The Standing Committee on Election Law was created in 1973 with the purpose of developing and examining ways to improve the federal electoral process. In 1979, a ten-member Advisory Commission was created consisting of representatives of Congress, the President of the League of Women Voters, the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), election law attorneys, and academics. The Standing Committee and its Advisory Commission are nationally recognized election law experts who are charged with representing the Association’s commitment to ensure that the nation’s election laws are legally sound and are drafted to permit the broadest, least restrictive access by Americans to the ballot box.
The Standing Committee on Election Law and its Advisory Commission comprise a unique entity in that it has been structured as a clearly bi-partisan body. Members are not only appointed based on their election law experience, but careful attention is paid to ensure that the Committee does not become unbalanced in terms of political ideology. The work of the Standing Committee centers on all aspects of the electoral process, thus, as advances in technology and changes in the electorate occur, the Committee remains committed to providing the Association with the most current programming and policy recommendations. The Standing Committee has a long and continuing history of direct service to the public as well as to members of the Association.
Voter Rights and Responsibilities
Visit the ABA's new voting information web site, www.abavoteinfo.org, for resources on voting and the elections for the public, the bar, and the bench. Materials for the public include information on the importance of voting and how to register to vote. Materials for the bar including a call for lawyers to serve as nonpartisan election officials and Election Protection Project hotline volunteers. Materials for judges include training and statutory materials on hearing election disputes.
Election Reform
Election Administration Guidelines and Commentary, dated August 2008, covers a broad range of electoral issues, including such topics as voter education, registration, voting, and post-election issues, that can be applied to all elections. Although these guidelines cover federal elections, they are directed at the election administrators and officials at the state, local, and territorial level, who hold primary responsibility for election activities, both before, during and after the actual election. The Guidelines are meant to enhance the integrity and public perception of the electoral process and are aspirations for the necessary reform of our electoral process and are intended to ensure that all citizens, who are eligible to vote, have the greatest access to the ballot box.
Leadership
Division for Public Services
2008 - 2009 Clerkship
The Clerkship is a unique program designed for law students to engage in an individualized public interest legal research and writing project in Washington, DC. In concert with Division attorneys and a law school faculty reviewer, a student will develop and complete a substantive legal monograph that may be published, if of a quality acceptable by the ABA. The Clerkship is unpaid. We encourage law students to incorporate the Clerkship into an externship/internship program at their law school and/or to seek supportive law school funding where needed.
For information about the Clerkship, please call 202/662-1691or email cccoleman@staff.abanet.org.
Also, see our ad in the September issue of the Student Lawyer magazine.
