Election Law at Ohio State Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Election Law at Ohio State is celebrating 20 years of impact.
Since 2004, the program has focused on nonpartisan research, education, and outreach events about election law and administration. The Election Law team regularly contributes to national discussions on election law through scholarly work, published opinion pieces, blog posts, podcasts, interviews, and more.
Ned Foley“The Election Law program at Ohio State serves the important role of providing the public, including journalists, candidates, lawyers, and others, with careful analysis and thoughtful commentary about matters of election law and administration”
“It also promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in research about these matters, something that has become increasingly important in the past two decades.”
The program, known as Election Law @ Moritz for its first 15 years, covers a wide variety of topics about elections. From drawing representational districts to best practices for early and absentee voting, to the protection of voting rights, the team investigates what is happening with elections across the country.
Steve Huefner“In fulfilling our mission, we focus on the structural design of the electoral systems and the mechanics of conducting elections”
“Each state is responsible for creating its own system of conducting elections, subject to a few federal standards. Issues we address surrounding these structural choices also include the role of partisan primaries, plurality versus majority winner systems, the management of Election Day operations, post-election dispute resolution processes, and the role of courts and public administrators in matters of election administration.”
A signature project that supports the program’s goal is Major Pending Election Cases. For 20 years, it has been an invaluable resource, providing straightforward case summaries, comprehensive court filings, and expert commentary about important election law cases from around the nation.
Over the years, there have certainly been memorable elections the team has covered. For senior fellow and James W. Shocknessy Professor of Law Terri Enns, the program’s first presidential election in 2004 was especially unforgettable.
“Because Ohio was a key purple state, we did a lot of international media coverage,” remembered Enns. “I spoke with reporters from around the world, including Argentina and the BBC.”
Senior fellow and Assistant Director for Public Services Matt Cooper also recalled how the 2020 presidential election, during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to some unique opportunities.
“That year was also memorable in that we partnered with the well-regarded Supreme Court-focused website, SCOTUSblog, providing information about key cases and 'explainers’ on election law issues,” he said. “Additionally, many Ohio State lLaw students were involved in helping to keep track of case developments leading up to the election.”
As the team looks ahead to another presidential election, they are ready to work through the unique situations and challenges that may come with it. In an effort to find innovative ways to extend their reach and include more voices in the conversation, the team is hosting a "Law and Democracy" podcast, offering insightful and informative commentary on current election law issues and more.
This year, Election Law at Ohio State is also bringing back its Courtwatchers program, giving law students the opportunity to make valuable contributions and expand the program’s capacity to meet the moment.
“Our team can provide thoughtful analysis of key election law issues, making substantial contributions to the scholarly and public conversation on election reform and helping to cut through partisan voices,” Cooper said. “The objective expertise of Election Law at Ohio State is as needed as ever.”
To learn more about the Election Law at Ohio State program, click here.