The Iowa caucus is a wake-up call. Technology fails, but we still have time to make sure public officials running upcoming primaries are prepared. Reactionary activists and political operatives will seize any opportunity to sow distrust in our elections when problems arise, which is why it’s crucial we are ready to counter false narratives. Your generosity makes it possible for us to provide the critical solutions our country needs to ensure our elections are free, fair and secure.

The Iowa caucus was painful to watch. But paper backups ensured the integrity of the vote. When a new phone app failed, paper enabled a true count. Continue reading Brennan Center President Michael Waldman’s response to Monday’s mistakes.

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What does Donald Trump’s acquittal mean for the Constitution and the country? Michael Waldman walks through what we can learn from this episode and what history has shown might happen next. Time and again, sweeping reform has followed rampant abuse of power ⁠— but not automatically, and not always. Today, the country is living through another such moment, and once again, it is time to act.

Bad ballot design has cost hundreds of thousands of votes in recent elections, and in some cases, poor design has likely altered the outcome of nationally important contests. This should never happen. Ahead of the 2020 election, read our new guide that highlights some common problems with ballots and shares how to fix them.

The start of the new year's state legislative sessions has seen a flurry of activity around the voting process, with a steady stream of bills introduced that would expand or restrict access to the ballot. The Brennan Center’s Voting Laws Roundup 2020 catalogs these efforts. Among the highlights: 29 states have introduced a total of 188 bills that would expand access, typically by making registration easier and reducing restrictions on absentee voting. At the same time, 15 states have introduced 35 bills that would restrict access to the vote. Many of these states have proposed stricter voter ID requirements as well. Read the latest on voting laws around the country.

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which was adopted to give Black people access to the ballot after the Civil War. The amendment has retained its promise but, unfortunately, the democracy that it envisioned remains out of reach. We should honor the amendment’s guarantee by remembering that the fight for voting rights continues.

A decade ago, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision opened the door to essentially unchecked political spending by megadonors and corporate interests. One solution? Public campaign financing reform. Learn more about how public campaign financing would help restore the voices of everyday Americans.

How did George Washington view the presidency? What might he think of U.S. politics today? And what lessons does he offer for the challenges ahead? Historian Alexis Coe examines America’s first president in a freshly humanizing light. Her new book, You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington, documents the Revolutionary War hero’s reluctant acceptance of the presidency and his heartbreak over fierce partisanship and infighting in the cabinet. RSVP Today!