Guides: Election Law Research Guide: Introduction & Key Resources

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Introduction

This guide is intended as a starting point for research in the law of elections (including campaign finance, election administration, and voting rights) at Georgetown Law Library. It includes both primary and secondary materials, in both print and electronic formats.

Elections in the U.S. are governed by both state and federal laws. For more information on how to find state laws, refer to our state-specific research guides.

Key Resources

CQ Press Voting and Elections Collection
Database features primary sources, secondary sources, and finding tools on nomination and selection of Presidents, campaigns, candidates, campaign finance, media coverage, political parties, electoral system, and voting participation.
HeinOnline’s Voting Rights & Election Law
This database features thousands of resources on both local and federal U.S. elections and electoral processes: how elections are conducted, how votes are counted, how political campaigns are run and funded, and who is allowed to vote. Includes primary and secondary sources, including various books, treatises, reports, legislative histories, congressional hearings and more, as well as handpicked scholarly articles, both recent and historical, with new articles added monthly. This collection has been organized into the following subjects: Absentee Voting, Ballots, Campaign Finance, Election Administration, Election Integrity, Election Outcomes, Election Reform, Electoral College, Federal Election Commission, Gerrymandering, Legislative Redistricting, Political Campaigns, Suffrage, Voter Identification, Voter Registration, and Voting Rights; each subject is browsable and searchable. In addition to content about U.S. elections, users will also find hundreds of titles about elections around the world. There is also a bibliography of recommended titles to take users beyond HeinOnline's collection.
Election Case Law at Moritz
The Ohio State University maintains a web site monitoring case law on election law.
Election Law Manual
Basic overview of election law in the United States. Primary focus is state election law, although also includes important federal statutes and constitutional provisions. Written primarily for use of judges.
Guide to U.S. Elections (2016) (Online)
Provides comprehensive treatment and information about America's electoral political parties, presidential, congressional and gubernatorial elections, and their historical development. Also available in print at JK1967 .C662.
How to Research Elections (2000)
Primary sources, secondary sources, and finding tools on nomination and selection of Presidents, campaigns, candidates, campaign finance, media coverage, political parties, electoral system, and voting participation.