Entries from 2011
- 128 of 128 results
-
Experts advise Proportional representation for successful transition in Arab world
- Posted: February 25, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid
- Categories: Home, Middle East and Africa, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
2011 is a period of changes for the Arab world as many revolts have burst within its main countries, starting with Egypt and Tunisia. As these nations move toward their first truly free and fair elections, it will be important to implement reforms in order to ensure a peaceful and democratic transition in their societies. On this subject, political experts agree that forms of proportional representation would be a good option for Egypt in particular and, for Arab democracies in general - just as proportional voting was important in such nations as South Africa, Brazil and every nation in Eastern Europe as they moved toward free and fair elections in the 1980s and 1990s.
-
The Constitutional Right To Vote Blog:The Debate over Voter Identification at the Polls: Expanding our Vision
- Posted: February 14, 2011
- Author(s): Right to Vote Blog, Rob Richie
- Categories: Home, Right to Vote Amendment, FairVote
The right to vote is at the heart of representative democracy. Upholding that right requires that every eligible voter should have easy access to voting, every vote should be tallied accurately and no ineligible vote should be cast. Both limiting access to voting and allowing fraudulent votes undercut determination of the "consent of the governed."
-
Electoral College Distortions: “Winner” could lose popular vote by a landslide
- Posted: February 7, 2011
- Author(s): Matt Morris
- Categories: Home, National Popular Vote
Could Obama have won with less than 25% of the popular vote? Under the current system of the Electoral College, this scenario is plausible.
-
After Tunisia, Egypt is burning for Democracy
- Posted: February 1, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid
- Categories: Home, Middle East and Africa, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
January 2011 has marked a crucial historical moment for the Arab world. After the Tunisian “jasmine revolution”, Egyptian people are massively demonstrating for the end of President Hosni Mubarak’s regime. The crossing destinies of Tunisia and Egypt augur a major shift in this region that knows a complicated democratization process.
-
Mock elections: an innovative way to introduce voting to students
- Posted: January 31, 2011
- Author(s): Loqmane Jamil
- Categories: Home, FairVote
One measurement of the health of our democracy is the participation of the citizens. Unfortunately, voter turnout in the United States, (especially in non-presidential elections) is among the lowest of any democracy in the world. Here at FairVote, we seek to generate a greater focus on that problem starting in our schools- and explore ideas like mock elections to encourage voting from a young age.
-
With choice voting for Oscar nominations, passion wins
- Posted: January 31, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid
- Categories: Home, FairVote
In the days since the nominations of the 83th Oscars’ ceremony awards were announced, the entertainment press has written quite a bit about the surprises, along with the usual talk of scandalous snubs. What should be highlighted more, we believe, is the important role of the system used to choose these nominees -- who, no matter matter happens in the final vote, are already winners.
Read this article and many others on FairVote's annual coverage of the Oscars on Oscar Votes 123.
-
The Constitutional Right to Vote Blog: Felon Disenfranchisement in Iowa
- Posted: January 20, 2011
- Author(s): Right to Vote Blog, Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Right to Vote Amendment, Felon Disenfranchisement, FairVote
Iowa is a poster child for what it means to fail to protect our right to vote in the U.S. Constitution: fundamental democratic rights can then be tossed around like a political football.
-
Egypt’s parliamentary elections – The roots of a democracy in denial
- Posted: January 18, 2011
- Author(s): Arab Spring Series, Wael Abdel Hamid
- Categories: Home, Ranked Choice Voting in Bay Area Elections, Middle East and Africa, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
In 2010, Egypt held parliamentary elections which were widely criticized at home and abroad as corrupt and anti-democratic. Of particular concern was the fate of the Muslim Brothers, who had risen to prominence as the main opposition party in the 2005 elections, only to be swept completely out of Parliament in 2010.
This article makes a little overview of Egyptian institutions before analyzing the roots of the last Egyptian electoral crisis.