Another election year, another courtroom battle over voting rules. At this point, constitutional lawyers might as well keep overnight bags packed beside their desks. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to suspend lower-court rulings blocking portions of the President’s executive order on citizenship verification and mail-in voting. The request would allow the administration…
Trump’s Election Commission Shake-Up
President Trump’s decision to remove the remaining leadership of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission has opened yet another front in the seemingly endless battle over how American elections should be administered and who should be trusted to administer them. Trump fired Democratic commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, while Republican commissioner Christy McCormick resigned after…
Photo ID for Voting: Security Upgrade or Solution in Search of a Problem?
At first glance, requiring photo ID to vote sounds almost too obvious to argue about. You show ID for everyday tasks that carry far less civic weight, so why wouldn’t voting—arguably the most important civic act—require the same? That’s exactly the intuition behind Husted’s amendment that was recently rejected by Democrats. But like most things…
Counting Votes After Election Day: Fairness Fix or Trust-Busting Loophole?
When the Supreme Court wades into election law, it’s rarely a quiet splash. The latest dispute over whether mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day should still be counted is no exception. On the surface, it sounds like a dry procedural question. In reality, it’s a proxy battle over something much bigger: what we value…
SAVE America Act: Safeguard or Symbolic Politics?
The SAVE America Act is a proposal that aims to require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. On its face, it sounds about as controversial as saying water is wet: only citizens should vote in U.S. elections. Fair enough. But as with most things in politics, the simplicity ends right…
Election Reform, Minus the Hysteria
Election reform has become one of those topics where reasonable people suddenly forget how to be reasonable. One side starts shouting “voter suppression” before finishing the first sentence. The other starts muttering about fraud like it’s hiding under every ballot box. Meanwhile, thoughtful discussion quietly packs its bags and leaves the room. The House Republicans’…