Looking at turnout in primary elections, both this year and over time, points to one of the particularly disturbing realities of participation in the United States.
FairVote conducted an exit survey in the Ward 5 vacancy election for city council in Takoma Park, Maryland. After collecting the exit surveys, we became particularly interested in the demographic data we collected about the participants.
Before pundits rush on to talk of the general election and its dwindling number of swing states, we should reflect on the nomination contest and the impact of its rules.
Contrary to what many analysts are saying, the actual delegate count for Romney to date is far closer to what it would have been if winner-take-all rules had been used rather than a fully proportional system.
The national media is in a frenzy about the Republican contest in tonight's Iowa caucuses. Unfortunately, most journalists seem to be getting the story wrong -- and a key reason is not understanding or even thinking about the rules and their implications.
This month many Americans had a chance to vote in state and local elections. FairVote was particularly focused on the first-ever use of ranked choice ...
We're approaching a time where states and cities will have an easy decision to make: uphold majority rule in one election or keep a plurality voting system that delivers questionable results and broken politics.
The root of the problem with today's presidential elections is the winner-take-all rule established by statute in nearly every state.
In 2009, then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel infamously said that progressives are "fucking retarded." Lately I've begun to think he was corr...
There is a lot of valuable news and analysis that flows into my inbox in the course of a day. I'm starting a new feature where regularly I will share...
No matter what you think of Hollywood's new voting process -- which I believe is fairer and more democratic -- here's one thing we can all agree on: it will help the Oscars make more money.
There aren't many opportunities to act like Matt Damon or Julia Roberts. But this month, they have been voting for Best Picture with instant runoff voting -- and you can too. So far, The King's Speech is in the lead.
No elected office matters more than the presidency of the United States. That's what makes it so remarkable that our method of electing it is still flawed.
Lost in the battle for partisan control of Congress and state government is an important fact: we may be seeing the end of the two-party system as we know it.
Instant-runoff voting is an idea whose time has come. Its advantages are indisputable while the arguments against it fall flat. America should embrace it -- and soon, so that the nightmare of Florida in 2000 never recurs.
Ever wonder why voting for the candidate you most want can result in election of the candidate you dislike the most? Welcome to the funhouse mirror qualities of plurality voting.
Why are we again debating a NYC Charter Commission in August? First, a stupid state law permits a mayor to keep impaneling them. Second, Bloomberg had to do a mulligan on term limits because of his shameful 2008 end run around two voter referenda.
In the loony bin of Aspen politics, I have been trying to make sense of the nonsensical, particularly when it comes to the Aspen Election Commissions (EC) past and present
FairVote's Board of Directors recently voted to oppose Proposition 14 on the ballot this June in California. Here is our statement. Many Californian...
Here are the top two reasons to reject Prop 14, also called the "Top Two" Primary. First, Prop 14 will stifle political competition and debate. Second, Prop 14 will deprive voters of a full range of candidate choices.
At the age of 88, Doris "Granny D" Haddock set out on a 3,200-mile walk across America for campaign finance reform. Her inspirational life came to a close this month, a century after it began.
You may be shocked and even appalled to hear this--and I am shocked myself--but I am actually going to defend failed Aspen Mayoral wannabe Marilyn Marks.
Like the blue folk of Avatar, Hollywood is facing an Oscar scandal of massive proportions without a clue as to what happens in the end.
If you have an election where the winner gets four percent of the eligible electorate, is that a functioning democracy? I just lost such a runoff contest in New York City.
Between resignations and politicians' office-hopping, special elections cannot be avoided. Fortunately, there's a proven way to rescue hapless voters and taxpayers -- Instant Runoff Voting.
