ELECTION LAW/VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES

HERE IS WHERE YOU AN LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT AMERICAN ELECTION LAW/VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES AS THEY APPLY IN THE UNITED STATES.  I AM NOT A LAWYER AND THIS CONTENT DOES NOT CONSITUTE LEGAL ADVICE.  CHECK OUT THE OYEZ PROJECT FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC SUPREME COURT CASES.

• HARPER V. VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION (1966) - THE COURT RULES THAT THE RIGHT OF QUALIFIED CITIZENS TO VOTE IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.  

• WILLIAMS V. RHODES (1969) - THE COURT RULES THAT THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE PROTECTS THIRD-POLITICAL PARTY CANDIDATES.  STRIKES DOWN A BALLOT ACCESS LAW SYSTEM THAT MADE IT VIRTUALLY IMPPOSIBLE FOR INDEPENDENT/THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES TO GET ONTO THE ELECTION BALLOT.  SUBSEQUENT BALLOT ACCESS CASE LAW DOES NOT SEEM TO FOLLOW THIS CASE.  SEE SUGGESTED READING LIST FOR MORE DETAILS.

• BULLOCK V. CARTER (1971) - THE COURT RULES THAT WHEN STATES IMPOSE A FEE TO GET ONTO THE ELECTION BALLOT, IT MOST PROVIDE SOME OTHER MEANS OF GETTING ONTO THE BALLOT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE INDIGENT/POOR.

• BUCKLEY V. VALEO (1976) - THE COURT UPHOLDS CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND INVALIDATES OTHERS ON FIRST AMENDMENT GROUNDS.

• BURDICK V. TAKUSHI (1992) - THE COURT UPHOLDS A STATE BAN ON WRITE-IN VOTES, EVEN IN UNCONTESTED ELECTIONS.

• TIMMONS V TWIN CITIES AREA NEW PARTY (1997) - THE COURT UPHOLDS A STATE BAN ON VOLUNTARY CROSS-PARTY ENDORSEMENTS (AKA ELECTORAL FUSION).  

• ARK. EDUC. TELEVISION COMM'N V. FORBES (1998) - RULES THAT A PUBLIC, TELEVISED DEBATE CAN CHOOSE TO EXCLUDE INDEPENDENT/MINOR PARTY CANDIDATES.

• CONSTITUTION (FEDERAL & STATE)
• FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION (FEC)
• STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
• SEE ALSO FEDERAL & STATE LEGAL RESEARCH

• BALLOT ACCESS NEWS 
• • HOW CANDIDATES/PARTIES GET ONTO THE BALLOT.
• BALLOT MEASURES 
• • PROPOSED STATE & LOCAL BALLOT INITIATIVES.
  • SEE ALSO THE NONPARTISAN BALLOTPEDIA & THE I&R INSTITUTE.
• CAMPAIGN FINANCE 
• • OPENSECRETS TRACKS MONEY IN POLITICS
• DEBATES (CANDIDATES)
• • CANDIDATE DEBATES AND FORUMS.
• ELECTION LAW BLOG
• • RICK HANSEN PROVIDES COMMENTARY ON ELECTION LAW NEWS.
• FAIR VOTE USA
• • ADVOCATES FOR REFORMS SUCH AS RANKED CHOICE VOTING.
• PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
• • WHAT IS IT AND CAN BE IT ADOPTED IN THE US?
• VOTING AGE
• • SHOULD THE VOTING AGE BE LOWERED TO 16? 17? 
• VOTING RIGHTS
• • ENFORCED BY THE U.S. DEPT OF JUSTICE.
  • GENERALLY, SEE THE ACLU AND THE NAACP.

• A SECOND LOOK AT THIRD PARTIES: CORRECTING THE SUPREME COURT'S UNDERSTANDING OF ELECTIONS.  BY DMITRI EVSEEV. 2005.