Content Categorized with "Home"
271 - 280 of 532 results
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Look to Election Rules to Reverse Decline of Political Center
- Posted: May 11, 2012
- Author(s): Rob Richie, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Reforms, Congressional Elections, Research & Analysis, Home, FairVote
U.S. Senators Dick Lugar (R-IN), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Kent Conrad (R-ND) share a history of bipartisan policymaking -- and the reality that they are leaving Congress. With its "the-rules-matter" perspective, FairVote explores the way in which our winner-take-all voting system disadvantages centrist candidates and discourages bipartisanship.
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Primaries Spotlight Sharp Decline in U.S. House Moderates
- Posted: May 8, 2012
- Author(s): Rob Richie, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Congressional Elections, Research & Analysis, Home, Cumulative Voting, Redistricting
On April 24, two moderate Blue Dog Democrats, Tim Holden and Jason Altmire, lost in Pennsylvania's primary election. They are the latest examples of an accelerating "no-more-moderates" trend within both major parties. But fair representation of the left, right and center is essential to the health of a democracy. Grounded in its unique the-rules-matter perspective, FairVote explores how winner-take-all voting rules today disadvantage candidates willing to seek bipartisan solutions to problems.
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Election Wonk: Growing trend of plurality wins in governors' races
- Posted: May 7, 2012
- Author(s): Lindsey Needham, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Home, FairVote
Over the last two years, a staggering 28% of gubernatorial races were awarded to candidates who failed to win 50% of the vote. With so many state executives in power without the expressed consent of the majority, we have to question whether our system successfully functions to deliver the will of the people.
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Presidential Campaign Strategies Based on Swing States
- Posted: May 4, 2012
- Author(s): Chris Beaulieu
- Categories: Presidential Elections, National Popular Vote, Home
Both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are zeroing in on the swing states where either candidate could come out on top in the November elections. However, the unusual amount of attention given to certain states while others are essentially left by the wayside illustrates the problems with the Electoral College system.
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French Elections: Preview of May 6 Runoff
- Posted: May 4, 2012
- Author(s): Hüseyin Koyuncu
- Categories: Europe, Home, Elections Worldwide
The French presidential election of 2012 is the 10th presidential election in the 5th Republic and the 9th election by direct universal suffrage. The winner will serve a term of five years. The first round was held on April 22 and the runoff will take place on Sunday, May 6.
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Snowe-ball Effect: How the Loss of Yet another Congressional Moderate Makes the Case for Election Reform
- Posted: April 25, 2012
- Author(s): Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Reforms, Congressional Elections, Research & Analysis, Home
The stunning decision by Olympia Snowe to retire is just the latest example in an alarming series of setbacks for the political center, which is vital to a functioning democracy. What is clear, is that we are living through a period of severe polarization and partisanship, which has had adverse effects on the ranks of moderate politicians. FairVote's unique analysis connects the political center's travails to our damaging winner-take-all election rules and discusses the way in which alternative voting systems could boost moderates like Snowe.
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Kenya Visit Shows Youth Vote Key in Next Presidential Election
- Posted: April 24, 2012
- Author(s): Tyler Sadonis
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
After a disputed election in 2007 caused violence and chaos across Kenya, the youth are organizing to ensure a different outcome when Kenyans return to the polls in 2013 to elect a new president.
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The 2012 GOP Nomination Contest Affirms Value of New Rules
- Posted: April 23, 2012
- Author(s): Rob Richie, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Presidential Elections, Research & Analysis, Home, Presidential Nominations Reform
As the 2012 Republican nomination contest effectively ends, FairVote reviews how the Republican Party's new nomination rules improved the process and proposes how to make both major parties can make it better in 2016.
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Winner-Take-All. We Can Do Better.
- Posted: April 13, 2012
- Categories: National Popular Vote, Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Home
Winner-take-all elections box voters into simplistic red and blue divisions that poorly reflect our diversity of views. They turn most state legislative and congressional elections into "no-choice" contests. Only a handful of swing states will get attention from presidential candidates.
To take on winner-take-all, FairVote backs forms of proportional representation for electing legislatures and a national popular vote for president instead of state-based winner-take-all rules.* Most robust democracies use proportional representation, NOT winner-take-all. See more here.* FairVote Chair Emeritus John Anderson's new op-ed in Chicago Tribune on cumulative voting* FairVote's resources on a national popular vote for president -
Congressional Redistricting Matters, and It's Hurting This Country: a Response to Michael Barone
- Posted: March 22, 2012
- Author(s): Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Congressional Elections, Home, Cumulative Voting, Redistricting
Recently, pundit Michael Barone argued in The National Review that redistricting in 2011 has turned out to “matter less than we thought.” But Barone is mistaken, overly concerned about redistricting’s impact on each major party rather its effect on voters already trapped within a troubling winner-take-all framework. Furthermore, Barone is wrong to say that partisan redistricting in 2011 has produced “clean” lines. It has not. With our unique take on redistricting and focus on voters, not political parties, FairVote sets the record straight in its rebuttle to Barone.