In this course, we will discuss the basic themes surrounding the legal regulation of elections, politics, and the political process as a whole.  We will cover all the major Supreme Court cases (and a few important lower court decisions) on the topics of voting rights, reapportionment/redistricting, ballot access, regulation of political parties, and the 2000 presidential election controversy.  We will also discuss competing political philosophies; alternatives to the two-party system; and the role of the courts, the legislature, and direct democracy in our system.