Voter suppression, gerrymandering and electoral reform were the main topics of discussion at “The Aftermath of the 2020 Election,” a daylong symposium co-sponsored by Cardozo Law Review and the Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy. The CLE event was held virtually on January 27 and included three panels, each one moderated by a Cardozo faculty member. 

"We focused our symposium on voter suppression and electoral reform to facilitate a much-needed conversation on how to improve the current state of our democracy," said Gianna Zapata, a 3L student and Law Review Symposia Editor. "The outcome of our conference surpassed expectations because the spirit of the panels and the synergy between our speakers inspired the audience not only to discuss ideas, but to take action, too."

Alma Magaña, Harold A. Stevens Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, moderated the first panel, “The Evolution of Voter Suppression.” Guest panelist Gilda R. Daniels, a Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore Law School commented during the discussion, “We can’t make voting rights just a Black and White issue and it can’t just be a Republican and Democrat issue. This is an issue that affects our democracy and we need to center the right to vote.” Other panelists included Atiba R. Ellis: Professor of Law, Marquette University Law School; Jorge Vasquez, Jr.: Chair of the Voting Rights Law Section, Hispanic National Bar Association and Luis Fuentes-Rohwer, Professor of Law and Class of 1950 Herman B. Wells Endowed Professor, Indiana University Maurer School of Law.  

 
Panelists discussed the threat of gerrymandering and the misrepresentation of minority communities, and how to thwart manipulative mapmakers during “Redistricting After the 2020 Census:
Gerrymandering and Misrepresentation,” moderated by Professor Ekow Yankah. Panelist Michael Pernick, Redistricting Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. said, “A lot of the redistricting commentary nation-wide is focused, understandably, on congressional redistricting, state legislative redistricting, but there are significant developments happening at the local level that deserve more scrutiny, more attention.” Other panelists included Kathay Feng, National Director of Redistricting & Representation, Common Cause; Robert Yablon: Professor of Law, University of Wisconsin Law School; Yurij Rudensky, Counsel, Democracy Program, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; and Ming H. Chen, Visiting Professor of Law, University of California Hastings College of Law; Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School.  

Professor Deborah Pearlstein, co-director of the Floersheimer Center, moderated the final panel of the day­, “Electoral Reform.” Professor Pearlstein commented as the panel began, “we’re at a pivotal moment in U.S. history, one I have not seen till now.”

The panel included Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, Visiting Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; Kira Romero-Craft, Director, Southeast Region, LatinoJustice PRLDEF; and Gowri Ramachandran, Senior Counsel, Election Reform, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.