Tag Archives: Topic: Elections

Freedom from Religion Foundation: The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a report with the Internal Revenue Service over illegal political campaigning by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). BGEA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has run full-page ads publicizing Billy Graham’s call for the electorate to “vote biblical values.” The ads have appeared in several “swing state” newspapers in preparation for tomorrow’s heated presidential election. Throughout the month of October, BGEA published articles favorable to Romney, which included a statement by Billy Graham: “What impresses me even more than Gov. Romney’s successful career are his values and strong moral convictions.”

Casey Mattox at Townhall (11/3): President Obama apparently has chosen to stake his re-election on abortion, and particularly on Planned Parenthood. He sees abortion as a winning issue if enough women can become convinced that taking federal taxpayer funding away from Planned Parenthood would somehow harm women’s health. In order to make that case effectively, the administration must convince Americans to view Planned Parenthood not as the nation’s largest abortion seller but as a more sympathetic provider of a broad range of women’s health services. Hence the repeated and blatantly dishonest claims about Planned Parenthood providing mammograms.

LifeNews: With the 2012 presidential election revolving around major abortion policies for pro-life voters, two leading pro-life groups expect a massive turnout of evangelical voters at the polls today. Family Research Council Action says evidence suggests considerable Election Day turnout among values voters.

Religion Clause Blog: While the Presidential contest obviously looms largest at the polls tomorrow, those interested in church-state and religious liberty issues are watching a number of down-ballot issues and contests . . .

Piero Tozzi at the Bell Towers: Restoring dignity to the Office of President is not something to be taken lightly – character matters, and the President should be a role model. Integrity radiates from the top: as Confucius noted, the virtuous ruler is like the pole star, setting the standard for those around him. When those in high office act virtuously, people are inspired to virtue. And when that happens, young lads stop cussin’ around the house… Actually Confucius did not say that last bit, but of this much I am confident: there will be no more upending the ottoman in an effort to reach the remote in order to hit the mute button and prevent an assault on tender ears when a President Romney or his minions speak.

Austin Nimocks appeared on the Mike Essen Show. | MP3 audio 20:57 mins

ABC:  ABC News projects that Tammy Baldwin has won the U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin, making history as the first openly gay U.S. Senator.

The Hill: “DoD’s failure to fix this longstanding problem means that the blank ballots of thousands of overseas service members, as well as some who have recently returned from overseas, could be currently trapped in an archaic and inefficient mail forwarding system,” the senators wrote. “These ballots are unlikely to reach these service members until after Election Day has passed.”

Montgomery Advertiser: Earlier this year, almost no one would have expected the race for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to be between Roy Moore, a man who was removed from that position almost a decade ago, and Robert Vance Jr., the well-funded son of a federal judge who was assassinated.

Indiana Public Media: “In 2011, Justice Steven David ruled that Hoosiers have no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers into their homes,” a radio ad sponsored by the Indianapolis Tea Party says.

The Hill: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned Mitt Romney this week that upper-chamber Democrats would be no rubber stamp for Republican ideals if the GOP contender wins the White House next Tuesday.

AZ Central: Americans for Responsible Leadership, which has also poured $11 million into two California campaigns, immediately asked for a temporary stay until 9 a.m. Monday to produce the records for the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

Newsmax: Anyone who is sent an absentee ballot — including those who do not complete it and mail it in — and later shows up at the polls on Election Day to cast their ballot in person will be instructed to instead complete a provisional ballot. And under Ohio election law, provisional ballots cannot be opened until 10 days after an election. “I would just say that this is a potential nightmare-in-waiting,” says Blackwell.

McClatchyDC: In the letter, Jenky cautions parishioners that Obama and a majority of U.S. senators will not reconsider the mandate that would require employers, including religious groups, to provide free birth control coverage in their health care plans. “This assault upon our religious freedom is simply without precedent in the American political and legal system,” Jenky wrote. “Today, Catholic politicians, bureaucrats, and their electoral supporters who callously enable the destruction of innocent human life in the womb also thereby reject Jesus as their Lord,” Jenky added. “They are objectively guilty of grave sin.”

National Review: It’s certainly not a sure thing, but the fate of one David Wiggins could play a key role in determining, on November 6, who becomes the leader of the free world.

Kokomoperspective.com: Marion County voters have less influence than they may think about which judges are chosen for the Marion Superior Court. Today the ACLU of Indiana, on behalf of Common Cause Indiana, filed a lawsuit challenging state law governing that process to ensure voters of every political stripe can cast meaningful votes for all judgeships to be filled in Marion County.

Daniel Henninger at the Wall Street Journal: You’ve heard about Mitt Romney’s problems with the women’s vote, the black vote, the Hispanic vote, the union vote and the young Democrats vote. But there’s one major voting group that’s fallen off the map since the primaries. The evangelical vote.

Religion Clause Blog: Texas Election Code Sec. 85.036 prohibits electioneering within 100 feet of an early polling location. Apparently based on this section, a poll worker in Williamson County, Texas last week required a voter to put on a jacket to cover the words “Vote the Bible” on her T-shirt before the worker would allow the voter to cast a ballot.

The Hill: But Akin has shown surprising strength in recent days, as a poll released this past weekend put him just 2 points behind McCaskill. And, in late September, the NRSC cracked the door to giving Akin some aid. NRSC executive director Rob Jesmer said the committee would keep close tabs on the race, and hinted it might reverse its decision to abandon its nominee.

Politico: Iowa has joined Texas in warning international election observers of possible criminal prosecution if they violate state laws and get near polling places on Election Day.

NapleNews: On paper, the amendment — the result of a joint resolution filed with the Florida Legislature in March 2011 — states that public funding won’t go to abortion, including in the form of health-benefit coverage, for example for state employees.

TheRightPerspective.org: Two Muslim candidates vowed to establish an Islamic state in Belgium based on Sharia law, after winning local elections in Brussels two weeks ago.

Erwin Chemerinsky at LA Times: If Romney wins, we can expect a frighteningly conservative high court. A victory for Obama could mean a liberal majority for the first time since 1969.

Washington Post: Justices Barbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy A. Quince have faced voters twice before and easily retained their jobs. But this year they have hired consultants with the $1.3 million raised on their behalf, filmed commercials and hit the road for appearances.

Wall Street Journal (via Google): The court is a particular union target this year because of Proposal 2, which would apply retroactively. If it passes, unions plan to challenge as illegal as many as 170 current state laws, sending an unprecedented wave of litigation to the state Supreme Court. Big Labor wants its judges making the calls

Idaho State Journal (AP): A lawsuit to force a group touting public schools chief Tom Luna’s education overhaul to reveal its still-secret financiers was returned to state court after Secretary of State Ben Ysursa argued a ploy to move the matter to federal court was a desperate delay tactic.

Midtown.patch.com: The lawsuit alleges that the preamble and the question on the Nov. 6 ballot is biased in favor of approval of the measure.

Baltimore Sun: A month ago, the same-sex marriage question was ahead by 10 percentage points — 49 percent to 39 percent — in an earlier Sun poll. The contest is now a dead heat in part because some African-Americans who supported the measure or were undecided are now saying no. The numbers have moved amid television and radio commercials from the Maryland Marriage Alliance, which opposes same-sex marriage, and stepped-up efforts by pastors preaching against Question 6.

LifeNews: “Romney currently leads Obama 52 percent to 45 percent among voters who say they have already cast their ballots,” Gallup reported.

AP: In all, there are 176 measures on the Nov. 6 ballots in 38 states, according to the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California

MagicValley.com (AP): A judge ruled Monday that a nonprofit group must disclose donors who financed more than $200,000 in campaign ads touting public schools chief Tom Luna’s education overhaul. Fourth District Judge Michael Wetherell ruled in favor of Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who had filed the lawsuit against Education Voters of Idaho. Wetherell gave the group a deadline of 3 p.m. Wednesday to disclose its donors.

TNR.com: But the contest in question is anything but. While Republicans have slowly gained control of state legislative bodies across the South, only one Southern state has maintained a legislature fully controlled by the once-dominant Democrats. In November, however, the Arkansas Republican Party—after decades of haplessness—may well take control of the General Assembly. The tight race explains why Koch bothers money is flowing into a measly local legislative election.

AZ Central (includes video): An Arizona Supreme Court justice has taken the highly unusual step of forming a campaign committee to fight a Republican and “tea party” effort to vote him off the bench. Fliers and Web postings advocate a “no” vote on retention of Justice John Pelander because he joined in a Supreme Court decision allowing an initiative that would scrap the two-party primary system to appear on next month’s ballot.

Houston Chronicle: Three of the nine court seats are on the ballot, but just one Republican faces a Democratic opponent. Justice Nathan Hecht is being challenged by San Antonio lawyer Michele Petty, a Democrat, along with candidates running under the Libertarian and Green banners.

STLToday: The Missouri Plan has faced mounting criticism in recent years, primarily from conservatives who claim it gives too much power to trial lawyers. They prefer judicial elections or systems modeled after the federal government that rely on gubernatorial appointees confirmed by state lawmakers.

Religion Clause Blog: The Springfield, Illinois State Journal-Register reported yesterday that Illinois Family Action, the political arm of the Christian-based Illinois Family Institute, has made robo-calls to 25,000 households urging voters to vote against a Republican trial court judge because he ruled that the state is not required to renew contracts with Catholic Charities to provide foster care and adoption services.

Religion Clause Blog: Last week, Dr. Levon Yuille, pastor of The Bible Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a Michigan statute (MCL §168.931(1)(e)) that prohibits any member of the clergy from threatening excommunication, expulsion or religious disapproval for the purpose of influencing a voter at an election. American Freedom Law Center announced the filing of the lawsuit. Plaintiff also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and prelliminary injunction and a brief in support of the motion (full text).

LifeNews: Next January, the United States marks 40 years of virtually unlimited abortion under Roe v. Wade and more than 55 million unborn babies have lost their lives in this national travesty. The next president will have an opportunity during the four-year term to leave an indelible mark on the nation’s high court.

Verde News: A loosely organized effort to oust a state Supreme Court justice is forcing him to consider an unprecedented campaign to keep his post. Justice John Pelander said he is upset by “hit pieces’ being put out by groups urging that he not be retained on the bench this year.

CNSNews: The head of an international body that will monitor the U.S. elections next month protested to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday after Texas’ attorney-general warned that any international observer who approaches a polling station in the state risks criminal prosecution.

USA Today: Do you want judges to answer to the law, or to campaign contributors and ideological groups?

USA Today: Americans for Prosperity agrees that it is critical that the judicial branch of government be independent, neutral and unbiased. The courts play a crucial role in maintaining the system of checks and balances our Founding Fathers so brilliantly created. But what happens when the courts lose their neutrality and overstep their role?

AP: If Obama releases his college and passport records by the end of October, the New York real estate mogul and reality show host says he will contribute $5 million to a charity of the president’s choice.

Keepmecurrent.com: On Monday, Maine’s fourth-largest city became the third municipality in the state to publicly endorse same-sex marriage.

Doe v. Reed, No. 11-35854 ( Before: Harry Pregerson, A. Wallace Tashima, and N. Randy Smith, Circuit Judges. Opinion by Judge Tashima; Concurrence by Judge N.R. Smith)

Plaintiffs Protect Marriage Washington (“PMW”), John Doe #1, and John Doe #2 (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) seek to enjoin Defendants, the Secretary of State and Public Records Officer of the State of Washington, from releasing the names of people who signed petitions supporting a Washington referendum. These petitions are already widely available on the internet. We dismiss this case as moot because we cannot grant Plaintiffs effective relief.

Log Cabin Republicans: There has been discussion about whether we, as members of Log Cabin Republicans, are LGBT first or Republican first. Ultimately, we believe the answer is neither. We are Americans first, and as such, must stand for what we believe is right for our country.

Maryland – The pro-marriage campaign asks you to vote “AGAINST” Question 6.  Church resources are here: http://www.marylandmarriagealliance.org/church-resources/ Minnesota – The pro-marriage campaign asks you to vote “YES” for the marriage amendment.  Church resources are here: http://www.mnpastorsformarriage.com/ Maine – The pro-marriage campaign …

San Francisco Chronicle: Back-and-forth court decisions striking and reinstating Montana laws that regulate campaign contributions have set this election cycle roiling, resulting in candidates showered by unexpected cash and a flurry of legal challenges ahead of Election Day.

Kennebec Journal: Conley said business owners in Vermont and other states where gay marriage is legal are being faced with lawsuits because they don’t want to provide services to gay people. He said printers, caterers, wedding photographers and notaries public will all be faced with a difficult situation. “They will all be forced to do something against their deeply held religious beliefs,” he said.

AP: Missouri Rep. Todd Akin has raised about $1.6 million for his Senate bid in the months after party officials sought to distance themselves from him for his comments on “legitimate rape.”

The writers and researchers of Judgepedia.org have dedicated the most recent edition of the weekly JP Election Brief to coverage of the 31 state Supreme Court races that will be decided in November. States included in the report are Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota,Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas,Washington and West Virginia. Also covered are the judicial retention elections in Florida and Iowa – two races that, despite being retention elections, are of particular import.

AP: Tough new election laws aimed at forcing voters in many states to show photo identification at polling places have been blocked or delayed, delighting opponents who claim they were among a variety of partisan attempts to keep minorities from voting.

How Appealing links to several reports and the ruling in Lair v. Bullock.

Rasmussen: A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% of Likely U.S. Voters believe voter fraud is a serious problem in America today, with 33% who say it is a Very Serious one. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, but that includes just 12% who say it’s Not At All Serious.

OutFrontOnline: Colorado has eight out state legislative candidates on the ballot this year – five new faces and three incumbents. Colorado’s other out legislator, Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, is not up for re-election this year. Two of the candidates, Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman, the incumbent, and Republican Michael Carr, are running against each other. If 7 of the 8 candidates win, Colorado will rank in the 3 most LGBT-inclusive legislatures in the U.S.

The Hill: The Supreme Court said Tuesday that early voting can proceed in Ohio — a major win for President Obama.

Religion Clause Blog: AP reported yesterday on the action of the Election Commission in the small, largely Buddhist nation of Bhutan banning public religious events from Jan. 1, 2013 until Parliamentary elections (expected to be held in June 2013) are completed.

News4jax.com: To hear supporters and opponents of Amendment 6 talk, what’s at stake is whether taxpayer money should fund abortions for public employees — and whether minors should get parental consent to end a pregnancy. The amendment would prohibit the use of state tax money for abortions except as required by federal law if it’s passed by voters Nov. 6 — something the state doesn’t do, anyway.

NewsObserver: Both men have to spend a lot of time driving these days because, as candidates for judicial office, it’s hard getting anyone to pay attention. A large number of voters simply skip the judges section of the ballot each year.

KAALTV.com: On election day, Iowa Supreme Court Justice, David Wiggins future on the bench will be decided by Iowa voters. It’s known as retention and it’s leaving many voters with questions. Sunday, Wiggins spoke with a small crowd in Mason City.

Tampa Bay Times: Another Florida Supreme Court justice targeted by the Republican Party in this year’s merit retention election pleaded with Tampa attorneys Friday to help keep partisan politics out of the judiciary.

SCOTUS Blog: The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to rule on the constitutionality of a state requirement that voters must prove they are U.S. citizens before they register to vote and cast their ballots . . .  (The case is Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., docket 11-71.)

Portland Press Herald: A poll released Wednesday shows that 55 percent of Mainers plan to vote in support of same-sex marriage on Nov. 6, and another 1.3 percent are leaning in favor of voting for it, according to Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland.

Detroit Free Press: A federal judge put a merciful end to Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s inane war on voters last week, when he ruled that the citizenship checkoff box that Johnson put on ballots was confusing and unnecessary.

KSTP.com: Dating back to 1998, 32 states have held votes on same-sex marriage, and all 32 have opposed it. Maryland is one of four states with Nov. 6 referendums on the issue – and gay-marriage advocates believe there’s a strong chance the streak will be broken.

Weekly Standard (video embedded): A GOP source sends along this video, shot by a Republican tracker, of a union member supporting Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren outside of a debate Wednesday night in Springfield, Massachusetts. The cameraman asks the union member if he was at an earlier debate between Warren and her Republican opponent, Senator Scott Brown

Fox News: A panel of three federal judges upheld a South Carolina law requiring voters to show photo identification, but delayed enforcement until next year, in a decision announced Wednesday, less than a month before this year’s presidential election. | South Carolina v. U.S., (D.C. Cir.)

The Gazette: Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins’ 63 percent favorability rating from fellow attorneys is the lowest score earned by a member of the court in 50 years of judicial retention elections, according to a group calling for his ouster.

Boston Globe: The high court, in its 3-2 decision, said the state did not prove the lower court erred in leaving the old law in effect pending resolution of the case. Two justices dissented, arguing new laws are presumed constitutional until found otherwise and thus the law should be allowed to be implemented.

Washington Post: Secretary of State Jon Husted asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether the state Legislature or federal courts should set Ohio election laws.

ABC: A conservative political watchdog group is raising the prospect of an “illegal-donor loophole” in the nation’s campaign finance system, and suggesting the grassroots-donor-heavy Obama Campaign may stand to benefit. In a 109-page report published at a new website CampaignFundingRisks.com, the Government Accountability Institute alleges the current online campaign contribution system lacks accountability and transparency, making it highly susceptible to foreign and fraudulent gifts.

Daily Caller: Unhappy with President Barack Obama‘s support of same-sex marriage, a group of African-American faith leaders have announced a campaign aimed at stripping 25 percent of the black vote that went to Obama in 2008 (95 percent).

Washington Post: The ad features Julian Bond, chairman emeritus of the national NAACP, who argues that voting for Question 6 is “the right thing to do.” “I know a little something about fighting for what’s right and just,” Bond says in the ad, which the NAACP said will air in both the Washington and Baltimore markets. “Maryland’s gay and lesbian families share the same values, and they should share in the right to marry.”

Christian Newswire: Austin R. Nimocks, Senior Counsel, Interim V.P. Center for Marriage & Family, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) in conjunction with Senator Rick Santorum, speaking against Referendum 74 which would impose same-sex marriage on Washington state. [more details]

Seattle Post Intelligencer: Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins isn’t well known outside the legal community of his state, and even inside that group, isn’t particularly popular. But the question of whether he should keep his job has become one of the most fiercely contested judicial issues on the Nov. 6 ballot because of what he symbolizes in the debate over gay marriage and the role of courts.