The United States currently uses single-member Congressional districts and a "winner-take-all" system for electing members to the House. While this system seems like second-nature to most Amreicans, it has many drawbacks: It rewards partisan gerrymandering, gives voices on the extremes of the political spectrum outsized influence, prevents third parties from becoming viable, and makes the House less representative of the public than it could be. Our Common Purpose argues that moving to a system of multi-member districts and proportional representation could end gerrymandering, reduce polarization, and improve representation. Making this shift, however, requires amending the 1967 law that locks our nation into this flawed electoral system.

On July 27, the Academy and Unite America will co-host a virtual webinar event, “The Promise of Proportional Representation for Democracy.” Norm Ornstein, Andy Craig, Alora Thomas-Lundborg, Grant Tudor and Steven Olikara will discuss why a growing body of experts believe this reform would strengthen American democracy. This event follows the publication of a recent report from Unite America and Protect Democracy that expands on the recommendation in Our Common Purpose.  

DATE: July 27, 2023 | 4-5 PM ET | Register Here

Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults think American democracy is working very well, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

At Caltech's 129th commencement in June 2023, Danielle Allen challenged graduates to commit to service in support of democracy and human flourishing.

Advocates of ranked choice voting say it helps fight political polarization and improves civil discourse by helping to elect centrist candidates who have broad support. Our Common Purpose recommends introducing RCV in presidential, congressional, and state elections.

The Bipartisan Policy Center released a new explainer that visualizes the complex web of federal entities involved in elections in the United States. 

Claudia Chwalisz, Founder and CEO, DemocracyNext, explains why citizen assemblies would restore citizens’ faith in democracy. Our Common Purpose calls for promoting experimentation with citizen assemblies in recommendation 3.3. 

CivXNow, an OCP Champion, recaps recent state-level progress in promoting civics education. Our Common Purpose calls for investments in civics education in recommendation 6.5. 

Kate Doak-Keszler, Partnerships and Communications Director, Made By Us, an OCP Champion, shares how museums are working to bridge the partisan divide. Our Common Purpose calls for expanding civic bridging capacity in recommendation 4.2 

The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, also known as America250, launched a nationwide, multi-year public awareness and engagement campaign to kick off the three-year countdown to 2026. Learn how you can participate in your own community. 

Issue One, an OCP Champion, is working with election officials and poll workers from across the country to bolster protections and build trust in our system of free and fair elections. Learn more and see how you can get involved.