Archive - Democracy Optimist

The Race is (Finally) Over: Griffin Conceded.

Judge Jefferson Griffin conceded his North Carolina Supreme Court election to incumbent justice Allison Riggs, ending a six-month election protest…

May 12 •

April 2025

Griffin v. State Board of Elections: Griffin’s Election Protest Was (Mostly) Successful. Where Do We Go From Here?

Judge Jefferson Griffin won initial victories in state court regarding his election challenges. What did the courts say, and where will his case end up?

Apr 15 •

March 2025

Griffin v. State Board of Elections: Griffin’s Challenge Isn’t Just Antidemocratic. It’s Against North Carolina Law.

Judge Jefferson Griffin’s attorneys say his arguments are strong. I disagree.

Mar 26 •

Griffin v. State Board of Elections: The Case for (Not?) Invalidating 65,000 Votes

Judge Jefferson Griffin is challenging the votes of more than 65,000 people who cast ballots in his North Carolina Supreme Court race. Who is he…

Mar 24 •

Want a Stronger Democracy? Look Abroad

Most people think of 2025 as an off year for elections. But is there really such a thing? What can we learn in our “off years”?

Mar 4

February 2025

Washington Monthly: “I’m a Law School Professor. Here’s What Keeps Me Up at Night”

Doomscrolling scenarios like a Trump third term won’t happen. But what if this administration defies court orders?

Feb 27 •

December 2024

Washington Monthly: “Trump Has Little Power To Make Drastic Voting Changes”

An excerpt from my piece in the Washington Monthly earlier this week:

Dec 20, 2024 •

November 2024

October 2024

Washington Monthly: “On Voting Rights, Trump and Harris Couldn’t Be Farther Apart”

Some small excerpts from my piece that’s in the Washington Monthly today. Go read the full thing!

Oct 30, 2024 •

Washington Monthly: “Do You Have Questions About When and Where to Vote, Candidates and Issues Up and Down the Ballot? We’ve Got You…

An excerpt from my piece in the Washington Monthly today: Misinformation and disinformation are everywhere.

Oct 28, 2024 •

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts