January 22, 2024 11:45AM # My Year’s Worth (or Two) of Election Law Writing By [Walter Olson](https://www.cato.org/people/walter-olson) --- SHARE Following the example of [two years ago](https://www.cato.org/blog/years-worth-election-law-writing), I’ve compiled this catalogue of my writings (and a few podcasts) since early January 2022 on topics of election law and process: - “A Matter Of Legislative Principle” (Maryland gerrymandering; [Jan. 10, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/matter-legislative-principle)) - “Talking Maryland podcasts” (Free State Notes, most on redistricting, [Jan. 15, 2022](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/talking-maryland-podcasts/)) - “How To Fix the Electoral Count Act” (Cato Daily Podcast with interviewer Caleb Brown, [Jan. 20, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/how-fix-electoral-count-act)) - “Election Reform for Serious People” (Cato Daily Podcast with interviewer Caleb Brown, [Jan. 21, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/election-reform-serious-people)) - “Dos and Don’ts of Democracy Promotion” (The Bulwark “Beg To Differ” with Mona Charen, [Jan. 21, 2022](https://begtodiffer.thebulwark.com/dos-and-donts-of-democracy-protection)) - “The 2020 Wisconsin Presidential Election, Under the Magnifying Glass” ([Jan. 31, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/2020-wisconsin-presidential-election-under-magnifying-glass)) - “No, Retaliatory Gerrymandering Isn’t Fair Play” ([Feb. 8, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/retaliatory-gerrymandering-isnt-fair-play)) - “A Flawed Letter Opposing Electoral Count Act Reform” ([Feb. 12, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/flawed-letter-opposing-electoral-count-act-reform)) - “Walter Olson on the Electoral Count Act” (Cato Audio with interviewer Caleb Brown, [Mar. 3, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-audio/walter-olson-electoral-count-act)) - “Should Congress Regulate Redistricting?” (CQ Researcher, [Mar. 4, 2022](https://www.cato.org/commentary/should-congress-regulate-redistricting)) - “The Rocky Road To Redistricting Reform” ([Mar. 11, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/rocky-road-redistricting-reform)) - “Cato Scholars on the Electoral Count Act” ([Mar. 21, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/cato-scholars-electoral-count-act)) - “The Trouble With Universal (Mandatory) Voting” (Cato Daily Podcast with interviewer Caleb Brown, [May 6, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/trouble-universal-mandatory-voting)) - “The Trouble With Ballot Harvesting” ([May 12, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/trouble-ballot-harvesting)) - “Making Voting Compulsory Is a Bad Idea — and Wouldn’t Change Our Polarized Politics” (*New York Post*, [May 15, 2022](https://www.cato.org/commentary/making-voting-compulsory-bad-idea-wouldnt-change-our-polarized-politics)) - “A ‘No’ To Mandatory Voting” ([May 17, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/firm-no-mandatory-voting)) - “ ‘All Employees Will Be Expected To Vote For This Year’s Bond’ ” (pressure on school district employees, [Jun. 9, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/all-employees-will-be-expected-vote-years-bond)) - “Walter Olson on Election Fraud” (The Great Antidote podcast with interviewer Juliette Sellgren, [Jun. 2022](https://www.adamsmithworks.org/speakings/great-antidote-podcast-olson-election-fraud-june-2022-deep-dive), [highlight](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-radio/walter-olson-discusses-election-fraud-great-antidote-podcast)) - “Mandatory Voting and Election Credibility” ([Jun. 20, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/mandatory-voting-election-credibility)) - “From the National Constitution Center: ‘Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy’ ” (“Team Libertarian” effort, [Jul. 13, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/national-constitution-center-restoring-guardrails-democracy)) - “Kibbitzing with Kagan” (Maryland Sen. Cheryl Kagan podcast, redistricting and ranked-choice voting among topics discussed, [Jul. 15, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/walter-olson-discusses-redistricting-ranked-choice-voting-marriage)) - “RealClearPolitics Looks at Trustworthy Elections: The Role of Redistricting,” (RealClearPolitics panel discussion video, [Jul. 20, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/walter-olson-participates-event-realclearpolitics-looks-trustworthy)) - “ ‘Lost, Not Stolen’: Prominent Conservatives Refute 2020 Election Myths” ([Jul. 21, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/lost-not-stolen-prominent-conservatives-refute-2020-election-myths)) - “The Jan. 6 Committee’s Findings Have Met the Appropriately High Bar for Prosecuting Trump (The UnPopulist, [Aug. 3, 2022](https://www.cato.org/commentary/jan-6-committees-findings-have-met-appropriately-high-bar-prosecuting-trump)) - “When (If Ever) Should Former Presidents Be Charged With Crimes?” (Cato Daily Podcast with interviewer Caleb Brown, [Aug. 10, 2022](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/when-ever-should-former-presidents-be-charged-crimes)) - “Alaska’s Promising Voting Experiment” ([Aug. 16, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/alaskas-promising-voting-experiment)) - “Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy: A Libertarian View” (on National Constitution Center project; Reason “Volokh Conspiracy,” [Aug. 29, 2022](https://www.cato.org/commentary/restoring-guardrails-democracy-libertarian-view), followup [Sept. 1](https://www.cato.org/commentary/guardrails-democracy-extended-comparing-notes-team-libertarian-report), related Cato at Liberty post [Aug. 29](https://www.cato.org/blog/libertarian-view-restoring-guardrails-democracy), and related Cato Daily Podcast, [Sept. 19](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/team-libertarian-guardrails-democracy)) - “Election Subversion: Why Gore 2000 Isn’t a Fair Comparison” ([Sept. 8, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/election-subversion-why-gore-2000-isnt-fair-comparison)) - “ ‘Zuckerbucks’ Didn’t Throw the 2020 Election” ([Sept. 12, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/zuckerbucks-didnt-throw-2020-election)) - “A Good Idea Deserves A Tryout” (ranked-choice voting; *Buffalo News* and other papers syndicated through Inside Sources service, [Sept. 29, 2022](https://www.cato.org/commentary/good-idea-deserves-tryout)) - “Ranked-Choice Voting In Local Elections: A Case for Home Rule” ([Oct. 5, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/ranked-choice-voting-local-elections-case-home-rule)) - “Cumulative Voting: The Good and Bad of One Election Reform” ([Oct. 19, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/cumulative-voting-drastic-remedy-election-ills)) - “Election Reform on the November Ballot” ([Oct. 26, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/election-reform-november-ballot), and post-election Cato Daily Podcast, [Nov. 25](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/items-americans-ballot)) - “It Was a Boring Election Day—And That’s Good” ([Nov. 10, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/it-was-boring-election-day-thats-good)) - “Cato 2022 Handbook for Policymakers” (Nov. 2022; chapters on [election law](https://www.cato.org/cato-handbook-policymakers/cato-handbook-policymakers-9th-edition-2022/election-law) and [redistricting](https://www.cato.org/cato-handbook-policymakers/cato-handbook-policymakers-9th-edition-2022/redistricting)) - “Toward a Faster Ballot Count” ([Nov. 23, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/toward-faster-ballot-counting)) - “Ranked-Choice Voting: Some Notes On the Politics” ([Nov. 29, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/ranked-choice-voting-some-notes-politics)) - “To Strengthen the Electoral College, Enact Electoral Count Act Reform” ([Dec. 19, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/strengthen-electoral-college-institution-enact-electoral-count-act-reform)) - “Is Ranked-Choice Voting Constitutional?” ([Dec. 30, 2022](https://www.cato.org/blog/ranked-choice-voting-constitutional)) - “The Election Crisis We Dodged” (proposals to refuse seating to House members based on “voter suppression” theories; [The Dispatch, Jan. 12, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/election-crisis-we-dodged)) - “Montgomery County Could be the Next Jurisdiction to Embrace Ranked-Choice Voting — If the Legislature Stays out of the Way” (Baltimore Sun, [Jan. 27, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/montgomery-county-could-be-next-jurisdiction-embrace-ranked-choice-voting-legislature)) - “Truthfully, Be Careful What You Wish For” (proposals to ban more false speech about elections; Inside Sources syndication, [Feb. 4, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/truthfully-be-careful-what-you-wish)) - “Frederick Should Consider Ranked-Choice Voting” (Free State Notes, [Feb. 13, 2023](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2023/02/13/frederick-should-consider-ranked-choice-voting/), followup coverage [May 4](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2023/05/04/city-of-frederick-should-consider-ranked-choice-voting/), [Sept. 24](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2023/09/24/we-give-a-party-for-ranked-choice-voting/), [Dec. 2](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2023/12/02/frederick-panel-on-ranked-choice-voting/)) - “More Cold Water Thrown On Some Alarmist Election Claims” ([Feb. 21, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/more-scrutiny-alarmist-election-claims)) - “Statement in Opposition to Utah HB 171, ‘A Bill Repealing the Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project’ ” ([Feb. 23, 2023](https://www.cato.org/testimony/statement-opposition-utah-hb-171-bill-repealing-municipal-alternate-voting-methods-pilot)) - “Evaluating Alaska’s First Run With Final Four Voting” ([Mar. 3, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/evaluating-alaskas-first-run-final-four-voting)) - “General Bans On Election Untruths Would Violate the First Amendment” ([Mar. 10, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/advocates-seek-punish-election-untruths)) - “Is Proportional Representation On the Way?” (Reason, [Apr. 4, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/proportional-representation-way)) - “A Handsome Settlement In the Dominion-Fox News Case” ([Apr. 18, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/handsome-settlement-dominion-v-fox-case) and Cato Daily Podcast, [Apr. 19](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/fox-news-dominion-voting-systems-libel-law-america)) - “Why Conservatives Shouldn’t Fear Ranked-Choice Voting” (Real Clear Policy, [Apr. 27, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/why-conservatives-shouldnt-fear-ranked-choice-voting)) - “High Court Sticks With Flawed Racial-Redistricting Standard” ([Jun. 8, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/high-court-sticks-gravely-flawed-racial-redistricting-standard)) - “Moore v. Harper: Supreme Court Rejects Independent State Legislature Theory” ([Jun. 27, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/moore-v-harper-supreme-court-rejects-independent-state-legislature-theory) and Cato Daily Podcast, [Jul. 17](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/scotus-nixes-souped-independent-state-legislature-theory)) - “Sorting Out the Kinks In Ranked-Choice Voting” (The Dispatch, [Jul. 18, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/sorting-out-kinks-ranked-choice-voting)) - “ ‘Suppression’ Or No, Most Voting-Law Changes Don’t Alter Partisan Outcomes” ([Jul. 21, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/suppression-or-no-most-voting-changes-dont-alter-partisan-outcomes)) - “Trump Indicted Over Attempt to Remain In Power” ([Aug. 2, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/trump-indicted-over-attempt-remain-power)) - “Seven Questions About the Trump Indictment” ([Aug. 4, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/seven-questions-about-trump-indictment)) - “The Danger of Not Prosecuting Trump’s Jan. 6 Conduct: A Conversation with Walter Olson” (The UnPopulist “Zooming In” podcast with Aaron Ross Powell and Akiva Malamet, [Aug. 14, 2023](https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/the-danger-of-not-prosecuting-trumps-e93)) - “Will Donald Trump Attack the Legitimacy of the Supreme Court?” (The Dispatch, [Aug. 15, 2023](https://www.cato.org/commentary/will-donald-trump-attack-legitimacy-supreme-court)) - “Does Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment Disqualify Trump?” ([Aug. 25, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/does-section-3-fourteenth-amendment-disqualify-trump)) - “Springtime for Demagogues” (The Bulwark “Beg To Differ” podcast with Mona Charen, [Aug. 25, 2023](https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast-episode/springtime-for-demagogues-2/)) - “Vivek Ramaswamy’s Conditions for Allowing Elections” ([Aug. 30, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/vivek-ramaswamys-conditions-permitting-elections)) - “Republicans Will Encourage Voting Before Election Day” ([Sept. 22, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/republicans-will-encourage-voting-election-day)) - “Election Law and Policy with Walter Olson” (Maryland Association of Counties Conduit Street Podcast with Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson, [Sept. 22, 2023](https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2023/09/22/conduit-street-podcast-election-law-and-policy-with-walter-olson/)) - “Ballot Measures: A Preview” (RCV on ballot; [Oct. 13, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/ballot-measures-preview)) - “Grading Maryland’s redistricting performance” (Free State Notes, [Oct. 18, 2023](https://freestatenotes.wordpress.com/2023/10/18/grading-marylands-redistricting-performance/)) - “Don’t Blame Ballot Harvesting Scandals On Drop Boxes” ([Oct. 20, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/ballot-measures-preview)) - “Should Ranked-Choice Voting Be Adopted?” (“Future of Freedom” podcast with interviewer Scot Bertram, [Oct. 20, 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr1j2gUtLQU), [highlight](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-radio/walter-olson-discusses-ranked-choice-voting-future-freedom)) - “Privacy, Transparency, and Individual Ballots” ([Nov. 10, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/privacy-transparency-individual-ballots)) - “Should Election Authorities Publish the Records of Individual Voters?” ([Nov. 29, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/should-election-authorities-publish-data-files-or-images-cast-votes)) - “Colorado Supreme Court Rules Trump Off Ballot” ([Dec. 20, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/colorado-supreme-court-rules-trump-ballot)) - “Florida Counts Votes Quickly, Other States Should Too” ([Dec. 27, 2023](https://www.cato.org/blog/florida-counts-votes-quickly-other-states-should-too)) I’ve included discussions of former President Trump’s legal entanglements when they bear closely on questions of election law, as with the federal and Georgia Jan. 6 prosecutions and the matter of his eligibility for office under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, but not otherwise. ##### Related Tags [Constitution and Law](https://www.cato.org/constitution-law), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics) [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).