Seton Hall Law Legislative Journal Symposium
Ballots and Democracy: A New Scholarly Agenda
Seton Hall Legislative Journal, Vol. 47, Symposium
WHEN
Friday, February 24, 2023 ¦ 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST.
WHERE
The Larson Auditorium | Register now.
CLE CREDIT AVAILABLE
7 NJ CLE credits (general) and 5.5 PA CLE credits (substantive)
DESCRIPTION
This symposium will focus on the relationship between ballots and democracy. Most election law experts understand that the way our ballots look can significantly influence how people vote. This Symposium will bring together activists, scholars, judges, lawyers, and law students from around the country to discuss how ballot design impacts and influences democratic outcomes. The panelists will discuss the history and use of the "Australian" ballot in the United States, past controversies concerning poorly designed ballots, the empirical effects of ballot design, litigation strategies to improve ballot design, and the ways in which voters and the public can become more educated about how ballot design influence democratic outcomes. The Symposium will seek to educate the public about the problems of bad ballot design both as those problems exist nationally and in New Jersey. All attorneys will receive CLE credit. The Symposium will consist of four panels. Admission is free. There will also be a complimentary breakfast and lunch, and a cocktail reception following the event. Paid parking is available in the garage adjacent to the law school.
| Agenda Friday, February 24, 2023 | |
|---|---|
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8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
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Continental Breakfast |
|
9:00 - 9:15 |
Opening Remarks  Zachary Cimring  Eve Litvak |
|
9:15 - 9:20 |
Introduction of Symposium and panels  Eugene Mazo |
|
9:20 - 10:45 |
Panel 1: Ballot Design and Democracy: A National Perspective This panel will examine how ballot design influences electoral outcomes. The panelists will discuss the history of ballot design in the United States and the controversies that have been caused by poor ballot design in American politics. This panel will assess the existing scholarship on ballot design, as well as the influence that ballot design has on voters. Moderator: Eugene Mazo  Derek T. Muller  Mark C. Alexander  Richard Lee Winger  Whitney Quesenbery |
|
10:45 - 11:00
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Break |
|
11:00 - 12:30 p.m. |
Panel 2: Ballot Design in New Jersey: The History and Empirical Effects of the "County Line" Ballot Bracketing System This panel will focus more specifically on New Jersey’s unique “county line” ballot bracketing system, on its history, and on its empirical effects. The panels will discuss why the "county line" ballot bracketing system exists in New Jersey and explain how it works. They will also discuss how the "county line" ballot bracketing system impacts electoral outcomes throughout the state.  Moderator: Donna Kelly  Brett Pugach  Flavio Komuves  Sam Wang  Julia Sass Rubin |
|
12:30 - 1:15
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Lunch |
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1:15 - 2:45 |
Panel 3: Litigation Strategies: The Constitutional Challenge to the "County Line" Ballot Bracketing System This panel will examine the ongoing challenges to New Jersey’s “county line” ballot bracketing system and assess their likelihood of success. The panelists will discuss the legal theories that have been advanced to challenge the "county line" in New Jersey, how these challenges are now playing out in the courts, and whether New Jersey's "county line" system is constitutional.  Moderator: William E. Baroni Jr.  Yael Bromberg Eugene Mazo  Ryan P. Haygood  Angelo J. Genova |
|
2:45 - 3:00
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Break |
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3:00 – 4:30 |
Panel 4: Ballot Design and the Common Good: Efforts to Educate the Public about New Jersey's Ballots This panel will explore the efforts that activists and civil society groups are undertaking to educate New Jersey’s citizens about the impact that the state’s ballot design system has on their vote. The discussion will focus on media strategies and other approaches that are currently being taken to reform New Jersey’s ballots.  Moderator: Solangel Maldonado  Renée Steinhagen  Liza Weisberg  Kevin P. Hancock  Ronald K. Chen  Sue Altman |
| 4:30 – 4:40
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Closing Remarks Zachary Cimring Eve Litvak |
| 4:45
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Reception. Cocktails and light food to be provided. |
CONTACT
If you have any questions or need to make changes to your registration, please contact Kaitlyn Casa at 973-642-8587 or [email protected].