Electoral reform in the United States
Encyclopedia
Electoral reform in the United States refers to efforts to change American elections
and the electoral system used in the United States
.
The U.S. uses a single member district plurality system to elect the members of its lower legislative house, the U.S. House of Representatives. Every ten years, after a census, the two major parties have a redistricting fight to determine the boundaries of these districts, and to protect the seats of incumbents. As a result, turnover in the House is low. Democratic representation is also quite low, because under a two-party system with single member districts elected with winner-take-all, any outside challenger would become a spoiler
. Both parties have made efforts to gerrymander these districts using computer-generated maps designed to protect incumbents' seats; partially as a result of this, turnover in this house is typically low. The United States Senate
and the U.S. President are also elected using the plurality system, although these positions are safe from gerrymandering (with the possible exception of presidential races in Maine and Nebraska, whose electoral votes are partially allocated by Congressional district) due to the fixed borders of states.
Proposals for electoral reform have included abolishing the U.S. Electoral College or nullifying its impact through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
; implementing Instant Runoff Voting; and electing members of Congress by Single Transferable Vote
; improving Ballot access
for third parties; among others. The U.S. Constitution gives states wide latitude to determine how elections are conducted, although some details, such as the ban on poll tax
es, are mandated at the federal level.
is a non-profit organization based in Takoma Park, Maryland
, whose mission is to achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation for all. Formerly the Center for Voting and Democracy, it supports a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for president, instant-runoff voting
and proportional representation. It provides information to the public about the impact of voting system
s on political representation and voter turnout
, issues reports on legislative redistricting
and competition in U.S. congressional elections and seeks to initiate greater cooperation and coordination among pro-democracy
organizations through the Democracy SoS Initiative.
The executive director and founder is Robert Richie.
Policy analyst Michael E. Arth
is one of the leading advocates for electoral reform
in the United States. Arth ran for the office of Florida governor in 2010 (initially as a Democrat
, and later as No Party Affiliation
with this as his major platform. Arth said that it is rare for candidates, or any politician to advocate for electoral reform because it threatens the power structure, which is strongly influenced by special interests
opposed to democratic change. Depending on the depth of the reform, it would also threaten the two-party system. Arth supports FairVote's agenda, but also advocates for what he calls "pre-voting," in order to determine whether a candidate makes a ranked choice ballot and what his or her ranking would be. Pre-voting, with publicly financed micro-payments, would occur during the campaign. The amounts involved would not be enough to finance ads, signage, bumper stickers, or any of the usual campaign marketing. Instead, candidates would be required to debate and they would be provided with websites where they would be required to post all pertinent information. No paid lobbyists, 527 organizations or political action committees
would be allowed. Arth writes that the U.S. cannot have good leaders or good public policy without first having electoral reform.
Elections in the United States
The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at the federal , state and local levels. On a national level, the head of state, the President, is elected indirectly by the people, through an Electoral College. In modern times, the electors virtually always vote with the popular...
and the electoral system used in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The U.S. uses a single member district plurality system to elect the members of its lower legislative house, the U.S. House of Representatives. Every ten years, after a census, the two major parties have a redistricting fight to determine the boundaries of these districts, and to protect the seats of incumbents. As a result, turnover in the House is low. Democratic representation is also quite low, because under a two-party system with single member districts elected with winner-take-all, any outside challenger would become a spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler may refer to:* Spoiler , a device to reduce lift in aeronautics* Spoiler , a device to modify air flow in order to increase fuel efficiency or improve handling in automobiles...
. Both parties have made efforts to gerrymander these districts using computer-generated maps designed to protect incumbents' seats; partially as a result of this, turnover in this house is typically low. The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and the U.S. President are also elected using the plurality system, although these positions are safe from gerrymandering (with the possible exception of presidential races in Maine and Nebraska, whose electoral votes are partially allocated by Congressional district) due to the fixed borders of states.
Proposals for electoral reform have included abolishing the U.S. Electoral College or nullifying its impact through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among U.S. states designed to replace current state rules governing the electoral college system of presidential elections with rules guaranteeing election of the national popular vote winner...
; implementing Instant Runoff Voting; and electing members of Congress by Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
; improving Ballot access
Ballot access
Ballot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
for third parties; among others. The U.S. Constitution gives states wide latitude to determine how elections are conducted, although some details, such as the ban on poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
es, are mandated at the federal level.
Advocates for electoral reform
FairVoteFairVote
FairVote is a U.S. non-profit organization based in Takoma Park, Maryland, whose mission is to achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation for all...
is a non-profit organization based in Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City," is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone...
, whose mission is to achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation for all. Formerly the Center for Voting and Democracy, it supports a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for president, instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
and proportional representation. It provides information to the public about the impact of voting system
Voting system
A voting system or electoral system is a method by which voters make a choice between options, often in an election or on a policy referendum....
s on political representation and voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
, issues reports on legislative redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
and competition in U.S. congressional elections and seeks to initiate greater cooperation and coordination among pro-democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
organizations through the Democracy SoS Initiative.
The executive director and founder is Robert Richie.
Policy analyst Michael E. Arth
Michael E. Arth
Michael E. Arth is an American artist, home/landscape/urban designer, public policy analyst, advocate for the homeless, futurist, and author. He was a candidate for the governor of Florida in 2009 and 2010.-Art:Michael E...
is one of the leading advocates for electoral reform
Electoral reform
Electoral reform is change in electoral systems to improve how public desires are expressed in election results. That can include reforms of:...
in the United States. Arth ran for the office of Florida governor in 2010 (initially as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and later as No Party Affiliation
No Party Affiliation
No Party Affiliation or NPA is a term used to apply to those voters or politicians who do not hold an affiliation with any particular political party. Another term which is often used in place of "NPA" is "Independent".In the U.S...
with this as his major platform. Arth said that it is rare for candidates, or any politician to advocate for electoral reform because it threatens the power structure, which is strongly influenced by special interests
Special Interest Group
A Special Interest Group is a community with an interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to effect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organize conferences...
opposed to democratic change. Depending on the depth of the reform, it would also threaten the two-party system. Arth supports FairVote's agenda, but also advocates for what he calls "pre-voting," in order to determine whether a candidate makes a ranked choice ballot and what his or her ranking would be. Pre-voting, with publicly financed micro-payments, would occur during the campaign. The amounts involved would not be enough to finance ads, signage, bumper stickers, or any of the usual campaign marketing. Instead, candidates would be required to debate and they would be provided with websites where they would be required to post all pertinent information. No paid lobbyists, 527 organizations or political action committees
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
would be allowed. Arth writes that the U.S. cannot have good leaders or good public policy without first having electoral reform.