On Elections

How people elect parliaments

US Supreme Court says cheating with electoral boundaries is just fine

The toxic virus of political partisanship today infected the United States Supreme Court, with a majority of five judges appointed by Republican presidents voting to declare that federal courts should … Continue reading

June 28, 2019 · Leave a comment

Will ranked-choice voting spread in the US?

After the historic use of ranked choice (preferential) voting* in the US state of Maine to conduct elections for representatives to the national Congress, social media is alive with the … Continue reading

November 21, 2018 · Leave a comment

Ranked choice voting: the Australian connection

Australians have been watching developments last week regarding ranked choice voting* (RCV) in the state of Maine – and potentially elsewhere in the US – with great interest, because Australia … Continue reading

November 21, 2018 · 2 Comments

As goes Maine … US state uses preferential voting to elect national representatives

After two years of dogged insistence from an independent-minded community, voters in the US state of Maine have become the first in the nation’s history to elect representatives in their … Continue reading

November 21, 2018 · 5 Comments

Close final US House special election backs ‘blue wave’ prediction

Predictions of a major ‘wave’ against Republican party incumbents in the coming US midterm elections have gained ground at the final special election to be held before the general election … Continue reading

August 9, 2018 · 4 Comments

Mainers defend preferential voting … for now

Voters in the US state of Maine have today backed an unusual ballot to veto controversial electoral legislation of the state legislature, in doing so protecting a 2016 referendum vote … Continue reading

June 13, 2018 · 1 Comment

Gun reform cause: partisanship imposed by broken US voting system

The astonishing campaign by US school students to change gun safety law leads directly to calls for current legislators to respond, or be voted out of office. But one key … Continue reading

March 25, 2018 · Leave a comment

Congressional cliffhanger: did the Libertarian cost the Republican victory?

The very close result in last night’s special election for the vacant 18th congressional district of Pennsylvania looks set to attract a lot of attention to the idea of ranked choice … Continue reading

March 14, 2018 · 1 Comment

Democrats seize congressional seat in historic cliffhanger vote

A seat in the United States House of Representatives appears to have changed hands, with Democratic Party candidate Conor Lamb holding a 847-vote margin in late-night counting for the special … Continue reading

March 14, 2018 · 1 Comment

US Gerrymandering declared unconstitutional – again

A superior federal court in another US state – this time North Carolina – has declared that partisan gerrymandering of electoral districts is contrary to the US Constitution. A three-judge … Continue reading

January 10, 2018 · Leave a comment