The Role of Democracy

Proportional Representation

Proportional representation can transform our democracy by creating a government, and possibly new political parties, that accurately reflects all of our communities, values, and issues.

Winner-Takes-All

Using winner-take-all systems to elect our legislative bodies leaves too many of us unrepresented and unheard. Proportional representation means a government that accurately reflects the range of communities, ideas, and concerns in the United States.

Principle of Proportionality

The principle of proportionality holds that the number of seats won should be based on the number of votes won. Guided by that principle, we can connect voting rights with representation and truly transform our communities.

Breaking Down Representation

From school board to Congress, too many elected officials don’t look like or share the values of the communities they represent. This disconnect has nothing to do with people and everything to do with winner-take-all elections.

Most elections in the US are winner-take-all, whether we’re choosing just one winner at a time, or multiple winners in a single contest.

Either way, the winners take all the representation, leaving others, even with as much as 49% of the vote share, with none.

This creates a fictional divide, leads to a two-party system that minimizes racial and economic issues, and wastes the votes of millions of people.

Decades of Stagnation: The State of
Voting Rights Since 1856

1856

The last of the states’ property requirements abolished

1870

African American men won the right to vote through the 15th amendment

1920

Women won the right to vote through the 19th amendment

1924

All native Americans won the right to US citizenship

1964

24th amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections

1965

The Voting Rights Act outlawed discriminatory voting requirements

1971

26th amendment lowered voting age from 21 to 18

1982

Amendments to the federal Voting Rights Act outlaw discriminatory voting practices, independent of intent

1996-2018

States restore felon voting rights

The right to vote must be as real in practice as it is on paper. Many hard-fought and hard-won advances have too often been countered by violent opposition, and deliberate schemes to deny the franchise to people of color, which continue right up to the present day. We must be vigilant in defending these past gains.

But even a full and unencumbered right to cast a vote doesn’t result in meaningful representation for all if it’s cast under an unfair voting system.

What comes next?

We need voting rights and representation for all.

Our mission is to advance racial equity by transforming electoral systems.

The Role of Democracy

Proportional Representation

Winner-Takes-All

Principle of Proportionality

Breaking Down Representation

From school board to Congress, too many elected officials don’t look like or share the values of the communities they represent. This disconnect has nothing to do with people and everything to do with winner-take-all elections.

Most elections in the US are winner-take-all, whether we’re choosing just one winner at a time, or multiple winners in a single contest.

Either way, the winners take all the representation, leaving others, even with as much as 49% of the vote share, with none.

This creates a fictional divide, leads to a two-party system that minimizes racial and economic issues, and wastes the votes of millions of people.

Decades of Stagnation: The State of
Voting Rights Since 1856

The last of the states’ property requirements abolished

African American men won the right to vote through the 15th amendment

Women won the right to vote through the 19th amendment

All native Americans won the right to US citizenship

24th amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections

The Voting Rights Act outlawed discriminatory voting requirements

26th amendment lowered voting age from 21 to 18

Amendments to the federal Voting Rights Act outlaw discriminatory voting practices, independent of intent

States restore felon voting rights

Uncover the stories of empowerment and progress in our fight for voting rights.
‍

News

Our mission is to advance racial equity by transforming electoral systems.

The Role of Democracy

Proportional Representation

Winner-Takes-All

Principle of Proportionality

Breaking Down Representation

From school board to Congress, too many elected officials don’t look like or share the values of the communities they represent. This disconnect has nothing to do with people and everything to do with winner-take-all elections.

Most elections in the US are winner-take-all, whether we’re choosing just one winner at a time, or multiple winners in a single contest.

Either way, the winners take all the representation, leaving others, even with as much as 49% of the vote share, with none.

This creates a fictional divide, leads to a two-party system that minimizes racial and economic issues, and wastes the votes of millions of people.

Decades of Stagnation: The State of Voting Rights Since 1856

The last of the states’ property requirements abolished

African American men won the right to vote through the 15th amendment

Women won the right to vote through the 19th amendment

All native Americans won the right to US citizenship

24th amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections

The Voting Rights Act outlawed discriminatory voting requirements

26th amendment lowered voting age from 21 to 18

Amendments to the federal Voting Rights Act outlaw discriminatory voting practices, independent of intent

States restore felon voting rights

Uncover the stories of empowerment and progress in our fight for voting rights.‍

News

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Decades of Stagnation: The State of
Voting Rights Since 1856

Uncover the stories of empowerment and progress in our fight for voting rights.
‍