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The Tea Party and Voter Fraud

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In anticipation of the impending midterm elections, officials from various Tea Party affiliated groups are concerned that Republicans are losing elections because of voter fraud. Dick Armey, former Republican Congressman, recently asserted that up to 3% of the votes Democrat’s received in 2008 was illegitimate.

Ignoring for a moment that most voting experts refute these claims, the debate is interesting for several reasons. First, it shows the ever-increasing role the Tea Party plays in the Republican Party, a dynamic certain to have a huge impact in November. This broad discussion, however, has been extensively covered by the national news media, so we don’t need to get into it now.

Second, it illustrates the importance of conducting fair and open elections. If these claims have any basis in fact, the implications would be staggering.  The 2008 election cycle fundamentally altered the direction of local, state and national politics, as Democrats dominated, even in traditionally Republican districts. If for some reason that move was illegitimate, it would change our view of the direction American politics. Perhaps that is what these claims are really all about – the Tea Party questioning whether 2008 was really an indication that the country moving to the political left. [Read more…] about The Tea Party and Voter Fraud

Express Advocacy and the 24-Hour Media

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When does a television network endorsing a candidate go over the line? According to the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), Fox News stepped over that line in late August when John Kasich, Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate, asked for contributions to his campaign. During his interview, the network showed the link to the candidate’s website below his name (see the video here).

A screenshot of the YouTube video of the interview

The DGA filed a complaint on September 2 with the Ohio Elections Commission, alleging that Fox made a contribution in the name of an unincorporated business (Ohio Rev. Code §§ 3517.10(I)(5)) and did not identify the source of the political communication (3517.20(A)(2) and (B)(1)).

In laymen’s terms, Democrats are angry that Kasich received free political advertising on a TV network. Their complaint raises an interesting point: What counts as free political advertising? According to the DGA’s complaint, the link Fox provided of Kasich’s website makes the 1 minute and 30 seconds Kasich was on The O’Reilly Factor a political ad. Giving it the title of a political ad attaches certain responsibilities, including a prohibition on “donating” free political advertising, and adding a “paid for by” disclaimer. [Read more…] about Express Advocacy and the 24-Hour Media

Weekly Wrap-Up

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“Lisa M. Write In and Fill In” is the proposed slogan from supporters of Lisa Murkowski’s proposed write-in campaign.  Alaska elections director said that voters would only have to use Murkowski’s first name and last initial for it to count, but that they would also have to be sure to fill in the bubble next to her name.  The actual vote is the filled in bubble, not the written name.

Carl P. Paladino, a Republican candidate for governor in New York, sent out a typical negative mailing stating that “Something really stinks in Albany.” However, the ad is anything but typical as soon as a person opens the envelope and is greeted with the “unmistakable odor” of “rotting vegetables.” Read this article for more info. [Read more…] about Weekly Wrap-Up

Tidewater Roots Poll Project

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http://stateofelections.pages.wm.edu/files/2010/09/tidewater1.jpg

Previous articles on Stateofelections.com have mentioned the “graying” of America’s poll workers.  The average age of a poll worker is 72, and  they obviously are not getting any younger.  Even more depressingly, precincts across the nation are overworked and shorthanded.  According to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, poll worker error was responsible for over 1 million lost votes.  That’s one million voters effectively disenfranchised because of our rapidly aging poll worker population.  It is clear that America needs a new generation of voters to step up and take on this important civic responsibility.

To that end, the William & Mary Election Law Program is pleased to announce its latest initiative, the Tidewater Roots Poll Project. The goal of the Project is to recruit 240 college students from 6 schools across the Tidewater region: William & Mary, Hampton University, Regent University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University and Christopher Newport University.  These students will be trained as election officials and introduced to experienced poll workers to spark an appreciation for the tradition of civic involvement of the region.  The project will be documented in oral history videographies featuring the students and their interactions with experienced poll workers.

Ultimately, our mission is not just to get 240 college students to work this election day, but to inspire them to make a lifetime commitment to participatory democracy.

To learn more about the program, or if you are a student at one of those six schools who wants to get involved, visit the project’s website at Tidewaterroots.com.

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Congratulations to Former ELS President Jeff Palmore!

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We’re getting ready for the upcoming year and preparing lots of original articles covering the moving pieces of election law in the states.  However, big news just hit us and we wanted to share it with everyone.

Jeff Palmore (W&M Law ‘09), a former President of the law school’s Election Law Society, is now Deputy Counselor to Governor McDonnell.  Read more on the link here: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=311. Congratulations, Jeff!

His do my homework by www.domyhomework.guru disappointed vanity led him uncharacteristically to adopt the most conservative of approaches in this area of his expertise