Subject: news of the day 12/16/04
From: Rick Hasen
Date: 12/16/2004, 7:49 AM
To: election-law

"Cheating Suspected in Vote"

The Washington Times offers this report, which begins: "Republicans in Washington state suspect Democrats, with 500 patronage jobs at risk, are cheating in what is now the unprecedented third counting of the 2,883,341 ballots cast in the Nov. 2 election for governor." Is it now not going to be possible to conduct any recount without allegations of fraud?

"New Mexico Recount in Doubt"

U.P.I. offers this analysis.

"Ban on fed donations in state races eyed"

The Des Moines Register offers this report, which begins: "Gov. Tom Vilsack, who says he's not running again, inserted himself into the 2006 governor's race Wednesday by proposing that Iowa bar candidates from using money on statewide races that they raised while they were federal officials."

"Legislation Seeks to End Anonymous Political Ads"

The Sacramento Bee offers this report.

San Diego Update

See stories in the San Diego Union-Tribune, A.P., L.A. Times, NY Times.

"Ohio Recount Resembles Florida in 2000"

A.P. offers this report.

Breaking News: Puerto Rico Election Case Decided by First Circuit

You can find the opinion here. The court has vacated the federal court judgment and returned the case to the commonwealth courts. Judge Torruella makes some interesting points about Bush v. Gore and the public's reaction to it in his concurrence. UPDATE: AP now offers this report.

"John Hart Ely and the Problem of Gerrymandering: The Lion in Winter"

Pam Karlan has posted this draft on SSRN.

"The Will of the Majority?"

Matthew Soberg Shugart and Royce Carroll offer this San Diego Union-Tribune oped on the San Diego mayor's race. I'll be writing more about the race soon.

"Conspiracy Theories Abound in Wash. Race"

A.P. offers this report.

Corrected Link: Federal District Court Holds Selective Use of Punch Card Ballots in Ohio Does Not Violate the Equal Protection Clause or Create a Voting Rights Act Violation


You can find the court's opinion here, with appendices I, II, and III. A.P.'s story is here. The ruling puts it at odds with other federal district court decisions considering this issue. 
-- 
Rick Hasen
Professor of Law and William M. Rains Fellow
Loyola Law School
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