"Stealing Democracy"

Spencer OvertonIn his new book Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression, George Washington University law professor Spencer Overton examines electoral problems in the U.S. from a systemic perspective, explaining how "politicians use an invisible matrix of election rules, practices, and procedures to shape the electorate and determine political outcomes." Overton champions a number of core FairVote reform proposals including universal voter registration, proportional voting and citizens assemblies to address election reform issues in a fair and public manner.

This book serves as a powerful reminder that voting in the U.S. is not a constitutional right; instead, it is too often treated as a privilege that is protected unequally through a patchwork of state and local election practices.

[ Overton's comments on universal voter registration ]
[ Overton's comments on citizens assemblies and proportional representation ]
[ FairVote's proposal for universal voter registration ]
[ More about proportional voting systems ]
[ More about the Citizens Assembly process used in British Columbia ]