CONTACT: Tim Eckley, AJS, 515-271-2288, teckley@ajs.org;
Lisa Lacher, Drake, 515-271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu
A program on “Judging Elections: How Courts Shape the Democratic Process” will be presented by the American Judicature Society and Drake University Law School from 3 to 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at the Drake Legal Clinic, 2400 University Ave. The program, which is free and open to the public, is part of the AJS-Drake Law School Justice System Series.
Since the United States Supreme Court decided Bush v. Gore, there has been an explosion in the litigation of elections in America. This timely program will explore the latest developments in election law, new controversies regarding voter identification requirements, the changing climate of judicial elections and how court decisions impact voters in Iowa.
Three experts on the law and elections will give presentations followed by an open panel discussion with the audience. Kieran Williams, Drake adjunct professor of political science, will discuss developments in U.S. election law since the Bush v. Gore decision. Rachel Paine Caufield, Drake assistant professor of politics and international relations, will talk about changes in the way judges in the United States are either elected or selected. Charlie Smithson, executive director and legal counsel for the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, will address how court decisions affect elections in Iowa.
A podcast of the program will be available starting on Nov. 2 from the Drake podcasting site at www.law.drake.edu/podcasts/public.aspx.
The American Judicature Society, based in Des Moines, is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization formed in 1913 that is committed to maintaining fair and impartial courts and enhancing public trust and confidence in the justice system. For more information about AJS, visit http://www.ajs.org/.