Fairvote

FAIRVOTE IS A NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION SEEKING BETTER ELECTIONS FOR ALL. WE RESEARCH AND ADVANCE VOTING REFORMS THAT MAKE DEMOCRACY MORE FUNCTIONAL AND REPRESENTATIVE FOR EACH AMERICAN.

MISSION: FAIRVOTE IS A NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION SEEKING BETTER ELECTIONS FOR ALL. WE RESEARCH AND ADVANCE VOTING REFORMS THAT MAKE DEMOCRACY MORE FUNCTIONAL AND REPRESENTATIVE FOR EVERY AMERICAN. SINCE 1992, WE HAVE A PROVEN RECORD AS A NONPARTISAN INNOVATOR IN ELECTIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH, COMMUNICATIONS, AND COLLABORATION. TODAY, WE ARE A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE POTENTIAL OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING (RCV) AND FAIR REPRESENTATION IN MULTI-WINNER LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS TO OPEN UP OUR ELECTIONS TO BETTER CHOICES, FAIRER REPRESENTATION AND MORE CIVIL CAMPAIGNS. WE HERE PROVIDE AN ILLUSTRATIVE SUMMARY IN MAJOR AREAS OF WORK FAIRVOTE DID IN 2021, FOLLOWED BY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES:RCV IN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES: FAIRVOTE ELEVATES THE POTENTIAL USE OF RCV BALLOTS IN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES AS AN IMPROVEMENT THAT BENEFITS ALL PARTIES, IN ADDITION TO BEING A PARTICULARLY SENSIBLE COMPLEMENT TO INCREASED USE OF EARLY VOTING. USING RCV FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES PRESENTS UNUSUAL COMPLEXITY GIVEN THE FACT THAT PARTIES HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THE SAME PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS DIFFERENTLY FOR DELEGATE ALLOCATION BASED ON THEIR OWN RULES. OUR LEGAL TEAM CONSULTED WITH A RANGE OF PARTY OFFICIALS, LAWMAKERS, AND REFORM PARTNERS TO SETTLE ON POLICY AND STATUTORY LANGUAGE THAT WE THINK BEST MEETS OUR ADVOCACY AND IMPACT OBJECTIVES IN THIS AREA.MEDIA COVERAGE ON RCV: FAIRVOTE HAS BUILT ON OUR REPUTATION AS THE GO-TO ORGANIZATION ON RANKED CHOICE VOTING. WE INVESTED IN A RETHINK MEDIA AUDIT OF NATIONAL COVERAGE OF RCV IN 2021 FOR REFORM ALLIES AND FOR OURSELVES. THIS AUDITS FINDINGS INCLUDED WHICH MESSAGES TEND TO GAIN TRACTION AMONG RCV PROPONENTS AND OPPONENTS AND WHERE WE TEND TO SEE WINS. FAIRVOTE WAS BY FAR THE MOST CITED AUTHORITY ON RCV, AND OUR EFFORTS ALONG WITH THOSE OF OUR ALLIES CONTRIBUTED TO RCV RECEIVING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE POSITIVE COVERAGE THAN NEGATIVE COVERAGE DESPITE CHALLENGES IN THE REPORTING OF RCV RESULTS IN THE HIGH-PROFILE NEW YORK CITY PRIMARIES FOR MAYOR AND OTHER OFFICES. FAIRVOTES ROB RICHIE WAS ASKED TO WRITE A FULL-LENGTH OPED ON RCV IN THE NEW YORK TIMES AND WAS FEATURED IN A WIDE MIX OF PRINT, RADIO, PODCAST AND TV ACROSS THE YEAR.BEHIND THE SCENES, FAIRVOTE ALSO PROVIDED BACKGROUND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE TO MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, INCLUDING EDITORIAL BOARDS AND NATIONAL COLUMNISTS. FAIRVOTE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE TO JOURNALISTS IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THE RIGHT STORY, NOT JUST A SOURCE TO BE QUOTED. SUPPLEMENTED BY MEDIA CONSULTANT CONTRACTS ACROSS MOST OF 2021 FAIRVOTE PROVIDED REGULAR STRUCTURAL SUPPORT TO COALITION AND STATE PARTNERS, INCLUDING STRATEGIC GUIDANCE, CONTENT CREATION, SUPPORTIVE RESEARCH MATERIALS, AND THE DRAFTING AND PLACING OF LOCALIZED OP-EDS IN SUPPORT OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN STRATEGIC STATES, FROM TEXAS TO CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA. NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON DEMOCRACY: SENIOR FELLOW DAVID DALEY IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE NATIONS FOREMOST AUTHORITIES ON REDISTRICTING AND HAD A STEADY STREAM OF MEDIA HITS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND PUBLISHED ARTICLES THAT DREW ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF GERRYMANDERING AND THE VALUE OF THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX WITH PROPORTIONAL VOTING. HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR INCLUDE A CAPITOL HILL BRIEFING IN JUNE 2021 WITH REP. DON BEYER, A NETROOTS NATION PANEL WITH REP. JAMIE RASKIN, AND SEVERAL NATIONAL CONVENINGS WITH FORMER GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER. FAIRVOTE ALSO PRESENTED ITS REFORM VISION AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATORS IN 2021 AND YIELDED A ROOM OF 80 LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. FAIRVOTE WEBINARS CONTINUE TO PROVE SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING TOGETHER 1) A STRONG BASE OF SUPPORT FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING AND THE FRA AND 2) CHANGEMAKERS IN LEARNING AND DISCUSSING KEY REFORMS. PANELISTS HAVE INCLUDED DR. DANIELLE ALLEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND FAIRVOTE ACTION BOARD MEMBER ANDREW YANG, BUT ATTENDEES REGULARLY INCLUDE JOURNALISTS, ELECTION OFFICIALS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, ACADEMICS, AND OTHER KEY PARTICIPANTS IN THE MOVEMENT TO ENACT MEANINGFUL ELECTION REFORMS. ALTOGETHER, FAIRVOTE HOSTED SEVEN WEBINARS OVER THE PAST YEAR. EACH WEBINAR AVERAGED MORE THAN 100 ATTENDEES, WITH TYPICALLY A FOURTH OF ATTENDEES PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY COMMITTED TO ELECTION REFORMS IN SOME WAY.OUR ONLINE PRESENCE REMAINS A TOP OF THE FUNNEL WAY FOR MANY PEOPLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT RCV. OUR TWITTER HANDLES HAVE GROWING NUMBERS OF FOLLOWERS, AND OUR FAIRVOTE.ORG WEBSITE IS HIGH UP IN KEY GOOGLE SEARCHES AROUND ELECTIONSAPPLIED RESEARCH REPORTS: WE HAVE CREATED A PROGRAM DEPARTMENT FOR OUR RESEARCH AND POLICY TEAM AS A REFLECTION OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO FAIRVOTE. MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE PAST YEAR INCLUDE: A NEW YORK CITY REPORT PACKAGING OUR REAL-TIME RESEARCH ON RCV IN NEW YORK CITY A REPORT ON OUR RESEARCH ON RCV IN 20 UTAH CITIES IN 2021. A 2021 REPORT ADDRESSING VALUE OF RCV FOR CANDIDATES AND VOTERS OF COLOR 2021 AS IT HAPPENS REPORTING ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIAS USE OF RCV IN THEIR SPRING 2021 STATEWIDE NOMINATION CONTESTS, STRATEGIC POLLING AND REPORTS: FAIRVOTE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DOING PUBLIC POLLS WITH RCV IN A STRING OF CONTESTS THAT HAVE RCV OR WOULD CLEARLY BENEFIT FROM HAVING RCV. IN 2021, WE DID WELL-PRESENTED POLLS IN NEW YORK CITY AMONG CITYWIDE DEMOCRATS AND AMONG REPUBLICANS ON STATEN ISLAND THAT PROVIDED IMPORTANT INSIGHTS THAT HELPED SHARE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE ELECTIONS.MOVEMENT SUPPORT: FAIRVOTE SUPPORTED STATE AND LOCAL GROUPS IN SEVERAL WAYS RELATING TO RESEARCH, MEDIA AND ANALYSIS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:REFORM GROUPS IN STATES AND CITIES: FAIRVOTES COMMUNICATIONS, MOVEMENT SUPPORT RESOURCES, AND SERVICE-ORIENTED APPROACH CONTRIBUTED TO PROGRESS IN STATES AND CITIES. EXAMPLES OF OUR STATE AND LOCAL SUPPORT INCLUDE BIWEEKLY PHONE CALLS WITH REFORMERS FROM PRO-RCV GROUPS IN MOST STATES, A SLACK CHANNEL FOR PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING, AND AN INTERNAL RCV LIBRARY WEBSITE WITH RESOURCES CREATED BY FV AND REFORM ALLIES. LEGAL ROUNDTABLE: AFTER JOINING US IN JUNE 2021, FAIRVOTES SENIOR LEGAL FELLOW MIKE PARSONS SUCCESSFULLY SHEPHERDED A LAUNCH OF A LEGAL ROUNDTABLE. HIGHLIGHTS OF ITS WORK INCLUDE: PARTICIPATING GROUPS: THE CAMPAIGN LEGAL CENTER, PROTECT DEMOCRACY, REPRESENTUS, THE RCV RESOURCE CENTER, AND UNITE AMERICA CONTRIBUTE STAFF TIME TO THE TABLE. MORE FORMALLY, THE GROUPS HAVE A COMMON INTEREST AGREEMENT ON HOW BEST TO COMMUNICATE AND SHARE INFORMATION, SYSTEMS FOR REGULAR AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION, AND A VERTICAL COMMON INTEREST AGREEMENT TEMPLATE TO BE DEPLOYED WHEN SHARING WORK PRODUCTS BETWEEN STATE/LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE NATIONAL LEGAL ROUNDTABLE TO PROTECT PRIVILEGES AND CONFIDENTIALITY. PROTECTING RCV IN ALASKA: AMONG THE TABLES SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS WAS COORDINATING ON DRIVING AND SUBMITTING TWO AMICUS BRIEFS IN DEFENSE OF ALASKAS TOP FOUR SYSTEM BEFORE THE ALASKA SUPREME COURT; THAT SUCCESS INCLUDED A FIRST-EVER STATE SUPREME COURT RULING UPHOLDING OUR TAKE THAT RCV IS CONSISTENT WITH MOST VOTES WINS PROVISIONS. PRO BONO PARTNERS: HOGAN LOVELLS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE REMARKABLE LEVELS OF PRO BONO SERVICE THAT INCLUDED TWO DETAILED ANALYSES OF THE LEGALITY OF CERTAIN USES OF RCV.OTHER NATIONAL TABLES: FAIRVOTE SUPPORTS AND REGULARLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL RCV ORGANIZATION ROUNDTABLE CONVENED BY UNITE AMERICA. WE CONVENE AN ACADEMIC ADVISORY GROUP TO DISCUSS FAIRVOTES WORK AND ASSOCIATED REFORM ISSUES. ENGAGING WITH MAJOR CONSTITUENCY GROUPS: FAIRVOTE INVESTED SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CONTRACTORS TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH AND PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH DESIGNED TO DEEPEN SUPPORT FOR OUR REFORM GOALS AMONG MAJOR CONSTITUENCY GROUPS, SUCH AS THE VOTING RIGHTS COMMUNITY, WE IDENTIFIED AND STARTED WORKING WITH MORE THAN 50 INFLUENCERS WITHIN OUR TARGETED CONSTITUENCIES TO JOIN KITCHEN CABINETS TO DISCUSS ELECTORAL REFORM. ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING: FAIRVOTE CONTINUES TO INCREMENTALLY AND STRATEGICALLY SCALE ITS CAPACITY, EXPERTISE AND IMPACT, WHILE BOLSTERING ITS INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ITS GROWTH. FAIRVOTE HAS BEEN ABLE TO BRING ON SEVEN NEW EMPLOYEES INCLUDING BUILDING OUT A MORE FORMALIZED OPERATIONS TEAM INCLUDING FINANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE, AS WELL AS KEY PROGRAMMATIC AND LEARNING EXPERTISE. WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A TIERED LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON MEDIA AND PUBLIC EVENTSRELATING TO ROLLOUT OF RCV IN NEW YORK CITY: ROB RICHIE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES COVERAGE OF THIS ISSUE. OP-ED: A VERY SPECIFIC GUIDE TO RANKING CANDIDATES FOR N.Y.C. MAYOR, NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED: IN NYC, RANKED CHOICE VOTING SUCCEEDED, THE HILL QUOTED: RANKED-CHOICE VOTING WILL DECIDE NEW YORK CITY'S MAYORAL RACE. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS., CBS NEWS QUOTED: MAYORAL CANDIDATES CALL FOR REFORMS, RECOUNTS AFTER NYC BOARD OF ELECTIONS ADMITS 'ERRORS', ABC NEWS QUOTED: REVISED VOTE COUNT SHOWS ADAMS AHEAD IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY, ASSOCIATED PRESS QUOTED: THE MESS IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK TIMES QUOTED: THE TRAILER: REFORMERS HAD HIGH HOPES FOR NEW YORK'S ELECTION. THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS DIDN'T HELP., WASHINGTON POST QUOTED: THE HIDDEN POLITICS OF NEW YORK CITYS NEW RANKED-CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM, VOX QUOTED: NEW YORK'S FIRST FULL RANKED-CHOICE ELECTION CHANGED CAMPAIGNS IF NOT THE RESULTS, POLITICO QUOTED: THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SET TO BE MOST DIVERSE, PROGRESSIVE, AND HOLD FIRST-EVER FEMALE MAJORITY, THE GOTHAMISTQUOTED: RANKED-CHOICE VOTING: 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM NYCS BIG EXPERIMENT, ROLLING STONEVIRGINIA: OP-ED: DESPITE MCAULIFFES BIG WIN, DEMS NEED CHANGES TO FUTURE PRIMARIES TO ENSURE UNITY, ROANOKE TIMES OP-ED: RANKED-CHOICE VOTING OFFERS A PROMISING PATH FOR VIRGINIA ELECTIONS, VIRGINIAN PILOT OP-ED: LESSONS FOR VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS LEARNED FROM RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS, BEARING DRIFTUTAH: OP-ED: RANKED-CHOICE VOTING MAKES ELECTIONS FASTER AND CHEAPER, DESERET NEWS DID UTAHNS LIKE RANKED CHOICE VOTING? A NEW POLL HAS ANSWERS, DESERET NEWS RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN RETROSPECT AND THE FUTURE OF VOTING IN UTAH, DRAPER JOURNALSENIOR FELLOW DAVID DALEY SPEAKING EVENTS (EXAMPLES) JUNE 2021 BRIEFING TO OPEN DEMOCRACY STAFF UCLA VOTING RIGHTS LAB SPEECH USC SCHWARZENEGGER PANEL IN NYC FAIRVOTE CAPITOL HILL BRIEFING WITH NRDC EXEC DIRECTOR AND REP. BEYER JULY 2021 WASHINGTON NATIONAL PRESS CLUB SPEECH SPEECH AT CITY CLUB CLEVELAND PRINCETON UNIVERSITY GERRYMANDERING LAB SPEECH AUGUST 2021 COLUMBIA UNIV//AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICY FORUM SUMMER SCHOOL LECTURE SEPTEMBER 2021 COMMON CAUSE ILLINOIS SPEECH COMMON CAUSE NEBRASKA SPEECH USC SCHWARZENEGGER NATIONAL PANEL OCTOBER 2021 BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL SPEECH NETROOTS NATION PANEL WITH REP. RASKIN LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CT KEYNOTE RURAL PROGRESS SUMMIT KEYNOTE WITH SEN. HEIDI HEITKAMP WASHINGTON SEMINAR KEYNOTE FOR NORWEGIAN JOURNALISTS. DECEMBER 2021 REDISTRICTING PRESENTATION TO NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NONPARTISAN REFORMERS