State Democracy Research Initiative

University of Wisconsin Law School
aerial view of Wisconsin Capitol

"...to advance research and dialogue on state-level democracy, government institutions, and public law across the nation."

Mission & Vision

The State Democracy Research Initiative seeks to advance research and dialogue on state-level democracy, government institutions, and public law across the nation. By focusing on the states, which traditionally receive less attention than the federal government in legal circles, the Initiative serves as a much-needed resource for academics, courts, policymakers, advocates, and the public.

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Featured Projects

  • Exploring State Checks Against Federal Overreach

    Published: August 8, 2025 Updated: December 19, 2025 States have many tools to help counter federal abuses of power. Facing a torrent of controversial federal government actions, states today are pursuing or considering an array …

  • 50 Constitutions

    This website allows you to explore the full, up-to-date text of all 50 state constitutions and allows for searches within and across states. We are also rolling out “Tracking Constitutional Change” features to allow users …

Featured Updates

Events

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Recent Events

  • Panel Discussion: Judging in State Appellate Courts

    On October 30th, 2025, the State Democracy Research Initiative hosted a panel discussion: “Judging in State Appellate Courts.” This panel highlighted the important and often overlooked role of state intermediate appellate court judges in our legal …

  • Corporate Law and Democracy: A Conversation with Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick

    On October 7th, 2025, the State Democracy Research Initiative hosted “Corporate Law and Democracy: A Conversation with Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick.” During this event, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery highlighted the important work and unique positionality …

  • Election Matters 2025 | Money, Politics, and the First Amendment

    On October 3, the State Democracy Research Initiative and the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison hosted the third event in our Election Matters 2025 series: “Money, Politics, and the First Amendment,” sponsored by Stafford Rosenbaum LLP. The …

Meet the Faculty Directors

Rob Yablon and Miriam Seifter

Miriam Seifter, Faculty Co‑Director

Miriam Seifter is the Richard E. Johnson Bascom Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Her recent work examines state constitutional and administrative law, with a focus on challenges facing democracy at the state level. She teaches state and local government law, administrative law, and property law and is a co-founder of the State and Local Government Law Blog.

For more, see Miriam’s full bio and her publications, or follow Miriam on Twitter: @MiriamSeifter.

Robert Yablon headshotRobert Yablon, Faculty Co‑Director

Robert Yablon is a Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School. His recent work explores questions in political and election law, with attention to redistricting and campaign finance. He teaches civil procedure, federal jurisdiction, and the law of democracy and is an affiliate of the Elections Research Center.

For more, see Robert’s full bio and his publications, or follow Robert on Twitter: @RobYablon.

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