Interactive Websites
The Democracy Principle
This website highlights constitutional provisions across the nation that contribute to the democracy principle. You can explore the site in two ways: by state or by category. Exploring by category—popular sovereignty, suffrage, government institutions, political equality, direct democracy, and constitutional change—also displays featured cases.
50 Constitutions
This website allows you to explore the Wisconsin Constitution in two ways: by provision, allowing you to view the current text and history of every article and section of the constitution’s text; and by year, allowing you to view amendments and their context by year of adoption.
Direct Democracy in the States
This website presents research findings from the SDRI Report, Direct Democracy in the States: A 50-State Survey of the Journey to the Ballot. Download the Executive Summary to read our survey highlights, or view state-by-state information on types of direct democracy available, the timing of elections, ballot contents and other information provided to voters, and the role of state courts.
Briefs
Wisconsin Supreme Court – Clarke v. Wisconsin Elections Commission Amicus Brief Filed
On November 8, the State Democracy Research Initiative’s faculty co-directors Miriam Seifter and Rob Yablon filed an amicus brief along with five other legal scholars in Clarke v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, a redistricting case pending before the …
November 8, 2023Michigan Supreme Court – Mothering Justice v. Nessel Amicus Brief Filed
On November 1, the State Democracy Research Initiative’s faculty co-directors Miriam Seifter and Rob Yablon submitted an amicus brief with four other legal scholars in Mothering Justice v. Nessel, a Michigan Supreme Court case with big …
November 1, 2023Kansas Supreme Court – League of Women Voters v. Schwab Brief Filed
On October 4, the State Democracy Research Initiative submitted an amici curiae brief on behalf of Professors Richard E. Levy and Stephen R. McAllister of the University of Kansas School of Law in a lawsuit …
October 5, 2023Kentucky Supreme Court – Graham v. Adams Amicus Brief Filed
Featured, Briefs | State Democracy Research Initiative
July 12, 2023
On July 11, the State Democracy Research Initiative submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Professor Joshua A. Douglas of the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law in a redistricting lawsuit pending before the Kentucky Supreme Court, Graham v. Adams.Montana Supreme Court – Montana Democratic Party v. Jacobsen Amicus Brief Filed
Featured, Briefs | State Democracy Research Initiative
July 10, 2023
On Friday, our faculty co-directors Miriam Seifter and Rob Yablon submitted an amicus brief with other legal scholars in the Montana Supreme Court.Utah Supreme Court – League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature Amicus Brief Filed
Featured, Briefs | State Democracy Research Initiative
May 19, 2023
On Friday, we filed a brief on behalf of Professor Bertrall L. Ross II in the Utah Supreme Court.Michigan Supreme Court – Mothering Justice v. Nessel Amicus Brief Filed
Briefs | Michigan Supreme Court
March 27, 2023
United States Supreme Court – Moore v. Harper Amicus Brief Filed
Featured, Briefs | State Democracy Research Initiative
October 26, 2022
On October 26th, 2022, the State Democracy Research Initiative filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Moore v. Harper.Michigan Court of Appeals – Mothering Justice v. Attorney General Amicus Brief Filed
The State Democracy Research Initiative’s Miriam Seifter and Robert Yablon, along with four other scholars of state constitutional law and democracy, have filed an amicus brief in the Michigan Court of Appeals court case Mother …
October 3, 2022Delaware Supreme Court – Higgin v. Albence Amicus Brief Filed
Briefs | Delaware Supreme Court
September 30, 2022
"The State Democracy Research Initiative's Miriam Seifter and Robert Yablon, along with seven other national recognized legal scholars in expertise on state constitutional law, have submitted an amicus brief in the case Higgin v. Albence before the Delaware Supreme Court."- More Briefs posts
Scholarship
Columbia Law Review: “State Constitutional Rights and Democratic Proportionality” by Jessica Bulman-Pozen & Miriam Seifter
This Article seeks to begin a new conversation about state constitutional adjudication. It first shows how in myriad defining ways state constitutions differ from the U.S. Constitution. These distinctive founding documents, prizing individual and collective self-determination alike, require their own implementation frameworks—not federal mimicry.
November 22, 2023The Yale Law Journal Forum: “The Right to Amend State Constitutions” by Jessica Bulman-Pozen & Miriam Seifter
This Essay explores the people’s right to amend state constitutions, particularly in states that recognize the constitutional initiative. Together with other democratic rights that appear in state constitutions but not the federal charter, the right to amend recognizes popular sovereignty as an active commitment.
November 13, 2023Wayne Law Review: “Survey of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s Inaugural Redistricting Cycle” by Derek Clinger
As part of the Wayne Law Review’s Annual Survey of Michigan Law, Senior Staff Attorney Derek Clinger surveyed the lawsuits involving the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission during the Commission’s inaugural redistricting cycle (2021-2022)
October 10, 2023Call for Papers: State Courts Scholarship Roundtable
August 28, 2023 The University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) is pleased to announce a Roundtable on State Courts, to be held on April 19, 2024. The Roundtable will be co-hosted …
August 28, 2023Wisconsin Law Review Special Issue 2022: “Interpretation in the States”
Scholarship | State Democracy Research Initiative
November 22, 2022
Wisconsin Law Review Special Edition featuring papers from our June 2022 ConferenceDuke Law Journal: “State Institutions and Democratic Opportunity” by Miriam Seifter
Featured, Scholarship | State Democracy Research Initiative
November 22, 2022
This Article suggests steps that state courts, state officials, and organizers can take to protect state institutions. At the highest level, it shows how a richer theory and discourse surrounding state institutions can advance both state and national democracy.Miriam Seifter Presents Lecture on State Institutions and Democratic Opportunity
Featured | Widener Law Commonwealth
April 11, 2022
John Gedid Lecture Series Presents Miriam Seifter on State Institutions and Democratic OpportunityRob Yablon Publishes Op-Ed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Wisconsin Supreme Court is wrong to preserve gerrymandered electoral maps”
In the Media, Featured | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
December 20, 2021
"The Wisconsin Supreme Court has set the stage for another decade of gerrymandered electoral maps."Rob Yablon Discusses Redistricting Case Before the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In the Media | WPR, Central Time
December 3, 2021
"How the Wisconsin Supreme Court might redraw the state's legislative maps"Wisconsin Law Review Special Issue 2021: “Public Law in the States”
Featured | Wisconsin Law Review
November 21, 2021
Special Issue: Public Law in the States- More Scholarship posts
Research and Explainers
White Paper: Unpacking State Legislative Vetoes
Derek Clinger, Senior Staff Attorney Professor Miriam Seifter, Faculty Co-Director PDF Available Here Table of Contents Introduction I. Models of State Legislative Oversight of Agency Rulemaking A. The Strong-Form Legislative Veto 1. Two-House Vetoes 2. …
October 13, 2023Explainer: State Constitutional Standards for Adjudicating Challenges to Restrictive Voting Laws
Emily Lau, Staff Attorney PDF Available Here State constitutions are distinct from the U.S. Constitution in many ways—not least of which is their commitment to popular sovereignty, majority rule, and political equality.[1] State courts have …
October 3, 2023Research: Materials on 1853 Impeachment of Judge Levi Hubbell
In 1853, Levi Hubbell, Judge of Wisconsin’s Second Circuit Court and Associate Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, became the first—and still only—judge in Wisconsin history to have articles of impeachment filed against him by …
September 8, 2023Explainer: Judicial Recusal in Wisconsin and Beyond
Derek Clinger, Senior Staff Attorney Professor Robert Yablon, Faculty Co-Director PDF Available Here Table of Contents Introduction I. Background: The Law of Judicial Recusal A. Federal Constitutional Standards Campaign Funding Campaign Statements B. Wisconsin-Specific Recusal …
September 5, 2023Call for Papers: State Courts Scholarship Roundtable
August 28, 2023 The University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) is pleased to announce a Roundtable on State Courts, to be held on April 19, 2024. The Roundtable will be co-hosted …
August 28, 2023The Calm Between the Storms: A Review of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 2022-23 Term and Preview of 2023-24
Dustin Brown, Senior Staff Attorney PDF Available Here The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 2022-23 term, which ended on June 30, unfolded against the backdrop of the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history.[1] While the election …
July 17, 2023Moore v. Harper and the Purcell Principle
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
June 30, 2023
Commentary on Moore v. Harper has not yet focused on how the Purcell principle might shape what comes next.Ohio Supreme Court Clears Way for August Vote on Legislative Effort to Curb Direct Democracy
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
June 16, 2023
In a ruling with major implications for direct democracy in Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court greenlighted the state legislature’s controversial plan to have Ohioans vote in August on a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder to amend Ohio’s Constitution in the future.At the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Marsy’s Law survives as the justices clash over constitutional interpretation
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
May 16, 2023
The Wisconsin Constitution requires the legislature to present proposed constitutional amendments to the people for a vote.Election-Litigation Data: 2018, 2020, 2022 State and Federal Court Filings
Research & Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
March 21, 2023
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