Course Description
A survey of the legal framework that governs elections and influences electoral outcomes (e.g., voting rights, districting, and campaign finance.)
Athena Title
Election Law and Admin
Prerequisite
POLS 1101 or POLS 1105H or POLS 1101E or POLS 1101S
Semester Course Offered
Offered every even-numbered year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
• Become familiar with the laws and judicial decisions that govern our electoral procedure, determine who has the right to vote, and determine how those votes are counted. • Understand how the electoral process advances or undermines democratic ideals. • Consider potential alternatives to the current political system that might better align with democratic ideals.
Topical Outline
• Right to Vote o Age, residency, citizenship, non-felon status o Right to an equally weighted vote • Election Administration o Bush v. Gore and counting votes o Voter registration and identification o Election administrators and voting technology • Minority Vote Dilution o Malapportionment and one person, one vote o Section 5 Voting Rights Act o Section 2 Voting Rights Act o Racial gerrymandering • Political Districting o Districting criteria o Justiciability o Partisan gerrymandering o Incumbency and competition • Campaign Finance and the First Amendment o Contributions and expenditure limits o Parties, soft money and issue advocacy