News and Activities
Election Law Society Launches "State of Elections" Blog
On Monday, November 16, 2009 the Election Law Society launched a new blog focused on state election issues at www.stateofelections.com. The mission of StateofElections.com is to discuss laws and practices that govern our democracy. It aims to cover voting in all corners of America - the fifty states and the territories - and to shed light on the patchwork of law that organizes the expression of the opinion of our citizens. The purpose of this blog is not to advance any political agenda, candidate, or party, but rather to inform our readers and ourselves about election law and the people that make it happen. Reader contributions, particularly from states not yet covered, are welcome. Check it out!
Fourth Annual Election Law Symposium: Redistricting Litigation, March 25, 2010
The next joint Election Law Program and Election Law Society Symposium will feature an election topic of increasing import given the imminent census count: redistricting. Stay tuned for more information about this event, to take place on Thursday, March 25, 2010. Details to come.
Professor William Van Alstyne Speaks on Citizens United, November 10, 2009
On Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 3:30, Professor Van Alstyne will talk to students about the forthcoming Supreme Court decision regarding campaign finance in Citizens United v. FEC. Van Allstyne's talk will take place in Rm. 120. Reception to follow.
Archives
Election Night 2009
Virginians elected their next governor on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. ELS hosted an election night party at Paul's Deli to celebrate the occassion.
Voter Registration Drive
Election Law Students helped law students register to vote in the law school lobby the week of September 28., 2009
Lunch with Michael Toner, Former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission, Oct. 1, 2009
Michael Toner, head of the Election Law and Government Practice at Bryan Cave and former FEC Chairman, will meet with law students for lunch on October 22 at 1PM.
Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Debate at William & Mary
On Sunday April 19, 2009, the College of William & Mary hosted a Democratic gubernatorial primary debate. The event was sponsored by the Farm Team (the Farm Team's mission is to recruit, mentor and elect women to public office in Virginia). The debate featured Former Del. Brian J. Moran of Alexandria, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and Terry McAuliffe of McLean, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell moderated the spirited exchange. The primary will take place on June 9, 2009 to determine which candidate will face Republican Bob McDonnell in November.
Bauer and Ginsberg Featured in Newest Addition to Election Law Program Web Lecture Series
On April 10, 2009 the Election Law Program added a new web lecture to the Election Law Program website featuring Robert F. Bauer of Perkins Coie (Obama's personal attorney) and Benjamin L. Ginsberg of Patton Boggs LLP (the lead attorney for Norman Coleman in the Minnesota recount and previously chief counsel for the Bush-Cheney Presidential Campaigns). The web lecture is called "A View From the Trenches: Advice for Judges Handling Election Related Lawsuits from Experts Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg." The web lecture, which covers lessons learned from the 2008 election cycle, is available for free at www.electionlawissues.org.
Third Annual Election Law Symposium, March 20, 2009 at the William & Mary School of Law
On March 20, 2009, two of the country's most prominent election law attorneys, Robert F. Bauer of Perkins Coie (Obama's personal attorney) and Benjamin L. Ginsberg of Patton Boggs LLP (the lead attorney for Norman Coleman in the Minnesota recount and previously chief counsel for the Bush-Cheney Presidential Campaigns), visited campus to participate in a panel entitled, "Campaigning in the Courts: The Rise of Election Litigation." Also participating on the panel were Terry Nelson, a top advisor to the McCain Presidential Campaign and political director of the 2004 Bush-Cheney Campaign, and Susan Swecker, Campaign Manager for Virginia state legislator Creigh Deeds and Senior Advisor for the Deeds Recount. Michael Toner, former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission, moderated.
Journalists Covering the 2008 Presidential Election Take Note
The Election Law Program publishes materials you may find useful in covering 2008 Presidential Election disputes in courts. Designed to assist judges who must must resolve election disputes quickly, the Election Law Program has produced a set of materials that break down the basics of election law disputes. Found at www.electionlawissues.org and in the Publications and Webcourses portion of this site, the Election Law Program hopes journalists covering election issues in court prior to, on, and after November 4 will find these materials a valuable resource as well.
ABA Publishes Election Law Program Materials on its Website
On September 19, 2008, the American Bar Association inaugurated a website intended to assist trial judges in resolving election law disputes in the upcoming presidential election and beyond. The Election Law Program and students from William & Mary's Election Law Society played an significant role in developing these resources. See the ABA Election Resources for Trial Judges page and the William & Mary School of Law Press Release.
First Annual Election Law Symposium March 2, 2007
On March 2, 2007, the Election Law Society and the Institute of Bill of Rights Law hosted the first annual William & Mary Election Law Symposium. The topic this year is "Checks and Balances: The Impact of Money on the 2008 Elections." Prof. Neal Devins moderated a panel discussion with distinguished campaign finance experts. Panelists included:
- Neil P. Reiff, Deputy General Counsel of the Democratic National Committee and a partner at the firm Sandler, Reiff, and Young
- Jason Torchinsky, Senior Associate with Holtzman Vogel and former Deputy General Counsel to Bush-Cheney '04
- Allison Hayward, Assistant Professor of Law at George Mason University, former Chief of Staff and Counsel to Federal Election Commission Commissioner Bradley A. Smith. She also runs the Skeptic's Eye blog (www.skepticseye.com).
The Election Law Program at CCJ/COSCA 2005 Annual Meeting
One of the educational programs offered during the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) was "Election Law: An Overview of Legal Issues, Remedies and Voting Technology Trends." It was moderated by Chief Justice Gerry Alexander (Washington) and State Court Administrator Lilia Judson (Indiana). Panelists included W&M Law Schools own Davidson M. Douglas, the Arthur B. Hanson Professor of Law,and David B. Rottman, Principal Court Research Consultant at the National Center for State Courts, as well as members of the Election Law Program Advisory Committee.
The program used both real-life and hypothetical situations to structure an interactive session to enable participants to become familiar with the major charateristics of electionl law disputes being adjudicated in the state courts.
