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With smartphone ownership being so common in the U.S., the questions surrounding electronic voting are becoming increasingly important. 39 percent of likely voters surveyed by Consumer Reports said they would choose voting by computer or mobile device over traditional methods. But despite the growing openness to electronic voting, e-voting opportunities have declined since the mid-2000s. Because states lack the funding to repair and replace newer voting machines, many have reverted to more tradi

Last week the Illinois Supreme Court rejected an appeal that may have ended the current campaign to reform legislative redistricting. The ruling further illustrated the arduousness of instituting a citizen-led proposal in Illinois. A circuit court in July ruled unconstitutional a ballot initiative to diminish politicians' influence on the redistricting process. The Independent Map Amendment, the group behind the effort, immediately filed appeal with the Illinois Supreme Court. Last week the co

Last week, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump proposed congressional term limits. "I hear it from more and more people," Trump said of term limits for federal legislators. "We're going to take a very serious look at that." The idea of national term limits periodically surfaces as an issue. Republicans campaigned on term limits as part of the 1994 Contract With America platform. The tea party also featured term limits as part of its agenda in 2010. The presidential candidate did not e

As with past election cycles, third party and independent candidates – as well as initiatives aimed at reducing the power of the two major parties – are struggling to achieve access to general election ballots. In some cases, this is the result of general apathy toward specific parties, candidates, or reforms. In other cases, however, their exclusion from the ballot stems from a variety of causes, including minor technicalities, official ineptitude, constitutionally dubious legal barriers, and,

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed legislation last week that would have instituted automatic voter registration. However, the legislature may have the votes necessary to override his veto. Senate Bill 250 aims to automatically register eligible Illinois residents when they visit driver service facilities. Under the legislation, a state employee would inform the applicant of his or her ability to accept or opt out. Currently, an estimated 2.6 million Illinois residents are eligible to vote b

In Illinois' 13th district, one candidate is suing over the constitutionality of the onerous signature requirements for independent candidates. Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, first elected in 2012, currently represents the 13th district. Shortly after submitting his petition signatures, both Republicans and Democrats filed objections against independent David Gill. Gill ran unsuccessfully for elected office four previous times as a Democrat. This year, however, he is running as an independe

After a setback on legislative redistricting, reform advocates may make term limits in Illinois another of its goals. Last week, a circuit court judge rejected a citizen-led effort to reform redistricting in Illinois. Following the ruling, Governor Bruce Rauner reissued his call for term limits for state officeholders. Rauner said there are essentially no choices in most elections. To emphasize his case, the governor asserted: "These districts have been gerrymandered and the incumbents are loc

In the weeks since the California primary, when Hillary Clinton joined Donald Trump in becoming her party’s presumptive nominee for president, FairVote has tracked both candidates’ campaign appearances. FairVote’s similar analysis in 2012 showed just how much the candidates focus on swing states that might tip the election with our current Electoral College rules. After the conventions in 2012, Barack Obama campaigned in a grand total of just eight states and Mitt Romney added only two more. The

Last week, a circuit court judge struck down the initiative to reform redistricting in Illinois. However, the state Supreme Court quickly decided to hear the appeal, which could provide new life for the effort. The Independent Map Amendment seeks to change the way Illinois legislative districts are drawn. Independent Maps wants to transfer map-drawing from politicians to an independent panel of eleven members via ballot initiative. Independent Maps has faced legal difficulties since filing its

An independent running in Illinois' 13th congressional district could garner substantial support in November. However, the candidate's Democratic opponent is now trying to keep him off the ballot. David Gill is a Bloomington physician and ran for Congress four times as a Democrat. This year, however, he decided to run as an independent. Gill criticizes both parties as controlled by "corporate interests" in a manner resembling Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Now, members of hi