About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

LOG IN
LOG IN


2022 Cardozo L. Rev. De-Novo 1 (2022)

handle is hein.journals/denovo2022 and id is 1 raw text is: CARDOZo LAW REVIEW d*novo STANDARDIZING STATE VOTE-BY-MAIL DEADLINES IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS Jason Nagelt IN TR O D U CTIO N ................................................................................................ 2 I. B A C K G R O U N D ............................................................................................... 6 A. Brief Historical Overview of Voting by Mail in the United States .........6 i. The M ilitary Context ........................................................... 6 ii. Early Civilian and Modern Usage......................................... 8 iii. Quick Expansion Due to COVID-19 .................................... 9 B. The State of Vote-by-Mail Law and the Pre-COVID Incentives for L itig ation .................................................................................... . . 10 i. C urrent L aw ...................................................................... 10 ii. Litigation Driven by Electoral Power Politics ..........................12 C. The Run-Up to Election Day 2020: What Happened in Court?...........13 i. Legal Arguments and Applicable Case Law ............................13 1. Equal Protection and Constitutional Balancing in the Context of Voting Rights.......................................... 13 T J.D. Candidate, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. This Note is dedicated to Americans who participate on the fringe of our fragile democracy and find themselves in the crossfire of partisan election litigation. The author would like to thank everyone who played a role in this Note's publication. Of mention, Professor David Rudenstine and Cardozo Law Review editors Trena Riley, Kurt Stumpo, and Bryan Olert played critical roles in the organization and presentation of ideas discussed here throughout the past sixteen months. Finally, a special thank you to loved ones for their steadfast support during the drafting and editing process of this Note. Without them, nothing would be possible. I