News

New report makes the case for expanding the House to strengthen U.S. democracy

Hi Folks,

I'm excited to share the news that the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has released a new report, "The Case for Enlarging the House of Representatives." 

This landmark report advocates for expanding the House of Representatives in order to create more equal representation in Congress and in presidential elections for voters living in more populous states. California's voters' voting power is artificially suppressed due to the cap on the size of the House of Representatives, limiting the total number to 435. This cap was established by federal statute in 1929 and can be amended through federal legislative action; no constitutional amendment is required.

Lifting the cap on the House and making the Electoral College more representative is a reform idea the California Voter Foundation has been exploring for a while now. This past June, I gave a presentation to the Alameda County Bar Association entitled, Reforming the Electoral College by Expanding the House of Representatives as part of its Racial Equity Series. We are looking forward to exploring this reform idea further in 2022. I hope you have a chance to check out the new report and tomorrow's web event launch. Details are below. I will be posting on Twitter about this topic under the hashtag #UncaptheHouse. 

Also, there is still time to make a year-end donation to support CVF! Please donate if you can, your support is valued and much appreciated.

-- Kim Alexander, President & Founder, California Voter Foundation

 

 

California Politics: Who wants to fix recall elections?

In a way, it feels like the recall campaign against Gov. Gavin Newsom isn’t over.

Sure, the election results have been certified and Newsom will serve out the remainder of his term while the replacement candidates settle for a spot in the history books.

But the discussion prompted by the recall — and the demands for reform, sparked by a chorus of complaints about how these special elections work — is only getting started.

California Voter Foundation discusses protecting election workers

Excerpt:

The process of American elections has been the gold standard around the world for decades.

America has farmed out its system to help emerging democracies stabilize their trips to the polls.

Last fall the shine on what was the gold standard became tarnished in many eyes worldwide as the results of the presidential election were challenged without evidence of wrongdoing, and those working the elections became targets.

This week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, formerly the secretary of state, pressed Congress to do more to protect election workers from harassment and threats.

California Voter Foundation Board of Directors Chairwoman Cathy Darling Allen joined Sonseeahray to discuss the harassment election workers face. (Full Story)

Local Election Officials Feel the Heat—And What Legislators Can Do About It

Excerpt:

It’s no surprise that legislators on both sides of the aisle receive hate mail, social media harassment and threats. All elected officials are targets from time to time. It’s not ok, yet it’s hard to stop.

Now, local election officials—the people who administer elections—are targets, too. First, who are these people? Then, what’s up with harassment?

President, founder of California Voter Foundation discusses lessons learned for future elections from recall

Excerpt:

Leading up to Tuesday’s trip to the polls, there was a lot of fear on both sides of the recall issue about whether or not voters really understood the choice they were being asked to make.

President and founder of the California Voter Foundation, Kim Alexander, spoke with FOX40 weeks before the election and shared concerns that voters may be confused by all the different ballot layouts.

Alexander joined FOX40’s Sonseeharay Tonsall following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s defeat of the recall effort about the biggest lessons learned from this election.

“We had 3,200 voting sites across the state operating in California,” Alexander said. “And really, I can count in single digits the number of incidents that I heard about. And I think that the lesson I took away from that is by mailing everybody a ballot and giving them plenty of time to turn it in by mail or at drop-off locations prior to election day we really preload the voting process to alleviate pressure on voting sites on election day.”

 

Quick results in California recall election not sign of ‘fraud’

Excerpts:

CLAIM: Officials counted “9 million mail in ballots” in an hour in the California gubernatorial recall election, whereas it took some states weeks to tabulate results in the 2020 presidential election.

AP’S ASSESSMENT: Missing context. California’s recall election results were tabulated quickly in part because election officials were able to process mail-in ballots prior to Election Day. While The Associated Press and others have called the election, official counting continues.

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