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Full-Text Articles in Law
Recent Developments In Absentee Voting, James Alcorn
Recent Developments In Absentee Voting, James Alcorn
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
With the votes cast and counted, the political signs down, and the final dollars tallied, most people were glad to have election season behind them. For the election community, however, the groundwork for future decisions was beginning anew. The 2009 session of the Virginia General Assembly again saw a large number of bills related to election administration.1 Included in those were a large number of absentee voting bills.2 For the last fifteen years, legislators have introduced numerous bills related to absentee voting, and roughly half of these bills have succeeded. 3 While the rest of the country considers large election …
Bipartisan Redistricting, Senator R. Creigh Deeds
Bipartisan Redistricting, Senator R. Creigh Deeds
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
The redistricting of legislative lines, whether for the houses of the General Assembly or Virginia's congressional delegation, is currently riddled with partisan politics. It appears, however, that different political parties will control the two houses of the legislature during the next redistricting process for the first time in our Commonwealth's history. Whether this is to be the case for the redistricting of 2011 will be decided by future events, but currently Democrats control the State Senate and Republicans have a majority of the House of the Delegates. The next Governor will also play a significant role in redistricting. With no …
A Defense Of Legislative Redistricting, Delegate Mark Cole
A Defense Of Legislative Redistricting, Delegate Mark Cole
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
Virginia is one of thirty-six states in which the legislature holds primary responsibility for the process of redrawing the lines of legislative and congressional districts after the completion of each decennial census. During the last two sessions of the Virginia General Assembly, however, there have been concerted efforts by Governor Tim Kaine, General Assembly Democrats, and a collection of interest groups calling themselves the Virginia Redistricting Coalition to limit the legislature's responsibility for redistricting. In 2008 and 2009, those efforts failed.
Ramifications Of Felony Disenfranchisement On The Votingpopulation In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Dr. Monica Robbers
Ramifications Of Felony Disenfranchisement On The Votingpopulation In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Dr. Monica Robbers
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
Virginia is one of 12 states in the United States that does not automatically restore the right to vote to all felons who have completed their sentences. This paper provides the historical context offelony disenfranchisement in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and includes an examination of legislation and the rationales behind it. Descriptive empirical analysis of individuals in Virginia who have been disenfranchised and the impact this has on the Commonwealth's voting population is conducted for the year 2000. In addition, analysis of the impact of disenfranchisement on voting in two counties and two cities is incorporated. Discussion of current policy …
Mcconnell V. Federal Election Commission: The Problem Of Eradicating Campaign Finance Corruption, Michelle C. Gabriel
Mcconnell V. Federal Election Commission: The Problem Of Eradicating Campaign Finance Corruption, Michelle C. Gabriel
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
Immediately after the BCRA became law, its constitutionality was Supreme Court of the United States upheld all of the Act's major provisions. This Article will examine four main empirical claims the Court makes in McConnell: (1) wealthy campaign donors are able to buy greater access to politicians with campaign contributions, (2) limits on freedom to associate within party committees are necessary in order to prevent campaign finance abuses, (3) reductions in campaign funding will not inhibit political campaigns, and (4) those who purchase campaign advertisements must be identified so voters are not misled by the advertisements' messages. The first two …
Davis V. Federal Election Commission: Constitutional Right To Ensure Campaign Finance Advantage, W. Clayton Landa
Davis V. Federal Election Commission: Constitutional Right To Ensure Campaign Finance Advantage, W. Clayton Landa
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
Davis has raised numerous campaign finance issues: the precise definition of corruption in the electoral process; whether the government has an important interest in leveling the playing field of campaign finance to battle the perception that money can buy a seat in Congress; whether variations in contribution limits actually chill political speech by discouraging a candidate from self-financing; and, even if it does, whether the government interest is sufficient to allow raised limits. Part II of this note explores the history of campaign finance regulation through Congress and the courts, specifically focusing on self-financed candidates and the consideration of expenditure …
Hava's Matching/Id Requirement: A Meaningless Tale Told By... Congress, Nathan Cemenska
Hava's Matching/Id Requirement: A Meaningless Tale Told By... Congress, Nathan Cemenska
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
This Article explores the question of whether HAVA requires matching, as well as the subsidiary question of whether HAVA mandates matching in states requiring voters to present a form of identification at the time of voting. The first question is a close one. However, on the second question, at least some courts are likely to conclude that HAVA exempts a state from having a matching program if the state requires identification from every voter at the polls. This Article makes a few modest recommendations to administrators trying to avoid the possibility of a lawsuit.
Judicial Elections: Recent Developments, Historical Perspective, And Continued Viability, Laura Zaccari
Judicial Elections: Recent Developments, Historical Perspective, And Continued Viability, Laura Zaccari
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
In the United States today the vast majority of states conduct elections in some form or fashion to select members of the judiciary. These elections bring into conflict two ideals of American government: officials who are accountable to the people, and the idea of a fair and impartial judiciary. Organizations such as the American Bar Association and the American Judicature Society have expressed misgivings about judicial elections for years; however, judicial elections continue to have support from voters. Judicial elections raise a myriad of ethical and political questions that have been the source of heated debate for years; however, several …
Tick, Tick, Tick…The Electoral College, A Ticking Time Bomb, Paul J. Piccard, Ann M. Piccard, Mary M. Piccard
Tick, Tick, Tick…The Electoral College, A Ticking Time Bomb, Paul J. Piccard, Ann M. Piccard, Mary M. Piccard
Richmond Public Interest Law Review
What can be done about this ticking bomb? Nothing short of a constitutional amendment can stop the clock. Many amendments to change the electoral college system have been proposed.Some have cleared either house of Congress, but not one has reached the states for ratification since the Twelfth Amendment. We consider some possibilities to stop the clock below.