David Segal, a FairVote analyst and Rhode Island legislator, has a commentary (a "must read" according to Rick Hasen in his election law blog) in the New York Times focused on the importance of electing U.S. Senate vacancies rather than allowing gubernatorial appointments. FairVote pursued a special project on this proposal in 2007, issuing a short report and publishing a commentary. Events since have underscored the value of having U.S. Senators have the same kind of accountability to voters that every U.S. House Member has always had. The same day, Sen. Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, announced that he would be introducing a constitutional amendment to require election of vacancies.

• [David Segal's Sunday New York Times commentary]
• [Senate Vacancies: A FairVote Policy Perspective]
• [Washington Post editorial]
• [October 2007 FairVote Innovative Analysis]
• [October 2007 FairVote commentary]