The Constitution and the 2020 Election

On September 17, ACS held a discussion of what’s at stake and what the candidates should be asked as they seek our nation’s highest office.

As the presidential election heats up, the future of reproductive justice, voting rights, and criminal justice, among other constitutional commitments, are all at stake. Regardless of who is elected, the president will be asked not only to articulate their vision of the Constitution and who is included in “We the People,” but will also have an opportunity to make that vision and these commitments real through the appointment of judges.

Featured Speakers:

Leah Litman, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School

Vincent Southerland, Executive Director, NYU School of Law’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law

Daniel Tokaji, Associate Dean for Faculty and The Charles W. Ebersold and Florence Whitcomb Ebersold Professor of Constitutional Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

Debra Perlin, Director of Policy and Program, ACS, Moderator

Resources on the Constitution and the 2020 Election

• It’s time to get rid of the Electoral College by Elizabeth Warren
• Everyone deserves to vote, even felons like Paul Manafort & Michael Cohen by Bernie Sanders
• The Right to Vote in an Age of Discontent by Daniel Tokaji
• With AI and Criminal Justice, the Devil is in the Data by Vincent Southerland
• Dignity and Civility, Reconsidered by Leah Litman
• A so-called victory shows how the Supreme Court will kill ‘Roe v. Wade’ by Leah Litman
• 2020 Democrats speak out against DOJ death penalty decision by Zack Budryk
• Do 2020 candidates care about criminal justice? by Ed Chung
• Criminal justice reform had a bipartisan minute. Then 2020 reared its head by Mary Curtis
• 2020 Candidates Are Going All In on Abortion Rights by Emma Green
• Kamala Harris rolls out proposal that would require states to prove abortion laws were constitutional by Kyung Lah
• Florida faces an intense legal battle over restoring felons’ voting rights by P.R. Lockhart
• Threats To U.S. Elections Aren’t Going Away. What Have the 2020 Democrats Proposed? by Elena Moore
• ACS regularly posts related content on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Next Steps You Can Take

Follow ACS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to help amplify our messages about the Constitution and the 2020 election.

Get involved with ACS: Get further involved in ACS by engaging with your local lawyer chapter or contacting us at LCEmails@acslaw.org to start one. Recruit 5 friends to join us in this work. Become an ACS national member if you are not already by signing up here. If you already support ACS, you can renew your membership or make an additional donation here. Your support helps us continue our efforts in this important area and many others.

Volunteer to do pro bono work: You can make a difference by helping with a pro bono project from wherever you are. We work closely with our coalition partners to plug volunteers into efforts around the country. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us at LCEmails@acslaw.org and check out our volunteer page.

Upcoming Signature Events

• Attend the 2019 Progressive Law Benefit on September 19 in Minneapolis, MN. RSVP here.
• Attend the 2019-2020 Supreme Court Preview on September 25 in Washington, DC. RSVP here.
• Attend the 2019 Northeast Ohio Annual Luncheon on September 26 in Cleveland, OH. RSVP here.
• Attend the 2019 ACS National Lawyer Convening in Atlanta on October 17-19. Public interest fellowships are available here.
• Save the date: ACS’s S. Supreme Court group swearing-in ceremony will be held on April 6, 2020.
• Save the date: 2020 ACS National Convention in Washington, DC on June 11-13, 2020.