111518>.)
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Posted in Uncategorized<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

June 2 Event: “Vote-by-Mail: Protecting the Ballot during COVID-19”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111663>
Posted on May 26, 2020 2:56 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111663> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Vote-by-Mail: Protecting the Ballot during COVID-19
Tuesday, June 2nd at 10:00am ESTJoin the Eagleton Institute of Politics and The Fund for New Jersey for this special session exploring how we can effectively transition the processes and practices of politics to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19-most especially the continuity of elections.

Speakers will discuss the opportunities and vulnerabilities to be considered, best practices for administering elections by mail, and how vote-by-mail and other solutions can be implemented in ways that protect ballot access and power for all communities.
Program panelists include:Secretary of State Kim Wyman<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XizssK7YK8nYp5A5LZbNI4XeT0ML5T2uO_1n552wezwwia_8wY52QI51nw_OK5_lfY5kk0D4hDbcYglohXEr47t0IVxqdVebpEbhGVycb2cC61y8CNkDAyE_k1hr0SF7YZKSP-FOlC-F5oBXf998af7xs0xpK7_axATrb-fSMv7xOpsTtYN_W92YotF9-JnfLXOxnZ53KN-vgYEjWHkI0Any40JK43DNebHwwXwOBJoxlf-knncZsgYS8h5MZ0CMxSMKt3z_U4MtFPAp3w6EjxVZFaFN9rcDubG0yST-eeZugTnu63LjG59uYS1_m5YRTmSdKHpgP40x8K_1feKn4SWEbThKjDLRN247hVZDuNc7FOqXQw-yF8Chp9WqIX7BWw-XqPKscKeh_ksGaSypK7zswG00PkdNxN7Vvm7bwfrLO2AKHHi7CVAKfrM_8t0DA-bp84SGrylRy3cehDYtMLdtcXdyb4JxHN5IRkchnOk2zN3-b9poJWNzqswWbBjWZoUrTNxwSNNyo7qqFBQvAgUwKbAKnKc7UpOsiJHzhvpVzc5RcodE8GMR4WeOq8s0_RBcYfjgvATbBnXQy9W-pJjI9vrG7RqwexhPa59KItk=&c=tD7LY-_7eeB_0Eh2OSSD5kqvC4wrUlODUN3RNBpxuDPNIIt5-HIFNw==&ch=JC1oR45H_nGq5KPPuu_MNuxF9kQW0VYFMlH7_nSu1QoGhhv5euFahA==>, Washington State
Charles Stewart III<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XizssK7YK8nYp5A5LZbNI4XeT0ML5T2uO_1n552wezwwia_8wY52QI51nw_OK5_lunxEAAqIR_qNM_GBVbs5jjpKH46r-JMU3JuJLpa1hH-TwuinBDQz-ymN0k6Dp_JSMd-g1Onn8aaMDnjfUE4s0rZ2KyLLda6pCn7Rrz5umV_7GckRoz3egT-StZbjAfn6AKPhObFuRrBKalaWFKVxi4gIKH87-4BL1J2hS6KT_AKULvy0EqErdo0XKQBfkT6PtBAWp2rB2Bu80fBkz3emcVLvpPG3p-I0Mq2Rl1eK3toi441LYRbfcm8Gbiu6Z4DTD-p2XFuGG67H9h3-K0qw2lSbiWXJ2fgG5picZmSnH9qjoNNUiM3L8glQrj7VYKasjWqnaZ65lkynX8fmscRcx9XtqUGN77caeIz-T9ItDo4Q_rrkYzMHqZvmj6JI8GlG5w98hmGQES49WF6JXV0LbZA8hDuPl1tElEmHrafTxam1nMKyi1rxNUNlvFaO7QJfe3Zgq4u4FCISmiGxLWspEgAxKpjORbN3stBrHTtEmwOoZrgcnC6_CjjrTu9R721N8wWtkteoGwPssb99_sK29kRu2r5pQAQSvtuSXne-lN_ZskkZG7LWzw==&c=tD7LY-_7eeB_0Eh2OSSD5kqvC4wrUlODUN3RNBpxuDPNIIt5-HIFNw==&ch=JC1oR45H_nGq5KPPuu_MNuxF9kQW0VYFMlH7_nSu1QoGhhv5euFahA==>, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science, MIT
Joanne Rajoppi<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XizssK7YK8nYp5A5LZbNI4XeT0ML5T2uO_1n552wezwwia_8wY52QI51nw_OK5_lFL3E1RhUjqLlA2PkkYqF0_23DaImvsDEIU7GiD5joprqczlAiASOPZ7cq46qBs7uNkE6FI-iRAIGE3YltuQWbIPT9Dz-3hvysr1_5Ta2QueNd1pL2gKAVbVGqc7aapuZX1ztRP0YgtbPurY5nxu97UQDara1b2tIRQhseQsmiWy_35BiaBds4CL-JHSTkgNm7TCMbpLMOhmNixfPfOBVYzUwdZKwSwMPxPu5aJRzvrQXwt76kBF93IN18iH_USRFAcslHvK5x5h0-6IYDNnjdtG5UXsXPJmYbckRatenyF2o1gBTUJfsRXFXkGU9cpZHWFXAtselqRBuumFG7IUM8JtRl-2jjCP7wMsxfaF23mpeMC5zBgH85COczEUZiUeOU6sWW_2g9tcWfysPcqdObdVn_TyiWURJwjQrLYq2MlbRIijGYr7uKlxdIFmLh6sQqYfO0JmHxZEDaz8Co5Rw86nDnL6DjOBTKmJ-T8Tja7aGYzYGGSKSPfdJnJuNHP5OZMmukDMMOtCh0fQKPirkFUwoo8EZBmhi_P2WXLVMWrZPsinBE1ETEmf3IEKUgBjS&c=tD7LY-_7eeB_0Eh2OSSD5kqvC4wrUlODUN3RNBpxuDPNIIt5-HIFNw==&ch=JC1oR45H_nGq5KPPuu_MNuxF9kQW0VYFMlH7_nSu1QoGhhv5euFahA==>, Clerk, Union County, New Jersey
Connor Maxwell<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XizssK7YK8nYp5A5LZbNI4XeT0ML5T2uO_1n552wezwwia_8wY52QI51nw_OK5_lYEkEIKYK3w0XEYO5AIheH7yW6rsNcrczFnhucVyf6iu2_gVP3R-uO5YKHnexcZR6II1g2SMYt5rCY_IvFbAVvvHYy1mwCfRILBeUC53PNpO2yjZUjOeuEC1JmYsQjflFrwpsJwerQCQgU33qEteF5orLOVw1BBY1BYfJzy1VDs26zxxSZBpNO8JeKzLleZ7nYeLsm0bIFMCTUNEGPKmRyf3ytE7hYBO49zGYz-9d5QoXHhhPAfVhoV7tDoJKxnlU6G3VyXkOspbR3KSuXm9DluIPAYRXFKiZD_sPQind2rczvW6xLFhE4ZMTWmdcEtQqRBkr6zJCkymefnalwO9sctqeUihA2CmlqMT5TOk9FZ2VlGCzRQffSyI_PNYiB2MBs2fwFiUc6bc8K7jCLRFw_N7AYUygHOgBvhnDb5yfIWO_VAQFhfaxDdmhEeKEmdVfRxGMU9RaLIahcVSntWNMnpYJxIn5JM74uzvsw4ninX1tW9vFjX4WkqX__L2MB44n5cgIMJsNityxmhnAVSk8Jkdk80qLb-n5OnROTB-wrMH2bSTvpvB_BATYzE_BrRm_2N1isEQJWy2as3xZKFCbQ526bxdvSpLXWppqCgLl2W227EhofzSwlQ==&c=tD7LY-_7eeB_0Eh2OSSD5kqvC4wrUlODUN3RNBpxuDPNIIt5-HIFNw==&ch=JC1oR45H_nGq5KPPuu_MNuxF9kQW0VYFMlH7_nSu1QoGhhv5euFahA==>, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress
Moderated by Ronald K. Chen<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XizssK7YK8nYp5A5LZbNI4XeT0ML5T2uO_1n552wezwwia_8wY52QB1Spd0WI2E_mY35QKOf61TdHq6-2vGoZEMzwB_4pUA7DRI028ra_SkTeV1n2fUS7V2HSy-xA1EolCs32SdxeQN3i96A9jUshbAd8K1bcN_uS-KqmyO1_RrG8hJk7_ezfMmeuzewVoqmvdC9cY16i05fdsGH_cF1VA==&c=tD7LY-_7eeB_0Eh2OSSD5kqvC4wrUlODUN3RNBpxuDPNIIt5-HIFNw==&ch=JC1oR45H_nGq5KPPuu_MNuxF9kQW0VYFMlH7_nSu1QoGhhv5euFahA==>, University Professor, Rutgers School of Law
Tuesday, June 2nd | 10:00am ESTCall-In Number: +1-650-429-3300
Access code: 193 228 350
Questions? Contact Maximo Vazquez at
mvazquez at eagleton.rutgers.edu<mailto:mvazquez at eagleton.rutgers.edu>
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Posted in Uncategorized<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

Twitter Adds a “Get the Facts” Link to Trump’s False Claims About Voter Fraud<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111661>
Posted on May 26, 2020 2:51 pm<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111661> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Ben Smith<https://twitter.com/TrumpZiegfeld16/status/1265391995083776001>:
[cid:image008.jpg at 01D6339D.72B40210]<https://twitter.com/benyt>
<https://twitter.com/benyt>
Ben Smith<https://twitter.com/benyt>
✔@benyt<https://twitter.com/benyt>

<https://twitter.com/benyt/status/1265388578625986561>

New: Twitter has added a "get the facts" link to a false Trump tweet about mail-in voting, which links to a moment refuting his claim. (background here https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2020/updating-our-approach-to-misleading-information.html …<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>) https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265255835124539392 …<https://t.co/P1YAgDzCom>
<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>
[cid:image009.jpg at 01D6339D.72B40210]<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>
Updating our Approach to Misleading Information<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>

Introducing new labels and warning messages that will provide additional context and information on some Tweets containing disputed or misleading information related to COVID-19<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>
blog.twitter.com<https://t.co/wCQQZtq6vs>

<https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265255835124539392>
Donald J. Trump<https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265255835124539392>
✔@realDonaldTrump<https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265255835124539392>

There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed. The Governor of California is sending Ballots to millions of people, anyone.....<https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265255835124539392>

<https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1265388578625986561>
2,617<https://twitter.com/intent/like?tweet_id=1265388578625986561>
2:05 PM - May 26, 2020<https://twitter.com/benyt/status/1265388578625986561>
Twitter Ads info and privacy<https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256>
<https://twitter.com/benyt/status/1265388578625986561>
1,601 people are talking about this<https://twitter.com/benyt/status/1265388578625986561>

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Posted in fraudulent fraud squad<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=8>, social media and social protests<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=58>

May 27 BPC Event: “Election Legitimacy in Peril: Where Do We Go From Here?”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111659>
Posted on May 26, 2020 11:58 am<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111659> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Details<https://bipartisanpolicy.org/event/election-legitimacy-in-peril-where-do-we-go-from-here/>.
[Share]<https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D111659&title=May%2027%20BPC%20Event%3A%20%E2%80%9CElection%20Legitimacy%20in%20Peril%3A%20Where%20Do%20We%20Go%20From%20Here%3F%E2%80%9D>
Posted in Uncategorized<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

“Federal judge sides with NAACP in voting rights challenge of East Ramapo school district”<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111656>
Posted on May 26, 2020 11:54 am<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111656> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Gannett:<https://www.lohud.com/story/news/education/2020/05/26/federal-judge-sides-naacp-east-ramapo-voting-rights-case/5259198002/>

A federal judge struck down the method East Ramapo uses to elect its school board Tuesday, saying the current setup is unfair to black and Latino voters.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel, in a 77-page decision issued this morning, said the East Ramapo Central School District will be banned from using the at-large method to elect school board members in elections scheduled for June 9.

Decision<https://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-05-25-568-Decision-And-Order.pdf>.
[Share]<https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D111656&title=%E2%80%9CFederal%20judge%20sides%20with%20NAACP%20in%20voting%20rights%20challenge%20of%20East%20Ramapo%20school%20district%E2%80%9D>
Posted in Voting Rights Act<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>

Sixth Circuit, in Troubling Decision, Reverses District Court Decision Requiring Ohio to Accept Electronic Signatures for Initiative Petitions<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111654>
Posted on May 26, 2020 11:42 am<https://electionlawblog.org/?p=111654> by Rick Hasen<https://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

You can find the per curiam opinion of the three-judge panel here<https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/20a0162p-06.pdf>.

This opinion is troubling, and fits into a larger pattern of the court not protecting direct democracy during the pandemic. Indeed, I have this forthcoming piece<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3608472> in the University of Chicago Law Review on how most courts have not protected direct democracy in the pandemic; the trial court decision in this case (Thompson v. DeWine) was my counterexample.

Second, the panel decision seems dismissive of the argument (accepted by an earlier Sixth Circuit panel in the Esshaki case) that Anderson-Burdick balancing requires a greater thumb on the scale favoring voting rights in the pandemic era. It sees the burdens as much less great and therefore the scrutiny applied to such laws even during a pandemic much less rigorous. On this general issue of voting rights during a pandemic, see my draft article, Three Pathologies of American Voting Rights Illuminated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and How to Treat and Cure Them<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3604668>.
[Share]<https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D111654&title=Sixth%20Circuit%2C%20in%20Troubling%20Decision%2C%20Reverses%20District%20Court%20Decision%20Requiring%20Ohio%20to%20Accept%20Electronic%20Signatures%20for%20Initiative%20Petitions>
Posted in ballot access<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=46>, direct democracy<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=62>, election administration<https://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>

--
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
rhasen at law.uci.edu<mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu>
http://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/hasen/
http://electionlawblog.org<http://electionlawblog.org/>

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