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Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, Suspends Senate Campaign
Her withdrawal paves the way for Graham Platner to challenge Senator Susan Collins, and reflects the energy of the Democratic Party’s left as well as voters’ unease with older candidates.
Federal judge rejects Colorado GOP’s effort to block unaffiliated voters from participating in party’s 2026 primaries
U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer said excluding unaffiliated voters days before the state’s ballot certification deadline, and just weeks before ballots start being mailed out, would create too much confusion.
John Roberts’ legacy of removing race protections sees defining moment
The Supreme Court’s decision Wednesday rolling back protections for Black and Latino voters marks another dramatic turn in the long-fought effort by conservative justices to reverse measures vital to overcoming America’s legacy of race discrimination.
Health costs still a top voter concern, poll finds
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story Poll shows health costs driving voter concerns Health costs continue to top the public’s list of affo…
How the Voting Rights Act Helped Latinos in California
The federal law had been a “game changer” for Latino voters, but Wednesday’s ruling could weaken Asian Americans’ political power in the state.
Politics’ Third Law: Equal and Opposite Gerrymandering
On a national scale, parties’ skeevy redistricting largely cancels out. Voters are the casualty.
Political parties in Texas choose how to run their primaries. Here’s how that causes headaches for voters.
Even after this year’s chaos, lawmakers are unlikely to curb parties’ sway over primary elections.
Prosecutions of Trump’s foes add to GOP’s headaches in midterms
Charges against former FBI director James B. Comey and others take focus away from the economy and other issues voters care about, many Republicans say.
A voters guide to the 2026 primary in Lancaster County
Democratic and Republican voters in Lancaster County are preparing to select candidates for state and national offices, including state House and Senate, Pennsylvania governor and lieutenant governor and a member
What's on the Ohio ballot for the May 5 primary election?
Ohio voters face big choices May 5 with races for governor, U.S. Senate, attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state and the state Supreme Court.
Candidates target Steyer, Becerra in free-wheeling California governor debate
Six Democrats and two Republicans attacked each other but struggled to offer clear alternatives in a chaotic debate that left one student voter "more confused than ever."
Thousands of Appalachian voters flip from Democrat to Republican, narrowing registration lead
A wave of party switching in West Virginia has reshaped voter rolls, with over 68,000 voters changing affiliation ahead of the state's 2024 primary.
Xavier Becerra wants to talk about his experience. So do his rivals for California governor
In the wake of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit from the governor’s race, Xavier Becerra’s campaign is drawing support as a potential safe harbor for Democrats lacking a clear front-runner. Becerra offers a long record in state and federal government as well as a steady, if understated, presence amid a race shaken by scandal. The question now is how he’ll withstand increased scrutiny from voters and rivals, particularly over his record at HHS and criticism from both inside and outside former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Dem pollster says party should do more to sell health care message
Focus groups conducted by Democratic-aligned firm Navigator Research show voters are struggling with health care costs, but some blame both parties.
Political violence raises security questions ahead of NH primaries
With primary elections just months away in New Hampshire, questions are emerging about whether changes will be made to how voters interact with candidates.
Voters head to polls for special election in Manhattan District 3
The district is home to several historical sites in the gay rights movement, including the Stonewall Inn.
Philomath voters will decide on city's psilocybin-related business ban
Voters in Philomath will decide in May whether to prohibit psilocybin-related businesses and manufacturing within city limits.
Candidates in DC Delegate race for Congress tossing punches at each other
The Democratic primary in June for the District’s delegate seat was heating up Monday, with five candidates racing to define each other before voters did.Brook
Measure C: Oakland business tax relief, explained
At the June 2 primary, voters will decide whether to give one-year tax breaks to small and new businesses in the city.
Virginia Supreme Court considers GOP challenge to voter-approved redistricting plan favoring Democrats
Virginia's Supreme Court is considering whether a voter-approved redistricting amendment complied with the state's constitutional requirements.
Alabama politics shift as PAC attacks, policy gaps, voters collide
A mystery PAC roiled GOP primaries as lawmakers logged narrow gains and a report found 800,000 Alabamians remained outside the electoral process.
Columbus Issue 5 wants to send clinicians, not cops, to some 911 calls
Columbus Issue 5 aims to change how Columbus handles mental health crises. Voters will decide whether to send clinicians, not police.
New poll shows Florida voters support state vaccine policies in schools
Pollster says the majority Floridians favoring vaccines in schools is not changing.
4 comments | Seattle University American Politics Professor Dr...
Seattle University American Politics Professor Dr Patrick Schoettmer says there is “incentive” for US leaders to use “harsh rhetoric” to firm up their voter base.
Why Ohio's 1st District features 2 'actual' primaries this year
In one of the country's competitive congressional districts, Democratic voters seem torn and Republican voters face a field of political newcomers.
Virginia Supreme Court considers whether to block voter-approved US House map favoring Democrats
The Virginia Supreme Court is considering whether to block new U.S. House districts narrowly approved by voters | KMBZ
Virginia Supreme Court considers whether to block voter-approved US House map favoring Democrats
The Virginia Supreme Court is considering whether to block new U.S. House districts narrowly approved by voters.
Trump’s Iran showdown is becoming Europe’s political nightmare
Energy prices are rising, growth is slowing and Europe’s cash-strapped governments have few tools left to protect voters from the fallout.
‘All INdiana Politics’
Congressman Jefferson Shreve is optimistic about federal funding for a new Roudebush VA hospital, while voters back home are more concerned with rising costs of living.
AI goldrush collides with voter backlash in Georgia
Multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence hubs are beginning to scramble politics in the crucial swing state as voters worry about costs and local control.
Indiana GOP lawmakers defied Trump on redistricting. Now GOP voters may thwart his push for revenge
Five months ago, Indiana Republican legislators withstood pressure from President Donald Trump and rejected his urgent political demands. Now there are signs here on the ground that GOP voters may be poised to do the same.
Voters contend with ‘grotesque’ leaflets and ‘dodgy’ data in English elections
Exclusive: Investigation into campaigning materials for local polls in May challenges tactical voting claims
Trump said RFK Jr could run 'wild' with health policy. Instead he's reined him in
Some MAHA voters are frustrated with Kennedy's concessions on key issues, as he pivots away from vaccines.
In California, a Voter ID Proposal Is Set to Appear on the Ballot in November
A Republican-backed initiative has cleared the signature threshold for the election. Critics say the proposal could make it harder for people to vote.
Poll: Three out of four Florida voters say they would vote for homestead property tax relief
Republicans and Democrats are on board, while NPA voters simply don't know enough about the plan.
Poll: Florida voters like Ron DeSantis more than Donald Trump. Independents make the difference.
The man in Tallahassee has 54% backing among NPA voters, while the man in the White House is at 33% with the same group.
Trump's disdain for wind projects creates a political storm for Republicans in coastal Virginia
President Donald Trump’s attempts to cancel offshore wind projects have drawn opposition not only from environmentalists but also from Republicans. One of them is Jen Kiggans, a congresswoman who represents a coastal district in Virginia where an $11.5 billion wind farm is expected to create 1,000 jobs. Her support for a project targeted by Trump shows the scrambled politics of clean energy in an election year where Republicans are at risk of losing the House. Kiggans could be even more at risk after Virginia voters approved on Tuesday a new congressional map that makes her competitive district more Democratic than before.
Trump’s political headwinds pile up after gerrymandering, Iran setbacks
New polls showed voters prefer Democrats on the economy for the first time since 2010 and Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation.
Voter ID initiative qualifies for California's November election
California makes it easy to vote, with mail-in ballots and registration at the DMV. An upcoming ballot measure would add new voter ID requirements compelling people to prove their citizenship before they cast a ballot.
Democrat Josh Shapiro tests political muscle in swing-state Pennsylvania’s midterms
He’s trying to persuade voters to give him Democratic control of the state legislature.
Honorable mentions on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Josie Tomkow, Wilton Simpson and Jay Collins
All 3 face voters at the ballot box this year, but only 2 have uncertain political futures.
Social media erupts after Mamdani's far-left supporters turn on him over homeless shelter: 'Oops'
East Village voters who backed Mayor Zohran Mamdani by a 40-point margin are now suing to stop a homeless shelter plan, drawing conservative criticism online.
A New Worry for Republicans: Latino Catholics Offended by Trump
In 2024, the president made significant inroads with Hispanics. But in a competitive Arizona congressional district, voters now express dismay at his feud with the pope.
'Jeopardy!' champ Jamie Ding fights Trump pursuit of voter information
The naturalized U.S. citizen and game show star fears the federal government will use the information to retaliate against political dissidents.
Republicans fail to attach SAVE America Act to party-line funding package
Senate Republicans Tom Tillis, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell voted against a voter ID amendment to the GOP immigration enforcement funding bill.
The ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Movement Is Cooling on Trump and Republicans
Vaccine skeptics, ‘organic moms’ and environmental activists came together toelect President Trump. Butsome voters are disillusioned and might not turn out again.
Scotland business pushes for alcohol proposition
In the small community of Scotland, the owner of Snookies Craft Kitchen is pushing for voters to vote yes to Proposition A: “To legalize the legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages.”
Young voters squeezed by economy and distrust political systems in new poll
Roughly half of young Americans said they are affected by inflation, and 45% said they are struggling to make ends meet in new Harvard Youth Poll.
New Mexico governor candidates debate economic growth, business plans in Santa Fe
Five candidates hoping to become the next governor of New Mexico stated their case to voters at a forum Wednesday evening in Santa Fe.
Judge bars certification of Virginia redistricting results; state AG promises appeal
A congressional map approved by Virginia voters that aims to help Democrats net four US House seats in November’s midterms faces another legal hurdle just one day after its passage. Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley on Wednesday ordered that the results of Tuesday’s vote not be certified on several grounds, including that state lawmakers did not follow their own rules in passing the redistricting referendum. State Attorney General Jay Jones said his office intends to immediately appeal Hurley’s Wednesday ruling. The fate of Virginia’s referendum was already before the state Supreme Court, which stayed a previous ruling by Hurley in the run-up to the referendum and allowed Tuesday’s vote to proceed before deciding the merits of that case.
Virginia follows California, approves ballot measure to redistrict mid-decade
It’s been less than six months since California voters approved a new congressional map that could enable Democrats to flip as many as five House seats now held by Republicans. Now, Virginia is following the same playbook.
Is tit-for-tat political gerrymandering the future of US politics?
Virginia voters delivered a major win to Democrats on Tuesday.A narrow majority voted to allow lawmakers to bypass the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. That means the Democratic-led legislature will create a map that’s more favorable to them in the midterms.It's the latest chapter in a redistricting saga that President Trump started last year, but is the tit-for-tat redistricting battle the future of US electoral politics?We speak with Democratic Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger to hear her perspective.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
A state-by-state look at the narrowing redistricting battle for the U.S. House
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a Democratic redistricting plan that could help the party win several additional House seats in this year’s elections. Next up could be Florida.
National survey shows majority of voters support ceasefire in Iran
Seventy-five percent approve of a ceasefire in the war, while 24% disapprove.
National survey shows majority of voters support ceasefire in Iran
Seventy-five percent approve of a ceasefire in the war, while 24% disapprove.
Trump advisers privately strategize around a new midterm push: Democrats would be worse
President Donald Trump’s political team knows voters aren’t thrilled with the current state of affairs. But they’re betting they can convince them things will get markedly worse if Democrats win back power in November.
Scottish Parliament election: Campaigning continues across the country
Voters will go the polls on 7 May to elect 129 members of the Scottish Parliament.
Virginians approve Democratic map targeting 4 Republican congressional seats
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could flip four Republican U.S. House seats in November's midterm elections, U.S. media projected.
Voters Approving Virginia Democratic Gerrymander Puts Democrats on Cusp of 218 House Seats in Ratings, but Questions Remain
Four House ratings move in Democrats' favor
Virginia voters just handed Democrats another win in the Great Redistricting Wars
Trump’s gerrymandering efforts are backfiring.
Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation from a closely divided 6-5 split to a heavily Democratic-leaning 10-1 advantage.
Virginia voters will approve a map giving Democrats a chance at four more House seats, CNN projects
Virginia voters will approve a map that gives Democrats the chance to net as many as four US House seats, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, in a major boost to the party’s effort to win House control in the midterms.
SBA administrator speaks to ABC13 on economic uncertainty ahead of midterm elections: 'It's a blip'
With the war in Iran and growing costs creating uncertainty, the economy is atop voters minds heading into the 2026 midterms. While data reveals Texas is faring better economically than much of the country, growth might be slowing.
The key areas to watch in Virginia tonight as voters weigh Democrats' redistricting plan: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Georgia's Republican primary for Senate is heating up.
No. 22 on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Michael Owen
Owen has positioned himself as a champion for local voters rather than a top-down policymaker.
Internal documents shed light on Trump’s crusade to vet state voter rolls
The Trump administration has been working for nearly a year on an effort to weed out noncitizens from voter rolls using a faulty data system while keeping those plans hidden from courts and Democratic election officials, internal Justice Department communications obtained by CNN show.
Democrats win Virginia redistricting fight, threating Republican House majority
Virginia voters passed a redistricting referendum that could boost Democrats with four additional House seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Name of Walz's new 3-word PAC draws immediate online mockery
Gov. Tim Walz launches the Small Town PAC to reach rural voters, but conservatives immediately mocked the effort and blasted his record on social media.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
Virginia voters to decide on new House map with major midterm implications
Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.
Virginia voters to decide whether to allow a new Democratic-drawn map for the midterms
A constitutional amendment is on the ballot Tuesday that would pave the way for Democrats to enact a congressional map that’s designed to net them up to four seats.
Poll flags vaccine politics as risk ahead of Special Session
Poll shows strong voter support for existing vaccine requirements statewide.
Former state Controller Betty Yee drops out of the governor's race
Yee, lacking financial resources and voter recognition despite being elected to statewide office twice, dropped out of the 2026 governor's race.
Lancaster Democratic candidates to host public town hall
Democratic legislative candidates Nancy Mannion, James Malone and Chad Gleissl will host a town hall Thursday in Manheim Borough to answer voter questions.
Voting rights are health rights. That's why California must reject the SAVE Act
People of color, naturalized citizens, and low-income voters are less likely to have birth certificates, passports, or other ID that the SAVE Act would require.
Israel’s critics are winning the battle for the Democratic Party
Democratic voters turned against Israel. Now their politicians are following.
Orbán’s Hungary Defeat Shows Disinformation is Not a Political Magic Trick
Counter-disinformation work should be supported continually, not to prevent certain election outcomes but to give voters the chance to make an informed choice.
Pinwheels and the ‘lobster district’: How Virginia Democrats drew up a US House map to all but lock out Republicans
Virginia Democrats hope the new congressional map they’re asking voters to approve Tuesday will flip four Republican House districts, delivering 10 of 11 seats in a state Vice President Kamala Harris won with just 52% of the vote in 2024. To do it, they want to dramatically rework entire sections of the state, slicing up deep blue districts in the Washington, DC, suburbs and around Richmond, and creating a new district running along the Blue Ridge Mountains that connects liberal cities. That’s required something called the “lobster district,” stretching from northern Virginia into two “pincers” grabbing up rural territory.
This Hits Home: News that impacts Seattle-area families
This week: Gas Work Park safety order, library levy goes to voters at $480, early learning losses, child care gains, and RSV news
AI swarms could hijack democracy without anyone noticing
AI-powered personas are becoming so realistic that they can infiltrate online communities and subtly steer public opinion. Unlike traditional bots, they adapt, coordinate, and refine their messaging at a massive scale, creating a false sense of consensus. Early warning signs—like deepfakes and fake news networks—have already appeared in global elections. Researchers warn that the next election could be the true test of this technology’s power.
Muslim Southerners Face a Fresh Wave of Hateful Political Rhetoric
Some Muslim voters were once drawn to Republican positions on family values and individual liberty, but as Southern politicians stoke anti-Islamic sentiment, many feel threatened.
This week in SC politics: Governor candidates itching to debate
GOP leaders have finalized who will make the cut for the upcoming Republican gubernatorial debate — a decision that could shape the race before many voters fully tune in ahead of the June primary.
Beshear urges Democrats to 'talk like a normal human being' to voters
Michigan Democrats gathered Saturday in Detroit to honor outgoing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Her Kentucky counterpart had a message on voter messaging.
Trump voters say the pope should 'stay in his lane' and butt out of the Iran war
Trump supporters at his events in Las Vegas and Phoenix largely backed his attack on Iran and sided with him in his ongoing dispute with Pope Leo XIV.
Another poll shows Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis staring up at JD Vance in 2028 GOP sweepstakes, each struggling with young voters
Can a Florida man win the White House in 2028?
The Founders Built Safeguards. Our Politics Rendered Them Useless
When every constitutional check stalls, the voters remain the only safeguard the system still relies on
High gas prices become another midterm warning sign for Republicans
In a midterm election that will likely be decided by how voters feel about the economy, Republicans are grappling with how to discuss the war in Iran and its impact on fuel costs.
Why some Virginia voters find redistricting ballot question confusing
When Donte Jiggetts first learned about the special election to determine whether Virginia will move forward with plans for new Congressional districts, he initially found the question confusing.
Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking personal details about Rhode Island voters
U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy sided with Rhode Island's top election officials and civil rights advocates, writing that federal law does not permit the U.S. Department of Justice “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here.”
What Maine Voters Are Thinking About Ahead of 2026’s Senate Election
Our readers in the state tell us about its high-stakes Senate race.
Jack Schlossberg May in Fact Happen, According to Polls
A new poll showed the Kennedy scion leading the field in the NY-12 race, but a significant number of voters still appeared undecided.
American Politics Is Already Inundated With AI Deepfakes. It’s Only Getting Worse.
These aren’t your 2024 deepfakes. Bad actors will go for broke using state-of-the-art AI tools to blunt voters’ confidence in elections.
JPS breaks ground on new public hospital in Fort Worth
Tarrant County’s new public hospital building is slated to open in 2030. Voters approved funding for the massive expansion project in 2018.
Trump Voters Have Had Enough
A shocking number of the president’s supporters have turned against him.
Gen Z is at the precipice of political power in Wisconsin. Will they use it?
Poll after poll shows that America’s youngest voters have grown increasingly disillusioned with the traditional political system.
New poll shakes up California governor race, debate stage
Editor’s note: This article was updated to correct the breakdown of Republican voters surveyed. Congressman Eric Swalwell’s abrupt departure from the race for California governor has upended the fi…
Wales' party leaders say how they engage young people in politics
Party leaders each face questions from an audience of voters in Llandudno.
Trump administration live updates: N.J. voters head to the polls for special House election
Get live updates and the latest news on the Trump administration as New Jersey voters head to the polls for special election to fill New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill's former House seat and the House votes on protections from deportation for Haitian immigrants.