“Off-year” elections, like those in 2013, tend not to get a lot of attention, especially from voters. There are not a lot of big races around the country, and turnout is usually far lower than in presidential election years. This year’s low-turnout election shows why certain lawmakers’ recent push to make voting harder is badly misplaced. Strict photo identification requirements, an antiquated registration system, and felony disenfranchisement laws keep Americans from participating by complicati...

Election 2012 was marred by problems for voters nationwide. The northeast was beset by Superstorm Sandy, displacing hundreds of thousands of registered voters on Election Day. Across the country, millions of Americans stood in long lines at crowded polling stations to exercise their right to vote. Although most were ultimately able to cast a ballot, the long lines were a disgrace, prompting President Obama to note in his victory speech, “We have to fix that.” One year later, an encouraging numb...

The fact that early voting is even a contentious issue in America today tells us a great deal about how poisoned our politics has become; how untethered it often can seem  from sense and sensibility. Of course, more early voting options would offer the American people more convenient and practical ways in which to exercise their franchise. Giving voters more “time, place, and manner choices” when it comes to casting a ballot makes sense as a market-based concept. And it is self-evidently a good ...

The recent government shutdown and struggle over raising the debt ceiling were the result of many factors. Big money in politics, congressional dysfunction, and geographical self-sorting by like-minded voters all played a role. So did redistricting. For those unfamiliar with redistricting, below are some common questions and answers. Also see our Citizen's Guide to Redistricting. What is redistricting? Members of Congress, state legislators, and many county and municipal offices are elected by...