Election-Campaign Law

"Voter fraud" allegations are not just for Halloween, but have a sinister purpose

Posted on October 16, 2008
Salon.com reports: Warnings about voter fraud prior to a U.S. presidential election are nothing new. But to listen to conservative Republicans lately, you might expect Nov. 4 to bring a voting catastrophe of epic proportions. Writing in the New York....

House Oversight Committee says Bush White House used government resources to aid election of allies

Posted on October 15, 2008
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform states in a newly issued report: This report examines the operations of the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Bush Administration. It finds that the White House used the political...

Alabama: Sec/State says there is no misuse of SSNs

Posted on October 15, 2008
A Montgomery Advertiser blog post reports: Secretary of State Beth Chapman says Alabamians are not being removed or hindered from voting because of any problems with their Social Security Numbers. The Social Security Administration sent out a press release claiming...

North Carolina: SCOTUS hears arguments in Bartlett v. Strickland

Posted on October 15, 2008
The New York Times reports: The Supreme Court returned Tuesday to the question of how to take account of race in drawing election districts, hearing arguments in a case that is likely to resolve a question the court has left...

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New Hampshire: Tobin indicted for lying to FBI

Posted on October 14, 2008
TPM Muckraker reports: Former Republican operative James Tobin has been indicted for making false statements to the FBI in connection with the bureau's investigation of a phone-jamming scheme in New Hampshire in 2002, according to court filings examined by TPMmuckraker...

John Lewis speaks truth to power

Posted on October 11, 2008
John Lewis writes on Politico: As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds...

Alabama: suit over 'moral turpitude' dismissed

Posted on October 11, 2008
AP reports: A Montgomery judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union to clarify which ex-felons in Alabama can register to vote, in a decision that means the issue won’t be resolved before the Nov. 4...

"Fictitious Donors Found in Obama Finance Records"

Posted on October 10, 2008
The New York Times reports: Last December, someone using the name “Test Person,” from “Some Place, UT,” made a series of contributions, the largest being $764, to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign totaling $2,410.07. Someone identifying himself as “Jockim Alberton,”...

Colorado: Governor calls out Sec/State for mistake about voter registration forms

Posted on October 10, 2008
The Aspen Times reports: Arguing that recent voter registration missteps have threatened to disenfranchise many Colorado voters, Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday called on Secretary of State Mike Coffman to correct errors and mend Colorado voter confidence...

North Carolina: State will stop using SSN to verify voters

Posted on October 10, 2008
The News & Observer reports: After this election, North Carolina will stop using Social Security numbers to verify the identities of many new voters after questions arose this week about the legality of its registration practices. On Thursday, The New...

Alabama: State Bar denounces push poll in Supreme Court race

Posted on October 10, 2008
The Huntsville Times reports: The Alabama State Bar on Thursday condemned "swift boat" tactics that are being used against the Democratic nominee for the state Supreme Court. The state bar said a telephone "push poll" is being used to "spread...

Ohio: Sec/State Bruner must verifiy new resgistrations

Posted on October 10, 2008
AP reports: A federal judge on Thursday ordered Ohio's top elections official to verify the identity of newly registered voters by matching them with other government documents. U.S. District Judge George C. Smith in Columbus ruled that Ohio Secretary of...

"States’ Actions to Block Voters Appear Illegal"

Posted on October 09, 2008
The New York Times reports: Tens of thousands of eligible voters in at least six swing states have been removed from the rolls or have been blocked from registering in ways that appear to violate federal law, according to a...

Alabama: another judge, another year, and another way to dodge having to decide what a "crime involving moral turpitude" is

Posted on October 09, 2008
AP reports: Voter registrars could have to wait awhile longer to learn which felons can vote — and just what constitutes "moral turpitude" — because a judge said Wednesday she may dismiss a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties...

Ohio: more voting machine problems

Posted on October 09, 2008
Computerworld reports: Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will be under the national spotlight next month, overseeing what's expected to be the state's largest-ever turnout for a presidential election. It will also be her first as the state's chief election...

Virginia: student registration roadblocks

Posted on October 09, 2008
The New Republic reports: For the first time since 1964, Democrats actually have a chance of winning Virginia's 13 electoral votes. Barack Obama is up 4.8% according to the Real Clear Politics average, and according to Nate Silver, Virginia could...

Money makes the world go around -- or at least national politics

Posted on October 09, 2008
Ellen Miller writes on the Sunlight Foundation blog: Wonder just how Wall Street has become so influential on Capitol Hill that it can command the attention of the federal government from the President on down? The answer isn’t only in...

Alabama: Supreme Court dismiss Riley's appeal

Posted on October 08, 2008
The Birmingham News reports: The picture of who will represent District 1 on the Jefferson County Commission became crystal clear for the first time in a year following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week in the last lawsuit over...

Social Security questions "extraordinary" SSN checks by states

Posted on October 08, 2008
AP reports: Federal officials have asked election officials in six states to investigate whether social security number checks are being improperly run on people registering to vote. Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue sent a letter Friday to the secretaries of...

Undecided voters breaking towards Obama

Posted on October 08, 2008
Democracy Corps reports: Barack Obama once again won tonight’s debate, and undecided voters are prepared to move toward his candidacy, according to Democracy Corps research conducted around tonight’s second presidential debate. Unlike the first debate, when Democracy Corps research showed...

What to wear to the polling place is not just a sartorial question

Posted on October 07, 2008
NPR's Morning Edition has this story: Millions of newly registered voters are expected to turn out for next month's presidential election. Supporters of Barack Obama have been e-mailing and text-messaging them about what not to wear. Depending on what state...

Ticket-scalping for a political event is even more illegal

Posted on October 07, 2008
The Caucus blog of the New York Times reports: Looking for spare tickets to that joint concert on Oct. 16 by Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel for Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign? Beware. ... So is it legal to resell...

FEC asks McCain campaign about excess contributions

Posted on October 06, 2008
The Trail blog of the Washington Post reports: The FEC sent a letter to Sen. John McCain's campaign treasurer Sept. 30 demanding the candidate turn over more information about "contributions that appear to exceed the limits." The letter is accompanied...

"Registration Gains Favor Democrats"

Posted on October 06, 2008
A Washington Post report begins: As the deadline for voter registration arrives today in many states, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is poised to benefit from a wave of newcomers to the rolls in key states in numbers that far outweigh...

Nebraska: one electoral vote means some attention

Posted on October 06, 2008
The Washington Post reports: With a month to go before Election Day, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, touched down here Sunday for an unexpected rally in a state that President Bush won by 22 percentage points...

GOP to file FEC complaint over donations

Posted on October 06, 2008
The New York Times reports: The Republican National Committee plans to file a complaint on Monday against Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign raising questions about the legitimacy of its small contributions and donations from overseas. Republican officials are demanding the...

Tennessee: felons seeking registration

Posted on October 06, 2008
The Jackson Sun reports: An easier process and some say Barack Obama's historic nomination as the Democratic Party's candidate for president have led a larger number of felons in Tennessee to seek restoration of their voting rights this year. As...

Alabama: "Confusion reigns in Alabama over ex-felons' ability to vote"

Posted on October 06, 2008
A Birmingham News report begins: When James Solomon went to register to vote earlier this year, he said he was told he couldn't vote because of a past conviction for cocaine possession. That was in direct contrast to advice given...

Alabama: Sec of State trying to undo the Governor's overinclusive disqualification list

Posted on October 04, 2008
AP reports: A list of crimes compiled by the governor's office and used to disqualify Alaba­ma voters includes hundreds of fel­onies -- such as animal cruelty and shoplifting -- not previously considered serious enough to cost convicted criminals their voting...

Pentagon running GOTV ads

Posted on October 03, 2008
The Caucus blog of the New York Times reports: If voters in swing states think they are inundated with campaign ads, they are unlikely to find refuge in the military. The Pentagon has a spirited “Get Out the Vote” campaign...

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