Subject: Electionlawblog news and commentary 7/18/06
From: Rick Hasen
Date: 7/18/2006, 7:08 AM
To: election-law

Senate Judiciary Committee to Mark Up VRA Bill Wednesday at 2 PM

The notice is here. I hope one of the C-SPAN networks carries this meeting.


" Voters may get to decide changes to elections format"

The SF Chronicle offers this report, which begins: "The Oakland City Council will consider a proposal today to put on the November ballot a measure to eliminate local primary elections and move to a ranked-choice voting system."


"Democrats ask county to hold election hearings"

The North County Times offers this report, which begins: "SAN DIEGO ---- The head of the local Democratic Party said Monday he will ask the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today to schedule public hearings to investigate the county's handling of the June primary, including its decision to send electronic voting machines home with poll workers several days before the election." This is an issue that has been blanketed with coverage by The Brad Blog.


"IRS Warns Churches to Stay Neutral on Politics"

The LA Times offers this report.


Center for Competitive Politics Blog Now Up and Running

You can find it here, with this entry by Brad Smith on a proposal to replace the FEC with what Brad terms a "campaign finance czar." Once I get some technical issues worked out, I'll be adding this blog to the blog roll on the right side of the blog.


"GA: Voter ID Law, Still in Legal Limbo, Won't Be Used in Primary"

CQPolitics offers this report.


"Redistricting Reformers Renew Push"

Roll Call offers this report (paid subscription required), which begins: "When Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) introduced legislation aimed at depoliticizing the redistricting process, it was, not surprisingly, met with indifference from leaders of both parties. But that was before the Supreme Court stepped in last month and largely upheld the mid-decade gerrymandering that Texas Republicans used to radically reshape the partisan makeup of their state's Congressional delegation. The political dust storm kicked up by that ruling has brought some new attention to the wonkish and typically publicity-starved issue of redistricting." 
-- 
Rick Hasen
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA  90015-1211
(213)736-1466
(213)380-3769 - fax
rick.hasen@lls.edu
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org