News & Blog

As the general election approaches on November 6, we’ll look at some of the basics when it comes to elections. The midterm presidential election is only two weeks away.  Much is at stake—whether US Senate or House of Representatives flips from Republican majority to a Democratic majority.  Many states have specific items addressing social issues […]

What’s the difference between absentee and early voting? Every state election commission defines these terms slightly differently.  In South Carolina, early voting and absentee voting are referred to jointly as absentee voting, which can be conducted in-person or by mail.  Absentee voting is when an elector casts a ballot other than at the polls on […]

As has been described numerous times on this blog, redistricting challenges abound.  Several cases reside in the United States Supreme Court, while a number of challenges are making their way through the federal courts.  The National Conferences of State Legislatures¹ has prepared a “cheat sheet” on the status of the cases before the Supreme Court.  […]

On February 28, the US Supreme Court heard oral argument in Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky, on whether the Minnesota law outlawing the wearing of “political badges, political buttons, or political insignia” on election day at the polls violates the First Amendment. The State of Minnesota argues the law maintains “an orderly and controlled environment” […]

After the Pennsylvania legislature and Governor failed to find a new Congressional map, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court filled the void and produced new congressional district lines for the state’s 2018 elections. Republican leaders are expected to challenge the Court drawn plan on the grounds map drawing falls within the purview of the legislature and not […]

On February 6, 2017, the New York Times reported on efforts by former President Barack Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder to block Republican efforts in Congressional redistricting after the 2020 Census. President Obama and Attorney General Holder formed the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a group that intends to fight the Republican “trifecta”. The […]

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the state’s congressional maps violate the Pennsylvania Constitution. The Court ruled the districts are an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander and blocked the use of the current districts for the primaries slated for May.  In doing so, the Court ordered an immediate redrawing of the districts by the legislature or the Court […]

On January 9, 2018, a three-judge panel threw out the North Carolina Congressional redistricting map.  The panel held the plan was a partisan gerrymander that violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and the First Amendment.  The day after the North Carolina decision, a three-judge panel upheld the Pennsylvania congressional map as constitutional. As discussed […]

On January 10, the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments about the legality of Ohio’s efforts to maintain accurate voter-registration lists.  In Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, the 6th Circuit held Ohio’s process to remove voters from the list is illegal. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of […]

2018 should be a huge year for redistricting cases. Last fall, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral argument on the Wisconsin partisan gerrymandering case of Gill v. Whitford. Then, in early December, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Benisek v. Lamone, a partisan gerrymandering challenge to the Maryland redistricting plan for its Congressional districts. Why the Supreme Court agreed to hear the Maryland case remains unclear.  However, […]