Voting Rights (Abel)
Faculty
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| Jason Abel Lecturer in Law jabel@steptoe.com |
Additional Information
Skills Training
Oral Presentations
Team Projects
Drafting Legal Documents
Grading
25% Participation,
75% Paper
No
Class meets in person.
Course Continuity
Students are encouraged to stay home if you are ill or experience flu-like symptoms. If you miss a class for any reason, it is still your responsibility to make up the work missed.
I offer the following to students who miss class due to illness:
- Class sessions are regularly recorded. If you are absent due to illness or some other unavoidable circumstance, email me and I can send you an email with instructions for accessing the recording for the class session(s) you missed.
Meeting Times/Location
F 11:40AM - 1:40PM
Silverman Hall 270
Category
Seminar
Credits
3.0
The struggle for voting rights in the United States continues to this day. This seminar will analyze the historical barriers to the franchise as well as current threats to the right to vote. Drawing upon Supreme Court opinions, policy proposals and real-world legal efforts, including the history of the Civil Rights Movement, we will engage in lively discussions about voting rights, redistricting, election administration, election protection and democracy itself. We will spend a significant amount of time discussing the 14th and 15th Amendments, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and state laws restricting the right to vote. Further, the impact of Shelby County v. Holder, Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and cases during the current Supreme Court term will be analyzed, specifically with respect to their impact on minority voters. We will also review the 2020 election and how the "Big Lie" has fueled election subversion efforts and voter suppression efforts in the states.
Attendance is mandatory and participation will account for 25% of your final grade. A paper will account for 75% of your final grade.
Constitutional Law Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of constitutional law; Perform legal analysis in the context of constitutional law; Communicate effectively on topics related to constitutional law; Demonstrate an understanding of constitutional law affects other areas of law.
Public Interest Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of the varied legal aspects of public interest law; Perform legal analysis in the context of public interest law; Communicate effectively on topics related to public interest law; Demonstrate an understanding of how public interest law is connected to and affected by a wide variety of legal and regulatory structures and doctrines.
Equity and Inclusion Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of the varied legal aspects of equity and inclusion; Perform legal analysis in the context of topics related to equity and inclusion; Communicate effectively on the legal aspects of equity and inclusion; Demonstrate an understanding of how equity and inclusion are connected to and affected by a wide variety of legal and regulatory structures and doctrines.
Textbooks
"Election Law: Cases and Materials" by Lowenstein, Hasen, Tokaji, Stephanopoulos |