The University of Maryland School of Law

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

Upcoming Symposium

A Powerful Electorate?:
The Impact of Election Law on American Democracy

October 16, 2008
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

"Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)."
-- Ayn Rand

On October 16, 2008, the University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class is pleased to host its Fall symposium entitled "A Powerful Electorate?: The Impact of Election Law on American Democracy." The event will focus on how American laws have provided for or failed to adequately address the rights of American citizens to participate in the political process. Special attention will be given to recent Supreme Court decisions pertaining to voting rights, Crawford v. Marion County School Board and Riley v. Kennedy. The symposium will also feature a discussion on the potential for legal reform of election laws in Maryland and the United States. Please join us in addressing these important issues prior to the 2008 election.

RSVP Online

8:30am-9:30am:

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:30am-9:45am:

Welcome and Introductions

Welcome
Katie Burgess
Editor-in-Chief
University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class

9:45am -10:45am:

*Discussion: The Tax Exempt Status of Religious Organizations: How Political is too Political?*
Keith Blair Assistant Professor of Law University of Baltimore Law School	Gregory Randall Lee Professor of Law Widener University of Law
Moderator Mark Graber Professor of Government and Politics University of Maryland, College Park

10:50am-11:20am:

The Predicted Impact of the Obama Candidacy on the Voting Rights Act
Janai Nelson
Assistant Professor of Law
St. John’s University School of Law

11:25am-11:50am:

Gender and Constitutional Design
Paula Monopoli
Marbury Research Professor of Law
University of Maryland School of Law

12:00pm-1:30pm:

Lunch and Keynote Speaker
Kristen Clarke
Co-Director, Political Participation Project
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc.

1:30pm-2:45pm:

Panel Discussion: Identifying the Problems of Crawford v. Marion County Election Board

Jocelyn Benson Assistant Professor of Law Wayne State University School of Law	Nathaniel Persily Professor of Law Columbia University School of Law
Jonah Goldman Adjunct Professor of Law; Georgetown University School of Law Director, National Campaign for Fair Elections, The Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law	Michael Pitts Associate Professor of Law Dean’s Fellow Indiana University School of Law
Moderator Richard Boldt Professor of Law University of Maryland School of Law

2:45pm - 3:00pm:

Break

3:00pm - 4:15pm:

*Panel Discussion:* *Strategies for Legal Reform of Election Law*
David Becker Project Director, Making Voting Work Initiative The Pew Charitable Trusts	Delegate Jon Cardin Maryland House of Delegates
Sherilyn Ifill Professor of Law University of Maryland School of Law	Delegate Sandy Rosenberg Maryland House of Delegates
Moderator Katherine Dachille Associate Professor of Law University of Maryland School of Law

4:15pm-4:30pm:

Closing Remarks

Dean Karen Rothenberg
Dean and Marjorie Cook Professor of Law
University of Maryland School of Law

Christine Duggan
Executive Symposium Editor
University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class

For more information, please contact our Executive Symposium Director

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

Upcoming Symposium

A Powerful Electorate?:
The Impact of Election Law on American Democracy

October 16, 2008
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

RSVP Online

More on the University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

Related Links

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

Upcoming Symposium

A Powerful Electorate?: The Impact of Election Law on American Democracy

October 16, 2008 University of Maryland School of Law 500 W. Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201

RSVP Online

More on the University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

Related Links

A Powerful Electorate?:
The Impact of Election Law on American Democracy

October 16, 2008
University of Maryland School of Law
500 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201