William & Mary Law School | Election Law Society
By Thomas J. Lukish
Late September featured more than a mere drop in temperatures for Alaska residents, as U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason issued an interim order that would shake the state’s electoral landscape. [Read more…] about A “Nice Sunny Day With No Snow” and the Growing Influence of Alaska Natives
By: Geoff Tucker
It is no secret that the typical poll worker tends to be a senior citizen; indeed, the average age of those volunteering to work the polls is seventy-five. As new technologies are implemented for use in elections, however, there has been a growing push for younger volunteers who are presumably more tech-savvy. In efforts to recruit this younger demographic, California amended its election law statutes to allow high school students to serve as poll workers if certain conditions are met, including a minimum GPA and age requirement. [Read more…] about Only One Minor Problem: How Young Is too Young for Poll Workers, and How do We Adapt to a Younger Generation?
By Carl Zielinski
Although previously thought above the campaign tactics of the political branches, in recent years, judicial elections have become the most recent political dark money battleground. Judicial races are considered “low-information,” in that voters are often unfamiliar with specific candidates; advertisements against one of a judge’s past opinions could constitute all a potential voter knows about a given candidate. In this way, a comparatively small amount of money can play a significant role in a judicial election. [Read more…] about Campaign Contributions Playing Increasing Role in Illinois Judicial Elections
By Sarah Wiley
A federal judge in Cincinnati struck down an Ohio law which criminalizes intentionally lying in campaign ads or statements, on the books for decades in early September on First Amendment grounds. The state filed an appeal in October. [Read more…] about You Can Lie in Ohio: Federal Court Strikes Down Ohio Law Banning False Political Speech
By Caitlin Whalan
The gubernatorial race in Maryland, the notoriously blue state, was tighter than anticipated. Larry Hogan, the Republican nominee, narrowly beat out the Democratic candidate, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown. Now that the dust is beginning to settle from the shocking upset, a new issue is creeping into the forefront: faulty voting machines. [Read more…] about Vote-Flipping in Maryland: The Consequence of Voting with Dinosaurs