 FairVote logo | |
| Formation | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Takoma Park, Maryland |
| Executive Director[1] | Robert Richie |
| Member Relations[2] | Cynthia Terrell |
| Former Names | Citizens for Proportional Representation, Center for Voting and Democracy |
| Website | http://www.fairvote.org/ |
FairVote (formerly the Citizens for Proportional Representation and the Center for Voting and Democracy) is a 501(c)(3) organization that advocates electoral reform in the United States.[3] Founded in 1992 as the Citizens for Proportional Representation (CPR) to support the implementation of proportional representation in local elections, the organization has since changed its name to FairVote to emphasize its support of such platforms as instant-runoff voting for single-winner elections, a national popular vote for president, a right to vote amendment to the Constitution, and universal voter registration.[4][5] FairVote also releases regular publications including Dubious Democracy[6] and Monopoly Politics[7] that report on the state of the U.S. electoral system. Other such projects as Representation 2020 aim for voter outreach and increased voter participation.[8] The organization influences and supports similar groups including FairVote Minnesota and FairVote Canada advocating for alternative electoral practices.[9][10]
About
editFounding
editFairVote was originally founded in 1992 in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the Citizens for Proportional Representation by a diverse group of scholars, grassroots activists, civic leaders, and politicians.[11] The result of a merge of several smaller groups all promoting proportional representation reform into a single, nationalized advocacy group, it originally consisted of Robert Richie as executive director, Matthew Cossolotto as president, and former Congressman and presidential candidate John Anderson head of its national advisory board.[12] The CPR ended its founding year with around 200 members and operated in Alexandria, Virginia.
| 2014 Board of Directors[13] | Krist Novoselic John Anderson Edward Hailes Cynthia Terrell William Redpath Hendrik Hertzberg David Wilner Katie Ghose Paul Jacob Esperanza Tervalon-Daumont Tim Hayes |
|---|
History and Timeline
editSince its founding, FairVote has expanded its reach and expressed their platforms to both the public and all levels of government through blogs, newsletters, lobbying, interviews, amicus curiae briefs, and other media outlets. Noted events include:
- 1992: Ted Berry, the first African-American mayor of Cincinnati, conducts a welcoming speech at the opening convention of the CPR. Berry was a firm supporter of proportional representation and fought in the 1980s and 1990s to reinstate the practice in Cincinnati after its repeal in 1957.[14]
- 1993: The Citizens for Proportional Representation changed its name to the Center for Voting and Democracy to reflect support of other such reforms as instant runoff voting and universal voter registration. The Center for Voting and Democracy relocated to Washington, D.C.[15]
- 1994: Robert Richie appears on national radio to explain a federal judge's ruling of using cumulative voting to settle a voting rights case in Cane vs. Worcester County, M.D.[16] The Center for Voting and Democracy releases the first Dubious Democracy, its biannual report on the state of democracy in congressional elections.[17]
- 1997: The Center releases Monopoly Politics, a report on the undemocratic elements of the single winner plurality system.[18] The Center's news conference is filmed on C-SPAN, and Rob Richie's opinion appears in the New York Times.[19]
- 1999: Instant runoff voting for statewide elections passes in the New Mexico State Senate.[20]
- 2002: San Francisco becomes the first major city to adopt instant runoff voting for certain city-wide elections[21]
- 2005: Arkansas institutes instant runoff voting for overseas military voters[22]
- 2006: South Carolina institutes instant runoff voting for military and overseas voters[23]
- 2012: Robert Richie writes for The Huffington Post supporting a national popular vote for president[24]
- 2013: Robert Richie coauthors the fourth edition of Every Vote Equal, a book explaining and supporting the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact[25]
- 2014: New York lawmakers a national popular vote bill that will award the state's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote[26]
As of 2014, FairVote is headquartered in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Mission
editFairVote seeks to form a more representative democracy "in which most Americans can elect representatives and hold them accountable, in which city voters are as important as suburban voters, in which people of color and women are as likely to win representation as white men and in which campaigns provide opportunities for substantive debate about a full range of policy ideas."[27] FairVote concentrates its efforts on electoral reform in the United States through research, education, outreach, and support of policies that foster equal representation and greater transparency within the electoral administration.[28] The organization's agenda falls into three broad categories: fair access to participation, fair elections, and fair representation. To that end, it sponsors programs like the Democracy Secretary of State (SoS) Project which scrutinizes practices obstructing the voting process while proposing solutions to hold electoral officials accountable for their actions. The Engaging Millennials project extends outreach to young voters.[29][30] Members of FairVote regularly write blogs, provide commentary in interviews, and offer internships for interested youth.[31]
References
edit- ^ "National Office Staff". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "National Office Staff". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Who We Are". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "PR Web Sites". Mount Holyoke College. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Reforms". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Dubious Democracy". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Monopoly Politics 2014". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "Who We Are and What We Do". Representation 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "FairVote Minnesota Foundation". FairVote Minnesota Foundation. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "About". FairVote Canada. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ Poundstone, William (2008). Gaming the vote : why elections aren't fair (and what we can do about it) (1st ed. ed.). New York: Hill and Wang. p. 262. ISBN 0809048930.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - ^ "Celebrating 10 Years of Seeking Fair Elections! A Special Anniversary Edition". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Board of Directors". FairVote. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ Laugle, Laura. "Proportional Representation in Cincinnati". University of Cincinnati. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Celebrating 10 Years of Seeking Fair Elections!". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Cane v. Worcester County, M.D." Leagle. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Dubious Democracy". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Cook, Charles. "New Study Identifies 75 Seats That Should Be In Play for '98 Election". Roll Call. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Richie, Rob. "First, Reform Constitutional Convention Rules". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Langan, James (2005). "Instant Runoff Voting: A Cure That Is Likely Worse than the Disease". William and Mary Law Review. 46 (4).
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Where Instant Runoff Voting Is Used". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "IRV Bills Move Ahead". Ballot Access. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ "BIG GAINS FOR INSTANT-RUNOFF VOTING IN VERMONT, SOUTH CAROLINA AND ALABAMA". Ballot Access. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ Richie, Rob. "The Nonpartisan Case for National Popular Vote: Al Gore, not GOP Platform, Gets It Right". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ Koza, John (December 2006). Every Vote Equal. Los Altos, CA: National Popular Vote Press. ISBN ISBN 978-0-9790107-0-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - ^ "NY lawmakers approve 'National Popular Vote' bill". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ "Who We Are". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Research & Analysis". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Democracy SOS Project". FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Engaging Millennials: Changing How We Vote and How We Organize". New York University. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy". Tufts University. Retrieved 3 April 2014.