University of California, Irvine
Rick Hasen is Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine, where he also writes the Election Law blog. The author of The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown and Plutocrats United: Campaign Money, the Supreme Court, and the Distortion of American Elections, he is a former William H. Rains fellow at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California.
California DMV wrongly registers more than 1500 people to vote The state Department of Motor Vehicles started a new motor voter program in April. Californians applying for a drivers license or state ID automatically get registered to vote. The LA Times reports that the DMV wrongly registered more than 1500 people, including at least one non-citizen, to vote. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla isn’t ruling out the possibility of suspending the motor voter program. He’s calling for an independent investigation. The error could add fuel to President Trump’s unproven claims of voter fraud, particularly in California.
Fake news microtargeting now part of Russia investigation "Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring out of a pizza shop." "Democrats want to impose Sharia law in Florida" These are just some of the headlines you may have seen online last fall. Among other, more constructive things, social media was used during the 2016 campaign to disseminate targeted fake news stories that may have swayed the election in favor of Donald Trump. Russia operatives seemed to have played an active role in the process. Among the many questions is whether the Trump campaign's digital operation, run by son-in-law Jared Kushner, guided the hand of Russia's internet masters of propaganda.
Concerns grow around voter intimidation and fraud Groups supporting Donald Trump -- including the KKK, neo-Nazis and white nationalists -- say they plan to send out poll watchers nationwide on election day. Much of the action will be in precincts with many black voters. The groups say these poll watchers will be there to prevent voter fraud. But opponents argue that what they’re doing is voter intimidation.
Ballot box battles as the race comes down to the wire In many states, Republican claims of widespread "voter fraud" have led to photo ID laws and other restrictions that Democrats call "voter suppression." Donald Trump, who's gained political traction with the claim that next week's election is "rigged" against him, takes it a step further by calling on his supporters to try to prevent it. "Go down to certain areas and watch and study and make sure other people don't come in and vote five times. Democrats call that code for "intimidation" — especially in black and Latino neighborhoods important to the Clinton campaign. They've already filed suit against "Ballot Security Task Forces" organized by Trump supporters in several states. We hear what could be in store at polling places during early voting — and on Election Day.
Would divided government mean gridlock? GOP candidates point with alarm at Hillary Clinton’s Supreme Court nominees, free college tuition and “Big Government” that’s bigger than ever. Advocates for Republicans are almost saying it out loud: Hillary Clinton is likely to be America’s next President. That’s got them campaigning to maintain a divided government. Are they selling government by checks and balances in hopes of gridlock and four years of a Democratic president who can’t get anything done? Is that what voters really want?
Can voters believe that all their votes will be counted? Donald Trump is already raising questions about the outcome of the November election, telling supporters, "I'm afraid the election is going to be rigged. I have to be honest." While experts discount Trump's claims about "voter fraud," they concede that electronic voting is vulnerable to hacking. One advisor predicts a political "bloodbath" if Trump should lose, while the Clinton campaign calls him "a reflexive conspiracy theorist." Will the dispute lead voters to lose faith in the integrity of the electoral system? Is that the real threat to democracy in America?
Campaign Finance Post-Scalia The fallout from Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death is being felt on the campaign trail. One of the most controversial decisions he backed was Citizens United, the 2010 case that gave corporations and unions unlimited spending power in political campaigns. This is expected to be the most expensive presidential race in history. Candidates on both sides are talking about campaign finance reform. But do they have any real power to make changes? We hear from the author of a new book on money in politics.
CA Supreme Court rules on Citizens United Ballot Measure In the hotly contested case called Citizens United, the US Supreme Court overturned limits on campaign spending. Today, the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of a state ballot measure asking that Citizens United be overturned. UC Irvine Law Professor Rick Hasen writes the Election Law blog . His new book is called Plutocrats United .
Celebrity SCOTUS When they’re not deciding cases on the future of our health care and the environment and marriage -- or maybe even when they are -- Supreme Court justices are making a lot more public appearances than they used to. That’s according to a new study . We hear from its author, who also weighs in on how the justices’ extracurricular activities might seep into their decisions behind the bench.
The Power of Attack Ads in Judicial Races In nearly every country in the world, judges are appointed rather than elected. But in 39 states, including California, judges have to win elections to get on the bench. Those races are getting increasingly expensive in the post-Citizens United era, raising questions about the influence of spending by partisan political groups.
Voter ID Laws Early voting started in Texas today, where voters have to show id -- such as a driver’s license, a military ID, or a gun license. A couple of weeks ago, that state’s voter ID law was struck down as unconstitutional by a federal judge. But at 5am on Saturday , the Supreme Court reversed that decision. There was no statement, except for a 6 page dissent from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who said hundreds of thousand of Texas voters may be prevented from voting because they don’t have the required identification.
Holder Signals New Action Under Voting Rights Act, Starting with Texas Today, Eric Holder announced the Justice Department will require Texas to clear any changes in its laws with his office. Holder’s move is in reaction to last month’s Supreme Court decision that struck down part of the Voting Rights Act. We’ll talk to the author of a book on election law called The Voting Wars .
Holder Signals New Action Under Voting Rights Act, Starting with Texas Today, Eric Holder announced the Justice Department will require Texas to clear any changes in its laws with his office. Holder’s move is in reaction to last month’s Supreme Court decision that struck down part of the Voting Rights Act. We’ll talk to the author of a book on election law called The Voting Wars .
Gay Marriages Underway Across California Yesterday, US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denied an appeal from supporters of Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage, making it the law of the land in California. (It’s worth remembering that all this is taking place because California officials have refused to defend Prop 8 in state or federal courts.) KCRW's Saul Gonzalez found that gay and lesbian couples aren’t losing time. Photos of West Hollywood nuptials by Saul Gonzalez
What Does the IRS Scandal Have to Do with SuperPAC’s? Republicans are accusing the Internal Revenue Service of abusing its power and the public trust because of admitted "mistakes" in searching applications for tax exempt status, focusing on political conservatives. Responding to reports that the IRS used keywords including "Tea Party" and "Patriots" in determining tax-exempt status, President Obama was emphatic. "If you've got the IRS operating in anything less than a neutral and non partisan way, then it is outrageous… and it's got to be fixed." Rick Hasen is professor of law at UC Irvine, who writes the Election Law Blog .
How Close Was Another Meltdown at the Florida Polls? Yesterday's presidential election was decided early this morning, but Florida came close to another debacle. Although this time, it just didn't matter, it was another brush with electoral trouble. Susan MacManus, Professor of Political Science at the University of South Florida, is co-author of Florida Politics : Ten Media Markets, One Powerful State. University of California-Irvine Law Professor Rick Hasen , who writes Election Law Blog , and is author of The Voting Wars : From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown.
Questions for Coal Country People in California want to know: "Do West Virginians really believe that coal is coming back?"
Voter Suppression, Climate Change and the President As America prepares to vote again, a question remains from 2016: are the Russians still “meddling” with US elections? Meantime, are Republican election officials in Georgia and Kansas suppressing the vote to serve their own interests? Those updates and the latest on climate change: President Trump says, maybe it’s not a hoax after all.
The Asian American voter in OC In Orange County the population is changing. While the numbers of most ethnic groups have grown slowly over the past 10 years, the number of Asian Americans is up 41 percent since 2010. And don't think the politicos haven't noticed. What kind of impact will Asian American voters have on Orange County's representation in Congress? Will they help keep the county Republican, or could they turn Orange County blue?