Hiltzik on California Union Initiative

See this very interesting column in this morning's LA Times.

Is Diebold getting special treatment in Ohio election machine bid?

See coverage from Dan Tokaji and A.P. The always valuable Electionline.org has posted the ES&S complaint.

"Gridlock risks $219M in voting-reform fund"

New York Newsday offers this report.

John Samples on Regulating 527s

Samples has written this oped in the Washington Times, which concludes: "he current effort to restrict 527s betrays Republican principles, especially their repeated commitment to limited, constitutional government. The Republican party along with Democrats and everyone else are better off if citizens can spend what they like on political struggle. That's the American way, and once it was the Republican way. It should be so again." See also this analysis from Christian Bourge.

More Bauer on Blogging Regulations

See here.

"Court hears bid to allow Puerto Ricans to vote for president"

A.P. offers this report. Howard Bashman links to the en banc oral argument audio.

"Is there an Expressive Function of Law? An Empirical Analysis of

Patricia Funk has posted this article on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

I, for the first time, empirically investigate whether passing a law affects behavior even if it is not or hardly enforced (expressive function of law). With Swiss panel data, I find that the legal abolishment of the voting duty significantly decreased average turnout, even though the fines for not voting have only been minimal. As for the size of Cantonal turnout reduction, it widely differs between the Cantons and is highly correlated with voter participation before the abolishment of the voting duty. In contrast to the voting duty, the introduction of postal voting did not affect voter turnout in spite of the substantial decrease in transaction costs. Therefore, in public good areas such as voting, a law targeting at the civic duty (even if hardly enforced) might have a bigger impact on behavior than actions which affect the costs of provision for the public good.

"Voters empowered by internet swap shop"

New Scientist offers this report.

-- 
Rick Hasen
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA  90015-1211
(213)736-1466
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rick.hasen@lls.edu
http://electionlawblog.org
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html