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Expand Democracy

@expanddemocracy.bsky.social

42 followers 2 following 73 posts

Non-profit launched by @robrichie.bsky.social and Eveline Dowling that measures success by catalyzing conversations and actions that advance pro-democracy ideas and strategies.

Posts Replies Media

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Is "fascism" the right word for Trumpism? Guest author Jeffrey Scheuer draws on Umberto Eco's "Ur-Fascism" to argue yes, and that avoiding it amounts to "unilateral rhetorical disarmament." Read it and tell us where you land 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-faces-...

expanddem.substack.com

THE FACES OF FASCISM AND CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY

Guest Post by Jeffrey Scheuer

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

What does it mean for democracy when those who serve have to fight to be heard? Military voters turn out ~27pts lower than the general public not from apathy but from a system built for people who don't move. New 🎙️Democracy Lab w/ Secure Families Initiative 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/securing-t...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Securing the Vote for Those Who Serve and Sacrifice

Featuring Sarah Streyder and Brandi Jones from the Secure Families Initiative

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

82% of the U.S. wants paid family leave and 90% want background checks on gun sales, neither is federal law. Our latest New Ideas Corner piece argues that's not gridlock but design. The Constitution sorts representation by geography and most issues don't. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/beyond-geo...

expanddem.substack.com

Beyond Geography: A Serious Consideration of Constitutional Replacement

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

🎙️New Democracy Lab: our president Rob Richie sits down with Todd A. Cox (@legaldefensefund.bsky.social) on Louisiana v. Callais, the VRA, and the path forward via state VRAs, proportional representation, DC statehood & federal reform. Listen now 🎧: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-contes...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Winning the Contested Future of Voting Rights

Featuring Todd Cox from the Legal Defense Fund

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

A senator dies mid-term. Seat sits vacant. The fix? Up to 3 elections in ~4 months. That's SC right now after Sen. Lindsey Graham's death. Latest Expand Democracy 3 🗞️ digs into why filling vacancies is so often slow and costly, and how RCV fixes it. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/better-way...

expanddem.substack.com

Better ways to fill vacancies, AI and voting rights, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3. We typically release every two weeks and highlight promising pro-democracy ideas and local, national, and global news. And don’t miss our compl...

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

@samwang.bsky.social spent 20 years studying what's broken in US elections. This year he ran for Congress in NJ-12 and found out firsthand. $5M in outside spending flooded his primary, redistricting changing the game, and much more - listen now🎙️Democracy Lab 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/how-to-rew...

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

"700,000 taxpaying Americans. No vote in Congress. Local laws subject to congressional veto at any time. That's DC." — @ankitjaindc.bsky.social on why DC statehood is a live democracy problem, not a distant one. New 🎙️Democracy Lab out now! 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/why-dc-sta...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Why DC Statehood Can't Wait

Featuring Ankit Jain

Reposted by Expand Democracy

Steven Hill @stevenhill1776.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

"California’s Top-Two Primary Has a Plurality Problem—And It's Easy to Fix" The good news is that the fix does not require a constitutional amendment, only a simple statute. CA can do the "Seattle plan" -- use Ranked Choice Voting in the primary election democracysos.substack.com/p/california...

democracysos.substack.com

California’s Top-Two Primary Has a Plurality Problem—And It's Easy to Fix

The good news is that the fix does not require a constitutional amendment, only a simple statute

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

435 House seats for 340 million people, fewer than 30 competitive districts heading into the midterms. New ED3🗞️ on expanding the House as a structural precondition for PR + age limits and a guest post by J.H. Snider on state constitutional conventions. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

"Telling people to defend democracy when no one's had a good experience of democracy is a failing message." — Rebecca Trout, @civicleague.bsky.social New 🎙️Democracy Lab episode on creating positive democratic experiences, civic infrastructure, and more. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/think-nati...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Think Nationally, Build Locally

Featuring Rebecca Trout

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

What if voters could give all their votes to one candidate they really believed in? That's cumulative voting, and it has a long history in America. New Expand Democracy 3 dives in, plus the case for RCV in presidential primaries and more. Read now here🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

expanddem.substack.com

The Expand Democracy 3: Cumulative voting, RCV ballots in presidential primaries, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Rob, with the support of Eveline.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Winner take all elections leave communities of color behind. Proportional representation is the fix and it's already working in cities across the country. How do you build that from the ground up? More Equitable Democracy explains how on a new Democracy Lab🎙️ 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/a-more-equ...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️A More Equitable Democracy

Featuring Colin Cole and Heather Villanueva

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

A generation that practices democracy before they're old enough to be counted is the constitution of democratic infrastructure. Our latest ED3 newsletter digs into what's working heading into the 2026 midterms - mock elections, 17 yo primary voting, etc. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

expanddem.substack.com

The Expand Democracy 3: Getting hands on civic education as democratic infrastructure, 17 years olds voting in the primaries, and timely links

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

The US is the only democracy that elects the people who manage its elections. Can they be trusted to stay neutral? That's the question @electionreformers.bsky.social has been working to answer. New 🎙️Democracy Lab episode with executive director Kevin Johnson 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/why-we-nee...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Why We Need Boring Election Officials

Featuring Kevin Johnson

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

No American ever voted for the campaign finance system we have. Lawyers and judges imposed it. On the latest Democracy Lab🎙️, Jeff Clements of American Promise makes the case for a constitutional fix and 25 states are already on board - both red and blue. 🎧 expanddem.substack.com/p/shining-a-...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Shining a Light on Dark Money

Featuring Jeff Clements

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

You don't tell young people they have power - you give them experiences to have it. New Democracy Lab🎙️on youth civic engagement with the top leaders in the movement: Jahnavi Rao of @newvoters.bsky.social, LaJuan Allen of Vote16USA & Alex Edgar of Made By Us 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-future...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️The Future of Civic Engagement is Already Here

Featuring Alex Edgar, LaJuan Allen, and Jahnavi Rao

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

William Gates ran elections in Maricopa County from 2016–2024. Now he's building the next generation of election administrators at ASU and running AI boot camps across the country. New 🎙️Democracy Lab ep on what "AI for good" actually looks like👇 expanddem.substack.com/p/reimaginin...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️Reimagining Election Administration in the Age of AI

Featuring Bill Gates

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

🚫No congressional vote to go to war. 🛑No passports, no ballot. Two very different stories about who gets shut out of democratic accountability in 2026, what the research says, and how to address it. Read the newest Expand Democracy 3 now👇 🔗: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-iran-w...

expanddem.substack.com

The Iran War and democratic accountability, protecting voters abroad amid restrictions, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Eveline and Nivea, with the support of Rob.

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

7% of voters elected 87% of U.S. House members in 2024. The real election isn't on Election Day. It's the primary: low turnout, unrepresentative, and many have already decided New Democracy Lab pod with Beth Hladick of Unite America on how we fix it👇 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-primar...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙️The Primary Problem No One Talks About

Featuring Beth Hladick

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Trust in courts is eroding, what do we do about it? 🎙️New DL episode: Nivea Krishnan talks with Bert Brandenburg about the levers we can pull to rebuild public confidence in the judiciary. Plus: our new newsletter on the SAVE Act. Get them both here: 📩 expanddem.substack.com/p/beyond-the...

expanddem.substack.com

Beyond the SAVE America Act, Judges getting off the bench (this week’s Democracy Lab), and timely links & shorts

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Eveline and Nivea, with the support of Rob.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

New @DemocracyLab episode is live 🎧 Filmmaker Todd Drezner & attorney Jared Pettinato on Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, a forgotten constitutional tool for protecting voting rights that's never been enforced. Worth a listen: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-right-...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙The Right to Vote Is Far From Guaranteed

Featuring Todd Drezner and Jared Pettinato

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

New @DemocracyLab episode is live 🎧 Filmmaker Todd Drezner & attorney Jared Pettinato on Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, a forgotten constitutional tool for protecting voting rights that's never been enforced. Worth a listen: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-right-...

expanddem.substack.com

🎙The Right to Vote Is Far From Guaranteed

Featuring Todd Drezner and Jared Pettinato

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Most Americans say they want more political choices. So why is it so hard for new parties and independents to compete? New episode of TDL with ballot access legend Richard Winger and Libertarian leader Bill Redpath. 🎧 Listen tinyurl.com/demlabapple tinyurl.com/demlabspotify

The Democracy Lab

Politics Podcast · Updated Semiweekly · The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two week...

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

A handful of states help decide who becomes President. Before most Americans even vote. Is that really the best system we can design? Our latest piece explores early primary reform, making the nomination process more representative, and more. Read ➡️ expanddem.substack.com/p/making-par...

expanddem.substack.com

Making parties great again, early election results, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Rob, with the support of Eveline and Nivea.

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Women’s power is a design question. 🎙New Democracy Lab episode w Alana Persson @representwomen.bsky.social on the 2026 Democracy Solutions Summit on structural reform, institutional design, and implementation 🎧 Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/5iuc... 🎟 Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/democracy-...

open.spotify.com

Women's Power by Design: Inside the 2026 Democracy Solutions Summit

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

🚨 New Democracy Lab episode🎙️ What would the SAVE Act actually change about voter registration + election administration—and what does it mean for the future of voting rights? Listen now: 🔗 open.spotify.com/episode/0MzU... 🔗 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

podcasts.apple.com

The Ballot Battle

Podcast Episode · The Democracy Lab · 02/19/2026 · 43m

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

🚨 Two fresh releases from @ExpandDemocracy this week: 🗳️ Democracy 3 newsletter on universities responding to federal overreach 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/universiti... 🎙️ Democracy Lab pod on overlooked voting rights tools + the National Popular Vote compact 🔗 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

expanddem.substack.com

Universities respond to federal overreach, the NFL pioneers civics, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Eveline and Nivea, with the support of Rob.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

A key enforcement mechanism in the US Constitution has gone unused for 150 years. Todd Drezner explores Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment—and why it matters now in his new documentary. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/a-constitu...

expanddem.substack.com

A Constitutional Provision We Ignored for 150 Years

Guest Post: Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment and the cost of unenforced rights

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

🛑Stop doom scrolling and read up on real reforms happening right now in the latest issue of the Expand Democracy 3: 1. Avoiding Top-2 primary lockouts 2. Protecting & expanding voting rights for all 3. Timely democracy reads 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

expanddem.substack.com

The Expand Democracy 3: Avoiding Top 2 Primary Lockouts, Promoting Our Vote, Timely Links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Rob Richie with the support of Eveline Dowling and Nivea Krishnan.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

In what feels like an endless period of legislative gridlock, citizen-led policymaking matters more than ever. Check out our conversation with Maresa Strano from @NewAmerica on The Democracy Lab: tinyurl.com/demlabapple tinyurl.com/demlabspotify #PeoplePower

The Democracy Lab

Politics Podcast · Updated Semiweekly · The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two week...

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

🎙️New episode of The Democracy Lab! Freedom is one of America’s most powerful, and most misunderstood, words. A convo with historian Jefferson Cowie on how freedom has shaped, and sometimes undermined, democracy. 🎧http://tinyurl.com/demlabapple 🎧http://tinyurl.com/demlabspotify

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

“There is nothing stopping states from redrawing congressional maps every election cycle and that’s exactly why the current redistricting regime is broken.” Our latest "3" unpacks the gerrymandering arms race and why only national standards can stop it. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/ending-the...

expanddem.substack.com

Ending the gerrymandering arms race, Washington bill to stop political violence, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Eveline, with the support of Nivea and Rob.

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

As 2025 wraps up, we’re reflecting and looking forward. Our final Expand Democracy 3 highlights the ideas giving us hope and where pro-democracy work goes next 🌱 Thank you to all who read, shared, and helped build this community. Check out here 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/looking-ba...

expanddem.substack.com

Looking Back and Looking Forward

The Expand Democracy 3

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

🎙️New episode of The Democracy Lab! Listen to experts Meredith Sumpter (FairVote) and Rob Richie (Expand Democracy) break down the pro-dem movement: where it's been, where it's going, and the key role all of us play in it. 🎧http://tinyurl.com/demlabapple 🎧http://tinyurl.com/demlabspotify

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Hypocrisy may be inevitable in politics but abandoning standards isn’t. In this guest essay, Schuyler “Sky” Miller examines how double standards erode democratic trust—and what integrity and accountability can still look like in polarized times. 🔗 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-hypocr...

expanddem.substack.com

The Hypocritical Oath and the Pursuit of a Higher Standard

Guest Post: Restoring Integrity and Accountability in an Age of Polarization

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

New Expand Democracy 3 out!! 🧵 Deep dive on filibuster reform 📍 Civics as if we expected active citizens 🔗 Plus current democracy news & links Read & explore 👇 expanddem.substack.com/p/reforming-...

expanddem.substack.com

Reforming the filibuster, hands-on civics, and timely links - The Expand Democracy 3

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Rob, with the support of Eveline and Nivea.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

🎙️New episode of The Democracy Lab is OUT! 🎉 🎧Tune in to hear from us and guest Tom Moore on: 💰Getting dark money out of politics 🤖AI election assistants, and 🇺🇸DC statehood Listen ➡️ tinyurl.com/demlabapple tinyurl.com/demlabspotify

The Democracy Lab

Politics Podcast · Updated Semiweekly · The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two week...

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

🎙️New episode of The Democracy Lab! Tune in to hear from us and guest Lisa Rice on: 🗳️ Conflicts in election governance 🏈 The NFL's civic leadership, and 🍒 How Washingtonians got ranked choice voting to the capital Listen ➡️ tinyurl.com/demlabapple tinyurl.com/demlabspotify

The Democracy Lab

Politics Podcast · Updated Semiweekly · The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two week...

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

🔔 New newsletter alert! How do we eliminate biased election governance? And what can the NFL teach us about enhancing public trust? 🏈 Read the latest issue of the Expand Democracy 3 now! Check it out here: expanddem.substack.com/p/the-expand...

expanddem.substack.com

The Expand Democracy 3: Strengthening impartial election governance, civic action in the NFL, and timely links

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 3, written this week by Eveline and Nivea.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

🎉We're excited to officially launch our podcast, The Democracy Lab!🎉 Every two weeks, our team will explore the ideas and reforms that can reinvigorate democracy, alongside experts in the field. Check out our first ep⬇️ open.spotify.com/show/67qS2fm... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

open.spotify.com

Building a Better Democracy Across Generations

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Democracy is not self-executing. If you can vote today, please do. If your state votes another day, help someone else. Participation is power, and sustaining it takes us all. Democracy grows when everyone gets a say 🗳️ #ElectionDay #Civicparticipation

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

🗳️ New this week from the Expand Democracy 3: • How fusion voting + RCV can strengthen multiparty democracy • Why states across the spectrum still use RCV for military & overseas voters Next week: 🎙️ launching our podcast The Democracy Lab! 🔗: expanddem.substack.com/p/fusion-vot...

expanddem.substack.com

Fusion voting, RCV for overseas/military voters, and timely links: The Expand Democracy 3

Happy Halloween - and happy Election Day on November 4th for many Americans.

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

🚨The Expand Democracy 3 Newsletter is out! 🚨 This week's issue covers: 📱 The prospect of mobile voting, 🗳️ Arizona's creative election fellows program, and ⏰ Timely links! Read 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/mobile-vot...

expanddem.substack.com

Mobile voting as the new frontier, AZ election administration fellows, and timely links

The Expand Democracy 3

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

🚨 The Expand Democracy 3 Newsletter is out! 🚨 This week's issue covers: 📚 The role of liberal arts education in a democracy 💸 Seattle's successful democracy vouchers program ⏰ Timely links! Read 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/critical-t...

expanddem.substack.com

Critical thinking and civic education, Seattle’s democracy voucher program, and this week’s timely links

The Expand Democracy Three

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

🚨Expand Democracy 3 Newsletter is out! 🚨 Check out our: 🏛️ Take on the U.S. government shutdown 📰 Analysis of a Pew Research Center study on the prospect of political change ⏰Timely reads on election reform and executive power Read 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/government...

expanddem.substack.com

Government shutdowns reveal gaps in US democracy, international desire for political change, and this week’s timely links

The Expand Democracy 3 Weekly Newsletter

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

🚨 Expand Democracy 3 Weekly Newsletter is Out! 🚨 Check out our: 🔍 Deep dive on ranked choice voting 💡 Think piece on the impact of AI on democracy ⏰ Timely links on all things democracy reform Read here 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/the-feasib...

expanddem.substack.com

The Feasibility of Ranked Choice, AI’s Implications for Democracy, and this week’s timely links

The Expand Democracy 3 Weekly Newsletter

Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

🚨 Expand Democracy 3 Alert: Newsletter is out! 🚨 Check out our: 📜 Deep dive on a 2037 Constitutional Convention 🏆 Endorsement of comebacks over sore losers ⏰ Timely links on all things democracy reform! Read 👉 expanddem.substack.com/p/imagining-...

expanddem.substack.com

Imagining a 2037 constitutional convention, opening ballots to primary losers, and this week's timely links

The Expand Democracy 3 Weekly Newsletter

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

🚨 Now presenting… the Expand Democracy 3! 3️⃣ Our weekly newsletter is sharper + more focused: 📰 Pro-democracy toplines 🔎 Deep dives on urgent issues 💡 Democracy empowering innovations This week: confronting political violence + democracy-affirming tech 🔗: expanddem.substack.com/p/introducin...

expanddem.substack.com

Introducing the Expand Democracy 3: The urgency of confronting political violence and spotlighting the value of democracy-affirming technologies

September 11, 2025

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

✨Best of the Expand Democracy 5: Deep Dives✨ Our top essays from the past year: 🗽 RCV & its critics in NYC 🚀 Musk’s “America Party” 🏛️ Restoring balance to SCOTUS 🗳️ The “Primary Problem” 🌍 Balancing global governance New content starts next week! Read it here: expanddem.substack.com/p/best-of-th...

expanddem.substack.com

Best of the Expand Democracy 5: Our Favorite Deep Dives – Week 5

September 4th, 2025

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Expand Democracy @expanddemocracy.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

📚✏️ Back-to-school, back to democracy! This week’s Expand Democracy 5 is all about young people reshaping politics: 🗳️ 17-year-olds voting 🎓 Campus reforms & RCV 🔢 RCV on college campuses 🌍 Gen Z’s gender divide 🇯🇵 Youth & Japan’s right Read here: expanddem.substack.com/p/best-of-th...

expanddem.substack.com

Best of the Expand Democracy 5: Young People – Week 3

August 21st, 2025

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