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Non-Citizen Voting in Boston: The Next Step for Expanding the Franchise?

As efforts get underway to expand the franchise to non-citizens in Boston, the Ash Center and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston hosted a conversation to learn about how non-citizen voting once was the norm and how it’s making a comeback.

Programs

Reimagining Democracy Program

Issues

Civic Engagement

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Descended from Immigrants and Revolutionists: “How Family History Shapes Immigration Policymaking”
Cover photo of paper against a dark green background.

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.

Give Students a Chance To Be on the Right Side of History
Photo of a student protest against the Vietnam War

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.

Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?
Voting booths in polling place

Commentary

Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?

American democracy has faced a crisis of trust in elections, fueled by denialism and movements like “Stop the Steal”. Former Maricopa County recorder and Ash Senior Practice Fellow, Stephen Richer, outlines a potential solution in election administration by offering election facility tours. Finding that witnessing the election process firsthand significantly boosted trust in its integrity, highlighting transparency as a key tool to rebuild voter confidence.

More on this Issue

Understanding DOGE and Your Data
DOGE

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.

Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?
Voting booths in polling place

Commentary

Can Election Facility Tours Improve Voter Confidence?

American democracy has faced a crisis of trust in elections, fueled by denialism and movements like “Stop the Steal”. Former Maricopa County recorder and Ash Senior Practice Fellow, Stephen Richer, outlines a potential solution in election administration by offering election facility tours. Finding that witnessing the election process firsthand significantly boosted trust in its integrity, highlighting transparency as a key tool to rebuild voter confidence.

AI-powered bots and electoral participation: a view from the Venezuelan experience
ballot box in front of a tech background with a robot arm reaching for the ballot from the upper right corner

Commentary

AI-powered bots and electoral participation: a view from the Venezuelan experience

Drawing from her experience deploying an AI-powered chatbot to share accurate voting information during Venezuela’s recent election, Isabella Picón explains how AI technologies can enhance electoral participation and support pro-democracy movements.