Content Categorized with "Voting Rights"
1 - 10 of 30 results
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FairVote Proposes Solutions to Florida's Congressional Redistricting Dilemma in 2014
- Posted: August 8, 2014
- Author(s): Devin McCarthy , Rob Richie
- Categories: Congressional Elections, Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Research & Analysis, Home, Redistricting, Voting Rights
Florida is facing an electoral quandary as two of its congressional districts have been found to violate the state constitution, and the legislature is redrawing the maps as November elections loom. The legislature does not want to use the new map in 2014, but FairVote's analysis outlines two plans that could resolve the crisis. The better of these plans would also improve the representation of Florida voters in the process.
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The Reformer: Encouraging Examples of All-Partisan Support for Reform
- Posted: July 31, 2014
- Author(s): Rebecca Hellmich
- Categories: FairVote Reformer E-Newsletters, Reforms, Voting Rights
With political polarization at its highest point in more than a century, observers often assume opposition to reform is inevitable. But there have been recent developments in bipartisan cooperation for FairVote’s Reform 2020 agenda, which we discuss in this issue of The Reformer. -
Innovative Analysis: The World Cup of Democracy
- Posted: July 9, 2014
- Author(s): Andrew Douglas, Anthony Ramicone
- Categories: Europe, FairVote Reformer E-Newsletters, Reforms, Research & Analysis, Voting Rights
FairVote regularly publishes Innovative Analysis, an in depth look into what we’ve been researching. The FIFA World Cup is in its final week in Brazil. And while that tournament will eventually crown the best national soccer team in the world, we wondered what it would look like if it was crowning the healthiest electoral democracy in the world. With that in mind, we decided to put together an index that compares electoral health across countries and then apply it to this year’s World Cup.
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Intern Spotlight: Jessica Kincaid
- Posted: June 16, 2014
- Author(s): Kincaid Jessica
- Categories: Home, Voting Rights, Voter Turnout
Meet Jess.
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Massachusetts Expands Voting Rights
- Posted: June 13, 2014
- Author(s): , Nicholas Golden
- Categories: Voting Rights, Voter Turnout, Voter Preregistration
Massachusetts has taken a big step into the 21st century by reforming its voting laws and practices.
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A Better Approach to Voting Rights Act Cases
- Posted: May 5, 2014
- Author(s): Rais Akbar
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Home, Voting Rights
The Voting Rights Act has been critical for protecting voting rights since its passage in 1965. But as a recent case in Texas shows, preconditions that assume the use of single-member districts prevent the VRA from being used to its full effect.
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Right to Vote Resolution Passes Florida State University Student Government
- Posted: April 16, 2014
- Author(s): Kevin Werner
- Categories: Voting Rights
A constitutional amendment would protect the right to vote and would encumber Florida’s ability to pass suppressive voting bills like HB 1355. This is because, as a constitutional right, any change in voting would be subject to strict scrutiny review by courts, which require a compelling state interest.
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Montgomery County Task Force Makes Waves for Local Voting Rights
- Posted: April 9, 2014
- Author(s): , , , Ben Petit
- Categories: Voting Rights, Voter Turnout
With the release of its interim report on February 24th, the task force has set ambitious goals for the county’s elections, including adopting automatic voter registration, preventing partisan redistricting, improving civic outreach, bolstering voter turnout, and expanding civic education programs. The group has also announced plans to explore expanded suffrage for youths and people with felony convictions, ways to reduce wait times at the polls, and more inclusive ballot access laws.
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FairVote Applauds Bipartisan Effort to Upgrade the VRA
- Posted: January 17, 2014
- Author(s): Rob Richie
- Categories: Home, Voting Rights
Yesterday, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to give new life to the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the law last June. The bill creates a new coverage formula under Section 4, which, though not perfect, is a clear step in the right direction.
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Historic Expansion of Suffrage: 16- and 17-Year-Olds Vote in City Election
- Posted: November 6, 2013
- Author(s): Patricia Hart
- Categories: Voting Rights
In one Maryland town, November 5, 2013 was no ordinary Election Day: it marked the beginning of a trailblazing expansion of suffrage rights. Takoma Park is the first city in the United States to open its polls in a general election to residents after they turn 16. The result was remarkable, including a turnout rate that was double that of city residents 18 and over.