On June 30th, over 100 people attended "The Future of the Voting Rights Act," a morning conference cosponsored by the New America Foundation and FairVote. The conference
featured some of the nation's top voting rights experts, who came together to review the recent Supreme Court decision known
as NAMUDNO and its impacts, and to think more expansively about voting rights and representation in the United States. Besides
a packed house, as well as an additional 50 people watching via live webcast, a dozen staff and lawyers from the Department of
Justice attended, including the head of the Voting section of the Civil Rights division, as well as many other voting rights
experts and academics.
Panelists spoke on a wide range of topics, from specific issues related to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to the
possibility of a right-to-vote amendment and other reforms like proportional voting which hold potential to give
representation to an increasingly diverse nation.
Below are full-length videos of both panels, including a list of the times for the appearance of speakers.
Panel I
Welcome and Introductory
Comments 0:00-8:30 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation
The Supreme Court and Minority Voting Rights: A Discussion of NAMUDNO 8:30-11:38 Rob Richie, Executive director, FairVote 11:55-21:50 Kristen Clarke, Co-Director, Political Participation Group of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational
Fund 22:40-33:47 Nate Persily, Professor of Law and Political Science, Columbia Law School 33:51-43:35 Lisa Bornstein, Senior Counsel, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 43:49-55:45 Jamin Raskin, State Senator, (Maryland), Director of the Law and Government Program, Washington College of
Law 55:52-1:07:13 Edward Hailes, Senior Attorney, The Advancement Project 1:07:13 Questions and Answers
Panel II
After NAMUDNO: Fair Representation in a Changing America 0:00-3:00 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation 3:00-10:00 Myrna Perez, Brennan Center, Counsel on Democracy 13:58-22:30 Jon Greenbaum, Legal Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law 23:35-32:10 Michael McDonald, Associate Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University, Senior Fellow,
Governance Studies, Brookings Institution 32:45-40:40 Amy Ngai, Director, Program for Representative Government, FairVote 41:30-50:18 Steven Mulroy, Associate Professor of Law, University of Memphis School of Law, Shelby County Board of
Commissioners 50:50-54:40 Lightning Round, Yes and No style questions for all of the panelists 54:45 Questions and Answers
IRV Soars in Twin Cities, FairVote Corrects the Pundits on Meaning of Election Night '09
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.
And as pundits try to make hay out of the national implications of Tuesday’s gubernatorial elections, Rob Richie in the Huffington Post concludes that the gubernatorial elections have little bearing on federal elections.
Proportional Voting System Adopted in Florida Town
Lake Park (FL) will adopt a form of proportional voting for electing its town commissioners as part of a consent judgment and decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. In March 2010, it will elect four commissioners in an at-large election with the "one vote system," in which voters cast one vote and the top four candidates win.
With the one-vote system and four seats, a like-minded grouping of voters are guaranteed to elect a candidate of choice with if comprising more than 20% of voters. Depending on what candidates run and turnout, African American voters are nearly certain to elect one or two seats. The citizen voting-age population is 38% African American, but no African American candidate has ever won an election for the Lake Park town commission since its incorporation in 1923.
It’s a busy election season for instant runoff voting! IRV is on the ballot in several jurisdictions this November. St. Paul (MN) is voting on whether to adopt IRV. Aspen (CO) is holding an advisory vote on whether to keep IRV, and the county council of Pierce County (WA) has placed a charter amendment on the ballot repeal it. Civic groups like local arms of the League of Women Voters are boosting the IRV side, and leading newspapers are coming out for IRV, including the Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune endorsing IRV in Pierce County and the Minneapolis Star Tribune backing IRV in St. Paul.
Lowell (MA) is voting on adoption of the choice voting method of proportional voting. Cambridge (MA) will be holding choice voting elections, and IRV and choice voting will be used for the first time in elections in Minneapolis (MN).
On June 30th, over 100 people attended "The Future of the Voting Rights Act," a morning conference cosponsored by the New America Foundation and FairVote. The conference
featured some of the nation's top voting rights experts, who came together to review the recent Supreme Court decision known
as NAMUDNO and its impacts, and to think more expansively about voting rights and representation in the United States. Besides
a packed house, as well as an additional 50 people watching via live webcast, a dozen staff and lawyers from the Department of
Justice attended, including the head of the Voting section of the Civil Rights division, as well as many other voting rights
experts and academics.
Panelists spoke on a wide range of topics, from specific issues related to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to the
possibility of a right-to-vote amendment and other reforms like proportional voting which hold potential to give
representation to an increasingly diverse nation.
Below are full-length videos of both panels, including a list of the times for the appearance of speakers.
Panel I
Welcome and Introductory
Comments 0:00-8:30 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation
The Supreme Court and Minority Voting Rights: A Discussion of NAMUDNO 8:30-11:38 Rob Richie, Executive director, FairVote 11:55-21:50 Kristen Clarke, Co-Director, Political Participation Group of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational
Fund 22:40-33:47 Nate Persily, Professor of Law and Political Science, Columbia Law School 33:51-43:35 Lisa Bornstein, Senior Counsel, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 43:49-55:45 Jamin Raskin, State Senator, (Maryland), Director of the Law and Government Program, Washington College of
Law 55:52-1:07:13 Edward Hailes, Senior Attorney, The Advancement Project 1:07:13 Questions and Answers
Panel II
After NAMUDNO: Fair Representation in a Changing America 0:00-3:00 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation 3:00-10:00 Myrna Perez, Brennan Center, Counsel on Democracy 13:58-22:30 Jon Greenbaum, Legal Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law 23:35-32:10 Michael McDonald, Associate Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University, Senior Fellow,
Governance Studies, Brookings Institution 32:45-40:40 Amy Ngai, Director, Program for Representative Government, FairVote 41:30-50:18 Steven Mulroy, Associate Professor of Law, University of Memphis School of Law, Shelby County Board of
Commissioners 50:50-54:40 Lightning Round, Yes and No style questions for all of the panelists 54:45 Questions and Answers
The Future of the Voting Rights Act
On June 30th, over 100 people attended "The Future of the Voting Rights Act," a morning conference cosponsored by the New America Foundation and FairVote. The conference
featured some of the nation's top voting rights experts, who came together to review the recent Supreme Court decision known
as NAMUDNO and its impacts, and to think more expansively about voting rights and representation in the United States. Besides
a packed house, as well as an additional 50 people watching via live webcast, a dozen staff and lawyers from the Department of
Justice attended, including the head of the Voting section of the Civil Rights division, as well as many other voting rights
experts and academics.
Panelists spoke on a wide range of topics, from specific issues related to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to the
possibility of a right-to-vote amendment and other reforms like proportional voting which hold potential to give
representation to an increasingly diverse nation.
Below are full-length videos of both panels, including a list of the times for the appearance of speakers.
Panel I
Welcome and Introductory
Comments 0:00-8:30 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation
The Supreme Court and Minority Voting Rights: A Discussion of NAMUDNO 8:30-11:38 Rob Richie, Executive director, FairVote 11:55-21:50 Kristen Clarke, Co-Director, Political Participation Group of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational
Fund 22:40-33:47 Nate Persily, Professor of Law and Political Science, Columbia Law School 33:51-43:35 Lisa Bornstein, Senior Counsel, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 43:49-55:45 Jamin Raskin, State Senator, (Maryland), Director of the Law and Government Program, Washington College of
Law 55:52-1:07:13 Edward Hailes, Senior Attorney, The Advancement Project 1:07:13 Questions and Answers
Panel II
After NAMUDNO: Fair Representation in a Changing America 0:00-3:00 Steven Hill, Director, Political Reform Program, New America Foundation 3:00-10:00 Myrna Perez, Brennan Center, Counsel on Democracy 13:58-22:30 Jon Greenbaum, Legal Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law 23:35-32:10 Michael McDonald, Associate Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University, Senior Fellow,
Governance Studies, Brookings Institution 32:45-40:40 Amy Ngai, Director, Program for Representative Government, FairVote 41:30-50:18 Steven Mulroy, Associate Professor of Law, University of Memphis School of Law, Shelby County Board of
Commissioners 50:50-54:40 Lightning Round, Yes and No style questions for all of the panelists 54:45 Questions and Answers
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections. 
Lake Park (FL) will adopt a form of proportional voting for electing its town commissioners as part of a consent judgment and decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. In March 2010, it will elect four commissioners in an at-large election with the "one vote system," in which voters cast one vote and the top four candidates win. 
It’s a busy election season for instant runoff voting! IRV is on the ballot in several jurisdictions this November. St. Paul (MN) is voting on whether to adopt IRV. Aspen (CO) is holding an advisory vote on whether to keep IRV, and the county council of Pierce County (WA) has placed a charter amendment on the ballot repeal it. Civic groups like local arms of the League of Women Voters are boosting the IRV side, and leading newspapers are coming out for IRV, including the Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune endorsing IRV in Pierce County and the Minneapolis Star Tribune backing IRV in St. Paul.