Shawn Griffiths
Shawn is an election reform expert and National Editor of IVN.us. He studied history and philosophy at the University of North Texas. He joined the IVN team in 2012.
Articles by Shawn
Despite Inevitable Calls for Election Recounts, Research Shows They Rarely Change the Outcome
One thing that voters can inevitably count on after Election Night 2024 is that regardless of who wins, there will be calls in key battleground states for recounts.
Forward Podcast: Can the US Escape Its Political Crisis?
In the latest episode of the Forward Podcast, Forward Party Founder Andrew Yang sits down with Rikki Schlott to discuss the many variables at play that have shifted the US presidential landscape going into Election Day.
Rally for Open Primaries: 2024 Reforms Offer Every Voter a Seat at the Table
Hundreds of US voters gathered Monday to not only celebrate a historic year in nonpartisan election reform, but also show their support for several 2024 ballot initiatives that promote equal voting rights for all citizens in taxpayer-funded elections.
Citizen Data: Female Candidates Face Uphill Battle in 2024
Are US voters ready for a madam president? How willing are they to vote for women at the federal level? Citizen Data looked at these questions and what voters' responses might mean for the 2024 election cycle and beyond.
Closed Primaries: The Biggest Voter Suppression Mechanism in Use Today
The nonpartisan reform group Open Primaries released a new video that highlights the current state of a growing movement to reform the way critical taxpayer-funded primary elections are conducted in the US.
NY Green Party: New York Is 'Worst in the Nation' for Voter Choice
New York is unique in the 2024 election cycle: It is the only state that has just two candidates on its presidential ballot. In the last 40 years, this has happened in only one other state: Oklahoma.
Latest Poll Points to Potential Trouble for 'Top Two' Measure in South Dakota
Amendment H, which would implement a nonpartisan top two primary system in South Dakota, may be in serious trouble. That is, if a recent News Watch poll is accurate.
Frank Luntz: Neither Trump nor Harris Are Providing What Voters Truly Want
Political analyst and pollster Frank Luntz joined Foward Party Founder Andrew Yang on his most recent podcast to talk about the state of the 2024 presidential election, and what he's seeing from the data.
Measure 117: Will Oregon Be the Next State to Adopt Ranked Choice Voting?
Two states currently use ranked choice voting at the state level (Maine and Alaska). This number could substantially change with RCV on the ballot in 4 states, including the red state Idaho, the purple state Colorado, and the blue state Oregon.
The Only Thing Missouri Amendment 7 Does Is Ban More Choice Elections
Not much attention is on Amendment 7 in Missouri as millions of dollars have gone into ads for and against other proposals that deal with abortion, online sports betting, and a new casino. However, the amendment will affect the voting rights of every Missouri citizen.
In Alaska, Will Voters Go Back To Elections Controlled by Party Bosses and Special Interests?
Alaska voters have a choice this election: Keep the nonpartisan election reform that opened taxpayer-funded election to all voters and candidates. Or, return to a system where party leaders have the most control over election outcomes.
The Denver Post Makes a Strange Endorsement on Voting Reform in Colorado
The Denver Post Editorial Board has issued an endorsement on Proposition 131 in Colorado, an initiative that calls for a nonpartisan top 4 open primary with ranked choice voting. They ask voters to vote "No," but not because they have doubts about the reform.
Meet Eric Settle: Promising a Nonpartisan Direction for PA's Chief Law Enforcement Office
Pennsylvania is a critical battleground state in the 2024 presidential election and could decide who wins between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. However, it is not the only statewide race voters should be watching.
RepresentUs, OpenSecrets Join Forces to Expose Super PAC Influence in 2024 Elections
In an effort to raise awareness about the staggering influence of PAC money in politics, RepresentUs, the nation’s largest grassroots anti-corruption organization, has partnered with OpenSecrets, a go-to source to track the flow of money in US politics.
Oregon Independence Party Candidate: US Politics 'an Agreed Upon System' of Candidate Suppression and Inaction
Oregon’s 5th Congressional District is a hotly contested political battleground that will be one of a few that will decide who controls Congress in 2025. The Cook Political Voting index has the district as D+2, but it is currently represented by a Republican.
Unite America: Extreme Minority Rule in America Is Worse Than You Think
The Unite America (UAI) Institute released new analysis Tuesday that found that less and less US voters (down to 7%) are deciding nearly 90% of US House races in taxpayer-funded primary elections. What’s more, the gap between these numbers is widening.
WaPo Says Ranked Choice Voting 'Deserves to Pass,' Endorses Initiative 83
The Washington Post Editorial Board has announced its support for ranked choice voting (which will be on the ballot in 4 states and the District of Columbia), encouraging DC residents in particular to support Initiative 83.
A New Way Forward for Colorado? Inside the Nation's Tightest Election
There are few truly competitive congressional elections in the US. However, Colorado voters in the state's 3rd Congressional District will not only decide the tightest election in the state, but the entire country this November.
AZ Supreme Court Finally Ends Legal Drama over Prop 140, Says Votes Will Count
Early voting is set to kick off in Arizona this week, and the state Supreme Court has put to bed a legal battle over Prop 140 that has dragged on well past the printing of ballots. The high court ruled that votes for Prop 140 will count.
US Voters, Activists Set to Rally for Open Primaries Ahead of Historic Elections
The 2024 election cycle is already a historic year for election reform. Six states plus the District of Columbia have measures on the November 5 ballot that, if approved by voters, will open taxpayer-funded primary elections to voters outside the Republican and Democratic Parties.
Idaho Lawmakers Threaten to Repeal Prop 1 If Voters Pass It
Idaho Republican lawmakers have indicated that because they don't like election reforms in Proposition 1, they will consider repealing or amending the proposal if voters approve it in November.
Gallup: Support for Third Party Dips Slightly; Still Close to 60%
Gallup reported Tuesday that 58% of US adults believe that the US needs a third major political party in the US. This dropped 5 percentage points from 2023, but still represents a clear majority of Americans.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt: 'Open Primaries Aren't a Weird, Foreign Concept'
In a new video posted by the nonpartisan primary reform group Open Primaries, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt discusses his support for an open primary system in which all candidates have to make their case to all registered voters, regardless of party.
Bloomington Activists Fight Effort to Repeal New Ranked Choice Voting System
Bloomington is 1 of 5 cities in Minnesota that uses ranked choice voting for its city elections. However, this could change if opponents to reform have their way in November.
Forward Podcast: "How Not to Be a Politician"
In the latest episode of the Forward Podcast, Forward Party Co-Founder Andrew Yang interviews Rory Stewart, whose multifaceted record includes almost becoming UK prime minister. He is the author of the best-selling book, "How Not to Be a Politician."
Question 3: Will Nevada Once Again Vote for More Choice in Elections?
In 2022, a majority of Nevada voters said 'Yes' to a ballot measure that would open up primaries to all voters and candidates and implement ranked choice voting in the general election. The question is: Will they do it again in 2024?
CI-126 and CI-127: Montana Voters Could Permanently Change Who Controls Elections
Montana voters have a choice to make: They can keep the state's partisan primary system, which decides most elections in the state before most voters have a say. Or, they can end party primaries and adopt a system that is open to all voters and candidates at the most critical stage of the process.
Proposition 1: 300,000 Independent Voters Can Pass Historic Election Reform in Idaho
Nearly 300,000 independent voters in Idaho have an opportunity to pass a ballot measure that would guarantee them equal access to taxpayer-funded primary elections without having to affiliate with one of the two major political parties.
Former AZ Mayor Says Voters Can End Discrimination Against Independents with Prop. 140
Arizona voters will have several ballot measures to consider when they receive their November ballot. Among them is Proposition 140, which if passed would end partisan primaries in the state and give independent voters and candidates level footing in the elections process.
Amendment H: Are South Dakota Voters Ready to Upend a Partisan Monopoly?
South Dakota voters have a choice in the 2024 election: They can keep an election system that is solely controlled by a single political party, or they can reform elections that allow voters to choose any candidate they prefer, regardless of party under Amendment H.
Initiative 83: Independents Could Make History with DC Election Reform
Independent voters in Washington DC have an opportunity this November to gain access to the city's most critical elections, the primaries, while also implementing ranked choice voting for all District elections with Initiative 83.
Could an Independent Candidate Win Big City Mayor’s Race?
A lifelong nonpartisan candidate is making a serious run for mayor of San Diego against the incumbent Democrat in a left-leaning city.
An Electoral Tie: It Could Happen, But What Happens If It Does?
The 2024 presidential election is considered extremely tight and much like the 2020 election will be decided by less than 100,000 votes in a small handful of states – if polling is any indication of the state of the election.
FairVote Report: 70 Statewide, Congressional 2024 Primaries Won with Less Than 50% of Vote
The nonpartisan voting reform group FairVote released a new report Monday that shows that 70 major party statewide and congressional candidates in the 2024 primary cycle advanced to the general election with less than 50% of the vote.
Colorado Voters Appear Ready to Adopt More Choice Elections in November
A poll commissioned by Colorado Voters First shows that a clear majority (56%) of likely voters in Colorado will or probably will support Proposition 131, a measure that would implement a nonpartisan Top 4 primary with ranked choice voting in the general election.
Can an Independent Navy Veteran and Mechanic Win Nebraska's US Senate Race?
In the latest episode of the Forward Podcast, Forward Party Co-Founder Andrew Yang talked with Dan Osborn, an independent candidate running for US Senate who is in a statistical dead-heat with incumbent US Senator Deb Fischer going into November.
New Consumer Research: Most Americans Aren't as Divided As You Think; Say 'Significant' Political Reform is Needed
Part of the national narrative following a second attempt on former President Donald Trump's life has focused on the political divisions in the US, and rhetoric that people on both sides of the aisle now say needs to be "toned down."
Bradley Tusk: Secure Mobile Voting Can End the Partisan Weaponization of Elections
Tusk Ventures Founder and CEO Bradley Tusk has been making his rounds both in the media and with nonpartisan reform groups to discuss his new book, "Vote with Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot at Saving Democracy," and the need to change incentives in US elections to guarantee less extremism and more accountable representation.
Pew Research: TikTok Sees Substantial Growth in News Consumption the Same Year Lawmakers Voted to Ban It
The latest findings from Pew Research Center indicate that over a majority of Americans (54%) "at least sometimes" get their news from social media, which the group says is up slightly from recent years.
Bill Maher: The Only Reason We Stay in Permanent Campaign Mode is Money
In the latest episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, comedian Bill Maher said Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign proves something about American politics...
Gary Marcus on AI Regulation: US Political System 'Wasn't Set Up to Push Through Things Effectively'
In the latest episode of the Forward Podcast, Forward Party Co-Founder Andrew Yang sat down with AI researcher and author Gary Marcus to discusses the dangers an unchecked generative AI industry has on consumers and US democracy.
California General Election 2024: Races Where Independent Voters Will Have Outsized Influence on Outcome
As it does each election cycle, Independent Voter News is bringing its readers extensive coverage of the most competitive elections in California, and how independent voters will decide the future of the Golden State.
Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Requires Ranked Choice Voting for All Congressional Elections
On Thursday, September 12, US Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Don Beyer of Virginia re-introduced the Ranked Choice Voting Act, which if enacted into law would require ranked choice voting for congressional elections.
Bradley Tusk: Every Decision Our Politicians Make Is Self-Serving -- And Partisan Primaries Make It Worse
Veterans for All Voters hosted a recent virtual discussion with Tusk Ventures CEO Badley Tusk as part of their ongoing Reformation Series.
Jasper County Clerk Misleads Missouri Voters on Ranked Choice Voting
Proposition 7 in Missouri will be on the November 5 ballot. If passed, it would not only make noncitizen voting illegal, which is already the law, but it would ban the use of ranked choice voting.
Everything You Need to Know About the Trump-Harris Debate
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to square off in what could be the first and only debate between the two candidates on Tuesday, September 10.
Libertarians Kicked Off 3 of Iowa's 4 Congressional Ballots
This issue extends beyond the presidential election and is not a tactic used by only one party.
Not Kidding Around: Meet the Independent Giving Voters Choice in NV's 2nd Congressional District
In this latest podcast, Forward Party Co-Founder Andrew Yang sat down with Greg Kidd, a venture capitalist running as an independent candidate in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District.
4 Ballot Propositions That Should Concern Arizona Voters
The 2024 Arizona ballot will feature a complete overhaul in how elections are conducted in the state with Proposition 140. However, while the measure aims to create a fairer process, some propositions would have an opposite effect.
Is The Downfall of the Commission on Presidential Debates a Good Thing?
On September 10, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will participate in the second presidential debate of the 2024 cycle -- but it will be the first time they share the same stage.