FairVote acts to transform our elections to achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation for all. As a catalyst for change, we build support for innovative strategies to win a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for president, instant runoff voting and proportional voting.
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Reform News
Latest E-Newsletter: Aug 6, 2010
FairVote policy proposals for instant runoff voting (IRV) and the National Popular Vote plan (NPV) had a particularly big July. Massachusetts became the sixth state to enact NPV - see Rob Richie's commentary for YES magazine and Jules Leconte's review of the win and widespread media coverage, including an oped from Michael Dukakis. Charter commissions in Maine's biggest city (Portland) and Tennessee's biggest county (Shelby) voted overwhelmingly to place IRV on the November ballot, while the preliminary report of New York City's charter commission recommended IRV for mayor, as backed by Rob Richie in the New York Times. New jurisdictions holding IRV elections this year include Oakland (mayor) and North Carolina (three judicial elections), while FairVote's Cathy Le explains Australia's upcoming national IRV election. An oped by FairVote's Alec Slatky calling for IRV in Alabama primaries drew interest from political leaders, while Politico also ran a Slatky-Richie oped on IRV.
Port Chester (NY) released the FairVote-sponsored exit poll survey on how cumulative voting contributed to high turnout and fair representation -- as many as 80% of voters gave more than one vote to a candidate. FairVote issued a detailed analysis of the best way to make "open primaries" (as in the "top two" proposal adopted in California this year) work, while Rebecca Guterman highlighted innovative ways to introduce young people to voting and citizenship. Chair Krist Novoselic addressed the Global Forum on Democracy, was featured in the online Wall Street Journal and co-authored with Rob Richie a Milwaukee Sentinel oped on ending gerrymandering. Richie was on hand for the annual conference of the National Conference of State Legislators. Track the latest at www.twitter.com/fairvote.P.S.: Happy Birthday, Voting Rights Act! It turns 45 on August 6th!
IRV spotlighted by Maddow, upheld by federal judge, moves forward in NC
// September 14, 2010The first weeks of September saw even more progress for instant runoff voting.
- In San Francisco, a federal judge issued a summary judgment rejecting a well-financed legal challenge to the city's landmark IRV system.
- Controversies swirling around “fake” third-party candidates in a number of states prompted MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow to take a hard look at the “spoiler effect” of candidates placed on the ballot to siphon votes from major parties. Watch her explain the solution: Implement instant runoff voting. See Chris Marchsteiner’s related FairVote blog.
- North Carolina continued preparations for the first statewide instant runoff voting election in history with a new voter guide and ballot design.
- Activists are gearing up for ballot measures to win IRV in places like Portland (ME), Shelby County (TN) and Fort Collins (CO).
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Research Highlights
FairVote Facts
- Number of U.S. Senators appointed without election since the ratification of 17th Amendment: 182
- Number of U.S. House members ever to serve without election: 0
- Number of states that always fill U.S. Senate vacancies by election: 4
- Number of states that always fill U.S. House vacancies by election: 50
California's Proposition 14: Weaknesses and Remedies
Today, FairVote released its report on the problems and possible solutions with California’s Proposition 14, also known as the “Top Two Primary” system.
Without overturning Proposition 14, California can mitigate these effects by statutorily permitting write-in votes, shortening the time between the primary and general elections, permitting “Partial Party Ballot Endorsement,” and providing fairer means to achieve and maintain recognized party status.
For other states who are crafting their own election reform statutes, FairVote recommends adopting Louisiana’s “Open General Election” system with a conditional runoff, adopting instant runoff voting or choice voting, potentially in an Open General Election , and advancing more than two candidates to the general election and use IRV.
Read the report here.
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Our Media
Featured Podcasts
Howard Dean on IRV--Howard Dean Discusses instant runoff voting on Radio Vermont's Mark Johnson Show.
John Anderson and the Redistricting Game--FairVote's former chairman helps unveil a new gerrymandering computer game, with an introduction from Rep. John Tanner.
The Slow Motion Stampede--FairVote's Rob Richie and Kentucky Secretary of State Tray Grayson talk about solutions to the broken presidential primary system on NPR's "All Things Considered."
Featured Video
A New Era of Electoral Reform - The 2010s and the 50-Year Cycle