Mail-In Voting, Executive Power, and the Supreme Court

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…

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’…