La. makes 'Dubious Democracy'By Gerald Shields
Published August 8th 2005 in The Louisiana Advocate
Louisiana's congressional elections are among the least democratic in
the nation, according to a recent report on competitiveness issued by
FairVote -- The Center for Voting and Democracy.
The report, "Dubious Democracy 2005," provides a review of competition in U.S. House elections in all 50 states from 1982 through 2004. Louisiana ranked 46th out of 50 states in the report's democracy index. The state's low ranking was attributed to two factors.
Louisiana has a "sky-high" incumbency rate. All four House incumbents who ran in 2004 won by landslide margins. Only one incumbent has been defeated in Louisiana since 1982.
Anemic voter turnout also contributed to the state's low ranking. In 2004, Louisiana had the lowest voter turnout in the nation in House races at 39 percent. The entire report can be viewed at http://www.fairvote.org/dubdem.
The report, "Dubious Democracy 2005," provides a review of competition in U.S. House elections in all 50 states from 1982 through 2004. Louisiana ranked 46th out of 50 states in the report's democracy index. The state's low ranking was attributed to two factors.
Louisiana has a "sky-high" incumbency rate. All four House incumbents who ran in 2004 won by landslide margins. Only one incumbent has been defeated in Louisiana since 1982.
Anemic voter turnout also contributed to the state's low ranking. In 2004, Louisiana had the lowest voter turnout in the nation in House races at 39 percent. The entire report can be viewed at http://www.fairvote.org/dubdem.
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.