Explainer: Voting Rules for Saturday's Election of DNC Chair

Posted on February 22, 2017

This weekend, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will gather for its winter meeting

Iowa Democrats Elect State Party Chair Using Ranked Choice Voting

Posted on January 27, 2017

In the first election for state chair using a single, ranked choice voting ballot, the Iowa Democratic Party elected Derek Eadon from a crowded field of seven candidates. Ranked choice voting allowed the committee to efficiently elect Eadon with a majority of the vote and choose a candidate who seems to have earned consensus support from different factions within the party.

Magic Numbers: Small Vote Shifts in Key States Could Have Altered Electoral College Outcomes

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.

The Connecticut State Senate, Bipartisanship, and Collaborative Policymaking

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.

Ranked Choice Voting in the 2016 Bay Area Elections

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.

Ferguson-Florissant School Board Elections Improve with the Voting Rights Act

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.

A Survey and Analysis of Statewide Election Recounts, 2000–2015

Posted on November 28, 2016

Non-Majority Outcomes in Senate Races and Presidential Contests

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.

Gerrymandering Pays Off in Wisconsin

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.

Sen. McCain, RCV Supporter, Wins in Arizona

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.