Law school symposium to explore election law, voting rights
LAWRENCE – With presidential election season in full swing and voting laws in flux in states around the country, legal scholars will gather in Lawrence next week to explore election law and its effect on citizens’ right to vote.
The 2016 Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy Symposium, “The Right to Vote: Examining Election Law,” will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 19 at the University of Kansas School of Law, 1535 W. 15th St. The program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
“Examining election law, and issues related to election law, is important because the ability to elect our representatives is a vital component of our democracy,” said Cody Branham, third-year KU Law student and senior symposium editor for the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy. “This event brings together some of the leading authorities in election law and provides an opportunity to analyze whether our voting system is working as intended. Election laws that promote equal representation have helped this nation evolve into a more just democracy and ensure that it continues to do so in the future.”
The symposium will examine election law over time and consider future developments. Panels will cover: 1) The History and Future of Contested Elections, 2) The Conduct of Election and Protection of Voting Rights and 3) Kansas-Specific Election Law Issues.
Panelists include:
- Dean Joseph Aistrup, Auburn University
- Doug Bonney, ACLU of Kansas
- Beth Clarkson, Wichita State University
- Professor Derrick Darby, University of Michigan
- Professor Ed Foley, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- Mark Johnson, Dentons, KU School of Law
- Professor Richard Levy, KU School of Law
- Mike O’Neal, Kansas Chamber of Commerce
Scholarship from the symposium will be published in a 2016 issue of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy.
For more information and a complete program, visit the symposium website. Contact Cody Branham at kjlppsymposium@gmail.com with any questions.