Revitalizing Democracy

It is way too hard to vote in America. Participation in self-governance is a fundamental right for everyone in a democracy, yet our election laws and their application vary widely from state to state. We must establish a system that allows everyone to participate easily and counts every vote with the same weight.

1. Right to Vote

Guarantee every American the absolute right to vote. This includes individuals with felony convictions and those who are currently incarcerated.

2. Federal Initiative

Create a federal initiative process similar to those already common on the state level.

3. End Gerrymandering

End gerrymandering by creating independent, fully transparent redistricting commissions that follow strict guidelines to ensure accurate representation for all voters, regardless of political party.

4. Automatic Voter Registration

Create a nationwide automatic voter registration system.

5. Voting Access

Allow voting at home via mail-in voting, or in person at the polls.

6. Voting Holiday

Make Election Day a national holiday.

7. Increase Polling Locations

Increase the number of polling locations, starting in African-American and poor communities, which were the first victims of coordinated voter suppression efforts.

8. Electoral College

Support state efforts to award Electoral College votes to the national popular vote winner via a Congressional resolution.

9. System Alternatives

Federally fund pilot programs to test efficacy of alternatives to the first-past-the-post system, including RCV (ranked-choice voting), STAR (scored, then automatic runoff), and multiple-round elimination voting methods. Voters should not be perpetually stuck choosing the lesser of two evils.

10. Open Primaries

Require all states to hold open primaries. Voters should choose their representation based on whose vision they want, not which party they chose to align with months before the election.

11. Voting Age

Lower federal voting age to 16. We must de-couple voting and civic participation from "adulthood". Young people deserve a say in their future.