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William & Mary’s Wythe School of Law is home to one of the most active and creative election law programs in the nation – and yesterday released an online resource that is intended to bring their work to state court judges across the nation who likely will need it in resolving election law disputes in the wake of the inevitable rush on courtrooms that characterizes the run-up to Election Day.

New York City’s Board of Elections has come in for withering criticism after the April presidential primary, with reports of voters being improperly removed from the rolls – but now a new audit by the city’s Comptroller highlights severe problems with equipment inventory. It’s likely to be the latest flashpoint in the running battle between NYCBOE and its critics in city government – and the press.

California’s primary is tomorrow – and is shaping up to be a big deal, with numerous races on the ballot in addition to President. Over the weekend, the Voice of OC ran a Q&A with Orange County, CA registrar Neal Kelley, whose office is at the epicenter of election preparations in his part of Southern California.

Now, more than ever, there is attention to the field of election administration and the people who keep the nation’s democracy – and the voting systems that support it – running, and running well. The University of Minnesota is helping to open up the field to the next generation of election officials by offering online, graduate-level courses leading to a certificate in election administration. Check us out!

In an election season where new proof-of-citizenship requirements for voters are stirring up bitter debates in Kansas and in Washington, DC, you’d think it wouldn’t be possible for another state to eliminate such a requirement … and yet that’s what happened recently in Louisiana, as the state repealed a 142-year-old law requiring naturalized citizens to provide proof-of-citizenship for voting.

Short break to get the summer started … see you Thursday, June 2!

This week’s electionlineWeekly is a pre-Memorial Day weekend look at 4 new election related books that you might want to add to your summer reading list … enjoy!

California Forward has a fantastic new report that looks at election funding models across the nation … it’s a topic that will be front and center in California and other state capitals – and capitols – across the nation.

Yesterday, Ohio’s on-again/off-again “Golden Week” – during which voters can register to vote and cast an early ballot – was once again re-instated by a federal trial court. It’s a big deal – not just because Ohio is such a key state, but also because of the issues involved and because of the potential for key rulings by federal appellate courts (and maybe even the eight-member SCOTUS).

Even as the 2016 election rapidly approaches, legislators in Illinois are moving ahead on a bill that would add the Land of Lincoln – this year! – to the list of states offering automatic registration, but the state board of elections is saying they’re not sure the state can or should move so quickly. Still, it’s consistent with the state’s previous rapid-fire approach to registration reforms.