FairVote Blog
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Without Majority Rule, Partisans Game the Vote -- Supressing Voter Choice
by Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk // September 8, 2010 //2010 is a particularly important election. 37 states will elect governors to run their states – often with national implications through the central role governors typically will have in redistricting before the 2012 elections. Control of both the U.S. House and Senate are in play, with the outcome potentially hinging on votes in a handful of states.
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Making Constitution Day a Celebration of Representative Democracy
When naming important holidays, Constitution Day will not make most people’s shortlist. But maybe, it should.
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North Carolina uses IRV for the first time in a statewide election
by , Chris Marchsteiner // September 1, 2010 //North Carolina will make history November 2 as the first state to use instant runoff voting (IRV) in a statewide election in the modern era. As reported in The Times-News, thirteen candidates have filed to run in the race to fill a vacancy on the state Court of Appeals. Additionally, three counties in the state will be using IRV to fill vacancies in three Superior Court races.
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New Delaware law allows 16-year-olds to preregister to vote
On September 8, Delaware governor Jack A. Markell signed into law a bill allowing 16-year-olds to preregister to vote. The passage of the law makes Delaware the sixth state (plus the District of Columbia) to adopt youth preregistration reforms aimed at engaging young citizens in the political process.
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Is 23% enough to be an Arizona Congressman? Non-majority rules in August 25 primaries in Arizona, Florida and Vermont
by Cathy Le, The Non-Majority Rule Desk // August 26, 2010 //This month I have blogged on state primaries held on August 3rd and August 10th about a serious, if often overlooked problem in our politics: non-majority winners in primary elections held with plurality voting.
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Reasons to Reconsider Plurality Voting
by Cathy Le // August 18, 2010 //Nominating contests for congressional and gubernatorial races often attract many candidates running to be the nominee for their respective party. When more than two candidates compete under a plurality voting system, elections can be won with only a minority percent of the vote and top contenders or ‘spoilers’ can end up splitting the vote, handing the election to a weak nominee.
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Why the Condorcet criterion is less important than it seems
by Alec Slatky // August 10, 2010 //A frequent criticism of instant runoff voting is the fact candidates who beat all others in head-to-head competitions can actually lose. But if such candidates win all the time, there would be unintended consequences.
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Voting Rights Act turns 45
by Tom Sanchez, Right to Vote Blog // August 6, 2010 //Although the Voting Rights Act turns 45, we still have much ground to cover in the effort to obtain an constitutional Right to Vote.
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California's Proposition 14: Democracy Enhanced or Denied?
by Patrick Withers // August 5, 2010 //Does California's Prop 14 live up to its goal of enhancing California elections? No, says FairVote. However, there are easy fixes to make California election law more open and representative.
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Mayoral Elections in Paris: Lessons from its Electoral College-type system
by Jules Leconte // August 9, 2010 //Although France elects its president in high turnout national popular vote elections, its three largest cities, Paris, Marseille and Lyon elect their mayors in a way that is strikingly similar to how American presidents are elected.