More Equitable Democracy

Greenbelt, MD voters approve ranked choice voting - FairVote On Tuesday, Greenbelt, Maryland residents voted to use ranked choice voting in local elections. It is now up to the City Council to act.

There was a lot of news on Tuesday — but did you catch that voters in Greenbelt, MD, overwhelmingly approved ranked-choice voting for local elections?

Shout out to friends of MED, @rcvmd.org, for leading this effort.

Way to go, Greenbelt! 👏

Read more: fairvote.org/greenbelt-md...

Democracy only works when it works for all of us.

As we head to the polls today, let’s remember: the fight for fair, inclusive representation doesn’t stop here.

We’re proud to keep building a more equitable democracy, together.

New Publication on Expanding Representation in Congress A new publication, which emerged from the Academy's Our Common Purpose work, proposes alternatives to the “winner-take-all” system used in most U.S. elections. The proposed alternatives have the potential to reduce partisan divides and virtually eliminate gerrymandering.

We say it all the time: our winner-take-all system shuts out millions of voices and needs to change.

A new report shows how multi-member districts and proportional rules could make Congress actually reflect our communities ⬇️ www.amacad.org/news/publica...

Thank you to all who voted! We are thrilled to take home TWO Signal Awards!

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Stream The Future of our Former Democracy wherever you get your podcasts.

How do we end gerrymandering? No surprise, the most common response to the NYT’s mailbag was “proportional representation!”

As the Times writes, PR “would make gerrymandering irrelevant” — and it would do a whole lot more to improve our democracy. Check it out in the @nytimes.com

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“PR” Should Stand for Proportional Representation, Not Petty Redistricting - R Street Institute America’s system of representative government faces a dire threat. Both major parties are openly racing to redraw congressional maps mid-decade, purely for partisan gain. This gambit undermines the very essence of representative government and ritualizes the process of legislatures—themselves frequently produced by gerrymandered maps—choosing winners instead of the voting public. With more than 7,000 state and federal political...

Let’s face it: none of us win when politicians can draw districts to create fake majorities.
The answer to gerrymandering isn’t more gerrymandering — it’s proportional representation.
A good read here: www.rstreet.org/commentary/p...

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"The fight for women’s equality is not stalled because women aren’t running for office. It is stalled because our systems are designed to protect incumbents and status quo candidates."

A must-read from Cynthia Richie Terrell @representwomen.bsky.social on PR & RCV: msmagazine.com/2025/08/25/m...

The March on Washington was not just a moment in history—it was a demand for justice that remains unfinished. Decades later, barriers to equity and representation persist. More Equitable Democracy carries this work forward, striving for a democracy that truly includes all of us.

In April 2025, the Democracy Transformation Project at Democracy Rising launched its second cohort, bringing together 25 Women of Color democratic leaders working to build political power in their local communities. This powerful gathering centered on members of the inaugural cohort "passing the torch" to the new leaders, as they continue the vital work of transforming our democracy. Spring 2025 Democracy Transformation Summit

“Our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard.”

That’s why MED is proud to uplift our partner We Are Democracy Rising , whose recent summit brought together courageous women leaders to build power, community, and vision for a more just democracy.

www.youtube.com/watch

DC moves one step closer to ranked choice voting - WTOP News This week the D.C. council added funding for ranked choice voting to the 2026 budget, which is set for a vote later this month.

Excited to see DC move closer to implementing ranked-choice voting! RCV isn’t perfect, but it gives voters more choices and makes the entire election process more democratic.

Let’s go DC!🗳️https://wtop.com/dc/2025/07/dc-moves-one-step-closer-to-ranked-choice-voting/

Let's face it: Georgia's runoff elections aren't fun for anyone. They're costly, time-consuming, and usually see a dramatic drop in turnout.

Here's an interesting read from our friends @fairvote.bsky.social on how a switch to RCV in GA could help solve these issues: fairvote.org/georgia-runo...

Frustrated with a “no-show” Congress? Blame winner-take-all elections: op-ed Lawmakers, emboldened by their safe seats in gerrymandered districts, have actively limited engagement with their constituents.

“Lawmakers, emboldened by their safe seats in gerrymandered districts, have actively limited engagement with their constituents.”

That's exactly right. Here's an interesting read on how our broken winner-take-all system has shielded lawmakers from accountability: www.al.com/politics/202...

Charlottesville is gearing up for its first election using ranked choice voting - C-VILLE Weekly Charlottesville’s experiment with proportional ranked choice voting is swiftly approaching, with the Democratic primary for City Council set for June 17. The new (to Charlottesville at least) voting system was adopted on a trial basis in a 4-1 split vote by City Council on September 3, 2024. In the months leading up to the primary, […]

Charlottesville is just a few months away from a major milestone in their democracy: the city’s first election using proportional ranked-choice voting! Congratulations to everyone in Charlottesville who fought to make this happen.

Learn more in C-ville: c-ville.com/charlottesvi...

Proportional Representation Peter Buisseret is currently an Assistant Professor of Government at Harvard University. His research uses formal theory to study how electoral and legislative institutions shape individual and collective choices. His current research focuses on direct democracy, multi-issue elections, and ranked choice voting (together with Carlo Prato). He holds a BA (2003) from Oxford, and a PhD (2015) in Politics from Princeton University. He previously held faculty positions at the University of Warwick (Economics) and the University of Chicago (Public Policy).

This is a really great breakdown from The University of Chicago's Center for Effective Government on how proportional representation works — and how it could permanently transform American democracy for the better: effectivegov.uchicago.edu/primers/prop...

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Qué es el Voto por Orden de Preferencia? (2.0)

¿Alguna vez has sentido que tu voto no importa? ¿Que las personas por las que votas realmente no te representan?

El problema no es tu voto, sino las fayas de nuestro sistema electoral. La votación por orden de preferencia puede ayudar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7M35QGWy24

Have you listened to our award-winning podcast, The Future of Our Former Democracy? Check it out today to learn about how the history of Northern Ireland might hold the secret to fixing our democracy here in the United States.

Find it wherever you find your podcasts!

Whose Vote Counts? Multi-Member Districts - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

There are lots of ways to make our democracy more, well…democratic. A big one? Switching to multi-member districts that enfranchise more Americans. Watch this video to get a sense of how multi-member districts and ranked-choice voting could transform elections in America: tinyurl.com/Multi-Member

The Future of our Former Democracy EP 1 - The Water We Swim In: America’s Winner-Take-All Electoral System American Democracy sucks right now! More specifically, the United States' electoral system is outdated and needs reform to better represent its diverse population. George Cheung and Colin Cole from More Equitable Democracy probe what the U.S. can learn from Northern Ireland's adoption of proportional representation to overcome political divisions and achieve fairer representation. The episode examines the origins of the American electoral system, critiques its current inefficiencies, and makes a case for rethinking democracy by looking at Northern Ireland. Through historical context, personal stories, and expert interviews, the podcast seeks to inspire listeners to consider radical changes that can lead to a more equitable and representative democracy. FFD EP 1 - The Water We Swim In: America’s Winner-Take-All Electoral System

Folks, you can now catch the first episode of The Future of Our Former Democracy on our YouTube channel! Check it out today and be sure to subscribe: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEng-bOb0gE

Did you know the U.S. is one of the last 4 major democracies not using Proportional Representation? And, like in the U.S., other winner-take-all countries like Canada and France are seeing strong momentum in favor of adopting proportional representation systems.

Follow us to learn more!

More Equitable Democracy is on the road! ✈️ For the next week, we’ll be in Germany learning about their electoral system with US-based leaders as part of our learning tour to create an equitable democracy at home.

Our elections are broken: but we can make them work for everyone. Check out what our democracy could look like in an election that uses ranked-choice voting to elect multiple representatives for one district. To learn more and get involved, go to representingwa.org Chapters: 0:00 We can make democracy better 0:19 Proportional representation 0:33 Ranked-choice voting & multi-member districts 1:45 How it works 3:12 No more splitting up the vote 4:47 Where this is used Better elections are possible. Here’s how.

Yesterday we shared part one of an explainer on why our elections aren’t working for most of us.

Today, we’re sharing part two — where the Washington Community Alliance (with help from More Equitable Democracy) explains how better elections ARE possible. tinyurl.com/betterelectionspossible

Our podcast, The Future of our Former Democracy, was awarded a 2025 AVA Digital Award! We’re so thankful to everyone who has tuned in to learn about the history of Northern Ireland and what it can teach us about democracy reform. Check it out wherever you find your podcasts!

Today, our elections aren't working. We're digging into the root issues that are keeping us stuck: and some common-sense, proven ways to make our democracy better. Learn more and get involved at representingwa.org Chapters: 0:00 Our democracy is stuck 0:29 WA doesn’t have fair representation 1:10 Problem 1 - Lack of representation 2:13 Problem 2 - Negative campaigning 2:56 Problem 3 - Lesser of two evils 3:33 What we can do about it Why our elections aren’t working for most of us

Our elections just aren't working for us — but have you ever wondered why that is? Well, it's all about our broken electoral system.

Check out this explainer produced by the Washington Community Alliance with help from More Equitable Democracy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PAeQgi7zIk

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

FACT: Democracies that use proportional representation systems tend to see higher voter turnout than those who use winner-take-all systems.

Check out this helpful explainer from @protectdemocracy.org on how proportional representation can increase turnout: bit.ly/3WsZ4r1

Happy Presidents’ Day! Today is a great day to remind your friends that the way we elect our presidents is fundamentally undemocratic.

If we want a democracy where every vote counts and where presidents truly represent the people, we need to abolish the Electoral College.

Escaping the Political Groundhog Day: How Proportional Representation Can Fix Our Democracy Ahead of Groundhog Day, Lee Drutman explores the “two-party doom loop” of the U.S. political system and how proportional representation can break the cycle.

"The way out isn’t through one side crushing the other. That’s a fantasy. It only deepens the trap. We must change the rules that keep us locked in this toxic cycle.”

A great read on how we can escape the Groundhog Day time loop we call “American democracy” by @newamerica.org
bit.ly/4jRrVzc

Any effort to make our democracy better is a noble and historic one. Learn about the ongoing efforts happening right now.

🎙️Don’t miss The Future of Our Former Democracy. Find it wherever you find your podcasts or at https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/the-future-of-our-former-democracy