Outside Looking In
How Shutting Washington, D.C. Out of the Presidential Primary Process Hurts Black and Urban America

By Ryan Griffin, Research Fellow
Published May 31st 2006
Presidential elections are the only national elections in the United States; unfortunately, only a small number of Americans are able to play a meaningful part in either the general election or the primaries. The Democratic National Committee is taking a first step in addressing this problem by adding two states to the first weeks of its 2008 nomination schedule. Although more comprehensive reform is still needed from the Democrats and their Republican counterparts, the 2008 early schedule additions have the potential to bring much needed diversity to the process.

This report makes clear the extent to which the preferences of black and urban voters are under-represented in the nomination process. It then argues that an early primary in Washington, D.C. is the only way to give these loyal Democratic constituencies an effective voice in the 2008 nomination.

[ Give D.C. a First Say ] Rob Richie and Ryan Griffin make the case for an early D.C. primary in the Washington Post.
[ Information on Presidential Nomination Schedule Reform ]
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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