Posted on January 13, 2017
One commonly cited benefit of the Electoral College is that, even when the national popular vote for president is close, it creates a decisive victory for one candidate or the other. However, these "decisive" victories are often more tenuous than they seem. There are plenty of elections in which slight vote shifts in key states would have changed the winner of the Electoral College vote.
Read more
Posted on January 03, 2017
There will be a new experiment in divided government. The Connecticut State Senate is now perfectly tied 18-18 for the first time since 1893. It is too early now to know what sort of concessions Democrats may offer. However, FairVote’s guide to Collaborative Policy Making could serve as a road map for inclusive policy making in the state Senate. Connecticut currently uses none of the agenda setting and consensus building practices that lead to a more civil and functional divided government.
Read more
Posted on December 23, 2016
Four Bay Area cities, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and San Leandro, elect their mayors and a total of 52 offices with ranked choice voting (RCV). Each city has now elected all of those offices at least twice since San Francisco started using RCV in 2004 and the remaining cities in 2010.
Read more
Posted on December 01, 2016
After a successful case brought under the Voting Rights Act, the Ferguson-Florissant School Board now joins the more than 200 jurisdictions in the United States which elect their officers using fair representation voting. By giving voters cumulative voting rights, the families of the Ferguson-Florissant School District will have a stronger voice in the education system for their community.
Read more
Posted on November 10, 2016
As election 2016 outcomes become clearer and vote totals finalize, we can begin to assess the impact that vote-splitting had on various U.S. Senate races and the presidential contest in states. As the fight for control of the Senate played out, it looks as though six Senate races will be won without a majority of the vote.
Read more
Posted on November 08, 2016
Results are coming in from Wisconsin, and they demonstrate how much Wisconsin stands as an example of the unfair partisan skew in congressional and legislative elections. This may help make the case for a lawsuit working its way through federal court, arguing that Wisconsin's gerrymandered districts violate the U.S. Constitution.
Read more
Posted on November 08, 2016
With the polls closing just minutes ago, it is clear that the Senate will keep yet another supporter of ranked choice voting on its member rolls. Sen. McCain (R-Arizona), who has maintained a strong lead over challenger Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) in the final few months of this election, confirmed his victory by a clear margin.
Read more
Posted on November 08, 2016
The polls have closed in Illinois, and, when it comes to the Illinois state legislature, it has been another election in which the politicians chose their voters, and not the other way around. Although Illinois may not be able to adopt independent redistricting, there is another solution, rooted in Illinois' history.
Read more
Posted on November 08, 2016
Virginia’s polls are now closed, and Representative Don Beyer of Virginia’s Eighth District appears to have been elected to his second term, based on early returns. Don Beyer’s first term has marked him as an innovative thinker and a supporter of important election changes.
Read more
