Commentary
Feature
Elections and Voting Summer Reading List
A collection of must-reads curated by Ash Center’s Tova Wang showcases new ideas and efforts to build a more inclusive democracy in the US.
Over the past few years, several books and reports have chronicled the threats to our democracy and what they might portend. Now, what interests Ash Center Senior Researcher in Democratic Practice Tova Wang most is how we meet those challenges.
In this curated reading list, Wang highlights books, reports, and webinars that address how we can build a more inclusive democracy — from shining a light on work happening at the state level to sharing ideas for big structural change over the long term.
As we look towards a historic November election, the list below was created for students, scholars, and individuals interested in learning how we can improve our elections, expand voting rights, and enhance our democracy.
Two Party Doom Loop
Lee Drutman, New America Senior Fellow and author of several studies looking at elections, provides the history of our party politics and its emergence into a rigid two-party system. Drutman makes the most compelling case I’ve read for election reform that would produce a multiparty system that spans the political and ideological spectrum, such as proportional representation.
Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College
On the topic of big, structural election reform, Harvard Kennedy School Professor Alex Keyssar, the country’s leading historian on American voting rights, in this book, describes how the Framers got to the Electoral College system. It’s a story that will surprise readers and bring a whole different perspective to how we got this and other constitutional provisions we now take as enshrined in our system. Keyssar takes readers through the tortured and fascinating history of the attempts to reform the Electoral College, and how efforts are going forward today.
100% Democracy
In this book, authors Miles Rapoport, a long-time organizer and leader; and well-known Washington Post columnist EJ Dionne, make a convincing case for implementing a mandatory – or as they accurately call it “universal” – voting in the United States. While upon first impression this may seem like a remote reform to consider, after reading it you may become a believer that, if fairly implemented as they propose, a system of this kind is a sensible way to increase turnout, create a more representative electorate, decrease voter suppression, and improve the nature of political campaigns. They carefully address objections to the proposal and have well-considered answers that might change your mind.
Webinar: Election Worker Protection: Safeguarding Those Who Safeguard Our Democracy
It’s useful to understand the challenges to election administration from those who know it best – election administrators! Featuring Stephen Richer, the embattled director of elections in Maricopa County, this webinar has the extra benefit of having been hosted by the Campaign Legal Center, a legal and advocacy organization that has been working for years for fairer and more equitable elections.
Policy to Carry Us Beyond the Next Election
Over the last few years, the Bipartisan Policy Center issued some excellent reports looking at long-term ways to think about fixing our system of elections – beyond what we need to do for 2024. This report takes the approach of considering, “not just the next election but the next 100: to think long term about where we want our democracy to be for future generations, and what policy changes must be made now to get us there.”
2023, A Year of Progress: Expanding Voting Rights Across the Country
Among the other great election reform successes that pro-voter advocates have achieved, the success of the movement to restore voting rights for people previously convicted of a felony is extraordinary. This report describes how this has been accomplished in state after state and the potential impact of providing hundreds of thousands of citizens the right to vote.
Securing the 2024 Election
For people who are interested in learning some of the most effective recommendations for addressing problems and threats to the 2024 elections, this report from the Brennan Center is a great resource. This report discusses potential threats to the election such as disinformation, harassment of election officials, and cyberattacks, and how local, state, and federal governments work together to address them.
Voting in 2020: Professional Sports Stadiums and Arenas as Polling Places
In this report, I and a team of co-researchers look at an innovative way to provide polling access to voters while also making voting more fun: using professional sports stadiums and arenas as polling places. A huge number of pro football, basketball, and baseball facilities were used for voting in 2020. We found that these spaces made exceptional polling places that served the needs of voters and election administrators and were great experiences for the teams. As we continue this work, the hope is that stadium and arena voting will appeal to a wide range of voters and increase participation.
More from this Program
Occasional Paper
Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists: “How Family History Shapes Immigration Policymaking”
The study examines the influence of family history on U.S. lawmakers’ views on immigration policy, finding that legislators with immigrant ancestry tend to support more permissive immigration laws and speak more positively about immigration. It suggests that personal background, including family history and identity, plays a significant role in shaping policymaking, especially on contentious issues like immigration.
Commentary
Give Students a Chance To Be on the Right Side of History
Archon Fung explores the history of student activism at Harvard and argues that such movements often bring a rare sense of “moral clarity” to universities nationwide — a crucial benefit of free speech and peaceful protest.
Commentary
The Cost of Truth: Stephen Richer on Standing Up for Democracy
Occasional Paper
Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists: “How Family History Shapes Immigration Policymaking”
The study examines the influence of family history on U.S. lawmakers’ views on immigration policy, finding that legislators with immigrant ancestry tend to support more permissive immigration laws and speak more positively about immigration. It suggests that personal background, including family history and identity, plays a significant role in shaping policymaking, especially on contentious issues like immigration.
Additional Resource
Understanding DOGE and Your Data
Over the past several weeks, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within the Trump Administration has been embedding staff in a range of United States federal agencies. These staff have gained access to data maintained by the federal government. This guide explains what is in the data, what DOGE is doing with it, and why it matters to all Americans.