The Coming Revolution in American Democracy

This article was originally published at Barn Raiser Media .

Americans’ celebration of 250 years of independence invites reflection on the Declaration of Independence and its values of equality, liberty and democratic renewal. Those values are a beacon to guide where our nation must go to live up to its promise — to make sure we have a democracy where your vote counts no matter how much money you have or where you live.

We have work to do. Democracy is under profound stress. Twentieth century rules and norms are straining under 21st century realities: increasing polarization, weakening media, rising economic inequality and loss of trust in political parties and governing institutions. Americans have elected a president ready to push the boundaries of autocracy and kleptocracy.

But out of the ashes comes hope. Sustaining American democracy depends on a new wave of major change that speaks to the moment.

Here’s a rundown of reforms within reach — and what each reform would mean for rural Americans.

Presidential elections by popular vote

The Electoral College must change. Having electors pick the president after being chosen in winner-take-all elections in states is indefensible in a modern democracy. Those rules allowed Donald Trump to win in 2016, despite decisively losing the popular vote. But they are also deeply unfair in every election. In 2024, the campaigns showered more than a billion dollars to influence voters in just a seven swing states, sidelining 80% of voters, especially voters in rural states

The National Popular Vote interstate compact could overthrow this system as soon as 2028, enabled by state powers protected in the Constitution. States passing the compact agree to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. When activated, the popular vote winner would be guaranteed to win the White House.

To provide that guarantee, the compact must become law in states that collectively hold an Electoral College majority of 270 votes. Eighteen states and D.C. have joined the compact (most recently Virginia), representing 222 electoral votes . After this November’s elections, several new states — including Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — may be ready to adopt the compact and provide more than the 48 electoral votes necessary to activate it.

The biggest change in our elections since the Voting Rights Act is within reach.

Ranked choice voting

Ranked choice voting (RCV) has moved from an exciting idea to deciding elections in Alaska, Maine and D.C., helping elect governors , members of Congress and leaders of major cities. RCV provides fairer outcomes for voters, who in exit surveys show consistent support. By allowing voters to rank candidates in order of choice, it upholds majority rule. It eliminates the “spoiler” effect, enables meaningful consideration of independents and minor parties, and provides a meaningful check to the influence of big money in politics.

Major scaling of RCV depends on having election mechanics that make RCV a “turnkey” option — that is, election officials being able to run RCV elections as quickly, easily and transparently as non-RCV elections. Technology is no barrier to that goal; rather, it comes down to political will.

Three cities of more than 100,000 people — Honolulu, Hawaii; Irvine, California; and Longmont, Colorado — are well positioned this November to add to the streak of more than 30 straight wins for RCV on city ballots, which include less-populated places like Carbondale, Colorado; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Burlington, Vermont. The ongoing proof of concept will be in practice. Now that the Democratic National Committee listened to state parties and backed off of a proposal to prohibit RCV in the 2028 presidential primaries, expect Democratic voters in rural states like Alaska, Maine and Wyoming to use RCV in what is sure to be a crowded field. With voters under 50 overwhelmingly in support of RCV, we could see Congress act to remove administrative barriers to RCV in 2029, thereby encouraging the general public to reimagine voting as both ranking and diversifying the candidates who voters see on their ballot.

Proportional representation for Congress and states

Our winner-take-all congressional elections are failing spectacularly. Bunkered down in their geographic strongholds, the two parties grow increasingly polarized in a doom loop of action and reaction, making the compromises necessary in our federal system increasingly difficult. Voters are deeply skeptical of Congress but feel trapped into picking the lesser of two evils. Women remain poorly represented. Rural America is particularly isolated, given its general Republican tilt.

This past year, conditions grew far worse. First, Republicans broke the norm against mid-decennial redistricting, triggering a race to gerrymander states that makes voters mere pawns in partisan warfare and results in even fewer competitive districts. The Supreme Court then eviscerated the Voting Rights Act, one of the crown jewels of the Civil Rights Era, by making it far easier for states and localities to eliminate minority-majority congressional district maps. Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee already have redrawn congressional districts that will gut racial minority representation in their states — with more reactionary maps to follow elsewhere.

Systems of proportional representation (PR) could address all these problems.

The norm in most of our peer democracies, PR systems are based on the principle that like-minded voters should elect candidates in proportion to their share of the vote. PR is already used locally in the United States, including in Portland, Oregon, and has a long history of success as a Voting Rights Act remedy. Congress by statute could adopt forms of PR for congressional elections within states that would open up the entire country to healthy multiparty competition and shared representation.

Groups like FairVote, Protect Democracy, New America, More Equitable Democracy and Represent Women are leading an energized conversation for change. The PR Hub has formed with a treasure chest of more than $60 million to support change in the states. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who helped persuade the Progressive Caucus to endorse the Fair Representation Act to require all states to enact a proportional form of ranked choice voting, reports that his colleagues are eager to learn more.

To become viable nationally, one key question must be answered: Which system (candidate-based systems such as proportional RCV or European-style party-based systems) is more likely to earn support from legislators and voters? But the movement for PR is in a whole new place of hope—and the nation in a whole new place of need.

Supreme Court reform, the Senate filibuster, a constitutional right to vote, new states and overturning Citizens United

Reclaiming our democracy will require drawing from the more than 100 ideas we have featured in Expand Democracy ’s newsletters, where I serve as the president. I’ll close with thumbnails about particular areas of promise.

The Supreme Court has been hijacked by a radical majority that has centralized its power, overturned precedents and blessed the president with vast powers that have weakened congressional oversight and provided immunity from prosecution. Expect Congress to propose Supreme Court term limits and ethics reform and pass statutes or constitutional amendments to overturn particularly egregious Court decisions.

Court reform and other pro-democracy federal legislation will require a reformed U.S. Senate. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has laid out a smart path toward reforming the filibuster so that the biggest Senate priorities could be passed by majority vote.

To create a more diverse Senate and uphold voting rights, campaigns for Congress to provide statehood for Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are gaining steam .

Always a source of inequality, money in politics has grown exponentially more problematic in the wake of Supreme Court opinions gutting campaign finance reform. Yet with the support of American Promise , an impressive mix of 25 states has endorsed a constitutional amendment to enable states to regulate campaign spending, bringing it closer to the 38 needed to pass a constitutional amendment. Shorter term, in Montana, a new state campaign to use state power over corporate charters to take on dark money will be on the ballot this November.

Over the past 250 years, Americans’ right to vote has greatly expanded. Look for congressional action and associated state and local actions to restore the Voting Rights Act, protect voter access, and facilitate innovations in how we cast ballots, learn about our candidates and participate in government.

Such progress is not inevitable, but it is within reach.

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