State of Elections

William & Mary Law School | Election Law Society

Only One Minor Problem: How Young Is too Young for Poll Workers, and How do We Adapt to a Younger Generation?

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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?

Campaign Contributions Playing Increasing Role in Illinois Judicial Elections

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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

Vote-Flipping in Maryland: The Consequence of Voting with Dinosaurs

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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

Lawsuit Challenges New Hampshire Ban on “Ballot Selfies”

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By Sarah Graffam

In a recent lawsuit, the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union challenged a law that prohibits the posting of photos of marked ballots on social media. The NHCLU states, “there is no more potent way to communicate one’s support for a candidate than to voluntarily display a photograph of one’s marked ballot depicting one’s vote for that candidate.” NH RSA 659:35(I) bans a person from displaying a photograph of a market ballot, including on the internet through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. A willful violation of this statute may be punishable by a fine up to $1,000. [Read more…] about Lawsuit Challenges New Hampshire Ban on “Ballot Selfies”