Entries from 2010
- 70 of 100 results
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Federal Election Integrity Act Coming to a House Vote
- Posted: September 28, 2010
- Author(s): Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Home
Even the most die-hard Yankee’s fan would see something wrong with Derek Jeter acting as umpire in a game he’s playing in as shortstop. HR 512, the Fair Election Integrity Act, is designed to prevent this in the context of American elections.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Murkowski's Write-in Candidacy and Other Significant Third Party Candidates
- Posted: September 22, 2010
- Author(s): The Non-Majority Rule Desk, Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting
Third party and independent candidates continue to have a major impact on several statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate. Indeed, there are 8 states where candidates are polling at more than 10% - the latest being Lisa Murkowski, the sitting U.S. Senator from Alaska who lost her Republican primary, but who now is pursuing a write-in candidacy. At least one race might join them – New York, where Rick Lazio lost the Republican primary, but remains the Conservative Party nominee. Voters certainly seem hungry for more options – a Gallup poll found that 58% support a strong third party in the United States. Here’s a rundown of some of the week’s news from the “non-majority rule” desk.
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Non-Majority Winners and Partisan Manipulation in the Gubernatorial Races and Primaries
- Posted: September 15, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting
Building on previous blogs about non-majority rules in primaries and prospective ones in this November’s general elections, FairVote plans a weekly update from the “non-majority rule desk” – with an understanding that there’s a solution available and being put into practice in a growing number of communities: instant runoff voting.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Independent Presidential Candidates, the Spoiler Effect, and Party Betrayal
- Posted: October 5, 2010
- Author(s): The Non-Majority Rule Desk, Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting
It was another notable week here at the non-majority desk, including nationally prominent ruminations about third parties and independents, including Thomas Friedman of the New York Times predicting an independent presidential bid in 2012 and FiveThirtyEight.com's Nate Silver suggesting such a campaign could succeed.
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Re Registering to Vote After Moving Out of State
- Posted: October 4, 2010
- Author(s): Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Universal Voter Registration, FairVote
A practical question arose this afternoon: how long after you move should you change your voter registration? Obviously, a voter should be registered where s/he actually lives and gets mail, but when should the voter make the switch? Can you wait a week? A month? A year?
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Without Majority Rule, Partisans Game the Vote -- Supressing Voter Choice
- Posted: September 8, 2010
- Author(s): The Non-Majority Rule Desk, Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting
2010 is a particularly important election. 37 states will elect governors to run their states – often with national implications through the central role governors typically will have in redistricting before the 2012 elections. Control of both the U.S. House and Senate are in play, with the outcome potentially hinging on votes in a handful of states.
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Making Constitution Day a Celebration of Representative Democracy
- Posted: September 16, 2010
- Author(s): Jo McKeegan, Emily Hellman
When naming important holidays, Constitution Day will not make most people’s shortlist. But maybe, it should.
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North Carolina uses IRV for the first time in a statewide election
- Posted: September 1, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting, Reforms
North Carolina will make history November 2 as the first state to use instant runoff voting (IRV) in a statewide election in the modern era. As reported in The Times-News, thirteen candidates have filed to run in the race to fill a vacancy on the state Court of Appeals. Additionally, three counties in the state will be using IRV to fill vacancies in three Superior Court races.
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New Delaware law allows 16-year-olds to preregister to vote
- Posted: September 9, 2010
- Author(s): Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Reforms
On September 8, Delaware governor Jack A. Markell signed into law a bill allowing 16-year-olds to preregister to vote. The passage of the law makes Delaware the sixth state (plus the District of Columbia) to adopt youth preregistration reforms aimed at engaging young citizens in the political process.
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Is 23% enough to be an Arizona Congressman? Non-majority rules in August 25 primaries in Arizona, Florida and Vermont
- Posted: August 26, 2010
- Author(s): The Non-Majority Rule Desk, Cathy Le
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting, Reforms
This month I have blogged on state primaries held on August 3rd and August 10th about a serious, if often overlooked problem in our politics: non-majority winners in primary elections held with plurality voting.