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The Fulcrum presents The Path Forward: Defining the Democracy Reform Movement. Scott Warren's weekly interviews engage diverse thought leaders to elevate the conversation about building a thriving and healthy democratic republic that fulfills its potential as a national social and political game-changer.

In discussions with an elderly voter in Colorado about Proposition 131, the unsuccessful 2024 ballot measure to create a nonpartisan primary with ranked choice voting (RCV), in the general election, we learned something important. This individual had voted against Proposition 131, casting his mail ballot on the day he received it. A week later, he received a campaign ad mailer that Colorado’s governor and Denver’s mayor had endorsed Proposition 131, which may have influenced his decision.

Monday marked the kickoff of the 2025 legislative session in the Iowa General Assembly. However, several bills had already been prefilled for consideration. Among them: a ranked choice voting ban. 

Idaho lawmakers are still fuming that citizen-led groups tried to change the way the state elects its lawmakers. The 2024 initiative failed, but now a bill in the legislature would make it harder for any ballot proposition to pass.

Voters across the US had a chance to change the political landscape in the country forever. In 2024, however, the two major parties were mostly successful at stopping reform to the electoral status quo.

Hundreds of US voters gathered Monday to not only celebrate a historic year in nonpartisan election reform, but also show their support for several 2024 ballot initiatives that promote equal voting rights for all citizens in taxpayer-funded elections.

Amendment H, which would implement a nonpartisan top two primary system in South Dakota, may be in serious trouble. That is, if a recent News Watch poll is accurate.

The 2024 election cycle is already a historic year for election reform. Six states plus the District of Columbia have measures on the November 5 ballot that, if approved by voters, will open taxpayer-funded primary elections to voters outside the Republican and Democratic Parties.

South Dakota voters have a choice in the 2024 election: They can keep an election system that is solely controlled by a single political party, or they can reform elections that allow voters to choose any candidate they prefer, regardless of party under Amendment H. 

Six states plus the District of Columbia will have measures on their November 5 ballots that, if passed, will reform the way public officials are elected in a way that offers more choice to all voters, regardless of political affiliation.