Link.

Injustice comes to Tampa next Thursday, January 12, at noon at the Tampa Club.  Sign up here.  I’ll have books to sign.  The event is sponsored by the Tampa Federalist Society Lawyers Chapter.

Tennessee Republicans sought to shore up freshman Rep. Stephen Fincher (R) in a draft congressional redistricting map released Friday.  Rather than targeting potentially vulnerable Nashville Rep. Jim Cooper (D), the GOP instead moved to solidify its gains from the 2010 election. Republicans gained three seats in Tennessee in 2010 and, under the proposed map, should have little trouble holding on to their newfound 7-to-2 majority in the state’s congressional delegation over the next decade.  Full story at the Fix

With about 3 weeks to the Florida primary, voters from all parties in Duval county seem to want a piece of the action in the Republican primary January 31st.

“We saw probably over 2000 voters actually change parties,” says Duval county elections supervisor Jerry Holland. “And obviously doing that because they’re engaged in the candidates, wanting to participate in the selection of the Republican candidate, so we see the energy there.”

Holland says they’re expecting a huge voter turnout this year because of the implications Florida has to narrow down the GOP field.

Full story at the link

The new year brings a big election year and a big year for Tennessee voters as well with the new voter ID law, something Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey thinks is necessary. “This has been a little controversial. I am shocked that it is,” Ramsey said. “I think most people agree that we need to make sure you are who you say you are when you’re voting.

full story at the link

 Details here at PJ Rule of Law.

I will be on with Monica Crowley on New York City’s talker, WABC today between 1 and 3 pm to talk about Injustice.

The big story out of Kentucky involving election administration (hinted at by Doug Chapin) was the unjustified and sudden removal of Sarah Ball Johnson as the state elections director by the incoming Board and Secretary of State.  After two decades of service, they showed her the door for political reasons.  

Last week’s news from Kentucky that the State Board of Elections had removed state election director Sarah Ball Johnson – who had worked for the board for 17 years including 8 years as Director under Secretaries Trey Grayson and Elaine Walker – was disappointing to those of us who have worked with her and have come to admire her skill and expertise. The move appeared to come as part of the handover of the board to its new chair, incoming Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. 

To fire an election administrator who is respected nationwide for her ability to run clean and fair elections is not a very smart move, much less in a Presidential Election yeaar.  This naked insertion of partisanship into Kentucky election administration should be an issue for which Kentucky Republicans demand accountability.

The law effects both new and existing voters. So, La Crosse County has announced a four day education campaign to teach voters about the new law.  More at the link.

Erin Chemerinsky, a professor of law at the University of California at Irvine, said that the constitutionality of Section 5 is very much “the backdrop of what the Supreme Court will be considering.

“Ultimately, the cases highlight a crucial issue sure to come directly before the court: Was the extension of Section 5 for another 25 years constitutional,” Chemerinsky wrote in the American Bar Journal.  full story at the link. 

The groups start to sweat the potential ramifications.