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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

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

There are few people that help steer the course of history. Dr. Peter Ackerman was one of them. Peter, who has been the driving force behind some of the most powerful efforts to unrig the two-party “duopoly,” passed away peacefully in his home on April 26, 2022. Among Peter’s greatest achievements was the successful passage of ranked choice voting in Maine -- a clear victory against the state’s partisan and adversarial legislature -- just one tangible achievement in a lifetime of fighting some

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

A new survey from the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation (PPC) shows that most Americans favor using ranked choice voting in federal elections with three or more candidates. According to the results, 61% said they favor the alternative voting method’s use, including 73% of Democrats and 55% of independents. Republicans surveyed were divided, with 49% in favor and 50% opposed. The survey of nearly 1,300 registered voters was conducted between July 13 and September 15, 2021.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on The Fulcrum, and has been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. ‍ Millennials and members of Generation Z have little faith in any level of government, and nearly half of young Black people do not feel like full citizens of the United States, according to new survey data. Just one-quarter of adults ages 18-36 said they trust the federal government, including just 19 percent of Black people, with slightly more saying they tru

California voters could soon see major systemic changes made to the state’s recall process for governor. A new bill introduced in the California Legislature would change how candidates qualify for the recall ballot and calls for a new voting method that is fairer to all voters. Independent Assemblymember Chad Mayes introduced AB 2161 to address one of the most glaring and controversial problems with the current recall process: If a governor is recalled, the person who replaces him or her can wi