Since 2000, election reform experts and advocates have been attempting to gain traction for systemic change to the nation’s election system with limited success. On April 7, the Election Reform Project hosted a discussion exploring a new book by Heather Gerken of Yale Law School that advocates bringing sustained attention to the need for reform through a “Democracy Index” that ranks state and local governments on the performance of their election systems.
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Academics and advocates alike find sending observers to polling places on Election Day extremely useful, but in some states like Ohio, their efforts have been challenged under state law. This article from the Harvard Journal on Legislation explores the constitutionality of poll watcher statutes, arguing that laws permitting their presence at voting locations are permissible under the U.S. Constitution.
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