Archive for the ‘ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics’ Category
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Update on Voter Registration of Students living on-campus in Greenville County
By Rob Tyson Last month, several college students sued the Greenville County Office of Voter Registration and Elections challenging the County’s use of a questionnaire for persons seeking to register to vote using an on-campus address. Circuit Judge Robin Stillwell issued a temporary injunction ordering the County to cease from using the questionnaire. Greenville County […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Voting-Age Population in South Carolina
By Rob Tyson Recently, the United States Census Bureau released information describing the voting age population per state. The “Electorate Profiles: Selected Characteristics of the Citizen, 18 and Older Population” uses 2015 data from the American Community Survey.[1] In South Carolina, the population of 18 years and older totals approximately 3,677,799. Of this total, the […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
South Carolina Voting
By Rob Tyson The South Carolina Election Commission reports the number of absentee ballots cast thus far are 15 to 20 percent ahead compared to this time period in 2012. In 2012, nearly 400,000 votes were cast absentee which represents some 20 percent of all South Carolina votes cast. Presently, 74,955 South Carolinians have voted […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Early Voting – Good or Bad
By Rob Tyson Bob Bissen, an outside consultant to APCO Worldwide, describes the status of early voting across the United States. He discusses the pros and cons. Specifically, allowing persons to vote prior to election day makes it more convenient for voters; however, some of the early voters might not be truly informed, given the […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
The Election Process
Originally published in SC Lawyer (September 2016) By Robert E. Tyson, Jr. Legal issues surrounding elections have grown immensely in the recent past. With social media creating more attention on the process and the specific candidates, the process for elections must be solid. In Anderson v. South Carolina Election Commission, the supreme court held, “Integrity […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Congressional Redistricting Decisions Abound
By Rob Tyson This week, two federal cases addressed congressional redistricting. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals held the Ohio legislature could enact a law that reduced the number of days of early voting. Additionally, a three judge panel in Maryland allowed a law suit that alleges a newly drawn congressional district violates the 1st […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Litigation Currently in the States, a Hotbed of Activity
By Rob Tyson In a number of states, there are legal challenges currently pending for reforms against unlimited corporate campaign donations, gerrymandered congressional districts, and other voting practices. This opinion piece by Hedrick Smith, a former Washington bureau chief of The New York Times and executive editor of “reclaimtheamericandream.org”, presents his analysis that the challenges […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Pending Voting Laws May Change the Face of the 2016 Presidential Election
By Rob Tyson Currently, there are a number of legal challenges to voting acts and practices enacted by a number of states. This National Public Radio article describes some of the major challenges currently pending in a number of states. The cases range from new requirements concerning voter identification to absentee voting and provisional ballots. […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Legislative Redistricting; Maintains Status Quo for Redistricting
By Rob Tyson On April 20, the US Supreme Court held in Harris v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission that Arizona’s legislative redistricting plan with an 8.8% deviation[1] did not violate the 14th Amendment. Justice Breyer delivered the opinion for a unanimous court. In Harris, the plaintiffs claimed the independent commission which drew the plan, had […]
ELECT Blog Election Law Essays on Current Topics
Legislative Changes to Election Laws in 2016
By Rob Tyson Based on the Voting Laws Roundup 2016 by the Brennan Center for Justice, [1] two key trends have emerged in 2016: 1) automatic voter registration has taken off across the country and 2) States are passing fewer voter restrictions, but restrictions in 17 states will be on the books for the first […]