Danielle Lang
@danilang-votes.bsky.social
Sr Dir., Voting, Campaign Legal Center. Former legal aid lawyer. You can also find me on Substack: https://theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com/
Bolts is great journalism -- covering many stories and issues that would otherwise go untold.
You can help Bolts continue to provide crucial coverage of local elections. Here's how:
- Repost this = I donate $1.
- Follow @boltsmag.org = I donate $1.
- Donate (link below) + tell me how much = I match your donation.
(Donate monthly = I match a year's worth)
- Repost this = I donate $1.
- Follow @boltsmag.org = I donate $1.
- Donate (link below) + tell me how much = I match your donation.
(Donate monthly = I match a year's worth)
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
December 4, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Bolts is great journalism -- covering many stories and issues that would otherwise go untold.
Judge Smith: names Judge Brown 223 times in his dissent.
Judge Brown:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEg...
IYKYK
Judge Brown:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEg...
IYKYK
Taylor Swift - Actually Romantic (Lyric Video)
YouTube video by Taylor Swift
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Judge Smith: names Judge Brown 223 times in his dissent.
Judge Brown:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEg...
IYKYK
Judge Brown:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEg...
IYKYK
Reposted by Danielle Lang
Remember that the EO purporting to limit birthright citizenship is just as unconstitutional today as it was yesterday. The constitution makes clear that babies born in the U.S. are American citizens. Period.
June 27, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Remember that the EO purporting to limit birthright citizenship is just as unconstitutional today as it was yesterday. The constitution makes clear that babies born in the U.S. are American citizens. Period.
At some point, I may gather myself enough to share my own thoughts on this trainwreck. Until then, I will re-up only good takes from others with more fortitude than myself, like KBJ herself.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in dissent, on the Court's ruling on universal injunctions and birthright citizenship:
"The Court’s decision to permit the Executive to violate the Constitution with respect to anyone who has not yet sued is an existential threat to the rule of law."
"The Court’s decision to permit the Executive to violate the Constitution with respect to anyone who has not yet sued is an existential threat to the rule of law."
June 27, 2025 at 3:55 PM
At some point, I may gather myself enough to share my own thoughts on this trainwreck. Until then, I will re-up only good takes from others with more fortitude than myself, like KBJ herself.
Kagan: "that's a lot of words" but you aren't answering how we can get to the result of addressing the national impact of the unlawful EO?
May 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Kagan: "that's a lot of words" but you aren't answering how we can get to the result of addressing the national impact of the unlawful EO?
This is a truly outrageous development. For 60 years, voters have been able to vindicate their rights under the Voting Rights Act. Those individual actions have been transformational, creating the multiracial democracy we have today.
BREAKING: 8th Circuit panel rules Voting Rights Act’s Section 2 protections against racial discrimination can’t be privately enforced under Section 1983 of Title 42 in 7 states. Ruling comes from a redistricting lawsuit by tribal nations in North Dakota
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
May 14, 2025 at 3:29 PM
This is a truly outrageous development. For 60 years, voters have been able to vindicate their rights under the Voting Rights Act. Those individual actions have been transformational, creating the multiracial democracy we have today.
Reposted by Danielle Lang
BREAKING: 8th Circuit panel rules Voting Rights Act’s Section 2 protections against racial discrimination can’t be privately enforced under Section 1983 of Title 42 in 7 states. Ruling comes from a redistricting lawsuit by tribal nations in North Dakota
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
May 14, 2025 at 3:11 PM
BREAKING: 8th Circuit panel rules Voting Rights Act’s Section 2 protections against racial discrimination can’t be privately enforced under Section 1983 of Title 42 in 7 states. Ruling comes from a redistricting lawsuit by tribal nations in North Dakota
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Reposted by Danielle Lang
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has formally certified Democrat Allison Riggs as the winner of a state Supreme Court.
Riggs was sworn-in at a brief ceremony in Raleigh.
"We won this election more than six months ago, but it was fewer than seven days ago that this race finally ended."
Riggs was sworn-in at a brief ceremony in Raleigh.
"We won this election more than six months ago, but it was fewer than seven days ago that this race finally ended."
May 13, 2025 at 3:10 PM
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has formally certified Democrat Allison Riggs as the winner of a state Supreme Court.
Riggs was sworn-in at a brief ceremony in Raleigh.
"We won this election more than six months ago, but it was fewer than seven days ago that this race finally ended."
Riggs was sworn-in at a brief ceremony in Raleigh.
"We won this election more than six months ago, but it was fewer than seven days ago that this race finally ended."
It should not have taken 6 months and endless litigation to get here. But the fact that a court ultimately stopped these shenanigans and ordered the results certified is so critical. Kudos to all the democracy advocates on the ground that never gave an inch here.
May 7, 2025 at 6:42 PM
It should not have taken 6 months and endless litigation to get here. But the fact that a court ultimately stopped these shenanigans and ordered the results certified is so critical. Kudos to all the democracy advocates on the ground that never gave an inch here.
There was an exceptionally important development in a case in North Carolina yesterday. The case is a testing ground for election sabotage and the federal district court shut it down.🧵
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/u...
Judge Orders Elections Board to Certify Democrat’s Victory in Contested N.C. Race
www.nytimes.com
May 6, 2025 at 2:46 PM
There was an exceptionally important development in a case in North Carolina yesterday. The case is a testing ground for election sabotage and the federal district court shut it down.🧵
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/u...
Once again, the district court stating an obvious point: "The States have initial authority to regulate elections. Congress has supervisory authority over those regulations. The President does not feature at all."
April 24, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Once again, the district court stating an obvious point: "The States have initial authority to regulate elections. Congress has supervisory authority over those regulations. The President does not feature at all."
Breaking: A district court STOPS the President's unlawful order directing changes to federal election law. Specifically, the court enjoined an attempt by the President to direct an independent agency to require documentary proof of citizenship to register using the national form.
April 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Breaking: A district court STOPS the President's unlawful order directing changes to federal election law. Specifically, the court enjoined an attempt by the President to direct an independent agency to require documentary proof of citizenship to register using the national form.
Believe it or not, President Trump doesn't have the authority to set rules about how we cast our ballets. We'll see the Administration in court: abcnews.go.com/US/organizat...
March 31, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Believe it or not, President Trump doesn't have the authority to set rules about how we cast our ballets. We'll see the Administration in court: abcnews.go.com/US/organizat...
Today, the President purported to issue an executive order seeking to upend much of the states' administration of their own elections. campaignlegal.org/press-releas...
President Trump’s Anti-Voter EO Should Worry All Americans — CLC Responds
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 25, 2025, about voting that threatens millions of Americans’ freedom to vote. The order severely limits access to voting by requiring voters t...
campaignlegal.org
March 26, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Today, the President purported to issue an executive order seeking to upend much of the states' administration of their own elections. campaignlegal.org/press-releas...
Today, the Court is hearing a deciding a case about the interaction between racial gerrymandering and the Voting Rights Act: Louisiana v. Callais.
March 24, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Today, the Court is hearing a deciding a case about the interaction between racial gerrymandering and the Voting Rights Act: Louisiana v. Callais.
Today, we closed our litigation in Alabama suing over Wes Allen's discriminatory purge program during the 2024 election. Secretary Allen has abandoned this program, so we dismissed the case. But if Secretary Allen starts again, we'll be there. campaignlegal.org/press-releas...
Alabama Voters are No Longer Threatened by Illegal Voter Purge Program Targeting Naturalized Citizens
Birmingham, AL — In a win for Alabama voters, Secretary Wes Allen has abandoned last year’s illegal voter purge program that threatened to deny qualified American citizens their freedom to vote. Stric...
campaignlegal.org
March 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Today, we closed our litigation in Alabama suing over Wes Allen's discriminatory purge program during the 2024 election. Secretary Allen has abandoned this program, so we dismissed the case. But if Secretary Allen starts again, we'll be there. campaignlegal.org/press-releas...
Our democracy runs on the authority of elected representatives that are accountable to the people, not on the authority of unelected billionaire super donor.
🚨BREAKING: Campaign Legal Center is suing Elon Musk and DOGE for unconstitutionally acting beyond their power to slash the federal budget, fire federal workers and threaten executive agencies.
These reckless actions are causing real harm to everyday Americans. We’re suing to stop it.
These reckless actions are causing real harm to everyday Americans. We’re suing to stop it.
March 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Our democracy runs on the authority of elected representatives that are accountable to the people, not on the authority of unelected billionaire super donor.
In which I discuss the 9th Circuit, the SAVE Act, and my poorly behaved but absolutely loveable dog.
theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com/p/a-bit-of-g...
theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com/p/a-bit-of-g...
A Bit of Good News Among All .... This
A Win in the 9th Circuit and then ... a bunch of other worse things.
theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com
February 28, 2025 at 9:34 PM
In which I discuss the 9th Circuit, the SAVE Act, and my poorly behaved but absolutely loveable dog.
theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com/p/a-bit-of-g...
theonlypollsthatcount.substack.com/p/a-bit-of-g...
Big decision from the 9th Circuit here holding that Arizona's various restrictions on registration (including proof of citizenship) violate the NVRA & the Civil Rights Act. I was proud to argue this case on behalf of a big tent of excellent advocates and extraordinary clients. Here we go.
BREAKING: 9th Circuit rules in favor of plaintiffs in Mi Familia Vota v. Fontes; AZ’s DPOC requirements violate the NVRA, Civil Rights Act, Equal Protection Clause, and a 2018 consent decree.
Decision here: campaignlegal.org/sites/defaul...
Background here: campaignlegal.org/cases-action...
Decision here: campaignlegal.org/sites/defaul...
Background here: campaignlegal.org/cases-action...
February 25, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Big decision from the 9th Circuit here holding that Arizona's various restrictions on registration (including proof of citizenship) violate the NVRA & the Civil Rights Act. I was proud to argue this case on behalf of a big tent of excellent advocates and extraordinary clients. Here we go.
Reposted by Danielle Lang
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
January 29, 2025 at 8:38 PM
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
I'm back at the substack game. First newsletter of the Trump Administration just dropped: open.substack.com/pub/theonlyp...
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more
The news is exhausting. Here's (most) of what you need to know about recent developments in the world of election and democracy law.
open.substack.com
January 29, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I'm back at the substack game. First newsletter of the Trump Administration just dropped: open.substack.com/pub/theonlyp...
Judge Coughenour, an appointee of Ronald Reagan, said from the bench: "I’ve been on the bench for over four decades, I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order[.]" Indeed.
Citizenship is the key that unlocks the door to democratic participation and the promise of an inclusive America — from ensuring the fundamental freedom to vote to running for office. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution is clear: People born in the United States are citizens.
BREAKING: A federal judge temporarily blocks President Donald Trump's order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship.
January 23, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Judge Coughenour, an appointee of Ronald Reagan, said from the bench: "I’ve been on the bench for over four decades, I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order[.]" Indeed.
Hi friends, new here but have an update. While most elections are over, there are still some *very* close ones. And, unsurprisingly, some candidates are up to some very anti-democratic antics in those races. Case in point: the Supreme Court of North Carolina race is within hundreds of votes.
November 20, 2024 at 6:38 PM
Hi friends, new here but have an update. While most elections are over, there are still some *very* close ones. And, unsurprisingly, some candidates are up to some very anti-democratic antics in those races. Case in point: the Supreme Court of North Carolina race is within hundreds of votes.