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The Political-Reform Movement Scores Its Biggest Win Yet

Election changes such as ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan primaries are popping up across the country—and are already upending national politics. Russell Berman | January 26, 2021 The ballot measure that Alaska adopted by a narrow margin last fall represents the farthest-reaching changes to any state’s election laws in recent memory, giving a boost to political … Continue reading The Political-Reform Movement Scores Its Biggest Win Yet

Alaska is a new model for ending toxic political partisanship in America

Alaska may have shown a way to make our political system reward rather than punish moderation, open the system to new voices and encourage civility. Mike Condray and Jeremy Mayer | January 18, 2021 Who would have thought that the best answer to America’s toxic polarization, the biggest problem in our political system, would come … Continue reading Alaska is a new model for ending toxic political partisanship in America

There’s a reason why Lisa Murkowski can threaten to leave the Republicans

Alaska’s new voting system makes it hard for Republicans to punish her Maine is currently the only state to use ranked-choice voting statewide. Here's a look at how ranked-choice voting works. (The Washington Post) By Lee Drutman | January 9, 2021 On Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowksi (R-Alaska) became the first Republican senator to call on … Continue reading There’s a reason why Lisa Murkowski can threaten to leave the Republicans

Monopoly Politics 2020: The Root of Dysfunction in the U.S. House of Representatives

December 17, 2020 FairVote’s Monopoly Politics is a biennial project conducted before each election cycle to predict the results of all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. First developed in 1997 as a forerunner to the Cook Partisan Voting Index and later refined to systematize its weighting of incumbency, Monopoly Politics’ influential methodology relies … Continue reading Monopoly Politics 2020: The Root of Dysfunction in the U.S. House of Representatives

A Survey and Analysis of Statewide Election Recounts, 2000-2019

November 4, 2020 The ability to handle a recount of votes to ensure fair, accurate and genuinely democratic outcomes is widely recognized as a critical component of election administration. Trust in elections requires trust in the recount process and ongoing learning about how best to conduct recounts and determine what victory margins and post-elections audit … Continue reading A Survey and Analysis of Statewide Election Recounts, 2000-2019

Ranked choice voting, explained

Lauren Dezenski | September 30, 2020 This year, Maine will be the first state to use ranked choice voting in a federal election. This applies to the presidential race, as well as the US House and US Senate. Here's what to know about the system. "By requiring the winner to reach more than 50 percent … Continue reading Ranked choice voting, explained

Ranked Choice Voting in Maine Key Statistics from Maine’s Second use of RCV in Federal and State Primaries July 2020

September 17, 2020 Maine held its second cycle of primary elections using ranked choice voting (RCV) in July 2020. Nine state and federal races used RCV, including the hotly-contested Republican primary for the second congressional district, for which FairVote conducted RCV polling prior to the election. This report examines the election results based on ballot … Continue reading Ranked Choice Voting in Maine Key Statistics from Maine’s Second use of RCV in Federal and State Primaries July 2020