How It Really Works

How It Really Works breaks down complex policy issues to help voters understand what’s really at stake. Each series combines in-depth articles, expert interviews, and short-form videos to cut through the partisan spin.

10 Facts You Need to Know About CA's Confusing and Unconstitutional Presidential Primary

On July 23, 2019, the Independent Voter Project (IVP)-- one of 7 plaintiffs -- filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Alex Padilla (Boydsten v. Padilla) for failing to provide an

By Shawn Griffiths

August 14, 2019

The Impending Disaster of California's Confusing Presidential Primary

The 2016 presidential primaries in California didn’t go smoothly. The election was marred by widespread confusion and frustration as millions of voters had to navigate a complex and restrictive

By Independent Voter Project

March 27, 2019

The Myths, The Facts, The Future: Everything You Need to Know About Ranked Choice Voting

Partisan gerrymandering. Money in politics. The Electoral College. Undue restrictions on who votes and how we vote. Every contentious election issue discussed today was either inherited from 18th-century England or came out of a compromise in our democracy’s incubation when there were few voters and

By George Pillsbury

June 11, 2018

The Real History: California's Top-Two Nonpartisan Primary Electoral Reform

It is periodically reported that California’s Prop 14 (Non-partisan Top Two Primary) was drafted in the middle of the night in the back rooms of the California Legislature. Nothing could be further from the truth.

By Independent Voter Project

April 27, 2018

What is Electoral Reform?

Electoral reform includes any reforms to the electoral and political systems that make lawmakers more accountable to the people who elect them. The purpose of election reform is to improve voter opportunities and create better choices at the ballot box, giving better representation to everyone.

By Independent Voter Project

April 23, 2018

50 Ways the Democratic and Republican Parties Are The Same

1. Both parties engage in and benefit from gerrymandering, the practice of redrawing district lines for partisan gain. In 2010, Republicans invested millions in statewide races to retake state legislatures

By Andrew Gripp

August 3, 2016

100 Ways Republicans Are Just Like Democrats

There is a widely-held perception that the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are drastically different in their policy, proposals, philosophy of government, and general modus operandi. While there are certainly some significant differences between the two parties, the number of similarities

By Taylor Tyler

November 6, 2012

How Do Primary Elections Work? An Overview and Legal Analysis

The following is a breakdown of the general types of primary elections with an explanation of the Constitutional principles that apply to each system's components.

By Chad Peace

October 22, 2012