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The first rule of Voting Club is that we do not complain unless we have voted. The second rule of Voting Club IS THAT WE DO NOT COMPLAIN UNLESS WE HAVE VOTED! The cliché saying goes, “If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.” However, political lethargy is widespread in the United States. By and large, Americans increasingly don’t vote. The 2014 midterms experienced the lowest voter turnout in 72 years—only 36% of eligible voters cast a vote. And judging by the comment sections of mos

NPR and other media outlets have aired interviews with Iowans on why Iowa always gets to go first. Who goes second gets far less coverage, but the same logic presumably applies. If what some Iowans say is representative of at least half of its residents, most are an arrogant bunch. More disturbingly but not surprisingly, Iowans are not logical. The Iowa is Best 'Rationale' Like most empty political rhetoric, there is usually a big disconnect between rhetoric and the real world. The rational f

Sioux Falls, SD...South Dakotans for a Nonpartisan Democracy committee chair, Rick Knobe, a registered Independent and regional radio talk show host, said that he was elated that the proposed constitutional amendment to establish a nonpartisan primary was given a ‘green light’ by the South Dakota secretary of state's Office. “I think most people are fed up with partisan politics, the bickering, and the lackluster results.” Knobe stated after the Secretary of State’s Office validated 29,924 numb

In recent news, Ohio state officials told Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley that he could not be on the Democratic primary ballot. The petition to be on the ballot required 1,000 valid signatures from a single county. O’Malley submitted 1,175, but only 772 were considered valid. Both of his fellow Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are on the ballot. Presidential primaries are often reserved only for partisan candidates, but that does not nec

The United States is often celebrated as the world’s leading example of representative government. However, we as a nation barely inspire half of our voters to show up for a national election—leaving U.S. voter participation among the lowest in the developed world. Americans don’t vote for a variety of reasons; however, one of the most common reasons is the growing frustration with our obtuse electoral process. From the arbitrary scheduling of primaries to the antiquated use of the Electoral Co

Voters in South Dakota may have an opportunity to change the way elections are conducted in their state. TakeItBack.org submitted over 40,000 signatures to South Dakota's secretary of state Monday in favor of a ballot initiative that would implement nonpartisan, top-two primaries in the state similar to the election model used for state legislative races in Nebraska. There are three states with some form of nonpartisan, top-two system. California and Washington state use a similar system for al

The latest headlines on nonpartisan voting rights from across the nation. Enjoy. What Impact Could An Independent Run By Jim Webb Have on 2016? Source:  Austin Plier, FairVote My Take: An interesting piece exploring angles not often explored, including a role in the electoral vote outcome of a number of swing states--especially his native Virginia. Unheard Voices: Why Aren’t More Californians Voting? Source:  Caitlin Maple, PublicCEO My Take:  While the article touches on the fact that l

In South Dakota, a handful of 2016 ballot initiatives call for sweeping changes in the state's electoral system. Three amendments to the state's constitution have been proposed, detailing reforms to primary elections, political redistricting, and campaign finance laws. One amendment in particular would establish a nonpartisan open primary system similar to the primary elections used in Nebraska for state legislative races. This means that candidates running for any elected office do not run und

The latest headlines on nonpartisan voting rights from across the nation. Enjoy. Who Controls Primary Elections, And Who Gets To Vote? Source: Jonathan Stahl, Constitution Daily My Take: A good piece on its surface, but even better if you get into the weeds of the various links and additional stories/information on our primary systems. Group Tries To Replicate Nonpartisan Nebraska Elections In Arizona Source: Mark Brodie, KJZZ 91.5 My Take: Relax your eyes and let your ears takeover for

Nebraska arguably has the most unique political system in the U.S. Not only are state lawmakers elected using nonpartisan elections, but they serve in a nonpartisan, unicameral legislature. Open Primaries released a new study, titled The Myth of the Red State: Policy Over Party in the Nebraska State Capitol, on the impact this political makeup has had on state politics and the possible remedy it offers for the hyper-partisan environment on Capitol Hill."The Nebraskan nonpartisan system offers a