Independent State Legislatures and Presidential Elections: Addressing Misconceptions About Current Law and Prospects for Reform

This op-ed was originally published in Just Security.

During the recent Senate Rules Committee hearing on Electoral Count Act reform, Senator Angus King (I-ME) asked a question that seems to be on many minds: What is the independent state legislature theory and how would it impact the casting and counting of electoral votes under the Electoral Count Act? The bipartisan panel of experts was clear inĀ response. The Electoral Count Act, current or reformed, would continue to constrain state legislatures even if the Supreme Court adopts the independent state legislature theory and frees state legislatures from state-level checks on their power to regulate federal elections. Indeed, these two areas of election law have little to do with one another. But with the landscape developing quickly and the stakes high, it is helpful to explore the issues in detail.

We offer this analysis, adding to the work of ProfessorsĀ Rick Pildes,Ā Ned Foley,Ā Derek Muller, andĀ Rick HasenĀ (among others), as well as organizations including theĀ Cato Institute, in an effort to bring more clarity to two topics that are now among the most urgent in election law.

Read the full op-ed in Just Security.

About the Authors

Genevieve Nadeau

Counsel & Head of Defending Against Authoritarian Threats Team

Genevieve Nadeau leads our team focused on defending against a range of authoritarian threats at the state and national levels, using a combination of strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and communications to strengthen democratic guardrails and secureĀ accountability for abuses of power.

Helen White

Counsel

Helen White focuses on protecting elections and voting rights and ensuring accountability for abuses of power through litigation and other advocacy strategies.

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