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Vote for everyone you like — Fargo tests approval voting

Dan Gunderson

June 06, 2022 |

MPR News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo adopted ‘approval voting’ where residents can vote for as many candidates as they support per race. They do not rank order their choices, but simply select as many candidates as they like essentially voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for each candidate. All choices on a voter’s ballot carry equal weight and vote percentages are calculated by dividing a candidate’s total votes by the total number of ballots cast. The strategy has increased the percent by which winning candidates are selected and helps candidates who in the past would have received few votes because they weren’t seen as having a chance to win.

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Virginia Tech now has a 73% student-voting rate — how can other schools follow suit?

Jenna Zibton

June 02, 2022 |

WSLS-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech's civic engagement program, Hokies Vote, has successfully increased its student voting rate by roughly 25 percent through educational outreach, community dialogue events, and setting up a polling place on campus.

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How Georgia's Latinx community is working to 'out-organize' voter suppression

Jaisal Noor Jeffrey Moustache

May 29, 2022 |

The Real News Network |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Georgia

Organizers and community leaders in Georgia are pushing back against restrictive voting laws that disproportionately affect communities of color. The Latinx community is mobilizing against those efforts by empowering its members to “unlock their political power.” Their efforts include voter outreach, translation services, and education.

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Imagine Living in a Country Where Voting Is Mandatory

Louise Scarce

May 20, 2022 |

Teen Vogue |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

Voting in Australia became mandatory at the national level in 1924, and voter turnout has not fallen below 90% since. Voters can also cast their ballot at any polling place in their home state, with many polling places offering snacks and fundraise for local schools or churches. The atmosphere on election day, which is held on a Saturday, is festive and party-like. Mandatory voting has ensured that all groups have their voices heard.

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What Unions Are Doing to Protect American Democracy

Steven Greenhouse

May 06, 2022 |

The New Republic |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Arizona

Unite Here, a 300,000-member labor union of hotel and restaurant workers, has organized mass protests to pass voting rights legislation. In 2020 they ran a huge door-knocking operation with 500 full-time paid canvassers. The weekly salary helped canvassers, many of whom were hotel workers that lost their jobs due to the pandemic. And the well-organized ground campaign that encouraged over 48,000 infrequent voters in Arizona to vote for Biden, likely helped push Biden to a narrow and surprising victory in that state.

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Moving Mississippi beyond Jim Crow one voter at a time

Anoa Changa

April 29, 2022 |

Scalawag |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Mississippi

Mississippi Votes has engaged tens of thousands of young voters as well as those who have not historically participated in the electoral process. The organization boosted their digital presence to reach younger voters, engaged people as young as 16 in different capacities, and has several paid fellowships to engage youth more intensively in conducting voter outreach, education, and registration. The organization has registered over 30,000 new voters since 2018.

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In French Presidential Election, Thousands More Vote from Prison

Cole Stangler

April 21, 2022 |

Bolts |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France

Outside pressure and legal reforms made it easier for people who are incarcerated to vote. The small nonprofit, Robin des Lois, fought to install regular voting booths in prisons, just like any other precinct. After a long public and legal battle, French legislators approved measures allowing in-person voting in prisons, which significantly increased voter turnout.

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Giving a Voice to All Americans

Simone Leeper

April 21, 2022 |

Democracy Decoded |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Washington D.C.'s Fair Elections program provides a lump sum grant to candidates who reach a certain threshold of small-donor support, and those who qualify can then raise matching funds from the community that are matched with public funds at a rate of 5:1. The program has contributed to a more diverse candidate pool for local races and increased the number of small donors across the city, with the biggest increase in small donations coming from D.C.'s low-income zip codes.

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Jailed for a crime she didn't commit, Dreama Caldwell is now taking on the system

Jaisal Noor

April 20, 2022 |

The Real News Network |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Alamance County, North Carolina

Community organizers are leading grassroots efforts for racial and economic justice in North Carolina. Dreama Caldwell is working with the Down Home North Carolina group to engage with local residents, participate in political races, counteract misinformation, and build “a political platform that emphasizes multiracial and cross-class solidarity.”

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How independent map-drawing commissions are transforming redistricting

Frances Nguyen

April 19, 2022 |

Prism |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Many states are trying independent redistricting commissions to take politics out of the process and draw fair maps. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission has a rigorous process to select its 14 members and holds all commission deliberations during public hearings with lots of time for public comment built into the process. The state’s new election maps were unanimously approved and about one third of the new districts are Latino-majority.

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