This week’s Expand Democracy 5 is live! 🗳️ RCV and its critics 💰 Re-gerrymandering explained 💪 Expanding citizen initiatives @newamerica.org 🎬 Deliberative democracy in action 🕙 Timely links We’re taking a break in August—so don’t miss this one! 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

🚨 New Expand Democracy 5 is live! 🚨 🕳️ Why conspiracy theories thrive in a two-party system 🌊 The rise of Japan’s “Japanese First” party ⚡ Michigan’s new push for RCV @rankmivote.bsky.social 🎓 College reform stacking 🕙 Timely links Check it out 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

The Fair Representation Act @beyer.house.gov @raskin.house.gov is back in Congress to establish ranked choice voting for all U.S. Senate & U.S. House races & proportional RCV for most House races. This is the most important electoral reform proposal of our time. beyer.house.gov/news/documen...

I took the lead in writing The Five for @expanddemocracy.bsky.social this week. I'm particularly eager for people to share thoughts on the opening deep dive on balancing global, national and local governance.

📬 The Expand Democracy 5 is out! 📬 🚀 Elon’s third party reflects issues in the two-party system 🏆 RCV and voter turnout in NYC ⚡ Preserving rights for incarcerated citizens ❌ Cancelled Miami election sparks outrage 🕓 Timely links 🔗 Read and subscribe here: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

I was the lead writer in this week’s @ExpandDemocracy 5, with the case for Supreme Court reform, collaborative policymaking tools, faster ranked choice voting counting & more. Check it out!

I'm sharing this @nytimes.com times link to a strong story on "New Yorkers Embraced Ranked-Choice Voting....Here are five takeaways from New York City’s second experience with ranked choice voting" www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/n...

See NYTimes on positive incentives in ranked choice voting elections in New York. “[RCV] shaped the competition from the beginning. It rewards a campaign style that played to Mr. Mamdani’s strengths: ever-present, on-the-street, nonstop voter engagement.” www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/n...

📬 The Expand Democracy 5 is out now! 🏆 How RCV reshaped Zohran Mamdani’s NYC primary win ⚡ Defense of citizen-initiated ballot measures 💸 Virginia slashes voter data costs 🚧 Persistent barriers to voting in Native American communities 🕓 Timely links expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

It was my turn to do the Five for ExpandDemocracy this week — check it out!

This week, @cynthiarterrell.bsky.social is sharing stories from: @cityandstateny.bsky.social, @us.theconversation.com, @theatlantic.com, @propublica.org, @urbanmilwaukee.com, and @lorissa.bsky.social.

If that’s what they do to a United States Senator with a question, imagine what they can do to any American that dares to speak up. We will hold this administration accountable.

🚨 New Expand Democracy 5 just dropped! 🚨 🧨 The psychology of political violence in America 💡 Reimagining the voter guide 📖 Creating citizens’ initiative assemblies ⚡ Allowing 17-year-olds to vote 🕓 This week’s timely links Read more and subscribe here: 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

Big win for ranked choice voting! Congrats to Maine state legislators & groups like League of Women Voters of Maine for passing bill now going to governor to extend RCV to November elections for governor & state legislature. www.pressherald.com/2025/06/11/m...

On @wamu.org @mayorbowser.bsky.social showed shocking contempt for voters in dismissing the 73% to 27% win in 2024 for I83 & open primaries with ranked choice voting as due to "outsiders." I83 won in every precinct & by >2-to-1 in every ward. Let's support both DC statehood & democracy in DC

Had a lot to say this week in the Expand Democracy 5. Most timely analysis could be on the impact of having ranked choice voting on IE's (independent expenditures) - RCV reduces the impact of negative attack ads & the money spent on them.

Australia uses ranked choice voting & is in the midst of a recount of an incredibly close race where an independent "teal" might oust a Liberal Party incumbent after trailing by 11% in 1st choices. Latest recount has the margin of a single vote. www.abc.net.au/news/electio...

I lead with my take on what's next for the ranked choice voting movement and address other timely topics. Check it out!

Last night I attended the premiere of AJ Schneck’s strong half-hour documentary Majority Rules 101, available free to help advocacy of ranked choice voting and open primaries. I’m one of the film’s speakers explaining reforms and the trajectory of change. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA1...

Check out my latest @expanddemocracy.bsky.social weekly update - lots of analysis and timely links about strengthening our democracy in a time of disturbing challenges both here and abroad. open.substack.com/pub/expandde...

Such wonderful news. Judith recently announced she will step down from her role later this year. This prize cements her legacy - although we all have so much to do toward building upon it.

The latest @expanddemocracy.bsky.social weekly 5 in The Fulcrum in electing the pope, bridging, House size, press freedom, timely links the fulcrum.us/may5-expand-democracy-5-2671883510

Australia: ranked choice voting is great for allowing choice & making more votes count, but winner-take-in-all in house poorly represents smaller parties. RCV in multi seat districts in its senate provides proportional representation. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Australia elections: teal independents all earn reelection. Total independent winners in double digits. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05...

At Athens Democracy Forum @cynthiarterrell.bsky.social & I had great time talking ranked choice voting & 21st century democracy w/“teal independent” Kate Chaney. Congrats to Kate for her reelection today in Australia. See story on what being an independent means for her. www.msn.com/en-au/news/o...

Australia has used ranked choice voting for more than a century, with both the major conservative and liberal parties having their moments. Perhaps Trump‘s recent grumpiness about RCV relates to how his brand of politics is starting to struggle with securing majority support.

Major effort @StevenHill1776 has posted on SSRN an in-depth review of scholarship on ranked choice voting. Spoiler alert: much of it is sub-par. Other misses the forest for the trees. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Lots of great content and useful links in the latest weekly Expand Democracy 5. Check it out!

Canada election results coming tonight! Like the USA, Canada is a continental democracy, but one that structures poll hours such that nearly all polls close at 9:30 pm ET. Nice innovation! www.elections.ca/content2.asp...

Australia has its next national election on May 3, using ranked choice voting as it has done for over 100 years. Fascinating to see how RCV & political organizing are increasing competition across districts & the latest overall instant runoff patterns. theconversation.com/australias-e...

New York City upholds majority rule large w/ranked choice voting for its city primary elections & for general elections to fill vacancies. Staten Island voters will use RCV tomorrow in a special election in city council district 51. www.silive.com/politics/202...

Check out the latest issue of The Expand Democracy 5! This week, we discuss voter turnout in off-calendar elections, RCV at college campuses, and updates on electoral college reform. Read more here: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

Congrats to @gmikeparsons.bsky.social & Rachel Hutchinson of @fairvote.bsky.social for having the top downloaded paper on election law on SSRN: right now: "Reform for Realists: The False Promise of Condorcet Voting" electionlawblog.org?p=149448

Some ranked choice voting skeptics don't think RCV makes a difference. Australia shows that RCV always helps voters while also creating space for transformational politics when the time is ripe. See "no safe seats now" piece as Australia prepares to vote. theconversation.com/australias-e...

I've just posted the latest edition of The Expand Democracy Five with items on: Rash governance with winner-take-all / Voting by mail / Virtual legislative participation /Expanding the voting age / Making elections special. Dive in! expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

Students at more than 100 USA colleges have adopted ranked choice voting for electing student leaders. Referendum at the University of Oregon this year won 92% to 8%. drive.google.com/file/d/1LRdH...

My @expanddemocracy.bsky.social colleague Eveline Dowling is lead author on today's Expand Democracy 5 update. Highlights include items on participatory budgeting, digital democracy, money in politics, shorter elections & civil campaign incentives with RCV. expanddem.substack.com/p/expand-dem...

Rick includes my comment: "While NYC uses Ranked Choice Voting for party primaries, the charter commission narrowly voted not to put use of RCV in general elections on the ballot.. So this could be a wild ride this year depending on the outcome of the Democratic and Republican mayoral primaries.”

UPDATE: Indiana's state House passed this banning student IDs for voting yesterday. The bill already passed the Senate, but it has to go back for concurrence — and then heads to the governor.

Big twist in the momentous mayoral election in New York City. In what may signal things to come in US politics, Adams will be a 3rd major candidate in November with a plurality voting system built for only 2. (NYC only uses ranked choice voting in primary & special elections.)

Colorado State University is among 100+ US colleges where students use ranked choice voting to elect their leaders. After 2023 adoption of RCV, a big boost in candidates & campaign energy this year. collegian.com/articles/new...

BREAKING NEWS: Skokie, IL just became the THIRD municipality in Illinois to adopt #RankedChoiceVoting! 58.29% of voters voted to pass the binding referendum, which requires that future elections of Mayor, Clerk, and Village Board Trustees be conducted via ranked choice voting.

Read my #WeekendReading column on @msmagazine.com with news about women running for office, state voting rights acts & shoutouts to women leaders!

Check out the inaugural edition of a new @expanddemocracy.bsky.social publication: The Expand Democracy 5. This week has stories on voting rights, redistricting, open primaries, presidential primaries & checks and balances. Subscribe at link for future issues. expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

Donald Trump's executive order on elections is triggering growing concern about a federal takeover of elections grounded in a conservative policy wishlist that has no precedent in the United States. Here's a timely analysis by libertarian-leaning R Street. www.rstreet.org/commentary/b...

See this thoughtful, if sobering, post from Bradley Tusk. Much of the stability in our 237-year-old constitutional republic comes from respect for democratic norms & traditions. Those norms are under dangerous levels of stress right now: bradleytusk.substack.com/p/there-are-...

Fun conversation on @realbillmaher.bsky.social diving into ranked choice voting with Ezra Klein & Andrew Ferguson. This link jumps to it - both Ferguson and Klein explain how RCV is a good idea that we should pass where we can. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lo1...

New Mexico bill to open primaries goes to its governor: "340,000 New Mexico voters, roughly a quarter of all voters in the state, were not affiliated with any of the state’s three major parties...And 40% of New Mexico voters aged 18 to 24 are unaffiliated" sourcenm.com/briefs/nm-ho...

Important @stateline.org article on the expanding movement for state Voting Rights Acts -- among new states that may adopt them this year are Maryland and Colorado. stateline.org/2025/03/21/t...

Oakland has special elections for mayor and District 2 city council on April 15. The @mercurynews.com endorses @BarbaraLee_CA for mayor & a ranked choice voting ballot for council: Charlene Wang 1st, Harold Lowe 2nd & Kanitha Matour 3rd: www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/22/e...