With Donald
Trump’s unorthodox, and ultimately successful, campaign for the Republican
Party nomination, Bernie Sanders’ insurgent presidential campaign and challenge
to the Democratic Party establishment, and Hillary Clinton’s history-making
turn as the first-ever female major-party nominee, the 2016 election season has
been akin to the old Disneyland attraction Mister Toad’s Wild Ride. As usual,
election law played an important and defining role in an otherwise
revolutionary and groundbreaking election season. The 2016 election cycle dealt
with a number of issues, including the prospect of denying votes to
17-year-olds in Ohio; challenges to Ted Cruz’s eligibility to be president;
voter identification litigation (seemingly everywhere); controversy over
re-enfranching ex-felons in Virginia; and the legality of ballot selfies in New
Hampshire. This campaign season also saw the emergence of several intriguing
campaign finance issues including Jeb Bush’s $100 million implosion; Bernie
Sanders’ significant gains among small donors as compared to the 2008 and 2012
election cycles; and Donald Trump’s self-funding in the primaries. Panelists
will discuss a bevy of issues related to the 2016 elections, tell us what we’ve
learned, and enlighten us on what it might mean for the future of the field.
Business meeting at program conclusion.