Democracy and Election Law
Course Syllabus
Spring 2009

Subject to Revision

John Hardin Young, Adjunct Professor
young (at) sandlerreiff.com
(202) 479-1111

1. Voting and Representation: The Warren Court’s Equal Protection Legacy
Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964)
Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, 383 U.S. 663(1966)

2. Introduction to Legislative Districting & Minority Vote Dilution
A. The Voting Rights Act (§2)
Thornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30 (1986)
B. Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymandering (§ 5)
Georgia v. Ashcroft, 539 U.S. 461 (2003)
Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993)
C. Partisan Gerrymandering
Vieth v. Jubelirer, 124 S.Ct. 1769 (2004)
League of United Latin Am. Citizens v. Perry, 126 S.Ct.2594 (2006)

3. The First Amendment and Campaign Finance, Part I:
Contribution and Expenditure Limits: The Buckley Framework
Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976)
Lillian R. BeViers, “First Amendment Basics Redux, Buckley v. Valeo to FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life”, Cato Supreme Ct. Rev. 77 (2007)

4. Campaign Finance and Reform, Part II: Parties, Soft Money, Issue Advocacy
McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 93 (2003)

5.  Campaign Finance: Return to Restrictions on the Regulation of Speech
Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC, 127 S.Ct. 2652 (2007)

6. The Battle Over 527's
Shays v. FEC (Shays II), 508 F.Supp2d 10 (D.D.C. 2007)
FEC, “Supplemental Explanation on Political Committees”, 72 Fed.Reg.5525 (2007)

7.   Enforcement of the Campaign Laws and the Right to Sue
Cort v. Ash, 422 U.S. 66 (1975)

8. Major Political Parties
Washington v. Washington State Republican Party, cert. granted 127 S.Ct. 1373(2007)

9. Third Parties and Independent Candidates
Nader v. Keith, 385 F.3d 729(7th Cir. 2004)

10. Ballot Propositions
People’s Advocate v Superior Court, 226 Cal. Rptr. 640 (Cal App.1986)

11.  Equal Protection, and the Counting of Votes
Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000)
Steve Bickerstaff, “Post-Election Strategy in Florida: The Anatomy of Defeat and Victory”, 34 Loy.U.Chi.L.J. 149 (2002)

12. The Electoral College: History and Reform Efforts
Thomas H. Neale, “The Electoral College: How It Works In Contemporary Presidential Elections”, Cong. Research Service, Crs Rep. No. Rl 32611 (2004)

13.  Fair Election Administration and Voting Machines
ABA,” Guidelines for the Fair Administration of Elections”
Brennan Center for Justice, “The Machinery of Democracy: Protecting Elections in an Electronic World”