disenfranchisement — Online Journal — Columbia Undergraduate Law Review

Voter Rights Amidst Crisis: The Repercussions of COVID-19

According to an early projection by Richard Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Irvine, “2020 [was set to] see a record level of election-related litigation.” That prediction was made long before the COVID-19 crisis left the nation scrambling to adapt to the realities of election season in the midst of a pandemic. In the recent weeks, a flurry of legal battles have erupted across the nation—in Nevada, Oklahoma, Arizona, Virginia, Florida, and various other states—over voting rights, absentee ballot requirements, and vote-by-mail protocol.

Alexander LiebeskindJune 27, 2020election law, voter rights, COVID-19, disenfranchisement

Unattainable Equity: A Look into Fraudulent Activity Under the State of New York’s MWBE Program

The State of New York’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Certification Program was established in 1988 under Article 15 of the New York State Executive Law. The program was designed with the intent of “ensur[ing] and promot[ing] fair and equal employment and participation”.[1] Since its institution, the program has provided resources and established goals for businesses that are owned by minorities and women around the state of New York. But despite New York’s establishment of guidelines and quotas for minority and women participation, the reality of the program’s effects are far from its original intentions.

Anuja PharasiNovember 4, 2018U.S. v. Davis, Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise, disenfranchisementComment