Subject: Re: [EL] Alaska write-ins, voter intent, and the Democracy Canon
From: Abigail Thernstrom
Date: 11/6/2010, 10:13 AM
To: "Gaddie, Ronald K." <rkgaddie@ou.edu>
CC: Election Law <election-law@mailman.lls.edu>


By golly, he's right -- at least to raise the question.

Dan: Do you disagree?

Abby

Abigail Thernstrom
Vice-chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Adjunct Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
www.thernstrom.com


On Nov 6, 2010, at 6:27 AM, Gaddie, Ronald K. wrote:

Does the requirement of perfect spelling on a write-in ballot constitute a test or device? I am not trying to be cute, but pose this as a legitimate question for a conversation concerning a Section 5 state (Alaska).  Perfect spelling might be construed as an undue burden on a voter seeking to express a write-in preference. 

Ronald Keith Gaddie
Professor of Political Science
Editor, Social Science Quarterly
The University of Oklahoma
455 West Lindsey Street, Room 222
Norman, OK  73019-2001
Phone 405-325-4989
Fax 405-325-0718
E-mail: rkgaddie@ou.edu
http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/G/Ronald.K.Gaddie-1
http://socialsciencequarterly.org