Content Categorized with "Research & Analysis"
31 - 40 of 105 results
-
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.
-
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.
-
Third Parties and the Spoiler Effect In the 2012 Election
- Posted: March 1, 2012
- Author(s): The Non-Majority Rule Desk, Joe Witte
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Presidential Elections, Research & Analysis, Home
As the 2012 presidential election approaches, it's clear that while many American voters are ready for a third party, America's election system is not.
-
Blame Game: NJ Governor Chris Christie Wrong to Fault RNC's Proportional Rules for Romney's Nomination Travails
- Posted: February 28, 2012
- Author(s): Sheahan Virgin
- Categories: Presidential Elections, Research & Analysis, Home, Presidential Nominations Reform
According to Romney surrogate New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the Republican National Committee’s new rules (which led to more states allocating delegates by proportional representation)—not Mitt Romney and his declining vote shares relative to 2008—are at fault for his candidate’s recent travails. Blaming the rules for one’s poor performance or failure to meet expectations is certainly not a novel political strategy, but Christie’s statement—as we will see—gets a lot wrong. Just ask his state’s voters, which now are far more likely to vote in a meaningful primary.
-
Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act: A History and Analysis of Relevant Supreme Court Cases
- Posted: September 23, 2011
- Author(s): Pavel Sternberg
- Categories: Research & Analysis, All Reports
This report traces the history of the Voting Rights Act, from its origins in 1965 through its opposition and its continued renewal. Specifically, the report details how Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires those states covered under Section 5 to preclear all proposed voting changes, including redistricting efforts, with the Department of Justice before their enactment. The advent of the Voting Rights Act, specifically Section 5, has been instrumental in preventing states from making changes which could potentially discriminate against racial and ethnic minorities. Throughout the history of Section 5 cases before the Supreme Court, the Court has yet to rule Section 5 is invalid.
-
Fuzzy Math: Wrong Way Reforms for Allocating Electoral College Votes
- Posted: September 16, 2011
- Author(s): Monideepa Talukdar, Robert Richie, and Ryan O'Donnell
- Categories: National Popular Vote, Research & Analysis, FairVote, All Reports
This updated analysis (first published in 2007) analyzes two of the three major options available to state leaders interested in reforming how a state allocates its Electoral College votes: the whole number proportional system and congressional district system. It evaluates them on the basis of whether they promote majority rule, make elections more nationally competitive, reduce incentives for partisan machinations and make all votes count equally. Our analysis reveals that both of these methods fail to meet our criteria and fall far short of the National Popular Vote plan, which is the third major option available to reformers.
-
Legality of the Use of Ranked Choice Absentee Ballots for Military and Overseas Voters
- Posted: July 18, 2011
- Author(s): Cynthia Okechukwu
- Categories: Research & Analysis
Ranked choice absentee ballots provide a legal and practical solution to the disenfranchisement of military and overseas voters in runoff elections. These ballots enable U.S. citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA) to cast votes when the ballot turnaround time between first and second elections is short.
-
Debate Exclusion Harms Voters
- Posted: June 23, 2011
- Author(s): Will Hix
- Categories: Research & Analysis, Presidential Nominations Reform
The election of capable candidates is arguably the most direct impact that the citizenry can have in this process. Voters rely on the media to create accurate portrayals of each candidate and present a fair opportunity for credible candidates to make their case to their constituents. CNN failed to provide voters the opportunity to evaluate Governor Johnson, instead relying on opinion polls of dubious importance.
-
Redistricting Reform in the States: June 2010
- Posted: June 16, 2011
- Author(s): Billy Organek, Patrick Withers
- Categories: Research & Analysis, All Reports
FairVote's most recent review of redistricting reform in the states in 2009-2010 presents a mix of optimism and frustration for supporters of redistricting in the public interest rather than in the best interest of the political duopoly.
-
Egypt Inching its way down to Democracy
- Posted: June 16, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Middle East and Africa, Research & Analysis, Elections Worldwide
Although the Arab Spring movement started in Tunisia, as I discussed earlier this week, the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt was the year’s most stunning development. As the most influential and populous nation in the Arab world, Egypt, both in times of war and peace, has often played a leadership role in the region. The political changes happening in Egypt will certainly reverberate strongly in the region. Now it is turning to the even-harder task of establishing an enduring democracy, which if successful, will set a standard for its neighbors.