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UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project Fall Calendar of Events
As we prepare for another fall semester, we’re excited to bring you a robust series of events on the 2024 Elections, Election Law, and the risks facing democracy in the U.S.
This semester, we present a mix of live, online, and hybrid events. Please see below or click the link for details. We hope you can join us!
| Sept. 12: From Here to There: How States Can and Should Certify the Results of the 2024 Elections (Webinar) |
| Thursday, September 12, 12:15pm-1:15pm PT, Webinar, (Recording to Follow) Webinar Registration Ben Berwick, Head of Election Law & Litigation Team & Counsel (Protect Democracy), Lauren Miller Karalunas, (Brennan Center for Justice), and Michael Morley (Florida State University College of Law). Moderated by Rick Hasen |
| Sept. 17: Democracy and Risks to the 2024 Elections (in person at UCLA Hammer Museum) |
| Tuesday, September 17, 7:30pm PT at the UCLA Hammer Museum, (Recording to Follow) Co-presented with the Hammer Forum and the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law & Policy, UCLA Law Can the United States conduct a free and fair election in November in which the public will have confidence? Are concerns about foreign interference, deep fakes, and disinformation serious or overblown? Is participation equally open to minority voters? What are the risks to U.S. democracy if significant portions of the public do not accept the election results as legitimate? Moderated by Rick Hasen, UCLA Law. Panelists: Leah Aden, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; John Fortier, American Enterprise Institute; Justin Levitt, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles; Yoel Roth, The Match Group. More information here. |
| Sept. 24: One Person, One Vote? (in person at UCLA Hammer Museum) |
| Tuesday, September 24, 7:30pm PT at the UCLA Hammer Museum, live in person only Co-presented with the Hammer Forum Documentary film screening. At a time when many Americans question democratic institutions, One Person, One Vote? unveils the complexities of the Electoral College, the uniquely American and often misunderstood mechanism for electing a president. The documentary follows four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election.2024. dir. Maximina Juson. Color. 78 minutes. More information here. |
| Oct. 8: The United States Electoral College and Fair Elections (in person at UCLA Hammer Museum) |
| Tuesday, October 8, 7:30pm PT at the UCLA Hammer Museum, (Recording to Follow) Co-presented with the Hammer Forum Why does the United States use the Electoral College for choosing the President? Is the Electoral College a fair way to choose a President? What specific risks does the method for choosing electors pose for free and fair elections? How likely is the United States to adopt a national popular vote instead of the Electoral College? Moderated by Rick Hasen, UCLA Law. Panelists: Joey Fishkin, UCLA Law; Amanda Hollis-Brusky, Pomona College; Derek Muller, University of Notre Dame. More information here. |
| Oct. 9: Finding Common Ground in Election Law (in person and online) |
| Wednesday, October 9, 12:15pm-1:15pm PT, Lunch will be provided, (Recording to Follow) In person at UCLA Law School Room 1430 and online In person registration Webinar Registration Co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean, UCLA Law Lisa Manheim (University of Washington School of Law), Derek T. Muller (Notre Dame Law School), and Richard L. Hasen (Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, moderator) |
| Oct. 15: Are We Ready for a Fair and Legitimate Election? (in person at UCLA Hammer Museum) |
| Tuesday, October 15, 7:30pm PT at the UCLA Hammer Museum, (Recording to Follow) Co-presented with the Hammer Forum Are election administrators up to the task of holding elections and fairly counting votes when they are subject to unprecedented public scrutiny and face possible harassment? Will delays in reporting vote totals undermine the public’s confidence in election results, regardless of how well the election is administered? What are the risks to acceptance of election results and peaceful transitions of power between election day and January 6, 2025, when Congress counts the states’ Electoral College votes? Moderated by Rick Hasen, UCLA Law. Panelists: Larry Diamond, Stanford University, Ben Ginsberg, Stanford University. Franita Tolson, USC Law. More information here. |
| Oct. 21: A.I., Social Media, the Information Environment and the 2024 Elections (webinar) |
| Monday, October 21, 12:15pm-1:15pm PT, Webinar, (Recording to Follow) Co-sponsored by the Institute for Technology, Law & Policy, UCLA Law Danielle Citron (University of Virginia Law School), Brendan Nyhan (Dartmouth), Nate Persily (Stanford Law School). Moderated by Rick Hasen Webinar Registration |
Watch Archived Video of My Conversation with Jim Sciutto for CNN International About Threats to U.S. Democracy in 2024
You can watch here.
Meet the Press Dedicated Entire Episode to the Threat to Democracy in the U.S. [Corrected link]
I wish this episode was not relegated to a holiday weekend when few are watching. Description:
Secretaries of State Brad Raffensperger (R-Ga.), Jocelyn Benson (D-Mich.), Al Schmidt (R-Penn.) and Adrian Fontes (D-Ariz.) join a special edition of Meet the Press on threats to democracy ahead of November’s elections. Anne Applebaum, author of, “Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World,” and Renee DiResta, author of, “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality,” describe the international threats from disinformation and authoritarianism abroad. Peter Baker, Evelyn Farkas, Ben Ginsberg and Amna Nawaz weigh in with the presidential race.
“Supreme Court ruling makes it harder to bring racial gerrymandering claims”
Nina Totenberg reports for NPR.
The right to vote is one of the foundations of democracy, yet in the United States, it has never truly been available to all. Generations have seen different versions of the same conflict: disenfranchised groups of people fighting for their right to cast a ballot. Today, this struggle continues, with attempts to prohibit some Americans from voting, such as those with criminal convictions, and to deter others, such as minority groups.
Author Richard Hasen argues in his new book, A Real Right to Vote, that a constitutional amendment would end the fight over the franchise. But could it be that simple? And, perhaps more importantly, is there a way to overcome the politics of voter suppression and convince both parties to enshrine this right for everyone?
Join us on Wednesday, March 20, at 3 p.m. ET. for a live virtual event with Hasen, professor of law and political science and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law. He will be joined by moderator Wilfred Codrington, associate professor of law at Brooklyn Law School. Hasen and Codrington will discuss what it means to include an affirmative right to vote in the Constitution and what it would take to get there.
Here’s the registration link.
Feb. 1 Voting Rights Symposium at University of St. Thomas in Minnesota
Looks like some good panels here.
| Building an Inclusive Democracy: Why Equitable Voter Turnout Matters in 2024 Elections and Beyond |
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9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday, January 29, 2024 Hybrid – USC Capital Campus, Penthouse |
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CID will host a democracy summit at the new USC Washington, D.C., Campus (Dupont Circle) building. The conference, sponsored by Democracy Fund, will feature panels of national and local experts who will discuss the state of voter turnout in the U.S, and the challenges and opportunities for the 2024 elections and beyond. |
ELB Podcast 5:4: Ian Bassin & Jess Marsden: Protecting Democracy in 2024…and 2025
Has the United States done enough to minimize the risk of election subversion in 2024?
How might problems in Congress affect a fair tallying of electoral college votes on January 6, 2025?
How much danger of authoritarian rule does the U.S. face going forward?
On Season 5, Episode 4 of the ELB Podcast, we speak with Ian Bassin and Jess Marsden of Protect Democracy.
You can subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Liz Cheney on why she believes Trump’s reelection would mean the end of our republic
In her new book, “Oath and Honor,” the former GOP Congresswoman warns of the threats to the Constitution posed by Donald Trump, and calls blocking Trump and preventing a Republican House majority from rejecting election results “the cause of our time.”
Nov. 16 Safeguarding Democracy Project Webinar: “Covering the Risks to Elections on the State and Local Level: Views from the Beat Reporters” (Free Registration Required)
Join us for the final SDP webinar of the semester, Nov. 16 at noon pacific. Featuring a great set of panelists: Jonathan Lai (Philadelphia Inquirer, Politico), Carrie Levine (Votebeat), Patrick Marley (WaPo), and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (WaPo). Moderated by Pamela Fessler (retired from NPR).
Preserving A Liberal Society Requires Better Public Discourse: A Conversation with Berny Belvedere Nov. 12, 20233 We should expect—and allow—new media platforms foster a better conversation
Listen · 38M
Watch Archived Video of My Conversation with Genevieve Lakier and Eugene Volokh on “The Trump Prosecutions, the First Amendment, and Election Inteference”
An interesting and spirited conversation for the Safeguarding Democracy Project’s webinar series. Watch:
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The Brennan Center team
October 20 Free Online Conference from the Safeguarding Democracy Project:
“The Law and Politics of Potentially Disqualifying Donald Trump from Running for President”
October 20, 9:00am-1pm – The Law and Politics of Potentially Disqualifying Donald Trump from Running for President
Online Conference
Registration link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X7flCEuZT6KZ9erbwDEFTA#/registration
Wisconsin GOP lawmakers move to oust top election official, newly elected Supreme Court justice
Experts call Wisconsin one of the most gerrymandered states in the country. Now Republican lawmakers want to lock in their redistricting map and impeach newly elected liberal state Supreme Court justice Janet Protasiewicz before she issues her first ruling.
Here & Now‘s Scott Tong talks with author and journalist Ari Berman. Berman has been covering election law, redistricting and voting rights for years. He is the author of the book “Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America” and a national voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Watch Archived Video of Rick Hasen’s Conversation with MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace on Our “24 for ’24” Report on Fair and Legitimate Elections in 2024
You can watch the clip here.
You can also read the new report: 24 for ’24: Urgent Recommendations in Law, Media, Politics, and Tech for Fair and Legitimate 2024 Elections.
Here’s a shorter, clickable part of the MSNBC video.
Announcing the Fall Webinar Series for UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project (Each event free but registration required):
Very excited to announce this lineup for the Safeguarding Democracy Project’s Fall 2023 webinar series (each event free but registration required):
September 5, 12pm-1pm – The Trump Indictments, the 2024 Elections, and Public Peace
Webinar
- Ruth Ben-Ghiat (NYU)
- Benjamin L. Ginsberg (Volker Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution)
- Rachel Kleinfeld (Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)
- Moderated by Richard L. Hasen
Registration Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p4L4pEu-RcOYmR3rbFLnHw#/registration
September, 26, 12:15pm-1:15pm – How Should Platforms Handle Election Speech and Disinformation in 2024?
Room 1327 and Online
- Josh Lawson (formerly of Meta)
- Yoel Roth (formerly of Twitter)
- Moderated by Richard L. Hasen
Registration Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9pcF3qvMR1ebPY_pb6Du6w
October 12, 12pm-1pm – The Roberts Court and American Democracy
Webinar
Joan Biskupic (CNN Legal Analyst and author)
- Moderated by Richard L. Hasen
Registration link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sQx5cHNWRfyl-fD0lOQyTg
October 17, 12:15pm-1:15pm – The Trump Prosecutions, the First Amendment, and Election Interference
Room 1457 and Online
- Genevieve Lakier (University of Chicago, via Zoom)
- Eugene Volokh (UCLA)
- Moderated by Richard L. Hasen
Registration Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zKe2CTK-QbuY6Co4tk7UrA
November 16, 2023 12pm-1pm – Covering the Risks to Elections on the State and Local Level: Views from the Beat Reporters
Webinar
- Jonathan Lai (Philadelphia Inquirer, Politico)
- Carrie Levine (Votebeat)
- Patrick Marley (WaPo)
- Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (WaPo)
- Moderated by Pamela Fessler (retired from NPR)
Registration Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2bOEy9VuSMqgTa2gxVDbjg
Luttig & Tribe on CNN discussing section 3
This video clip includes, starting 3 minutes into it, Judge Luttig’s discussion of how the issue of Trump’s status under section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment can –and should– be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court before the 2024 election.
At the end of his remarks, Judge Luttig said: “It will quickly move to the Supreme Court of the United States, where this decision will have to be made prior to the 2024 election.”
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The GA Indictment Read by Ali Velshi: Part 2
The GA Indictment Read by Ali Velshi: Part 2MSNBC host Ali Velshi reads the second part of the GA indictment charging Donald Trump and 18 allies with trying to overturn the 2020 election there. -
The GA Indictment Read by Ali Velshi: Part 1
The GA Indictment Read by Ali Velshi: Part 1MSNBC host Ali Velshi reads the first part of the GA indictment against Donald Trump and 18 others, accusing them of trying to overturn the 2020 election there. -
The GA IndictmentDonald Trump and his allies have been indicted on racketeering charges in GA. MSNBC legal analysts Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord break down the historic charges usually reserved for mobsters.
The Danger of Not Prosecuting Trump’s Jan. 6 Conduct: A Conversation with Walter Olson
If he’d take the Nixon deal and leave politics, it would be less necessary to throw the book at him
LISTEN NOW · 38:35
Listen to Zooming In at The UnPopulist in your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RSS
NYTimes: Today’s Top News: DeSantis Acknowledges Trump’s 2020 Loss, and More
ELB Podcast 4:9: Charles, Katz, Pildes: The Future of the Voting Rights Act after Milligan
Why did two conservative justices on the Supreme Court join the Court’s liberals to save section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Allen v. Milligan?
Will voting rights plaintiffs see more success in Section 2 cases in other states including Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas?
What are the political implications of the Court siding with minority plaintiffs in Milligan?
On Season 4, Episode 9 of the ELB Podcast, we have a voting rights roundtable with Professors Guy Charles, Ellen Katz, and Rick Pildes.
You can subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
I Spoke with Dahlia Lithwick on Slate’s Amicus Podcast about this Week’s Big Voting Rights Case at the Supreme Court
You can listen here (listen beginning at the 16-minute market).
Trans People Are Being Demonized for Demanding Equal Dignity: A Conversation with ACLU’s Gillian Branstetter
Aaron Ross Powell
June 3, 2023
To talk about these critical issues, and what we can do about them, I’m joined by Gillian Branstetter, a Communications Strategist at the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, and LGBTQ and HIV Project
Schedule Announced for Safeguarding Democracy Project March 17 Conference, “Can American Democracy Survive the 2024 Elections?” (Register by Mar. 6 if Coming in Person)
Feb. 23 Georgetown Event: “The January 6th Investigation and the Ongoing Threat of Violent Extremism: A Conversation with Former Select Committee Investigators”
This in-person/online event looks great.
ELB Podcast Episode 4:6: Jake Grumbach: Laboratories Against Democracy
Does our decentralized system of government create conditions to strengthen or weaken democratic institutions?
Why have red and blue states adopted different sets of election rules, with some Republican states adopting restrictive registration and voting laws?
Would more a more national election process in the United States protect against the risk of election subversion?
On Season 4, Episode 6 of the ELB Podcast we speak with University of Washington Professor Jake Grumbach, author of the book “Laboratories Against Democracy.”
You can subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Marc Elias is Saving Democracy and Voting Rights from Peril
Marc Elias, voting rights expert and founder of Democracy Docket, is saving democracy and voting rights from peril. In this episode, Jill, Victor, and Marc discuss the increasing efforts from state legislatures across the country to suppress voters of color from voting, what the latest bill in Georgia means for its voters, what legal and political strategies Republicans are employing to suppress the vote, and the work he is doing at Democracy Docket and what the public can do to advocate for. a stronger democracy.
The “Stop the Steal” Fight That Never Ended
A State Supreme Court Justice reveals the long-term toll of calling out the Big Lie.
Feb. 11, 2023
https://slate.com/podcasts/amicus/2023/02/the-2020-election-case-still-reverberating-in-wisconsin
Two Wolves
Which one do you feed?
Kevin McCarthy’s Job Is Going to Be Miserable
A historian explains why the roots of the G.O.P.’s ongoing identity crisis can be found in the 1990s.
By ‘THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW’
January 20, 2023
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/20/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-nicole-hemmer.html
David Remnick on the January 6th Committee’s Final Report
Listen and subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Google | Wherever You Listen
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ELB Podcast Episode 4:4:
Lessons for Democracy from the 2022 Midterm Elections
Lynn Vavreck & Chris Tausanovitch:
Did the 2022 U.S. midterm elections demonstrate that we have moved beyond risks to American democracy?
What explains continued, persistent divisions across the American public along party lines?
Does there remain a potential for violence associated with future U.S. elections?
On Season 4, Episode 4 of the ELB Podcast, we speak with Lynn Vavreck and Chris Tausanovitch of UCLA’s political science department.
You can subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Watch My Conversation with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes about What the Defeat of Election Deniers in Swing States Means for the Future of American Democracy
Important conversation you can watch here.
How Democracy Itself Ended Up on the Ballot in Wisconsin
Over the last decade, Wisconsin has become an extreme experiment in single-party rule. Republican officials have redrawn the state’s election districts and rewritten laws to ensure their domination of the state’s legislature.
In Tuesday’s elections, those officials are asking voters for the final lever of power: control over the entire system of voting.
Nov. 8. 2022
A Strengthening Case Against Donald Trump
After the last two weeks of testimony at the January 6th committee hearings, she says the answer is tilting toward yes on both counts in the case of former President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson served up new details about President Trump’s behavior before, during, and after the attack on the Capitol. Her testimony filled in some of the blanks legal experts said might prevent the Department of Justice from indicting the former president.
The committee has now issued a subpoena for the former White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, who opposed plans to overturn the 2020 election – and is seen as a critical witness in establishing criminal liability.
Barbara McQuade joined Diane to help explain the strengthening case against Donald Trump.
GUESTS
Barbara McQuade, Former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; professor, University of Michigan Law School
https://wamu.org/story/22/07/01/a-strengthening-case-against-donald-trump
Protect Democracy
Friday, June 24 at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT
Election disinformation is as much an offline problem as it is an online problem in communities of color, but organizations on the ground have tried-and-true methods to build trust and tackle information shortcomings in their communities.
Join Protect Democracy on Friday, June 24 at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PTfor a conversation with Nora Benavidez, Jessica Boling, Shauntay Nelson, and Samuel Woolley about structural election disinformation in communities of color in the United States. Experts will discuss the nature of the threat, its consequences, and what steps stakeholders can take to mitigate it.
Wednesday’s conversation will expand upon Protect Democracy’s new report, written by our partners at the University of Texas at Austin, about structural disinformation in communities of color.
As would-be authoritarians seek and gain power at all levels of government, it’s essential that all voters have access to reliable, trusted information so they can make their voices heard in November. Join our conversation by registering below:
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The January 6th Hearings – PBS NewsHour
“From Hanging Chads to The Precinct Strategy – How Elections & Democracy Hang In the Balance With Election Law Professor Richard Hasen of the University of California, Irvine”
I had a great conversation on the “In House-Warrior” podcast with Richard Levick. Listen here.
Watch My Appearance on the PBS News Hour: “Republican plans to use political operatives as poll workers alarm voting rights activists”
You can watch or read the transcript at this link.
Rancher raised Republican now battles right-wing GOP
Jennifer Ellis is the face of the movement that handed Donald Trump his biggest defeat of the year. She leads Take Back Idaho, a political action committee founded last year to beat back the growing tide of extremist candidates in Idaho.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/20/pbdd-5-20-22-00033906?
Videos of 2021-2022 Programs at the Fair Elections and Free Speech Center
I’m very proud of the programs David Kaye and I put together over the last year for UCI Law’s Fair Elections and Free Speech Center. Here are links to the videos of the events:
- Is the US. Constitution Up to the Task of Preserving American Democracy? (Jack Balkin, Michele Goodwin, Michael Klarman (Rick Hasen moderator))
- Symposium: Election Subversion: Is U.S. Democracy in Danger? (Julia Azari, Edward Foley, Mara Liasson, Bob Bauer, Guy-Uriel Charles, Larry Diamond, Ben Ginsberg, Rick Hasen, Gretchen Helmke, Steve Levisky, Isabel Longoria, Sarah Longwell, Michael Morley, Janai Nelson, Rick Pildes, Brad Raffensperger)
- Disinformation in American Elections, Part I: Election Officials (Jocelyn Benson, Neal Kelley (Tammy Patrick moderator))
- Disinformation in American Elections, Part II: Legal Scholars (Danielle Citron, Spencer Overton, Nate Persily (Rick Hasen moderator))
- Disinformation in American Elections, Part III: Social Scientists (Joan Donovan, Renee DiResta, Brendan Nyhan (Pam Fessler moderator))
- Global Elections 1: Israel, the Netherlands and Uganda ( Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, Lillian Nalwoga, Alice Stollmeyer, (David Kaye moderator))
- Global Elections 2: Germany (Sabine Frank, Falk Steiner, Natascha Strobl (Christian Mihr moderator))
- Global Elections 3: Hong Kong (Glacier Kwong, Jeffrey Wasserstrom (Melissa Chan moderator))
- What Can and Should Journalists Do to Prevent Election Subversion and Another January 6? (Bart Gellman, Jessica Huseman, Margaret Sullivan (Rick Hasen moderator))
- A Conversation with 2021 Nobel Prize Laureate Maria Ressa (Maria Ressa and David Kaye)
- UCI Law Distinguished Lecture: “Constitutional Patriotism, the Failures of Partisanship, and the Future of American Democracy” by Rep. Jamie Raskin
- Cheap Speech book talk (Rick Hasen and Henry Weinstein)
- 100% Democracy book talk (E.J. Dionne & Miles Rapoport (Sara Goodman moderator))
Thanks to all the speakers who participated in this events, the UCI Law staff that made them possible, and all who tuned in and asked questions!
Lesson plan: An experiment in misinformation
April 5, 2022
PBS NewsHour Classroom
Lesson plan: An experiment in misinformation
OVERVIEW
Students will be introduced to Birds Aren’t Real, a satirical conspiracy theory, then create connections to mis- and disinformation while watching a PBS NewsHour Classroom video lesson.
OBJECTIVES
Students will learn to understand and apply concepts of mis- and disinformation in context.
Students will construct knowledge around conspiracy theories, mis- and disinformation using a satirical conspiracy theory as an example.
Students will evaluate how Birds Aren’t Real operates and create connections between how mis- and disinformation is spread.
America at a CrossroadsJews United for Democracy and Community Advocates, Inc.
America at a Crossroads is proud to present an esteemed roster of guests and moderators to discuss the state of American democracy and the very real challenges facing it today.
The Bulwark Podcast
Charlie Sykes and guests discuss the latest news from inside Washington and around the world. No shouting, grandstanding, or sloganeering. Conservative, conscientious, and civil.
Ben Ginsberg & Sarah Longwell on “the Big Lie”
Ben Ginsberg is Sarah Longwell’s guest on her “Focus Group” podcast. Having listened to it on my drive to work this morning, I recommend it as a “must listen” for anyone concerned about protecting American democracy from the consequence that, because of Trump’s “Big Lie” claims, that a large percentage of Republican voters (two-thirds or more, depending on the particular poll) believe that the 2020 election was stolen.
Part of what’s valuable about the podcast is the focus groups themselves: we get to hear, in their own words, voters who embrace the “Big Lie” claim or at least doubt the legitimacy of Biden’s victory, including their explanations for their views. Hearing their tone of voice as well as what they say provides a richer portrait than just reading about the results of public opinion surveys.
But even more valuable is the analysis that Ginsberg and Longwell provide. They discuss why rebuilding trust in the electoral process is essential if American democracy is to survive. They recognize the formidable challenge of this task, given the destructive effect that the “Big Lie” has had, as well as fragmented media environment that currently prevails. But they offer encouragement for those of us who maintain that there’s no alternative but to persist in this effort, including by focusing on those measures and practices that are likely to maximize increased trust among the cohort of voters who currently are most disbelieving in the validity of the 2020 result.
New “Democracy Decoded” Podcast from the Campaign Legal Center
This should be good:
Why does American Democracy look the way it does today and how can we make it more responsive to the people it was formed to serve? “Democracy Decoded”, a podcast by Campaign Legal Center, examines our government and discusses innovative ideas that could lead to a stronger, more transparent, accountable and inclusive democracy. Host Simone Leeper speaks with experts from across the political spectrum and takes a deep dive into the forces fueling our elections, not just in our nation’s capital but at all levels of government.
Subscribe now using your favorite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts.
Watch Archived Video of National Constitution Center Event, “Elections, Speech, and Political Disinformation”
National Constitution Center:
What are the leading proposals to combat election disinformation and are they consistent with the First Amendment? Richard L. Hasen, leading election law expert and author of Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics—and How to Cure It; Sarah Isgur, staff writer at The Dispatch and co-host of the legal podcast Advisory Opinions; and Catherine Ross, free speech expert and author of A Right to Lie? Presidents, Other Liars, and the First Amendment discuss. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.
Why “Cheap Speech” Threatens Democracy
Rick Hasen on the speech that’s undermining elections, and what to do about it.
https://slate.com/podcasts/amicus/2022/03/election-denialism-disinformation
Jews United for Democracy and Justice (JUDJ) is a broad cross-section of American Jews who stand with our community and others to assert a Jewish voice to safeguard the principles and foundations of our constitutional democracy.
https://www.jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/
PAST PROGRAMS: Access recordings of ALL of our past programs here.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS: ANOTHER NEW MARCH PROGRAM ADDED (ALL TIMES ARE PACIFIC!!)
Wednesday, March 2at 5 pm Safeguarding Free and Fair Elections—Two Leading Election Attorneys, A Republican and a Democrat, Discuss the Future with attorneys Benjamin Ginsberg and Bob Bauer in conversation with now-retired NPR journalist Pam Fessler
Wednesday, March 16 Congressman Adam Schiff with Patt Morrison
Wednesday, March 23 at 5 pm UCI Election Law scholar Rick Hasen in conversation with Warren Olney on the topic (and also the title of his soon to be released book): Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons our Politics and Corrodes our Democracy.
Wednesday, March 30 at 5 pm EJ Dionne and MIles Rapoport in conversation with Larry Mantle on the topic of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting–should voting be a right or should it be a duty?
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In The People’s Constitution: 200 Years, 27 Amendments, and the Promise of a More Perfect Union, Wilfred Codrington and John Kowal present an alternative history to our founding document and a vital guide to our national charter. That history, they argue, “has been, for the most part, an inspiring story of progressive legal change, driven by powerful social movements and an evolving array of civil society organizations.†But in our fractured, hyper-partisan politics of today, are we still able to amend the Constitution?
RSVP for this virtual event
In the wake of the 2020 election, a power struggle over the right to vote has broken out between states and the federal government — but who really wields the power? The Constitution’s Elections Clause gives Congress broad authority to decide election rules, but the far-right is now seeking to contort the clause to justify their voter suppression and election subversion plots. Brennan Center President Michael Waldman moderates a discussion with election scholar Franita Tolson, historian Rosemarie Zagarri, and The Atlantic senior editor Ron Brownstein to break down the Elections Clause and explore what the future of voting — and the fight over it — will look like as we approach the midterm elections.
RSVP for this virtual event
Watch Video of Rick Hasen’s CNN Segment with Brianna Keilar on “Democracy in Peril” and
What to Do About Risk of Election Subversion
You can watch here:
The Daily PunchPunchbowl News and Cadence13
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Weekday mornings, The Daily Punch brings you inside Capitol Hill, the White House and Washington for an unfiltered look at the key players and stakes of all major issues of the day. People. Power. Politics. Hosted by Punchbowl News
Jan. 14, 2022The Daily Punch
Democrats bad week, plus Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s new timetable for voting rights legislation.
What’s Next In The Push To Protect The Vote
The fight over voting rights has taken center stage in Washington. Election law expert Richard Hasen explains what’s at stake and why he’s looking beyond Congress to preserve free and fair elections in the United States.
https://dianerehm.org/shows/2022-01-14/whats-next-in-the-push-to-protect-the-vote
Should Democrats Compromise on Election Reform?
If additional voting protections can’t pass the Senate, there’s another way to protect future elections from sabotage.
January 13, 2022
VIEW TRANSCRIPT
https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next/2022/01/should-democrats-compromise-on-election-reform
Sixth Annual State of Voting Rights – brought to you by the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice,Center for Human Rights, and HIV/AIDS Impact Project. The speakers include Amir Badat, Jacqueline De León, Addisu Demissie, Richard L. Hasen, and Jason A. Abel:
The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcastDemocracy in Doubt:Over the course of four months, The Republic examined a trove of text messages, emails and court records, many made public after suing the state for access. Reporters spoke to decision-makers, consultants, staff, contractors, campaign aides and others tied to the review of the presidential and U.S. Senate races. Some talked on the record about their experiences, while others spoke on the condition they not be identified in order to speak candidly about private conversations.The Republic uncovered efforts to circumvent the popular vote to engineer an illegitimate Trump victory. Once the results were certified, Trump and his allies shifted to a campaign to pressure local Republicans to overturn election results from voters using an early ballot system largely shaped over decades by their own party.In this first of a five-episode series, Democracy in Doubt, The Gaggle hosts Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Ron Hansen walk you through the origins of the Arizona election review and how that state plunged into a fog of election conspiracies riven with partisanship and targeted by opportunists from across the country.Ep 1: White House phone calls, baseless fraud charges, the origins of the Arizona election review
- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/
podcast/the-gaggle-an-arizona- politics-podcast/id1233487637? i=1000542206835 Ep 2: An audacious pitch to reverse Arizona’s election results
- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/
podcast/the-gaggle-an-arizona- politics-podcast/id1233487637? i=1000542332974 Ep 3: As Trump’s hold on Arizona politicians tightened, one state senator said ‘no’
- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-in-doubt-ep-3-as-trumps-hold-on-arizona-politicians/id1233487637?i=1000542456246
Ep 4: Partisans with limited experience stumble through gaffe-prone ‘audit’
- Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/
podcast/the-gaggle-an-arizona- politics-podcast/id1233487637? i=1000542548843 Ep 5: Trump supporters focus on ‘issues’ with election, not the final result, as Arizona ballot review falls flat
Watch Archived Video of My Conversation with Danielle Citron, Spencer Overton, and Nate Persily on Disinformation in U.S. Elections: Legal Perspectives
You can watch the archived video of this Fair Elections and Free Speech Center event at UCI Law at this link:
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Time To ActJosh and Kate discuss the plodding reconciliation negotiations, coming showdown on the Jan. 6 committee and quasi-revival of the stalled-out voting rights push.
for the latest on the Jan. 6 Committee head here.
On this episode of Now & Then, “Attacking and Defending Voting Rights,” Heather and Joanne discuss the history of American voting rights and the antecedents to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. They look at New Jersey’s surprising history of female voting, the violence of the Know-Nothing Party, and the long congressional struggle to secure full suffrage for all Americans. Who has worked to deny the vote to marginalized populations? Which laws have been most effective in bolstering enfranchisement? And what still needs to be accomplished?
Listen On:
Navigating Bi-Partisan Election Funding in the Age of Transparency: Bruce Freed, president and co-founder of the Center for Political Accountability joins host Richard Levick of LEVICK to discuss their latest report, Corporate Enablers and the challenges for companies trying to recommit to bi-partisan campaign funding after the events surrounding January 6th and the state election law changes in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Iowa. To help companies navigate this new, perilous landscape, he recommends CPA’s Code of Conduct as a guide and The Fracturing of the American Corporation The Fracturing of the American Corporate Elite — Mark S. Mizruchi | Harvard University Press as essential reading.
A special episode about the state of play for voting rights featuring Beto O’Rourke, Josh Marshall, and Laura Coates. We canvass the substantive and political landscape of federal legislation, including the For the People Act and the just-released John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would undo two Supreme Court cases that gutted enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. We also discuss the state of play on the state side, especially the wild and woolly goings-on in Texas.
Rick Hasen of Election Law Blog: I’’m thrilled to announce the launch of Season 3 of the ELB Podcast. The first season was 2015-16 and the second on in 2017-18. You can find all the old episodes.
You can find all the old episodes at this link. And you can subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
ELB Podcast, Episode 3.1: “Nate Persily: A Redistricting Season Like No Other”
https://electionlawblog.org/?p=124175
On Season, 3 Episode 1 of the podcast, we speak with Stanford law and political science professor Nate Persily.“A Redistricting Season Like No Other:”
How will the new round of redistricting go, with late census numbers, courts refusing to police partisan gerrymanders, and a weakened Voting Rights Act? Will redistricting cost Democrats control of the U.S. House? How will redistricting commissions fit into the rushed process?
How will the new round of redistricting go, with late census numbers, courts refusing to police partisan gerrymanders, and a weakened Voting Rights Act? Will redistricting cost Democrats control of the U.S. House? How will redistricting commissions fit into the rushed process?
The Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Restrictive Voting Laws
The NPR Politics Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-restrictive-voting-laws/id1057255460?i=1000527537633
In a 6-3 decision the Supreme Court upheld the state of Arizona’s restrictive voting laws that some argued targeted black and brown voters. Plus, the court ruled in favor of rich donors seeking anonymity when donating to nonprofits, which could mean a lot for campaign contributors.
This episode: Congressional correspondent Susan Davis, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
The Economist: Checks and Balance
Our weekly podcast on democracy in America
Is trust in America’s election system eroding?
https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2021/07/02/is-trust-in-americas-election-system-eroding
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION used to be a sleepy corner of American bureaucracy. Now it’s the latest victim of extreme polarisation. A privately-funded audit of votes by Republicans in Arizona reveals how democratic norms continue to erode since Donald Trump left office.
Idrees Kahloon reports from Phoenix. Republican Senator Jeff Flake tells us American democracy is more fragile than we thought. Kathleen Hale of Auburn University, who trains election administrators, says many have been traumatised by partisan attacks.
John Prideaux hosts with Jon Fasman. Runtime: 41 min
June 25,2021
The Lincoln Project
Barstools and Brosephs
Play • 30 min
“Host Reed Galen is joined by fellow Lincoln Project Co-Founder Rick Wilson and Lincoln Project Communications Director Ryan Wiggins to discuss voters who do not see voting rights/election reform as a top priority, what to expect politically as the summer heats up, and the idea of the Republican party being, “the Barstool party”.”
Helpful discussion on why some folks may not be as concerned with voting reform as with other issues.
Politico Dispatch
Jeremy Siegel
E334: “Getting Machined”
Sen. Joe Machin will not support H.R. 1 The For the People Act: What’s Next?
https://www.politico.com/podcasts
Get Woke or Die Trying
June 21, 2021
Episode 9, Part 1: The Big Lie – Voter Suppression & Voter Fraud
Voter suppression: one of the sneakiest forms of disenfranchisement. Since the 2020 election, Republicans across the country have ramped up their voter suppression efforts. In this episode, I’ll take you through America’s dark history of voter suppression, how it’s evolved, the current tactics in play, and how it impacts voters.
Resources referenced: Stacey Abrams remarks, voter suppression legislation since 2020 election, history of voter suppression, poll taxes, literacy tests, redistricting criteria, redistricting commissions, history of gerrymandering, implications of gerrymandering, court cases on gerrymandering, amount of people disenfranchised, Voting Rights Act basics, gutting the VRA, suppression efforts currently advancing, Election Integrity Act, SB 90, timeline of election lies, common voter fraud myths, racial disparities of voting laws, Republican authoritarianism
— This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/robyn-toran/support
It’s Getting Harder to Vote In America
June 4, 2021Texas isn’t the only state advancing legislation that would disenfranchise voters in Democratic strongholds. Vox’s Ian Millhiser explains why some voter suppression efforts are worse than others.
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9yc3MuYXJ0MTkuY29tL3RvZGF5LWV4cGxhaW5lZA/episo de/MTZmNGM1NzAtMGQ1Yi0xMWViLTk0NDUtYmYzNzAwZDdhODJi
Politico Playbook
June 22, 2021
E1142: Liberals Fume at Joe Biden over Demise of Voting Rights Bill
FiveThirtyEight Politics
June 23, 2021
What Comes Next For Democrats’ Election Legislation
Nate Silver and staff discuss what Democrats course of action could be after the Senate has put up roadblocks to voting reform. Other issues are also discussed such as use of polling and the culture wars and “Critical Race Theory”.
Brennan Center For Justice: Podcast-Annie Applebaum on the Future of American Democracy.
8 months ago.
While not directly related to Voting Rights this podcast explores the state of democracy in America and serves as an excellent backdrop to thinking about election reform. …“Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum examines the surrogates who enable autocracy. She discusses the patterns of weakening democracies around the world with Washington Post columnist Max Boot.
“Cowboy up, Joe Manchin.” (with Stacey Abrams and Ben Rhodes!) Pod Save America June 3, 2021
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Donald Trump says he’ll be reinstated as President this August as his former National Security Advisor calls for a military coup, Republicans continued their coordinated assault on voting rights, and Democrats win big in a New Mexico special election. Then, Stacey Abrams talks to Jon Favreau about the fight for democracy, her latest book, and more.
U.S. Supreme Court To Rule On Voting Rights In Brnovich V. Democratic National Committee
Published: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 – 11:32am
Updated: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 – 1:03pm
The U.S. Supreme Court concludes its current term this month, which means a flurry of decisions will be issued by the conservative-leaning court.
In addition to major rulings on the Affordable Care Act and the free speech rights of public school students, the court will issue a decision on Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee — a voting rights case that calls into question state laws that mandated the dismissal of ballots cast in the wrong district as well as a ban on so-called “ballot harvesting” — the practice of collecting ballots for delivery.
The Democratic National Committee challenged the laws and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned them based on constitutional measures; Arizona state Attorney General Mark Brnovich appealed that Ninth Circuit appeal to the Supreme Court.
To learn about the importance of the Arizona case, The Show spoke with Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for the New York Times.
Voter Suppression Podcast
May 31, 2021
This podcast on voter suppression was created by Hiba Altaf, Aissatou Doll, Duha Elkhouli, android Claire Reisberg for the Student Historian Internship at the NY Historical Society. The podcast was created by the above named students and includes a survey of voter suppression efforts throughout America’s history.
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81NWU4MDRhNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzc w/episode/ZWM2YTg1MmEtZDhkYy00MzMzL TkwZDYtMjM0MzhmZWYxMmM5
The Mother Jones Podcast
May 19, 2021
Leaked Video: How a Dark Money Group Is Trying to Rig Our Elections
Play • 20 min
The right-wing dark money group Heritage Action for America claims to be the mastermind behind the recent fire hose of state-level voter suppression laws, a new Mother Jones scoop reveals. Mother Jones voting rights reporter Ari Berman joins Jamilah King to walk through the explosive video he obtained of Jessica Anderson, the head of Heritage Action and a former Trump administration official, bragging about having drafted and funded voter suppression legislation in eight battleground states: Arizona, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Texas, and Wisconsin.
“In some cases, we actually draft them for them,” Anderson says in the video. “Or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe.”
Over the next two years, Heritage Action, the sister organization of the Heritage Foundation, is planning to spend $24 million on efforts to pass and defend legislation that restricts voting. The video reveals the extent to which voter suppression laws are part of a coordinated campaign, funded by conservative special interest groups and dark money, to preserve GOP power by limiting voting. As of April 1, 361 voter suppression laws had been passed in this year alone.
“The Heritage Foundation raised about $122 million in their most recent tax filing, and they don’t have to disclose who most of those donors are,” says Ari. “The fact that you have dark money writing and organizing campaigns to pass voter suppression laws, that’s really a double whammy when it comes to how our democracy is being undermined.”
“The John Lewis Voting Rights Act.” Pod Save America
Donald Trump’s 40-minute interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace is perfection, the Administration is sending unidentified paramilitary troops to crack down on protesters in Portland, and America says goodbye to Congressman John Lewis and CT Vivian, two giants of the Civil Rights Movement. Then Voto Latino’s María Teresa Kumar talks to Tommy about organizing the Latino community ahead of November.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Voter Suppression in the Era of a Weakened Voting Rights Act News Beat
In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively gutted the historic Voting Rights Act, making it easier for states to suppress the vote by enacting voter ID laws, eliminating early voting, closing polling stations and aggressively purging voter rolls. Voter ID laws, specifically, didn’t exist prior to 2006—now about three-dozen states have some form of voter ID law. Since the court’s 2013 decision, hundreds of polling locations have closed. Experts say these efforts disproportionately disenfranchise voters of color and poor people, and with a high-stakes election coming up, the consequences of voter suppression tactics may prove pivotal.
Guests on this episode include Sean Morales-Doyle of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Deuel Ross of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.
News Beat is an award-winning Morey Creative Studios podcast.
America’s Biggest Issues: Election Integrity
The conservative Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky argues [against the facts] that voter fraud is a very real problem.
Read more: Safeguarding the Electoral Process
[Then see Analysis for the debunking of these claims].
4 Podcast Episodes About Voter Suppression in America to Download Right Now
By Lisa Peterson
August 3, 2020
The Ticket: Voter Suppression by Pandemic (The Atlantic)
In this episode of The Ticket, a politics podcast from The Atlantic, Legal Defense Fund president Sherrilyn Ifill and writer Edward-Isaac Dovere discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic makes the 2020 election especially vulnerable to voter suppression tactics. Listen here.
At Liberty: The Racist Reality of Voter Suppression (ACLU)
Emory University professor Carol Anderson and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Emerson Skyes discuss a 2013 Supreme Court decision that they say “gutted” key parts of the Voting Rights Act.
Listen to their important conversation about the strong links between racism and voter disenfranchisement here”.
What Next With Mary Harris: A Radical Voter Suppression Tactic (Slate)
What Next host Mary Harris and journalist and author Ari Berman break down the connection between political battles over the census and voter suppression. Listen here.
The first 22 minutes of this Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air episode covers the Democratic Iowa caucus in 2019, but the rest features special guest Stacey Abrams. During Wilmore’s conversation with Abrams, the two talk about the voter suppression that took place during her own run for Governor of Georgia and how she’s using her organization, Fair Fight, to help future elections run more fairly. Listen here.
Supreme Inequality
In recent years, the Supreme Court has empowered moneyed interests to wield disproportionate influence in elections, gutted the Voting Rights Act, and upheld President Trump’s travel ban. These decisions fit a troubling, decades-long pattern, argues journalist Adam Cohen. He talks with NYU Law professor Melissa Murray about his new book, Supreme Inequality: The Supreme Court’s Fifty-Year Battle for a More Unjust America.
June 24, 2020
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/podcasts/supreme-inequality
- Adam Cohen
- Melissa Murray