Brennan Center for Justice

New Study Shows Need for Modern Voting System

The Pew Center on the States released a report Tuesday showing that 1 in 8 voter registration records are flawed. "This report proves that our nation’s ramshackle voter registration system does not work for 21st century America," said Wendy Weiser. "It's a mess. It's expensive. There isn't central control over the process," Lawrence Norden told USA Today.

Read the Brennan Center’s proposal to modernize our voter registration system, which would add 65 million eligible Americans to the rolls. Also read our comprehensive study on new voting restrictions that could make it harder for 5 million people to vote and our report on voter registration around the world. Read more at The New York Times and Associated Press.

Business, Civic Leaders Urge Public Financing in New York

A new bipartisan group called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday to fulfill his promise to clean up Albany and overhaul the state’s campaign finance laws. Called New York Leadership for Accountable Government (NY LEAD) and led by Hudson River Ventures’ Sean Eldridge, former Congressman Scott Murphy, and other prominent business and civic leaders, the group urged public financing as the key to restore fairness and accountability to the Empire State’s political process. Read the New York Times story and editorial. See video of the press conference. Read the Brennan Center's report on New York City's successful public financing system, a model for the state.

Virginia Presses Restrictive Voting Measure

With Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) breaking a tie vote, the Virginia state senate passed a voter ID bill, continuing the wave of restrictive voting laws that will make it harder for up to 5 million people to vote in 2012. Now the Senate bill must be reconciled with the House version. The Brennan Center’s Keesha Gaskins spoke to the Virginian-Pilot about the bill. Read the our comprehensive study, Voting Law Changes in 2012, which details how new voting restrictions fall most heavily on young, minority, and low-income voters.

A $26 Billion Mortgage Settlement, But for Whom?

Government authorities and five of the nation’s biggest banks reached a settlement that could assist nearly two million homeowners harmed by the real estate implosion. Yet, four million Americans have been foreclosed upon since 2007. Behind all the numbers are people. To hear their stories — and why they need legal help — watch the Brennan Center’s multimedia series, Fighting Foreclosure: Why Legal Assistance Matters. Read Neeta Pal’s interviews with advocates aiding homeowners. And watch Mark Ladov discuss the settlement on Capital Tonight.

House Democrats Revive Transparency Bill

House Democrats introduced a slimmed-down version of the DISCLOSE Act, which would increase transparency in elections by requiring outside groups to disclose their donors and list them in campaign ads. “Already in the 2012 cycle, corporations and individuals have donated unlimited sums to candidate-specific Super PACs, which have flooded the airwaves,” reads a letter urging members of Congress to support the bill. “The DISCLOSE 2012 Act is a crucial step to shine disinfecting sunlight on this secretive spending.” Read more at The Hill’s Congress Blog.

Ideas on Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Law

Pew Report Shows Need for Modern Voting System – Wendy Weiser & Lianna Reagan

• A new study reveals our deeply flawed election administration system — and the urgent need to bring it up to date.

The Real Fraud Behind Photo ID – Lee Rowland

• Claims of widespread voter fraud collapse under close inspection.

Chile’s Voter Registration System: A Model for the U.S. – Lianna Reagan

• Chile modernized its voter registration system. But a first-rate democracy like the U.S. still lags behind.

Obama’s Super PAC Flip-Flop – Adam Skaggs

• The president's use of Super PAC support distracts us from the real questions about today’s campaign finance environment.

Iguanas and the Rule of Law at Guantánamo – Liza Goitein

• I traveled to the prison recently to observe the hearing of accused U.S.S. Cole bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.

Brown and Warren Unilaterally Disarm Super PACs – Jonathan Backer

• Many candidates have piously condemned Super PAC spending, but two Massachusetts candidates backed up their talk with action.

Money and Politics in New York – Reform NY

• A roundup with the latest news highlighting the corrosive nature of money in New York State politics — and the need for public financing and robust campaign finance reform.

What We’re Reading

• See what the Brennan Center’s reading in this daily round-up of quick hits, clips, and opinion pieces touching on key issues of democracy, justice, liberty and national security. Includes stories the mortgage settlement, voter ID in Texas and South Carolina, and the DISCLOSE Act.

Read more blogs here.

• Feb. 17 – Nic Riley participates in a voting rights panel at the New Organizing Institute in Washington, D.C.
• Feb. 17 – Nicole Austin-Hillery speaks about the evolution of voting rights in America at a Congressional Black Caucus panel in Washington, D.C. Reps. Steny Hoyer, John Conyers, John Lewis, and Marcia Fudge will be in attendance.
• Feb. 29 – The Brennan Center hosts a roundtable discussion on the state of the foreclosure crisis in New York. Representatives from NYU’s Furman Center, the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, and New York legal services groups will speak on the panel.
• March 8 – The Brennan Center hosts former Inspector General Glenn Fine, who will discuss his experience overseeing the FBI and lessons learned about oversight of intelligence operations.

• Lawrence Norden spoke to USA Today and the Associated Press about a new report from the Pew Center on the States, which shows that 1 in 8 voter registration records are flawed. Read more at The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, International Business Times, and Time.
• South Carolina is trying to pass yet another restrictive voting bill. Writing in the Boston Review, Jonathan Brater said, “If the United States awarded medals for voter suppression, South Carolina would compete for the gold.”
• The New York Times covered the launch of New York Leadership for Accountable Government. Also read the Times editorial urging Gov. Cuomo to enact campaign reform.
• Michael Waldman appeared on Current TV’s The War Room with Jennifer Granholm to discuss restrictive voting laws. Also see him discuss the presidential race on CNN's OutFront with Erin Burnett.
• Mark Ladov appeared on Capital Tonight to discuss the recent mortgage settlement that will help millions of homeowners.
• Super PACs dominated the news these past few weeks. Read our experts’ comments in the Washington Post and The American Prospect.
• Read Adam Skaggs’ take on Super PAC disclosure in Salon and his views on Citizens United in Reuters. Also read his op-ed urging passage of the DISCLOSE Act.
• Nicole Austin-Hillery wrote an op-ed for Roll Call on why Congress should make more efforts toward cooperation.
• Rep. Charles Gonzalez cited our voting research in an op-ed on voter ID.
• At the Huffington Post, Neeta Pal conducted two Q&As with advocates aiding homeowners going through foreclosure.
• NPR detailed why millions of Americans don’t have government ID.
• The Virginia Senate passed a voter ID bill. Keesha Gaskins spoke to a Virginian-Pilot columnist about the bill. Also read the Washington Post’s editorial opposing the measure.
• Gaskins also spoke to the Minneapolis Star Tribune about Minnesota’s proposed voter ID measures.
• Other experts discussing voting laws: Lawrence Norden on The Takeaway and Wisconsin Public Radio, Mimi Marziani on CBC’s The Current, and Keesha Gaskins on Al Jazeera.
• The Brennan Center continued its call for an inspector general for the NYPD.
• Adam Skaggs spoke on a panel on judicial ethics rules at the ABA convention in New Orleans.
• Keesha Gaskins explained redistricting to PBS Newshour’s Extra, an online program put together by students.