Voting Methods Central covers the study, promotion and adoption of voting methods reform worldwide. Increasingly important systems of voting like instant-runoff voting, approval voting, top-two voting and proportional representation will be covered here. DC authors focused on voting methods include Aaron Hamlin, augustin, Michael Ossipoff and Richard Fobes.
redistricting
Ranked Voting May Offer Courts A Way To Fix Redistricting (9/1/2021) - Courts impose ranked-choice voting to remedy redistricting. It permits courts to correct redistricting without creating… 
Nine Redistricting Cases That Shaped History (8/19/2021) - Over the last few decades, courts have played a critical role in redistricting, ensuring that… 
How Best To Mitigate Prison Gerrymandering (8/18/2021) - Eleven states have now pledged to using data on former prisoner home addresses to locate… 
Let the Gerrymandering (and the Legal Battles) Begin (8/14/2021) - The Census Bureau will release statistics Thursday, kicking off a major redistricting dispute that could… 
Partisan Battle Over Maryland Redistricting Likely (8/13/2021) - When Maryland's legislative districts are reconfigured this year, it will be the first time in… 
Redistricting: How GOP reaped biggest advantage in decades (8/13/2021) - Republicans drew voting districts on census data giving them a political advantage in more states…
Ranked Voting May Offer Courts A Way To Fix Redistricting (9/1/2021) - Courts impose ranked-choice voting to remedy redistricting. It permits courts to correct redistricting without creating… Nine Redistricting Cases That Shaped History (8/19/2021) - Over the last few decades, courts have played a critical role in redistricting, ensuring that… How Best To Mitigate Prison Gerrymandering (8/18/2021) - Eleven states have now pledged to using data on former prisoner home addresses to locate… Let the Gerrymandering (and the Legal Battles) Begin (8/14/2021) - The Census Bureau will release statistics Thursday, kicking off a major redistricting dispute that could… Partisan Battle Over Maryland Redistricting Likely (8/13/2021) - When Maryland's legislative districts are reconfigured this year, it will be the first time in… Redistricting: How GOP reaped biggest advantage in decades (8/13/2021) - Republicans drew voting districts on census data giving them a political advantage in more states… direct democracy
Mexico Referendum On Accountability Of Ex-Presidents (8/3/2021) - Should ex-officials be tried for criminal conduct, a countrywide referendum held in Mexico on Sunday… 
Why America Needs Direct Democracy (7/28/2021) - A predicted demand for greater direct democracy would be the inevitable reaction to an overtly… 
Direct Democracy Options For Malaysia (7/7/2021) - A new perspective explores three direct democracy options for Malaysia: referendums, recall elections, and participatory… 
Grass-Roots Tradition of US Direct Democracy Is Dying (5/24/2021) - Republicans want to make it harder to use, or even eliminate ballot initiatives key to… 
Swiss Public Petitions: Seemingly Toothless Yet Fundamental (5/21/2021) - The oldest democratic tradition in Switzerland is petitioning. Every year, petitions with tens of thousands… 
Japan Bill To Amend Constitutional Referendum Law Proceeds (5/10/2021) - Japan’s Diet is expected to pass a new piece of legislation that amends the national…
Mexico Referendum On Accountability Of Ex-Presidents (8/3/2021) - Should ex-officials be tried for criminal conduct, a countrywide referendum held in Mexico on Sunday… Why America Needs Direct Democracy (7/28/2021) - A predicted demand for greater direct democracy would be the inevitable reaction to an overtly… Direct Democracy Options For Malaysia (7/7/2021) - A new perspective explores three direct democracy options for Malaysia: referendums, recall elections, and participatory… Grass-Roots Tradition of US Direct Democracy Is Dying (5/24/2021) - Republicans want to make it harder to use, or even eliminate ballot initiatives key to… Swiss Public Petitions: Seemingly Toothless Yet Fundamental (5/21/2021) - The oldest democratic tradition in Switzerland is petitioning. Every year, petitions with tens of thousands… Japan Bill To Amend Constitutional Referendum Law Proceeds (5/10/2021) - Japan’s Diet is expected to pass a new piece of legislation that amends the national… election methods
The Price of Free Elections (8/31/2021) - How much does an election cost? For a democracy as old as that of the… 
The Era of Easier Voting for Disabled People Is Over (8/27/2021) - "Thanks to absentee ballots, drop-off boxes, curbside voting, people with disabilities turned out in record… 
California Recall System Must Be Reformed (8/18/2021) - Some residents are suggesting that if Gov. Gavin Newsom is recalled, they plan to type… 
Did Seattle’s Democracy Vouchers Combat Big Money? (8/14/2021) - The results of the August 2021 mayoral primary, which was the first time vouchers were… 
Pay People To Vote (8/11/2021) - A coupon for every qualified voter who votes is an example of a fiscal carrot… 
Questions About Seattle’s ‘Democracy Voucher’ Program (8/10/2021) - Seattle's democracy voucher program is a trailblazer but there are important questions that need to…
The Price of Free Elections (8/31/2021) - How much does an election cost? For a democracy as old as that of the… The Era of Easier Voting for Disabled People Is Over (8/27/2021) - "Thanks to absentee ballots, drop-off boxes, curbside voting, people with disabilities turned out in record… California Recall System Must Be Reformed (8/18/2021) - Some residents are suggesting that if Gov. Gavin Newsom is recalled, they plan to type… Did Seattle’s Democracy Vouchers Combat Big Money? (8/14/2021) - The results of the August 2021 mayoral primary, which was the first time vouchers were… Pay People To Vote (8/11/2021) - A coupon for every qualified voter who votes is an example of a fiscal carrot… Questions About Seattle’s ‘Democracy Voucher’ Program (8/10/2021) - Seattle's democracy voucher program is a trailblazer but there are important questions that need to… What Voting Methods We Should Use
Voting systems, also known as election methods, have a revolutionary potential that is not grasped by the general public even though there is an entire universe of research on this topic.
When we were just getting started as a website, Democracy Chronicles founder Adrian Tawfik conducted an exclusive interview series with an international group of election method proponents including prominent signers of the Declaration of Election-Method Reform Advocates. It is a great example of the diversity of the people involved. The best place to start off is the Democracy Chronicles introduction and then take a look at each of these interviews:
- Richard Fobes – Election Method Reformer Speaks With DC
- Aaron Hamlin – Interview With President of Center for Election Science
- augustin – Writer Discusses Election Reform and New Website
- Michael Allen – Election Method Reformer Seeks Radical Changes
- Jameson Quinn – Election Expert Discusses Reform in US and Guatemala
- Michael Ossipoff – Democracy Chronicles Author Discusses Approval Voting
- Robert Bristow-Johnson – Expert Demands Reducing Money in Elections
Also see the DC Interview With Creator of Wooden Models of Voting Methods with artist Peter A. Taylor.
internet and voting
Arizona official seeks probe after voter data posted online (9/20/2021) - After voter registration documents were leaked online, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer has asked for… 
How Online Censorship Affects Internet Freedom in China (8/12/2021) - The sheer perseverance and linguistic ingenuity of activists and dissidents are impressive, but the Chinese… 
Maine To Allow Online Voter Registration In 2023 (7/25/2021) - Maine has taken a significant step toward easing voting. Residents will soon be able to… 
Could Balloons Power Uncensored Internet In Cuba? (7/19/2021) - Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis (R), proposed internet transmission to Cuba via high-altitude balloons when it… 
Cuba’s Internet Cutoff: A New Tactic To Suppress Dissent (7/14/2021) - Cuban authorities have restricted social media sites, ostensibly to stifle information flow into, out of,… 
Bing Censors Image Search for ‘Tank Man’ Worldwide (6/6/2021) - China restricts information about the tank man and Tiananmen Square more generally. In Hong Kong,…
Arizona official seeks probe after voter data posted online (9/20/2021) - After voter registration documents were leaked online, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer has asked for… How Online Censorship Affects Internet Freedom in China (8/12/2021) - The sheer perseverance and linguistic ingenuity of activists and dissidents are impressive, but the Chinese… Maine To Allow Online Voter Registration In 2023 (7/25/2021) - Maine has taken a significant step toward easing voting. Residents will soon be able to… Could Balloons Power Uncensored Internet In Cuba? (7/19/2021) - Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis (R), proposed internet transmission to Cuba via high-altitude balloons when it… Cuba’s Internet Cutoff: A New Tactic To Suppress Dissent (7/14/2021) - Cuban authorities have restricted social media sites, ostensibly to stifle information flow into, out of,… Bing Censors Image Search for ‘Tank Man’ Worldwide (6/6/2021) - China restricts information about the tank man and Tiananmen Square more generally. In Hong Kong,… proportionality
How Many Californians Is Your Vote Worth? (5/25/2021) - If you live in California, you might be outraged that an 18th-century system designed to… 
What Would Proportional Representation Look Like In The US? (4/7/2021) - What would happen if the United States adopted a proportional representation election system for the… 
The Important Interchange Between The Census And Redistricting (4/4/2021) - In the interchange between the national census and redistricting, the census is expected to lead… 
Time to get MO! (3/29/2021) - The MO is what you most desire, what you most want. Not “you” personally, but… 
Islamist-Arab Party Might Determine Who Governs Israel (3/25/2021) - Israel is currently in an electoral process. But the system in place could cause an… 
South Africa’s Time For Electoral Reform May Have Arrived (3/24/2021) - Proportional representation hands power to party bosses which disempowers voters. It may be time for…
How Many Californians Is Your Vote Worth? (5/25/2021) - If you live in California, you might be outraged that an 18th-century system designed to… What Would Proportional Representation Look Like In The US? (4/7/2021) - What would happen if the United States adopted a proportional representation election system for the… The Important Interchange Between The Census And Redistricting (4/4/2021) - In the interchange between the national census and redistricting, the census is expected to lead… Time to get MO! (3/29/2021) - The MO is what you most desire, what you most want. Not “you” personally, but… Islamist-Arab Party Might Determine Who Governs Israel (3/25/2021) - Israel is currently in an electoral process. But the system in place could cause an… South Africa’s Time For Electoral Reform May Have Arrived (3/24/2021) - Proportional representation hands power to party bosses which disempowers voters. It may be time for… judicial elections
Study Estimating Judicial Ideology Finds Rise in Polarization (2/9/2021) - Reviewing the substantial literature on estimating judicial ideology, from the US Supreme Court to the… 
SolarWinds Hack May be Big Setback to Judicial Transparency (1/28/2021) - The vulnerability in SolarWinds resulted in an “apparent compromise” of “highly sensitive non-public documents,” such… 
Why Official Records Must be Made Public for Elected Prosecutors (2/16/2019) - America’s locally elected prosecutors have authority to reinforce mass incarceration and racial disparities incriminal legal… 
Dark Money Dominating State Supreme Court Races (10/31/2018) - Outside groups continue to pour money into state supreme court campaigns, television advertising spending so… 
Dark Money Groups to Spend Millions in State Supreme Court Races (9/20/2018) - The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law will track, analyze, and publish… 
Money Starting to Dominate State Supreme Court Elections (12/29/2017) - Causing the greatest distress is the growing prevalence of so-called “dark money” in state judicial…
Study Estimating Judicial Ideology Finds Rise in Polarization (2/9/2021) - Reviewing the substantial literature on estimating judicial ideology, from the US Supreme Court to the… SolarWinds Hack May be Big Setback to Judicial Transparency (1/28/2021) - The vulnerability in SolarWinds resulted in an “apparent compromise” of “highly sensitive non-public documents,” such… Why Official Records Must be Made Public for Elected Prosecutors (2/16/2019) - America’s locally elected prosecutors have authority to reinforce mass incarceration and racial disparities incriminal legal… Dark Money Dominating State Supreme Court Races (10/31/2018) - Outside groups continue to pour money into state supreme court campaigns, television advertising spending so… Dark Money Groups to Spend Millions in State Supreme Court Races (9/20/2018) - The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law will track, analyze, and publish… Money Starting to Dominate State Supreme Court Elections (12/29/2017) - Causing the greatest distress is the growing prevalence of so-called “dark money” in state judicial…