Symposium to examine issues involving Florida elections
February 3, 2014
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida has had its fair share of knocks in the media when it comes to election news, but as the fourth most populous state in the U.S., elections and election laws are no joke. The 13th annual Richard E. Nelson Symposium, “State & Local Elections: Rights and Wrongs,” will illuminate key issues the Sunshine State faces regarding elections.
The symposium will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center. The event is free for current UF Law students and faculty, but registration is required. For registration information, visit http://reg.conferences.dce.ufl.edu/SSP/1400039918. Members of the media are welcome to attend.
The topic of this year’s Nelson Symposium is a vital concern to lawyers and laypeople alike. National and state experts will explore the status of the Voting Rights Act after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder; the legality and wisdom of voter ID laws, felon disenfranchisement, and voter roll purges; the phenomenon of ballot-box zoning; and campaign disclosure for ballot measures.
For a complete list of speakers and symposium schedule, view the program at https://www.law.ufl.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/NelsonSymposium2014_web.pdf.
The Nelson Symposium is presented by the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and co-sponsored by The Florida Bar City, County and Local Government Law section, and Environmental and Land Use Law section. Attendees are eligible for seven general CLE credits and 3.5 credits in State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice.
The symposium is named to honor Richard E. Nelson, who served with distinction as Sarasota County attorney for 30 years, and his wife, Jane Nelson, two UF alumni who gave more than $1 million to establish the Richard E. Nelson Chair in Local Government Law, which is responsible for the annual event. Their support of the Levin College of Law’s Environmental and Land Use Program has been key to the program’s success and national recognition for excellence.