Content Categorized with "Research & Analysis"
11 - 20 of 80 results
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Legality of the Use of Ranked Choice Absentee Ballots for Military and Overseas Voters
- Posted: July 18, 2011
- Author(s): Cynthia Okechukwu
- Categories: Research & Analysis
Ranked choice absentee ballots provide a legal and practical solution to the disenfranchisement of military and overseas voters in runoff elections. These ballots enable U.S. citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA) to cast votes when the ballot turnaround time between first and second elections is short.
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Debate Exclusion Harms Voters
- Posted: June 23, 2011
- Author(s): Will Hix
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Presidential Nominations Reform
The election of capable candidates is arguably the most direct impact that the citizenry can have in this process. Voters rely on the media to create accurate portrayals of each candidate and present a fair opportunity for credible candidates to make their case to their constituents. CNN failed to provide voters the opportunity to evaluate Governor Johnson, instead relying on opinion polls of dubious importance.
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Redistricting Reform in the States: June 2010
- Posted: June 16, 2011
- Author(s): Patrick Withers, Billy Organek
- Categories: Research & Analysis, All Reports
FairVote's most recent review of redistricting reform in the states in 2009-2010 presents a mix of optimism and frustration for supporters of redistricting in the public interest rather than in the best interest of the political duopoly.
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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.
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The End of the Election Assistance Commission?
- Posted: May 31, 2011
- Author(s): Dean Searcy, Nate Crippes
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Home, FairVote
The future of the Election Assistance Commission, an independent bipartisan government agency tasked with making elections fair and accessible, is in question. Amid the intense debate in Washington over government spending, this small agency could be terminated, some of its tasks being relegated to the Federal Elections Commission, in order to save the taxpayers $14 million a year. In the United State House of Representatives, H.R. 672, a bill introduced by Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS), seeks to terminate the EAC. The bill has made it through the Committee on House Administration along party lines, and will now move to the House for a vote.
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Dubious Democracy 1982-2010
- Posted: May 31, 2011
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Congressional Elections, All Reports
Dubious Democracy 1982-2010 provides a comprehensive assessment of the level of competition and accuracy of representation in U.S. House elections in all 50 states from 1982 to 2010. It ranks each state on a "democracy index" that is a relative measurement based on average margin of victory, percentage of seats to votes, how many voters elect candidates and number of House races won by overwhelming landslides.
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Everything You Wanted to Know about Election Recounts
- Posted: April 28, 2011
- Categories: Research & Analysis, National Popular Vote
The Center for Voting and Democracy today released its new report on statewide recounts as the state of Wisconsin launches a statewide recount in a hotly contested election for a seat on its state supreme court. A Survey and Analysis of Statewide Election Recounts, 2000-2009 is available online, along with detailed data compiled for the report. Read on to see the key findings from the report.
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Internet voting: If ever made secure, would it improve election turnout?
- Posted: April 19, 2011
- Author(s): Loqmane Jamil
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Home, FairVote, Election Services Group
The phenomenon of low voter turnout is not new but has become worrisome by its recurrence. In the United States voters are turning out in smaller numbers each year in certain elections like primaries and choosing city leaders. With the advent of new technological means of communication be a means to fight against the disaffection toward politics so many Americans seem to feel? Some like internet voting, but it's not ready for governmental elections.
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Redistricting heats up - and FairVote shows better way
- Posted: April 14, 2011
- Categories: Home, Research & Analysis, FairVote
In all 50 states, elected officials at some level of government are feverishly engaged in the remarkable exercise of choosing their voters before their voters choose them. Nearly every U.S. House map and the great majority of state legislative maps will be redrawn by partisans, usually with the goal of protecting incumbents, helping friends and hurting political enemies.
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House Seat Apportionment: Media Gets It Wrong on Partisan Impact
- Posted: December 20, 2010
- Author(s): Rob Richie
- Categories: Research & Analysis, All Reports
On Tuesday, December 21, the U.S. Census released the official population numbers for states from its count earlier this year. The most immediate impact will be on apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In this installment of FairVote's Innovative Analysis series, Rob Richie explains how some pundits and journalists have gotten it wrong in their analysis of the partisan impact of the census numbers.