The Youth Vote

Published February 12th 2006 in L.A. Times
The Times states that it's hard to know what kind of effect the youth voting group [Rock the Vote] has had. But one thing is certain: Part of the problem of youth nonparticipation in presidential elections falls squarely at the feet of the electoral college.

The youth vote did surge in 2004 — but exclusively in swing states. In fact, the 10 states where the youth vote declined the most since 1972, when 18-year-olds won the right to vote, were all safe states.

Both young and old residents of spectator states such as California sense their votes count for little in choosing a president. They're right.

Only a national popular vote can open up this locked-down system and make votes count everywhere.

CHRISTOPHER PEARSON
Director, Presidential Elections
Reform Program, FairVote — the Center for Voting and Democracy
Washington
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.

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