Election Law: Trends And Developments

Unless you have been living in a cave in some far off land the past decade, you are at least somewhat aware that election law has become a major issue in many instances across the country. Through this article you are provided an essential overview of election law in the United States in the 21st century.

A great deal of the activity surrounding changes and alterations to election law across the United States stems from the 2000 Presidential election recount – and its aftermath – in the State of Florida. The problems experienced in Florida turned out to be similar to the problems that some jurisdictions were experiencing (and continue to experience) albeit on a smaller and less publicized scale.

As a result of the problems arising out of elections, there has been a whole new generation of attorneys who specialize in election law coming into practice. These lawyers really are finding that they can keep well occupied dealing with election law issues not only during and in the aftermath of elections but literally every year throughout the year.

One area of election law that has been very active in recent years involves ballot access. By this it is meant an active are of election law over the course of the past decade – in point of fact for generations – is ballot access. Ballot access involves making sure that all qualified voters have an appropriate ability to access voting in a reasonable manner.

The fact is that from time to time even in this day and age groups of people in different locations across the country have had problems and issues with ballot access. This includes everything from being physically prevented from voting to being forced to use a ballot or voting system that is not easily utilized.

Another area of election law in which there has been a great deal of activity in recent years – and which has garnered a great deal of media attention – involved the methodology involved in the counting of ballots. Of course, the prime example of issues that have arisen when it comes to the counting of ballots is the 2000 Presidential election in the State of Florida.

Although the 2000 Presidential election in the State of Florida gained international media attention, the fact is that significant recount issues are arising each and every election cycle. For example, in the 2008 national election, a major recount issue arose in the State of Minnesota involving the race for the United States Senate.

A side issue relating to the counting of ballots in elections is the type of equipment that is being used to record those votes. There have been numerous lawsuits filed in recent years centering on voting equipment and its functionality. It seems that the more high-tech the voting equipment the more lawsuits are filed. (The fact is that there has been a notable failure rate when it comes to voting equipment over the course of the past decade and as voting equipment has become more high-tech.