Election Law
This seminar examines the constitutional and statutory frameworks that govern the American electoral process, including for the 2026 midterm elections, with particular attention to the intersection of doctrine, litigation strategy, and democratic theory. The seminar is designed for students interested in civil rights advocacy, federal courts, civil procedure, constitutional law, and the practical aspects of litigating voting rights cases. Each week, students will work through a discrete area of the field, including the right to vote, reapportionment and redistricting, ballot access, the Voting Rights Act, campaign finance, the laws governing political parties, and issues concerning elections, as well as the executive orders, agency rulemaking, and state legislation that are currently reshaping election administration. The goal is not simply to learn what the law says but to understand how lawyers use it: how claims are framed, forums selected, records built, and arguments calibrated for audiences ranging from district courts to the U.S. Supreme Court. Several sessions will examine active cases and draw on the perspectives of practitioners working in the field. Readings will include judicial opinions, academic scholarship, and litigation documents. Grading and Method of Evaluation: Letter grade, Final exam.