Content Categorized with "Home"
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No More Gerrymanders: California's Commission Plan versus the Fair Voting Alternative
- Posted: November 4, 2011
- Author(s): Lindsey Needham, Fair Voting Plans, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Home, Redistricting, Monopoly Politics 2012 Map
For the first time in California's history, a Citizens Redistricting Commission has drawn the lines for congressional districts. Despite having taken control away from partisan state legislators, the commission's map has been controversial, both among racial minority groups and Republicans who are concerned about fair repesentation. Most disticts also will not be competitive.
The root of the worst problems associated with redistricting lies with winner-take-all elections, in which 50% + 1 of the vote can elect 100% of the representation. Fair voting systems, relying on a form of proportional representation, are a far better way to achieve public interest objectives and allow all voters to participate in meaningful elections. As part of an ongoing series, FairVote has produced a "super-district" plan designed for elections with a fair voting system. Our California plan upholds U.S. Supreme Court rulings on apportionment while providing fair representation and voter choice for California voters. -
Tunisians Hold Arab Spring's First Vote
- Posted: November 4, 2011
- Author(s): Hüseyin Koyuncu, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, Elections Worldwide
The election is seen as a democratic success for new Tunisia, with some 4.1 million registered voters voting to select the members of the Constituent Assembly – using a method of proportional representation that ensured nearly every participant elected someone, and no one faction earned the winner-take-all power to dominate other factions. Tunisians have fulfilled their duty peacefully and with great pride, whether in the capital or in provincial towns. European Union observers saluted the election’s “transparency.” Clearly, the strong desire of Tunisians to be governed by democratically elected authorities guided the electoral process.
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Ranked choice voting in major elections
- Posted: November 4, 2011
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting in Bay Area Elections, Ranked Choice Voting, Home
Ranked choice choice voting (RCV, or instant runoff) accommodates voters having more than two choices at the polls. This month, San Francisco (CA) will elect a mayor and two other citywide leaders with RCV. Portland (ME) and Telluride (CO) will elect mayors in hotly contested RCV races, and St. Paul (MN) and Takoma Park (MD) will elect city councilors with RCV. In Ireland, Michael Higgins was elected president with RCV, breaking out of a 7-candidate field for a landslide win thanks to a combination of strong first choice rankings and backup preferences from supporters of losing candidates. Cambridge (MA) will use the choice voting form of RCV that provides fair representation to its voters.
FairVote has been deeply involved in many of these implementations and will be tracking elections closely next week. Although controversial with some, RCV is working well -- and has strong backing from almost all mayoral candidates in both Portland and San Francisco. For more on the races, see:
- RCV in San Francisco: New opeds by Matt Gonzalez & Steven Hill
- Portland: Our Portlandvotes123.com, TV local news story and FairVote voter survey
- Coverage in Freakonomics
- Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio & Economist on San Francisco
- Associated Press on Portland
- Cambridge: Candidates for school board & city council
- Rob Richie blogs on Irish presidential election
- St. Paul elections: Voter education site & Star-Tribune commentary
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No More Gerrymanders: Georgia's Partisan Plan versus the Fair Voting Alternative
- Posted: October 31, 2011
- Author(s): Lindsey Needham, Katie P. Kelly, Fair Voting Plans, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Home, Redistricting, Monopoly Politics 2012 Map
Lawmakers in Georgia have recently passed a congressional redistricting plan that gives Republican candidates a strong advantage in 10 of 14 seats and protects nearly all incumbents. There's a better way -- proportional voting systems in multi-seat "super districts." Read the latest in our fair voting plan series.
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NPV Critic Response Series: Spakovsky and the NPV plan
- Posted: October 31, 2011
- Author(s): Katie P. Kelly
- Categories: National Popular Vote, Home
Another installment of the NPV Critic Response Series. This post addresses Hans A. von Spakovsky's recent arguments against the National Popular Vote plan that recently appeared in The Washington Times.
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Gallup Poll: National Popular Vote Favored by Majority
- Posted: October 26, 2011
- Author(s): Katie P. Kelly, Rob Richie
- Categories: National Popular Vote, Home
Latest poll on Electoral College versus a national popular vote from Gallup shows that Americans across the major political parties and age groups support a popular vote for president. It’s time to go with the people and support a national popular vote for president – making every vote equal and every vote count.
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Low Voter Turnout Strikes Again: Louisiana Gubernatorial Race
- Posted: October 25, 2011
- Author(s): Christina Grier
- Categories: Home
Low voter turnout continues to plague the country. On October 22, the state of Louisiana held statewide elections where voter turnout was barely 30% in the gubernatorial race, and even lower for some other senate and house races. Many are attributing the low turnout to a lack of competitiveness in the races, many having been uncontested. Such a lack in competition takes away choices for the voter, and produces elections where outcomes are predetermined before voters have cast their ballots.
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NPV Critic Response Series: Sen. Grassley Defends Wrong System
- Posted: October 22, 2011
- Author(s): Katie P. Kelly
- Categories: National Popular Vote, Home
Grassley and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad say that 31 small states would not matter under a national popular vote for president. They are just simply wrong.
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Occupy and Democracy Reforms: A Match Made in Heaven?
- Posted: October 19, 2011
- Author(s): Dorothy Scheeline
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Home
Democracy reforms have the unique ability to challenge the status quo in a way that fits in very well with the goals of the Occupy movement. It’s a nonpartisan solution to inequality that challenges corporate influence in politics by changing the system to focus more on the voter and less on the candidate. Changing the structure of our electoral system is the first step to creating a space for more voices and points of view within our political process. Maintaining the system we currently have- a stilted, two-party system with low voter turnout isn’t an option any more.
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No More Gerrymanders: Illinois' Partisan Plan versus the Fair Voting Alternative
- Posted: October 19, 2011
- Author(s): Lindsey Needham, Fair Voting Plans, Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Home, Redistricting, Monopoly Politics 2012 Map
Check out our latest findings in the fair voting plan series. Illinois goes from 14 gerrymandered congressional districts to 4 super-districts.