The mechanics of how, and who, Americans elect will be the focus of a symposium at the University of Virginia School of Law.

“Elections: Where Law & Politics Intersect,” hosted by the Journal of Law & Politics, will be held March 5 in Caplin Pavilion.

The event will explore some of the most debated topics in election law, including representation, social media’s role in campaign finance, challenges to close elections, the role of voting rights and recent reform efforts.

Speakers will include a number of UVA Law alumni, including Lee Goodman ’90, former chairman and commissioner of the Federal Election Commission.

Keynote speakers include Rudy Mehrbani ’06 of the Brennan Center for Justice and Hans von Spakovsky of The Heritage Foundation. Mehrbani, the center’s senior counsel, formerly served as assistant to the president and director of the Presidential Personnel Office in the Obama administration. Von Spakovsky is manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative at the think tank, and former manager of its Civil Justice Reform Initiative.

Virginia Law Democrats, Law Republicans and Common Law Grounds are co-sponsoring the symposium.

The event is open to the public with registration.

Schedule

Tuesday, March 5

Caplin Pavilion

9 a.m.

Panel 1 | Money, Disclosure & Free Speech: Can There Be Too Much?

• Matt Raymer, Vice President and General Counsel, Republican State Leadership Committee
• Matthew Sanderson, Attorney, Caplin & Drysdale; Lecturer, University of Virginia School of Law
• Moderator: Deborah Hellman, David Lurton Massee, Jr., Professor of Law; Roy L. and Rosamond Woodruff Morgan Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law

10:15 a.m.

Panel 2 | Recounts & Other Post-Election Procedures: Views From the Field

• Chris Ashby, Partner, Ashby Law
• Lee Goodman ’90, Partner, Wiley Rein
• Dara Lindenbaum, Senior Counsel, Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock
• Moderator: Michael Gilbert, Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law

11:45 a.m.

Lunch Reception

Keynote Speeches

• Rudy Mehrbani ’06, Spitzer Fellow and Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice
• Hans von Spakovsky, Manager, Election Law Reform Initiative and Senior Legal Fellow, Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, The Heritage Foundation

1 p.m.

Panel 3 | Reforming Redistricting: Commissions, Litigation & Gerrymandering

• Brian Cannon, Executive Director, OneVirginia2021
• Henry Chambers ’91, Austin E. Owen Research Scholar & Professor of Law, University of Richmond School of Law
• Mark Gaber, Director of Trial Litigation, Campaign Legal Center
• Rebecca Green, Professor of the Practice of Law, and Co-Director, Election Law Program, Assistant Director, CLCT, William & Mary Law School
• Moderator: A. E. Dick Howard ’61, Warner-Booker Distinguished Professor of International Law, University of Virginia School of Law