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Independent Voter News is saddened to share the passing of Bob Foster, a trusted advisor to the Independent Voter Project and a longtime friend of our organization. He died on Sunday at the age of 78.

In this episode of the Independent Voter Podcast, Chad and Cara dive into the exploding world of political prediction markets with special guest Chris Gerlacher of Prediction News—unpacking how platforms like Kalshi and crypto-based markets are reshaping how insiders gauge races from California gove

As Congress and state legislatures debate how to safeguard veterans’ disability benefits, a fast-growing industry of for-profit claims consultants is pouring millions of dollars into lobbying and legal fights to preserve a business model that has become both enormously profitable and fiercely contro

The number of independent voters continues to grow at a historic rate nationwide. It is becoming increasingly common for this voting bloc to outnumber registered members of at least one major party, and even to make up a majority of the electorate in some places. And yet, these voters are still denied access to critical taxpayer-funded elections in many states – something made all the more baffling in states where they make up the largest segment of voters, such as Oregon. Nevertheless, here

Earlier this week, a three-judge panel blocked a mid-decade gerrymander by the Texas Legislature designed to bolster the Republican Party’s razor-thin majority in the U.S. House, setting the stage for what could become a complex legal matter.

The 2026 midterm election cycle is quickly approaching. However, there is a lingering question mark over what congressional maps will look like when voters start to cast their ballots, especially as Republicans and Democrats fight to obtain any electoral advantage possible. 

Gerrymandering has long eroded the competitiveness, representativeness, and accountability of our democracy. But in recent years, the problem has entered a dangerous phase — one in which both parties see no option but to fight with every weapon they can find.

With the national media focused on elections in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia, and California, one overlooked story was the expansion of ranked choice voting on Tuesday as Greenbelt, Maryland, joined the dozens of U.S. cities that have adopted and already use the reform.

Ahead of the November 4 special election in California, it was easy to predict the success of a legislative gerrymander under Prop 50. When the measure was projected to be victorious the second polls closed, it didn’t surprise anyone.

A new set of interactive data tools is providing Californians with an unprecedented look inside the state’s prison system. Developed by the California Policy Lab in partnership with the state’s Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code, the California Prison Population Data Dashboards make ten yea