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Disenchanted and disenfranchised Republicans, Democrats, and independents are joining forces to take on the two-party duopoly with a new political party build on inclusion, accountability, and better elections. The Forward Party, Serve America Movement, and Renew America Movement recently worked in parallel to strengthen the US democratic process. However, things are about to change. The three organizations announced Thursday that they are merging under one banner: Forward. “Political extremis

A new nonpartisan primary and ranked choice voting initiative has qualified for the statewide ballot in Nevada. The proposal would make Nevada one of the earliest states to adopt RCV, but also seeks to implement the nation’s first top-five nonpartisan primary. “The lack of inclusivity and representation in Nevada’s current election system emphasizes how outdated the process truly is, demonstrating the major need for change throughout the state,” said Nevada Voters First Coalition Director A’Esh

Nearly all of the most monumental and beneficial changes to political structures across the country have come at the behest of the people. From independent redistricting to anti-corruption measures, voters often take it upon themselves to fix a rigged political process. But what happens when the will of voters is stifled? RepresentUs, the nation’s largest nonpartisan anti-corruption group, released a report in June detailing 11 states that have in recent years considered over 60 bills to make

Increasing polarization is raising concerns over the integrity of elections. Voters find themselves election after election faced with the question: Should elected officials loyal to their party call the balls and strikes for their own team in elections? Washington independent secretary of state candidate Julie Anderson believes that election administration should be nonpartisan, both in nature and name. Anderson is running in a special election triggered by the resignation of Republican Kim W

The ballot measure process has been critical to the success of nonpartisan reforms across the country. However, according to new research by RepresentUs, 11 states have proposed over 60 laws to make it harder for citizens to have a direct say in the way their state’s political process works. Citizens have used ballot initiatives to approve independent redistricting commissions, primary reform, new voting methods, anti-corruption laws and more. It has been the single greatest tool to challenge t

Editor's Note: The pieces below feature two sides to the debate on term limits from John Aldrich, Spencer Reynolds, and Laura Del Savio. These perspectives originally published on Divided We Fall and have been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. Will a Multi-Party System Save American Democracy? Very Unlikely. But Can a Centrist Party? By John Aldrich – Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science, Duke University American democracy is in crisis. From our governm

A third of Maine’s electorate will have an opportunity for meaningful participation in taxpayer-funded elections. Governor Janet Mills allowed a bill to go into law Monday that creates a semi-open primary system that gives independent voters a say in the state's primaries. “When we encourage and allow more voters to participate in our elections, we all benefit,” said state Senator Chloe Maxmin (D-Lincoln), who sponsored the legislation. “Voters have been asking for semi-open primaries for years

Editor's Note: The pieces below feature two sides to the debate on term limits from Jonathan Simpson and Marjorie Sarbaugh-Thompson. These perspectives originally published on Divided We Fall and have been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. ‍ Term Limits: Not a Panacea, but Close Enough By Jonathan Simpson – Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Americans for Congressional Term Limits Americans’ dissatisfaction with their government is no secret. While opinions of presidentia

It doesn’t seem like there is much these days that can unite Republicans and Democrats. However, one thing both parties have consistently agreed on is that nothing should threaten their grip on power. The current electoral process is designed to serve the interests of the dominant two parties and their members. If there is a reform that threatens to upset the apple cart, it will encounter resistance from those who have the most to lose from a fairer, more equitable process. This will include l

In an email sent to supporters, former President Donald Trump issued a statement in support of proposed legislation in Wyoming, SF0097, which would shut voters not affiliated with the two major parties out of taxpayer-funded primary elections. It’s a position that runs in stark contrast to the populist approach he ran on in 2016 and 2020. “This critically important bill ensures that the voters in each party will separately choose their nominees for the general election, which is how it should b