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Richard L. Hasen

Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Political Science, University of California, Irvine

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About Richard

Hasen is a nationally recognized expert in election law and campaign finance regulation, and is co-author of a leading casebook on election law. From 2001-2010, he served (with Dan Lowenstein) as founding co-editor of the quarterly peer-reviewed publication, Election Law Journal. He is the author of more than 80 articles on election law issues, published in numerous journals including the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review and Supreme Court Review. Hasen also writes the often-quoted Election Law Blog. He was elected to the American Law Institute in 2009, and he was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal in 2013.

In the News

"Republicans Aren’t Done Messing With Elections," Richard L. Hasen, Opinion, The New York Times, April 23, 2021.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on scores of voters will be disenfranchised through no fault of their own. by Grace Toohey, "About Three-Quarters of American Voters Can Cast Ballots by Mail This November, Despite President Trump's Objections" The Orlando Sentinel, August 13, 2020.
Richard L. Hasen's research on legal risks of Cohen testimony discussed by Jan Wolfe, "Explainer: What Legal Risks Does Cohen's Testimony Pose to Trump?," Reuters,
"Trump Says His Son's Meeting With Russians Was 'Totally Legal.' But Was It?," Richard L. Hasen, Interview with Robin Young, Here&Now, August 6, 2018.
"How Justice Kennedy's Successor Could Play A Role In Voting Rights LISTEN· 3:56," Richard L. Hasen, Interview with Noel King, NPR, July 3, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Sam Levine, "Anthony Kennedy’s Retirement Is A Bad Sign For Fixing Gerrymandering" Huffington Post, June 28, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen's research on Justice Kennedy's retirement discussed by Debra Cassens Weiss, "Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court's Swing Justice, Announces his Retirement," ABA Journal, June 27, 2018.
"Suppression of Minority Voting Rights Is About to Get Way Worse," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, June 25, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Nina Totenberg, "Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Ohio Voter-Purge Law LISTEN· 4:30" NPR, June 11, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on election law by Priscella Vega, "Is Huntington Beach’s Attempt to Stop a Petition Proposing a Local Gun Ban Premature or Prudent? Legal Experts Weigh In" Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on violations of campaign finance law by Alvin Chang, "How Fox News Has Been Ignoring the Stormy Daniels Story, in 3 Charts" Vox, May 8, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance law by Mark Sherman, "Giuliani Remarks on Hush Money May Have Added to Trump Woes" News-Review, May 4, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance law by Mark Sherman, "Has Giuliani Added Fuel to Fire on Trump Payoff?" Lowell Sun, May 4, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance law by Michelle Ye Hee Lee, "Giuliani Said the Stormy Daniels Payment was Legal. Here’s What Campaign Finance Experts Said." The Washington Post, May 3, 2018.
Interview on his new book Richard L. Hasen, The National Law Journal, April 30, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on federal appeals court decision by Sam Levine, "Federal Appeals Court Gives Thumbs-Up to Revised Texas Voter ID Law" Huffington Post, April 27, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen's research on Simon Lazarus, "The Scalia Problem: It Wasn’t Originalism or Textualism -- It was Trumpism," The American Prospect, April 4, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Arianna Poindexter, "Voter Rights Take Center Stage at MLK50 Symposium" WMC Action News 5, April 2, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the Supreme Court and "non-opinions" by Debra Cassens Weiss, "Will Supreme Court Issue 'non-opinion' in Partisan Gerrymandering Case?" ABA Journal, March 29, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia by Jeffrey Rodack, "Scalia Book Author: His Legacy Stronger than Ever" NewsMax, March 28, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Francis Wilkinson, "Trump's Lies Will Keep Failing in Court" Bloomberg, March 22, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Ronald Collins, "Ask the Author: Antonin Scalia – “The Justice of Contradictions”" SCOTUS Blog, March 21, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen, "Federal Judge Expected to Rule in Kansas Voter Registration Lawsuit This Fall" NPR All Things Considered, March 21, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Ken Dilanian, "Payment to Stormy Daniels Could be Election Law Violation, Say Experts" NBC News, March 9, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Andrew Chung, "U.S. Top Court to Mull Rules on What Voters Can Wear to Polls" U.S. News, February 27, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Brent Kendall and Reid J. Epstein, "Pennsylvania Gets a New District Map" The Wall Street Journal, February 20, 2018.
"Stop Treating Ruth Bader Ginsburg — a.k.a. 'Notorious R.B.G.' — Like a Celebrity," Richard L. Hasen, Los Angeles Times, February 15, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Max Mitchell, "Court Watchers See Pa. GOP's Gerrymandering Appeal as a Long Shot" The Legal Intelligencer, January 29, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Peter Coy and Greg Stohr, "The Supreme Court is Finally Tackling Gerrymandering" Bloomberg Businessweek, January 19, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted , "What States Can and Can't Do with Voter Data" National Public Radio, January 9, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen's research on Adam Eichen & Diana Tomezsko, "Voting Rights Still Need Your Protection," Yes! Magazine, January 8, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted , "The Sudden Demise of Donald Trump's Voter-Fraud Commission" The Economist, January 4, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Rebecca Greenfield and Laura Colby, "Sexual Harassment Explains a Lot about Why Women Get Paid Less" Bloomberg, January 4, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted by Reid Wilson, "Democratic AGs Sue Trump at Record Pace" The Hill, January 2, 2018.
Richard L. Hasen quoted , "Moore Vote Challenge Fails; Jones Certified for Senate" Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, December 29, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voter ID requirements by Paula Span, "Older Voters Stymied by Tighter ID Requirements" New York Times, November 24, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the possibility of special elections in Alabama by Jen Kirby, "Mitch McConnell’s Latest Idea to Redo the Alabama Special Election is Likely Unconstitutional" Vox, November 17, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voting restrictions in the states by Robert Barnes, "After Losses on Voting Laws and Districting, Texas Turns to Supreme Court" The Washington Post, August 27, 2017.
"Speech in America is Fast, Cheap and Out of Control," Richard L. Hasen, Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen's research on violent racism in America discussed by Francie Diep, "How Social Media Helped Organize and Radicalize America's White Supremacists," Pacific Standard, August 15, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen's research on the state of American democracy discussed by Bob Egelko, "Experts Defend, Oppose Electoral College, Campaign Finance Rules," San Francisco Gate, July 18, 2017.
"Don’t Let Our Democracy Collapse," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, July 15, 2017.
"The Supreme Court is in No Hurry to Protect Voters from Gerrymandering," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, June 28, 2017.
"Gorsuch is the New Scalia, Just like Trump Promised," Richard L. Hasen, Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2017.
"Dunlap Badly Mistaken in Agreeing to Serve on Trump Voter Fraud Panel," Richard L. Hasen, Press Herald, May 24, 2017.
"The Supreme Court May Just Have Given Voting Rights Activists a Powerful New Tool," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, May 22, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on fighting racial gerrymandering cases in the future by Adam Liptak, "Justices Reject Two Gerrymandered North Carolina Districts, Citing Racial Bias" New York Times, May 22, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the future of voting rights by Emma Dumain, "After U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Ban on North Carolina Voter ID Laws, What's Next for South Carolina?" Post and Courier, May 15, 2017.
"In the Future, John Roberts Could be the Supreme Court's Swing Vote," Richard L. Hasen, Los Angeles Times, April 10, 2017.
"Neil Gorsuch Got Where He is because of a Form of Affirmative Action," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, April 3, 2017.
Guest to discuss money in politics on St. Louis Public Radio, Richard L. Hasen, March 16, 2017.
"Why Gorsuch Could Lead Court in Wrong Direction," Richard L. Hasen, CNN, March 1, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on Trump's Supreme Court nominee by Kerry Eleveld, "Senate Democrats Have No Choice but to Fight like Hell to Block Trump's Supreme Court Pick" Daily Kos, February 2, 2017.
"Trump’s Voting Investigation is a Great Idea," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, January 25, 2017.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the electoral college by Jacob Gershman, "A Post-Election Legal Challenge to the Electoral College" The Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2016.
on KUNC NPR Morning Edition, Richard L. Hasen, December 5, 2016.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on illegality of voter harrassment by Jeremy Stahl, "James O’Keefe Stalks Van of Voters, Alleges Fraud, is Himself Possibly Breaking Law" Slate, November 8, 2016.
Guest to discuss replacing Scalia on PBS News Hour, Richard L. Hasen, November 3, 2016.
Guest to discuss rhetoric about rigged elections on PBS Newshour, Richard L. Hasen, October 17, 2016.
"Kids, Be Careful Who You Vote For," Richard L. Hasen, USA Today, September 20, 2016.
"Even Trump and Clinton Need Big-Money Donors," Richard L. Hasen, USA Today, August 24, 2016.
Guest to discuss strict voter identification laws on PBS Newshour, Richard L. Hasen, August 3, 2016.
"Turning the Tide on Voting Rights," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, August 2, 2016.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on allegations that the DNC concealed bias by Jacob Gershman, "DNC Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit Alleging Donor Deception" Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2016.
"The Real Reason Why Judges Should Keep Quiet about Elections," Richard L. Hasen (with Dahlia Lithwick), Slate, July 19, 2016.
"Could Lack of Money be Trump's Downfall?," Richard L. Hasen, CNN, June 21, 2016.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voting by Ron Elving, "Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to 'One Person, One Vote'" Chicago Public Radio, April 4, 2016.
"Appoint a Few More Scalias, Kiss Democracy Goodbye," Richard L. Hasen, Reuters, February 22, 2016.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the proliferaion of voter suppresion laws by Sari Horwitz, "Want to Vote in this State? You Have to Have a Passport or Dig Up a Birth Certificate." The Washington Post, February 19, 2016.
"The Battle over Replacing Justice Scalia is Just the Start of a War over the Supreme Court," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, February 15, 2016.
"Radically Revise Campaign Laws to Give People, Not Billionaires, a Voice," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, January 26, 2016.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voter fraud by Soumya Karlamangla and David Zahniser, "Appeals Court Overturns Richard Alarcon's Conviction in Residency Case" Los Angeles Times, January 20, 2016.
"Money Can’t Buy Jeb Bush the White House, but It Still Skews Politics," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, January 14, 2016.
"Why the Most Urgent Civil Rights Cause of Our Time is the Supreme Court Itself," Richard L. Hasen, Talking Points Memo, September 28, 2015.
"Congress Has the Power to Improve Elections," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, August 5, 2015.
"How to Save the Voting Rights Act," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, August 4, 2015.
"This is Why the Voting Rights Act is on Trial in North Carolina," Richard L. Hasen, The Washington Post, July 31, 2015.
Guest to discuss political partisanship in the redistricting process. on KGOU National Public Radio: Supreme Court Approves Arizona Redistricting Commission, Richard L. Hasen, June 29, 2015.
"Mindlessly Literal Reading Loses Again," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, June 29, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the libera leaning current Supreme Court term by Alicia Parlapiano, Adam Liptak, and Jeremy Bowers, "The Roberts Court's Surprising Move Leftward" New York Times, June 23, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on automatically registering voters on 18th birthday by Evan Halper, "Hillary Clinton Attacks Republicans over Voting Restrictions" Los Angeles Times, June 4, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voter protection lawsuits by Maggie Haberman and Amy Chozick, "Democrats Challenge Voter Restrictions in Battleground States" New York Times, June 3, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on Supreme Court justices being publicly reported on and being seen as celebrities, "Justices Get out More, but Calendars Aren’t Open to Just Anyone" New York Times, June 1, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on redistricting cases that would limit state discretion, "Court Cases May Unravel Election Reforms" San Jose Mercury News, May 30, 2015.
"Only Voters Count?," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, May 26, 2015.
"From Supreme Court, a Mixed Blessing on Campaign Finance Limits," Richard L. Hasen, Los Angeles Times, April 30, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance law by Paul Waldman, "The GOP Presidential Primary: A Brawl of Billionaires?" The Washington Post, April 23, 2015.
"Jeb the Destroyer," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, April 22, 2015.
"Hillary Clinton’s Bad Campaign Finance Ideas," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, April 16, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the ramifications of Bush registering as a Latino voter by Alan Rappeport, "Bush Laughs about His ‘Hispanic’ Registration; Democrats Do Not" New York Times, April 7, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance regulations by Evan Halper, "Presidential Candidates-to-Be Make the Most of Fundraising Rule-Bending" Los Angeles Times, April 6, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on The Supreme Court's on decision to turn down a challenge to Wisconsin's voter ID law by Robert Barnes and Mark Berman, "High Court Won't Weigh Wisconsin Voter ID Law" Houston Chronicle, March 24, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voter ID cases in Wisconsin and Texas, "Wisconsin Voter-ID Law Stands after High Court Takes a Pass" MSNBC, March 23, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the ties between donors to civic society and their interests in City Hall by Liam Dillon, "Inside the Mayor’s Nonprofit That’s Not Really the Mayor’s Nonprofit" Voice of San Diego, March 23, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the SCOTUS ObamaCare ruling by Jennifer Haberkorn and Jsoh Gerstein, "ObamaCare Case: All Eyes on 2 Justices" Politico, March 3, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on designing a tax with the purpose of trying to suppress speech by Melanie Mason, "California Lawmaker Seeks Tax on Independent Political Spending" Los Angeles Times, March 2, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on the significance private funding will have on political parties and the general election by Daniel Strauss, "Dems Warn They Can't Counter the Koch Brothers' $1 Billion in 2016" Talking Points Memo, January 27, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on campaign finance reform by Fredreka Schouten, "Activists Press Obama to Curb Secret Political Spending" USA Today, January 21, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on his methodology for surveying Justice's sarcasm by Adam Liptak, "Scalia Lands at Top of Sarcasm Index of Justices. Shocking." New York Times, January 20, 2015.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on voter disenfranchisement by Trip Gabriel and Manny Fernandez, "Voter ID Laws Scrutinized for Impact on Midterms" New York Times, November 18, 2014.
"Clues to Chief Justice Roberts' Thinking on New ObamaCare Case," Richard L. Hasen, Twin Cities, November 15, 2014.
Guest to discuss voter ID on Texas Public Radio, Richard L. Hasen, November 14, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on racial gerrymandering by Nina Totenberg, "Supreme Court Case Seeks Source of Alabama Gerrymandering" WBUR National Public Radio, November 12, 2014.
"What to Expect When You’re Electing: Here’s What I’ll be Watching for Tuesday," Richard L. Hasen, Election Law Blog, November 4, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on election law by Ashly McGlone, "Candidate Halts Sandwich Offer for Voters" San Diego Union-Tribune, November 4, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on parties' independent expenditure by Melanie Mason, "GOP Puts Millions toward Independent Spending in Legislative Races" Los Angeles Times, November 3, 2014.
"To Guarantee Voting Rights, Enforce the Laws We Have," Richard L. Hasen, Room for Debate, New York Times, November 3, 2014.
"Since We Can’t Count on the Court to Control Money in Politics, We Need Congress to Act," Richard L. Hasen, Room for Debate, New York Times, October 13, 2014.
"The Voting Wars Heat Up," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, September 29, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission by Ashby Jones, "Legal Experts React to Supreme Court's Campaign-Finance Ruling" Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen quoted on partisan motives for manipulating voting laws by Steven Yaccino and Lizette Alvarez, "New GOP Bid to Limit Voting in Swing States" New York Times, March 29, 2014.
Richard L. Hasen's research on the current struggle over the Voting Rights Act discussed by Jeffrey Toobin, "Holder v. Roberts: The Attorney General Makes Voting Rights the Test Case of His Tenure," The New Yorker, February 17, 2014.
"The New Conservative Assault on Early Voting," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, February 10, 2014.
"Initial Thoughts on Today's Ruling Striking Down PA's Voter ID Law on State Grounds," Richard L. Hasen, Election Law Blog, January 17, 2014.
"Eyes on the Courts: 2014 Will be Pivotal for Voting Rights," Richard L. Hasen, Talking Points Memo, January 9, 2014.
"No Surprise: Supreme Court Stays Utah Gay Marriage Ruling: What It Means," Richard L. Hasen, Election Law Blog, January 6, 2014.
"Voter Suppression’s New Pretext," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, November 15, 2013.
"Making a Federal Case Out of It," Richard L. Hasen, Slate, November 11, 2013.
"Holder's Texas-Sized Gambit: Will It Save the Voting Rights Act?," Richard L. Hasen, National Law Journal, August 5, 2013.
"Will the GOP's North Carolina End Run Backfire?," Richard L. Hasen, The Daily Beast, July 24, 2013.
"The Chief Justice's Long Game," Richard L. Hasen, New York Times, June 25, 2013.

Publications

"Race or Party: How Courts Should Think about Republican Efforts to Make It Harder to Vote in North Carolina and Elsewhere" Harvard Law Review Forum 127 (forthcoming).
Argues that race and party are intertwined in the fight over voting rules take place in state legislatures and courts, and provides tools for courts to consider the constitutionality of restrictive voting rules.
"The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown" (Yale University Press, 2012).
Describes fights over voting rules since 2000, especially fights over voter fraud and voter suppression.