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US primaries can be summed up in two words: Minority rule. A new report from FairVote found that 120 major party candidates in statewide and congressional primary elections won with less than 50% of the vote in 2022. Forty-three of the candidates won with less than 35% of the vote. The stats are made more abysmal by the reality that most elections are decided in these low-turnout, taxpayer-funded primaries -- which means elections are being decided by the most partisan of voters. “Instead of

Bill Shireman, founder of In This Together, joins host T.J. O’Hara on Deconstructed to discuss the divisive political environment within which we find ourselves... and what can be done about it. Mr. Shireman is an author, social entrepreneur, environmental policy innovator, and serial political activist. He is the President and Founder of Future 500, a non-profit that strives to build trust between companies, advocates, investors, and philanthropists to advance business for the common good... as

Early voting in California is quickly approaching for the 2022 election cycle. In most elections, voters will choose among candidates from two different parties -- but in several districts -- the “top-two” nonpartisan primary has led to head-to-head races between two Democrats. Importantly, most of these races are in heavily Democratic districts where, under a traditional primary system, the race would all but be decided already. Instead, progressive and more moderate Democrats are battling for

Partisan machinations have increasingly shaken the faith in the integrity of the election process. Election deniers were just the start, but things have escalated to the point where some election administrators – loyal to their party – have refused to certify election results for political reasons.

The reform landscape has changed over the last few years. Solutions that were once presented at odds with each other have combined efforts to give voters fairer, more equitable, and more accountable elections. The first success story of this can be found in Alaska, where the state conducted its first top-four nonpartisan primary for most of its elections on August 16, and used ranked choice voting for the first time in a special election for the state’s single congressional seat. A majority of

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

Can the partisan primary elections process be considered truly democratic? Not only do these elections often deny voters meaningful participation (if they are allowed to participate at all), but oftentimes the elections are decided by minority rule. New analysis from the nonpartisan better elections group FairVote found that the winners of 55 statewide congressional and statewide primaries in 2022 so far garnered less than 50 percent of the vote. Nineteen of these elections were decided by less

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