State of Elections

William & Mary Law School | Election Law Society

Election Law Society

William & Mary Law School to Host 9th Annual Election Law Symposium

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By The William & Mary Election Law Society

WILLIAMSBURG, VA – The Election Law Society and the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School announce the Ninth Annual Election Law Symposium, which will take place on Thursday, February 26. Featuring prominent election attorneys, voting rights advocates, and a former Texas Solicitor General, the symposium addresses the topic “Pre-election Litigation: Judicial Influence Before Election Day” and evaluates the current state of pre-election litigation and the challenges courts face when hearing election litigation prior to an election. [Read more…] about William & Mary Law School to Host 9th Annual Election Law Symposium

The Voter ID Law that No One is Talking About: Why Voting Rights Activists Should Take Notice of Tennessee

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By Staff Writer

With the Supreme Court recently issuing a flurry of orders and stays on the implementation of certain states’ voter ID laws—allowing some to be in effect for the 2014 midterms, but blocking another—there has been no shortage of attention on voting rights developments. While states, such as Texas and North Carolina, are often criticized for having some of the strictest voter ID laws in the country, little scrutiny has been placed on another state’s voter ID requirement that is arguably just as burdensome and theoretically more primed for a constitutional challenge: Tennessee. [Read more…] about The Voter ID Law that No One is Talking About: Why Voting Rights Activists Should Take Notice of Tennessee

Voting Before Election Day

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By Jonathan Gonzalez

William & Mary Election Law Society students Carrie Mattingly, class of 2017, and Shana Oppenheim, class of 2016, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters of Virginia Education Fund, released a report in January on the benefits and challenges of implementing early voting in Virginia. The paper analyzes the current state of Virginia’s electoral infrastructure and makes recommendations based on the success of early voting in other states. Early voting in Virginia could alleviate congestion at polling places on election day, increase turnout, and trim the state’s budget while providing a convenience for all Virginians. The report is featured on electionlineWeekly http://www.electionline.org/index.php/electionline-weekly?showall=&start=2 and the full text can be found at http://www.lwv-va.org/files/pavp_2015_22_01_earlyvoting_williamandmary.pdf

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New York’s Battle with Campaign Finance Reform

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By Fahad Naheem

New York stands on the frontlines of one of the most contested election law issues that faces our country today. In his State of the State Address, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that New York must take affirmative steps to fix campaign finance rules to address the “epidemic of corruption in the legislature.” Governor Cuomo worries that the public is rapidly losing trust in the political system because election laws are slanted in favor of the rich and the wealthy. The New York Legislature is viewed as one of the most corrupt, dysfunctional, and broken legislative bodies in the country as detailed in a report by the Brennan Center for Justice. According to the report, New York has tried several initiatives to fix the structure and functioning of the legislature but to no avail. That is why Governor Cuomo’s call for campaign finance reform is both crucial and necessary to ameliorate the current the negative public perception. Governor Cuomo firmly states that without any trust in the political process, the public will not work with the government and vote for tax reform, public school renovations, and other important matters. [Read more…] about New York’s Battle with Campaign Finance Reform

Exercise of Democracy or Destruction of Impartiality: Election of Judges in Ohio

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By Chris Keslar:

States select their judges in a couple different ways, but in thirty-nine states most or all judges are elected. Supporters of competitive elections for judges say that it is “the most democratic way to make judges accountable to the public.” Ohio is one such state, through constitutional mandate, to hold elections for judges. But do we really want courts to be accountable to the public? Or is the integrity of the law and its effective application of greater concern for the judiciary, and if so, is it incompatible with the interest of public accountability. [Read more…] about Exercise of Democracy or Destruction of Impartiality: Election of Judges in Ohio