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.
Massachusetts Victory for National Popular Vote Creates Media Wave
// July 30, 2010
The Massachusetts legislature passed National Popular Vote on July 27, with a 28-9 vote in the Senate and a 116-34 vote in the House. Gov. Deval Patrick has indicated he will sign it into law, which would make Massachusetts the sixth state to enact the law. Their total number of electoral votes (73) is more than 27% of the number necessary to activate the proposal and guarantee election of the winner of the national popular vote winner.
The media took note, with extensive coverage from major outlets such as CNN, FOX, NPR, MSNBC, Politico and The New York Times.Learn more:
Jules Leconte's post on the FairVote Blog for further detail
Hendrik Hertzberg's blog posts on NPV on July 27 and July 28
National Popular Vote news release
FairVote's National Popular Vote page
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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