FairVote acts to transform our elections to achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation for all. As a catalyst for change, we build support for innovative strategies to win a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for president, instant runoff voting and proportional voting.
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Reform News
Latest E-Newsletter: July 2, 2010
FairVote supervised voter education and outreach for cumulative voting elections in Port Chester (NY), with its June 15 elections drawing major coverage in the New York Times and Associated Press -- and a turnout boost of 25% and first-ever wins for African American and Latino candidates, along with an independent. Instant runoff voting had a big month: a charter commission in Portland (ME) voted 10-2 to put IRV on the November ballot for mayoral races, IRV drew major coverage in the New York Times, FiveThirtyEight.com, FireDogLake and leading North Carolina newspapers, and Oakland is among cities gearing up for first IRV elections. In the United Kingdom, a national referendum to adopt IRV is planned for May 2011; the Commons recently used IRV for key internal elections, and the Labor Party is using IRV to elect its new leader.
FairVote also celebrated key state wins for its policy proposals. Delaware's state legislature passed voter pre-registrationfor 16-year-olds, and the New York State Senate passed the National Popular Vote plan (by 52-7) and a bill to establish an IRV pilot program. Additional National Popular Vote progress included landslide passage in the Massachusetts House, testimony by FairVote's Rob Richie in the District of Columbia in favor of the bill introduced by 11 of 13 city councilors and new FairVote research on startling disparities in campaign fundraising and spending in the 2008 presidential election. The National Popular Vote plan was backed in a New York Times editorial and by the League of Women Voters at its binannual national convention, where FairVote's Rob Richie led a workshop.
New FairVote writings included Richie's Washington Post oped on electing U.S. Senate vacancies and new EndGerrymandering.com blogposts by Patrick Withers on redistricting reform in the states and why winner-take-all forces some districts to "look funny". Much more on the FairVote twitter.
Alternative Vote: Big Advances for IRV in New York City, UK, More
// July 9, 2010
Instant runoff voting, the "alternative vote", continues its remarkable progress. A charter commission in New York City has recommended in its preliminary report a November ballot measure on adoption of instant runoff voting, with backing from a range of New York leaders. A charter commission in Portland, the biggest city in Maine, has made its final recommendation for a November ballot measure to amend its charter to elect its mayor directly with IRV.
Internationally, the big news is in the United Kingdom, where the government has committed to moving legislation through parliament to hold a national referendum on May 5, 2011 to adopt IRV for elections to the House of Commons. The influential Financial Times has come out for the change, with the New York Times also indicating support. The leading candidates to head the opposition Labour Party also back IRV; they themselves are contesting an IRV election for Labour Party leader.
Learn more:New York City: Wall Street Journal on charter commission interest; see the actual report here
Portland, Maine: News story on charter commission and commentary
United Kingdom referendum: Editorials in Financial Times, New York Times and on Labor leadership support.
UK IRV elections for Labour Party leader and House of Commons leadership
Rob Richie and Alec Slatky oped on IRV in Politico
FairVote Twitter with ongoing news -
Research Highlights
FairVote Facts
- Number of U.S. Senators appointed without election since the ratification of 17th Amendment: 182
- Number of U.S. House members ever to serve without election: 0
- Number of states that always fill U.S. Senate vacancies by election: 4
- Number of states that always fill U.S. House vacancies by election: 50
Plurality in U.S. Gubernatorial Elections
From 1948 to 2009, 90.4 percent of all gubernatorial general elections nationwide were won with greater than 50 percent of the popular vote. None were won with less than 35 percent of all votes cast. Fifteen states elected all of their governors with a majority of votes cast. Among the other states, Maine had the most plurality-elected governors, with 7 of their 19 races in this span.
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Our Media
Featured Podcasts
Howard Dean on IRV--Howard Dean Discusses instant runoff voting on Radio Vermont's Mark Johnson Show.
John Anderson and the Redistricting Game--FairVote's former chairman helps unveil a new gerrymandering computer game, with an introduction from Rep. John Tanner.
The Slow Motion Stampede--FairVote's Rob Richie and Kentucky Secretary of State Tray Grayson talk about solutions to the broken presidential primary system on NPR's "All Things Considered."
Featured Video
A New Era of Electoral Reform - The 2010s and the 50-Year Cycle