The Next Step in Expanding Democracy?
Posted on What's New on May 20, 2013
Recently, suffrage was expanded in Takoma Park, Maryland to include voters of ages 16 and 17. At the same time, New York City considered allowing documented residents to vote in local elections irrespective of citizenship status.
Read moreTakoma Park Promotes the Vote: Will More Cities, Campuses and Organizations Take Action?
Posted on What's New on April 15, 2013
Last night, the Takoma Park city council passed a charter amendment on first reading that, if approved when before the council again in the coming month, will be in the best tradition of cities and states leading the nation in advancing voting rights. It would establish same-day voter registration and extend voting rights to residents after they turn 16 and after incarceration. Here's why we think it's important.
Read moreThe Voting Rights Act, Jerome Gray and Fair Voting in Alabama
Posted on What's New on March 08, 2013
Among news coverage surrounding the upcoming landmark Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which will decide the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, Jerome Gray has received partiuclar attention.. Gray has had a remarkable career as a community organizer, including helping to make sure fair voting systems were effective for African American voters.
Read moreTrue The Vote Fudges the Numbers in New Turnout Study
Posted on What's New Andrea Levien on February 28, 2013
True the Vote, an organization dedicated to eradicating voter fraud through controversial methods, issued a report on February 27 concluding that new voter ID laws not only did not have an adverse impact on turnout in the 2012 elections, but may have increased turnout. But it turns out the report’s authors made a huge methodological mistake.
Read moreFairVote Agrees: Preserve the Voting Rights Act
Posted on What's New Mollie Hailey on February 26, 2013
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.
Read moreThe Role of Fair Voting Systems in the Shelby County Case
Posted on What's New on February 21, 2013
On February 27, the U.S. Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in the case of Shelby County v. Holder, reviewing the constitutionality of Section 5 "preclearance" provisions of the Voting Rights Act. A largely overlooked part of the case is the fact that Section 5 was the reason that Calera, a growing city in Alabama's Shelby County just south of Birmingham, adopted one of the fair voting systems we recommend to uphold voting rights.
Read moreWho Needs to Fix That? We Do.
Posted on What's New Elizabeth Hudler on January 07, 2013
When President Barack Obama paused in his victory speech, thanking voters for waiting in long lines to vote but noting 'we have to fix that', one might have assumed that reform would come from the top.
Read moreA Representative Congress: Enhancing African American Voting Rights in the South with Choice Voting
Posted on What's New on November 27, 2012
In southern states, racially polarized elections remain an active part of political life. Since 1965, the Voting Rights Act has guaranteed that African Americans in the South cannot be shut out of elections either through direct barriers to voting or through discriminatory districts that prevent the achievement of representation. However, relying on winner-take-all elections has inherent limitations. In the belt of southern states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, the use of districting to achieve a fairer level of representation for African Americans has hit a ceiling. To push through that ceiling and achieve truly fair representation, FairVote recommends abandoning the single-member district in favor of super districts elected by choice voting.
Read moreFrom the Mouth of the President to the Ears of the People: We Have to Fix That
Posted on What's New Elizabeth Hudler on November 08, 2012
As was expected, problems at the polls abounded on November 6, nationwide. While glitches were reported across the country, voter-rights watchers paid particular attention to the swing states, where obstacles to ballot access in the form of registration ambiguities, voting-day misinformation, voter suppression tactics, and long, exhausting (and cold!) lines had potential to lower turnout and affect outcomes. President Barack Obama in his acceptance speechTuesday night, thanked people for waiting in those lines --- and then added, “By the way, we have to fix that.”
Read moreStamp Out Democracy on the Cheap
Posted on What's New on November 05, 2012
One first class stamp: 45 cents. One extra ounce to ship: 20 cents. Voting in a democracy: priceless.
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