Entries from 2011
- 128 of 128 results
-
What if the Right to Vote Started at Birth?
- Posted: June 17, 2011
- Author(s): Nate Crippes
- Categories: Home, Right to Vote Amendment
Journalist Jonathan Bernstein has raised an interesting question: at what age should we be allowed to begin voting? More specifically, should citizens be given the right to vote at birth, with our parents voting for us before we're capable (Bernstein suggests the ripe old age of 15 for voting on one's own)? It's certainly an interesting theory. FairVote is not endorsing such a position, but we do think it would be interesting to look at both sides of the issue, grounded in the fact that if we treat voting as a right, we should only limit rights for very good reasons.
-
Major Legal Victory for Ranked Choice Voting – and Reform
- Posted: June 17, 2011
- Author(s): Rob Richie, Lesley Delaney Hawkins
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting in Bay Area Elections, Instant Runoff Voting, Home
On May 20th, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower federal court ruling rejecting a legal challenge to the City of San Francisco's use of ranked choice voting (RCV, also known as instant runoff voting, or IRV). The three-judge panel emphatically dismissed the plaintiffs' arguments, including a particularly clear rejection of the claim that RCV violates the principles of one-person, one-vote or equal protection under the law.
-
Egypt Inching its way down to Democracy
- Posted: June 16, 2011
- Author(s): Arab Spring Series, Jais Mehaji
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Middle East and Africa, Elections Worldwide
Although the Arab Spring movement started in Tunisia, as I discussed earlier this week, the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt was the year’s most stunning development. As the most influential and populous nation in the Arab world, Egypt, both in times of war and peace, has often played a leadership role in the region. The political changes happening in Egypt will certainly reverberate strongly in the region. Now it is turning to the even-harder task of establishing an enduring democracy, which if successful, will set a standard for its neighbors.
-
What We Can Learn from Puerto Rico
- Posted: June 15, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation
Yesterday, President Obama made a historic visit to the American territory of Puerto Rico; the first time a U.S president visited the island for an official state visit since JFK in 1961. Despite the fact that residents of Puerto Rico are U.S citizens and serve in the U.S. military in high percentages, they cannot vote in presidential general elections. President Obama’s visit to Puerto Rico provides an opportunity to consider its non-winner-take-all electoral rules that contribute to high turnout -- merit more national attention.
-
Presidential Visits: A Return to Ohio and the Influence of the Electoral System on Presidential Attention
- Posted: June 15, 2011
- Author(s): Katherine Sicienski
- Categories: Presidential Tracker, National Popular Vote
On Friday, June 3rd, President Barack Obama delivered remarks at the Chrysler Group Supplier Park in Toledo, Ohio. This was his 22nd event in the state of Ohio since assuming the presidency. Yet since his inauguration in 2009, the President has yet to hold a single event in ten states: South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Vermont.
-
The New York 26th District Special Election: The Spoiler Effect in Action
- Posted: June 13, 2011
- Author(s): Katherine Sicienski, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Instant Runoff Voting
As debate subsides on the impact of the recent special election in New York's 26th congressional district, it's time to step back and examine more fundamental dilemmas within the election process as revealed by this election.
-
The Constitutional Right to Vote Blog: Rock the Blog!
- Posted: June 14, 2011
- Author(s): Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Home, Universal Voter Registration, FairVote, All Reports
“The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.” While the language of the 26th amendment is intended to serve young people well, it still leaves open a loophole in Constitutional law- while young people cannot be discriminated against based on their age, they can be denied the chance to vote, or have their ability to vote abridged, for reasons that can also undercut voting rights for older citizens.
-
Tunisia Moves towards Fair Elections
- Posted: June 13, 2011
- Author(s): Arab Spring Series, Jais Mehaji
- Categories: Reforms, Middle East and Africa, Elections Worldwide
This post examines the democratic prospects for post-revolutionary Tunisia, as its government delays election date to October.
-
Internet Voting 2.0 and Other Advances in Election Technology in Takoma Park
- Posted: June 9, 2011
- Author(s): Melanie Kiser
- Categories: FairVote
An innovation in Internet voting seems to address problems with voter anonymity and privacy, but the potential for manipulation and subterfuge by hackers remains the fiberglass ceiling of online voting.
-
The Right to Vote Blog: Put more money into politics?
- Posted: June 1, 2011
- Author(s): Right to Vote Blog, Jo McKeegan
- Categories: Home, Right to Vote Amendment, FairVote
“Let’s put more money into politics!” is a rallying cry that won’t win over too many supporters.