This course examines the law that organizes democratic processes of election and decision-making. After considering the historical struggle for minority enfranchisement and the Supreme Court's first forays into redistricting and reapportionment, we move to more contemporary topics, including: (1) the constitutional role and rights of political parties, (2) campaign-finance law (with special attention to Citizens United and the DC Circuit's equally important decision in SpeechNow.org), (3) the connection of race and political participation under the Voting Rights Act, (4) the new wave of "vote denial" cases in the last few years, (5) the changed understanding of "racial gerrymandering" under the Constitution, (6) the Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore, and (7) the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering. GRADING NOTICE: This class does not offer the CR/NC/H option.