Derek Muller

Professor Derek Muller is a nationally recognized scholar in the field of election law. His research focuses on the role of states in the administration of federal elections, the constitutional contours of voting rights and election administration, the limits of judicial power in the domain of elections, and the Electoral College.

Societies regularly hold elections so that the people can choose who leads our government. Underneath those elections are rules that ensure that the people can freely and fairly choose their leaders, and that rules are abided by whether a preferred candidates win or lose.

Muller’s research helps legislators improve current rules, and it helps courts interpret those rules even when there are deeply contested elections. Election litigation increased significantly while he was in college and law school. Inspired by an Election Law course he took at Notre Dame Law School, he started to delve into these issues and became fascinated by the rich, complex rules societies have that support elections.

“In a democracy, we hold elections to determine who leads our government. We want to ensure the rules for those elections ensure a free and fair choice among the people,” said Muller, whose work aligns with the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative. “Through my research, it has been a privilege to help legislators improve the rules we have, and to help courts interpret those rules even when elections are deeply contested. I am grateful for my role here at Notre Dame, where I can help foster civil discourse and the exploration of new knowledge essential to ensure our elections remain free and fair.”