If HB 589 goes into effect, it will be a huge step backwards for voters in North Carolina.

It is widely believed that “the right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected.” Many are surprised to learn, then, that the right to vote is not explicitly protected in the U.S. Constitution. Amending the Constitution to include an explicit right to vote would make it clear that this right is in fact fundamental. It would ensure that voter challenges to election rules would force governments to justify practices that curtail access to the ballot.

FairVote this week joined diverse organizations in affirming the continuing necessity of the fully implemented Voting Rights Act - the most critical piece of civil rights legislation.

The right to vote is essential for a truly representative democracy, and legislation implemented with widespread support in Congress to enhance this right, such as Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, should be upheld.

There were no recounts out  of more than 400 statewide elections in 2012. FairVote's research of all statewide general elections from 2000 to 2012 underscores how rarely such recounts take place and how little they affect victory margins. Post-election audits are a better way to uncover the kind of major fraud or error that might actually change an election outcome. 

Attorney General Holder has observed that, “too many citizens have reason to fear that their right to vote, their access to the ballot – and their ability to have their votes counted – is under threat.” Through reform of the systemic problems that plague our electoral process, we can combat this threat. We will ultimately need to think and act nationally; but now is the time for all of us to get involved in that effort in our cities and states.

Ballots for Tuesday’s ranked choice voting (RCV) elections in four cities in the Bay Area are still being counted, but it is clear that RCV has again worked well. FairVote found that voters used the system effectively, election officials were smart to make it a true "instant runoff" and candidates of color again were elected in high numbers.