This database consolidates and tracks litigation concerning the effect of the pandemic on election law. The purpose of this tool is to provide an interactive list of relevant cases that can be searched by issue, court, status, and jurisdiction.
Case Details
Arctic Village Council vs. Meyer, Kevin
Closed
Arctic Village Council v. Meyer, No. 3AN-20-07858Cl (Alaska Super. Ct., 3d Dist.) |
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| Case Summary | Plaintiffs argue that the notarization/witness requirement for mail-in ballots leaves self-isolated, immunocomprimised citizens with an untenable choice between risking their health to vote and not voting at all. Plaintiffs ask for the court to grant injunctive and declaratory relief, ordering defendants not to enforce the witness requirement in the November 2020 election and to declare its application unconstitutionally burdensome on plaintiffs' right to vote during the COVID-19 pandemic. | |
| Filed | 09/08/2020 | |
| State | Alaska | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Closed | |
| Last Updated | 02/09/2021 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Vote-by-Mail (Witness and/or Notary Requirement) | |
| Complaint(s) | 09/08/2020: Complaint filed. | |
| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 10/05/2020: Order/Ruling, The court held that, contrary to defendants' cross-motion, laches does not apply here. It ruled that plaintiffs would likely succeed on the merits, and granted their preliminary injunction. However, prior to issuing a final order against the witness requirement, the court asked both parties for input as to the parameters for the injunction. | |
| 10/13/2020: Order/Ruling, After receiving input from the parties, the court suspended Alaska's Witness Requirement for absentee ballots (AS § 15.20.066(b), AS § 15.20.08 l(d), 6 AAC 25.550, and 6 AAC 25.680) during the 2020 general election. The court ordered defendants to count all returned ballots without witness signatures, and communicate to voters that the witness requirement has been suspended. Defendants must issue a press release, update voters via social media, and make several changes to their website regarding the suspension of the requirement. | ||
Arctic Village Council v. Meyer, No. S-17902 (Alaska Sup. Ct.) |
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| Case Summary | Petitioners, the state of Alaska, seek review of the trial court injunction as an abuse of discretion. | |
| Filed | 10/12/2020 | |
| State | Alaska | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Closed () | |
| Last Updated | 10/20/2020 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Vote-by-Mail (Witness and/or Notary Requirement) | |
| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 10/12/2020: Other, Injunction affirmed. | |
