"A great democracy that is home to a very busy people ought not ask citizens to wait up to eight hours to cast their ballots, But that is precisely what America has done during the course of this most volatile and critical of election seasons."

If the people are generally progressive, and the system is the problem, then a movement to establish rule by the people – a democracy movement – could be the solution.

A look at the Advancement Project report that lies as the imputes for our recent Action Alert on polling place capacity.

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The Pew Center on the States launched their Making Voting Work project after the 2006 elections in an effort to look into the extensive controversies regarding voting irregularities.  The project has released several informative publications, usually a little cautious in their proposed reforms, but always comprehensive in data presentation.

"The task . . . is to facilitate the growth of an aggressive democracy movement in the United States."

Panel Discussion with Liberty Tree's Patrick Barrett, David Cobb and Brandon Lacy Campos on Democratizing Elections

The Fall 2007 issue of Yes Magazine features an article by Liberty Tree Fellow Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap. Kaitlin writes about Measure T, the groundbreaking campaign passed in Humboldt County, California that bans outside corporate money in elections and challenges the doctrine of corporate constitutional rights.

But how significant is this change? Have the results confirmed that a major realignment has occurred, and that momentous change is in on the way? And, perhaps even more fundamentally, is this election a  demonstration of the power of voters, and a clear reflection of their true concerns and aspirations?

In this American Constitution Society white paper, Liberty Tree Fellows Patrick Barrett and David Cobb join Caleb Kleppner of Election Solutions in making the case for ranked-choice voting.

"The challenge is to create a movement that expands and deepens the notion of elections and democracy itself."