Election Law in a Nutshell by
This Nutshell provides a succinct and thorough description of the law governing elections, the right to vote, and the political process in the United States. The topics addressed include "one person, one vote," gerrymandering, minority voting rights, ballot access, voter identification, recounts, direct democracy, and campaign finance.
Representation by
Representation: Elections and Beyond brings together leading international scholars from a wide range of disciplines to explore the twenty-first-century innovations--in voting laws and practices, in electoral systems, in administrative, political, and civil organizations, and in communication processes and new technologies--that are altering how we understand democratic representation.
America Votes! by
Watergate brought us the modern era of campaign finance regulation. Government by the consent of the governed has become government by the consent of the rich. After Citizens United, dark money has become the currency for political engagement. At the same time, the Supreme Court in Selby County ushered in a return to limits on access to registration and voting. The Supreme Court also continues to struggle to define unconstitutional gerrymandering America Votes!, Fourth Edition confronts these issues. The authors challenge us to think of a political system in new ways with a focus on our founders' goal of a more perfect union. This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about our political future.America Votes!, Fourth Edition addresses important electoral issues, including:* Voter qualifications, registration, immigration and citizenship, language minority participation, and Native American voting;* The voting process, early voting, same day registration, cybersecurity threats, campaign finance pitfalls, and Maine's experiment with ranked-choice voting;* Voting rights litigation, section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, criminal enforcement, the impact of Shelby County and legislation to reform the voting process;* Recounts and audits and the legacy of Gore v. Bush; and* Redistricting equal protection and fair districts math and partisan gerrymandering.
Election Law in the American Political System by
The second edition of Election Law in the American Political System offers an easy to teach, student-friendly, intellectually rich casebook with comprehensive coverage of the legal rules and doctrines that shape democratic participation in the 21st century American political system. The second edition of this casebook is updated throughout with new material including identity theory of voting behavior, alternative electoral systems, emerging metrics for evaluating the quality of election administration, and developments concerning the advent of "fake news" in election campaigns. Election Law in the American Political System also includes expanded coverage of developments regarding independent districting commissions, judicial elections, legal standards to adjudicate partisan gerrymandering, and the concept of "wisdom of the multitude." With redesigned coverage and a thoughtful selection and careful editing of cases, the second edition contextualizes legal doctrine by providing insightful background readings and using expository material to introduce topics. New to the Second Edition: New coverage: Identity theory of voting behavior. Alternative electoral systems, including limited and cumulative voting and the single transferable vote. Evolution of judicial review of democratic processes. Developments concerning the advent of "fake news" in election campaigns. The emerging law of "ballot selfies." Emerging metrics for evaluating the quality of election administration. Expanded coverage of: Concept of "wisdom of the multitude" Legal standards to adjudicate partisan gerrymandering. Developments regarding independent districting commissions, including an extended excerpt from Arizona State Legislature Judicial elections.
In 1965, Congress responded to the systemic disenfranchisement of racial minorities by passing the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The Voting Rights Act immediately changed the electoral landscape of the country. The Act included a number of provisions that worked together to prevent discriminatory voting laws and practices-- many of the sections have been repealed in the last few years.
Has the voting system simply traded one form of racial discrimination for another? Studies conclude there is implicit bias in the voting system and that local election officials exhibit racial bias in how they implement election regulations and distribute registration requirements to voters. How do we recognize and dismantle electoral bias?
Doug Spencer is Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Connecticut. During the 2020-2021 academic year he is visiting Colorado Law as Distinguished Faculty Fellow at The Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law. Spencer is an election law scholar whose research addresses the role of prejudice and racial attitudes in Voting Rights Act litigation, the empirical implications of various campaign finance regulations, and the many ways that election rules and political campaigns contribute to growing inequality in America.
Homa Naficy’s service to immigrants and refugees at Hartford Public Library is a powerful example of how libraries promote equity and inclusion.
Through the library’s nationally-recognized “The American Place” program, Homa is dedicated to providing services to assist immigrants and refugees as they transition to their new home. The wide array of resources include English language classes, job seeking assistance, computer skills training, and GED preparation.
Homa has developed a partnership with Hartford United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office and the Library received accreditation by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide legal services to immigrants - the first in the nation to receive that designation.
In addition, Homa developed “Crossroads-to-Connectivity,” an innovative project that offers low-income adults enrolled in educational or training programs access to laptops and mobile Wi-Fi devices.
Carol has been serving as President of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut (LWVCT) since 2017. The League of Women Voters is one of the country's largest and oldest non-partisan voter education and advocacy organizations. Carol has served in a variety of leadership roles in the League of Women Voters, including LWV of the United States Membership Director and LWVUS National Coordinator of the Ruth Shur Fellows. She has held leadership positions with LWV of Connecticut as Public Issues Vice President and Legislative Director; LWV of Massachusetts as Citizen Education Vice President; and LWV of Fairfax Area, Virginia as President.
Carol is member of the Connecticut Centennial Commission which is set up to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment for women’s suffrage. 2020 also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters.
Carol is past Chairperson of the Killingworth, CT Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission and served on the Killingworth Town Office Building Committee. Carol is an active member of the Killingworth Lions Club. She was a member of the Board of Visitors for the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University and on the Parents Council for James Madison University. She served as a member of the Town of Hingham, MA Advisory Committee (Finance) and the Wilton, CT Board of Education.
Maryanne is responsible for coordinating the reference department’s digital presence. She also provides reference services, research assistance and instruction to all library patrons. Prior to joining the library staff, Maryanne served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Justices of the Rhode Island Superior, District, and Family Courts and more recently as the Immigration Program Manager at the Hartford Public Library. She holds a B.A. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, a J.D. from the University of New Hampshire School Of Law, and earned her M.L.I.S from San Jose State University.