Cara Brown McCormick
Cara Brown McCormick
Cara McCormick, principal at Smart Campaigns, advises on strategy and research. With 10+ years in major races, she led Maine’s historic move to ranked choice voting. Her work focuses on election reforms that improve representation and voter choice.
Articles by Cara
The Federal Voter ID Bill Is Designed to Fail. Here's Why
The Federal Voter ID Bill Is Designed to Fail. Here's Why
Most Americans support voter ID, so why is this fight so explosive? It’s simple: the two-party system keeps turning a broadly popular reform into a partisan weapon. Instead of solving the issue, both sides use it to energize their base and deepen distrust....
12 Mar, 2026
-
3 min read
Race to Watch: With Moderate Esmeralda Soria Out, Who Will Appeal to Independents in the Central Valley?
Race to Watch: With Moderate Esmeralda Soria Out, Who Will Appeal to Independents in the Central Valley?
This 2026 race snapped into focus in May 2025 when Soria announced she would seek the SD14 State Senate seat being vacated by Anna Caballero due to term limits. The announcement transformed an already competitive district into one of the top Republican targets in California....
12 Mar, 2026
-
14 min read
Wisconsin Lawmakers Propose Ranked Choice Voting for All Elections
Wisconsin Lawmakers Propose Ranked Choice Voting for All Elections
State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Representative Clinton Anderson (D-Beloit) introduced LRB-5709 on March 5, legislation that would implement ranked choice voting for state, federal, and local elections in Wisconsin....
10 Mar, 2026
-
2 min read
California’s Voter ID Initiative is Way More Chill Than Trump’s SAVE Act
California’s Voter ID Initiative is Way More Chill Than Trump’s SAVE Act
A proposed California ballot initiative would amend the state constitution to add an initiative that aims to "deter and detect voter fraud by maintaining accurate voter registration records and confirming eligibility to vote..."...
10 Mar, 2026
-
12 min read
The Most Unlikely College Campus in America
The Most Unlikely College Campus in America
Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI) will begin offering courses toward a bachelor's degree at the newly rebranded San Quentin Rehabilitation Center starting in fall 2026. The program will enroll an inaugural cohort of 35 incarcerated students......
06 Mar, 2026
-
2 min read
How James Talarico Won Over Independents Amid Texas Primary Chaos
How James Talarico Won Over Independents Amid Texas Primary Chaos
James Talarico wins Texas’ Democratic Senate primary as campaigns point to unusually high independent participation in the state’s open primary system. Then Dallas County’s last-minute switch back to precinct-only voting sparks confusion, long lines, and a legal fight over ballots cast after 7 p.m....
05 Mar, 2026
-
3 min read
Trump to Noem: You're Fired
Trump to Noem: You're Fired
When threat levels are at their highest due to the situation in Iran, President Trump ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at 1:40 p.m. March 5 in a Truth Social post and named Republican U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement. ...
05 Mar, 2026
-
5 min read
How It Really Works: The California Billionaire Wealth Tax
How It Really Works: The California Billionaire Wealth Tax
California’s proposed billionaire wealth tax has become one of the most consequential policy debates in the nation. ...
03 Mar, 2026
-
17 min read
Voter ID + Proof of Citizenship: Trump Goes All-In in the SOTU - What Happens Next?
Voter ID + Proof of Citizenship: Trump Goes All-In in the SOTU - What Happens Next?
Tune in for our independent breakdown of Trump’s record-length 2026 State of the Union: voter ID + proof of citizenship, immigration rhetoric, affordability vs “winning” messaging, a rare bipartisan beat on banning stock trading, and the moment the chamber unified around a Coast Guard rescue....
26 Feb, 2026
-
2 min read