Vol. 45, No. 3: Voting in 2020

Featured

Election

Voting in an Era of Crisis

by Jason A. Abel

With the November election approaching, it is vital to understand the challenges that we face as a nation. We should also understand the options lawmakers are considering to ensure that eligible voters are able to vote.

Election

Political Advertising on Social Media Platforms

by Lata Nott

Political advertising on social media has been a game changer for campaigns, candidates, and the public discourse. As the 2020 election draws closer, we need to take a look at the policies that social media platforms are implementing with regard to political ads, and what the implications are for our democratic process.

Election

Election Cybersecurity Amid a Global Pandemic

by Alan Butler

Recent challenges to the security of our election systems have caused states to delay primary elections, expand vote-by-mail and absentee voting, and consider remote or online voting. There is still much work to be done to ensure our elections move forward with safety and integrity.

Election

A New COVID Challenge: Keeping Redistricting on Track

by Michael Li

The process of redrawing the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts each decade after the Census is time-pressed and abuse-prone under the best of circumstances. But in 2021 when maps are next due to be redrawn, the process is likely to be even more complicated and challenging because of the COVID-19 crisis.

Election

Strengthening the Asian American Electorate

by Stephanie Cho, Phi Nguyen, Nathalie Levine, and Yuri Lee

There are several barriers to fostering Asian American civic engagement, including a lack of civics education, outreach, in-language materials, and voter suppression. The opportunity for change lies in thoughtful community outreach and dedicated election protection advocacy to protect voting access.

Election

Guardianship and the Right to Vote

by Charles P. Sabatino

The laws that determine whether an individual has the mental capacity to vote while under guardianship are inconsistent and confusing. Since 2007, a series of steps have been taken to clarify and strengthen this right, leading up to the introduction of federal legislation that represents a significant step forward.

Election

Common Cause New York v. Brehm Is the Canary in the Coal Mine When It Comes to Voting by Mail in the Coronavirus Age

by John Powers

Facing the unique circumstances of holding an election during the COVID-19 pandemic, state officials are realizing that voting by mail is going to be more critical to protecting the franchise than it’s ever been before.

Election

Blocked from the Ballot Box: People with Disabilities

by Elizabeth Pendo

Though people with disabilities comprise about one-sixth of eligible voters, they have low voter turnout, likely due to the physical barriers they experience when trying to reach the ballot box.

Election

The Failed Promise of Unlimited "Independent" Spending in Elections

by Trevor Potter

Courts have allowed unlimited individual and corporate spending in federal elections on the assumption that such activity would be independent from candidates. But as cases like those of Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman starkly illustrate, this assumption has not met reality.

Election

Why Minority Voters Have a Lower Voter Turnout: An Analysis of Current Restrictions

by Sarina Vij

With ethnic and racial minority populations in the United States rising, there is a growing population of voices that remain unaccounted for. Though current legislation has been implemented to ensure fair and impartial voting access, there is too much leeway given to state governments in the voting system’s execution. As a result, restrictions in the election system have resulted in systematic discrimination toward minority populations, making them ineligible to vote.

Election

Human Rights Hero: Fannie Lou Hamer

by Bobbi M. Bittker

Fannie Lou Hamer was arrested in 1963 for organizing and leading a group of her black neighbors to vote. Though she endured severe beatings in jail that ailed her the rest of her life, she went on to fight for civil rights during the Freedom Summer and helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus.

American Bar Association TM American Bar Association

Vol. 45, No. 3: Voting in 2020

Current Issues in Voting

Featured

Voting in an Era of Crisis

Political Advertising on Social Media Platforms

Election Cybersecurity Amid a Global Pandemic

A New COVID Challenge: Keeping Redistricting on Track

Strengthening the Asian American Electorate

Guardianship and the Right to Vote

Common Cause New York v. Brehm Is the Canary in the Coal Mine When It Comes to Voting by Mail in the Coronavirus Age

Blocked from the Ballot Box: People with Disabilities

The Failed Promise of Unlimited "Independent" Spending in Elections

Why Minority Voters Have a Lower Voter Turnout: An Analysis of Current Restrictions

Human Rights Hero: Fannie Lou Hamer

Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice

Human Rights Magazine

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