Unite America is a movement of Democrats, Republicans, and independents working to bridge the growing partisan divide and foster a more representative and functional government.

50+ Messages / Page

  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 23, 2024 at 12:07 PM

Reminder: Today's FMC Panel on Election Reform Awaits!

Reminder: Today's FMC Panel on Election Reform Awaits! Tune in at 1 PM MT Dear ,Today’s the day! Join The Former Members of Congress (FMC) and Unite America for "Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Future of Nonpartisan Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting" as we weigh the impact of these reforms on …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 18, 2024 at 3:44 PM

Join Us for a Panel on the Future of Election Reform

Join Us for a Panel on the Future of Election Reform Tune in on April 23rd! Dear ,Join The Former Members of Congress (FMC) and Unite America next Tuesday, April 23rd, at 1 PM MT for a virtual conversation on election reform. "Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Future of Nonpartisan Primaries and …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 26, 2024 at 2:09 PM

Unite America’s Nick Troiano joins FairVote for a Virtual Discussion

Unite America’s Nick Troiano joins FairVote for a Virtual Discussion Tune in on Wednesday! Dear Join us on Wednesday, March 27th, at 2 PM EST for a virtual webinar hosted by our partners at FairVote: “The Primary Solution with Nick Troiano.” In this session, FairVote Senior Fellow David …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 12, 2024 at 8:49 PM

Unite America’s Nick Troiano joins Open Primaries for a Virtual Discussion

Unite America’s Nick Troiano joins Open Primaries for a Virtual Discussion Tune in Thursday! Dear Join us on March 14th at 1 PM EST for a virtual conversation with Open Primaries President John Opdyke and Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano. They'll discuss topics from Troiano'…
  Victoria Fosdal, Unite America · [email protected]
February 27, 2024 at 2:19 PM

OUT NOW: The Primary Solution

OUT NOW: The Primary Solution Help Spread the Movement! The wait is over — The Primary Solution by Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano is now available in bookstores and libraries across the country. If you're sick of "lesser of two evils" elections and the dysfunction in our d…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
November 9, 2023 at 6:00 PM

The winner of the 2023 elections? Instant runoffs.

Hi Friend,  You may have noticed that Tuesday was Election Day! While 2023 might be an “off year” for some because it’s not a midterm or presidential election year, there were important state and local races on the ballot across the country. When it comes to the Voters First Movement, instant runoff…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
October 26, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Does Alaska have a solution for our political dysfunction?

Check out our third Solution Series reportHi Friend,  After more than three weeks, the United States finally has a new Speaker of the House. Since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from his post on October 3, the House of Representatives had tried and failed repeatedly to elect a replacement…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
October 12, 2023 at 6:11 PM

Partner Spotlight: How New Mexico Open Elections is fixing the Primary Problem

Plus, the “Chaos Caucus” continuesHi Friend,  As I mentioned in the last edition of Three Things, many of us attended the American Democracy Summit (ADS) in Los Angeles last month. Massive kudos to our partners at RepresentUs for hosting an amazing event, and they have a great recap where you can ch…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
September 28, 2023 at 10:12 PM

The American Democracy Summit couldn’t come at a more critical time

Plus, NPR brilliantly covers the Primary ProblemHi Friend,  It’s an exciting week for us at Unite America and the Voters First movement. That’s because many of us are currently in Los Angeles for the American Democracy Summit (ADS)! The Summit is the premiere right-left event to solve America’s poli…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
September 19, 2023 at 5:16 PM

Tune in Thursday: Unite America’s Richard Barton stars in Open Primaries Virtual Discussion

Register today! Dear Friend,   Exciting news: Unite America Democracy Fellow and Syracuse Professor Richard Barton is starring in an interactive discussion this Thursday, September 21, at 2 PM EST hosted by our partners at Open Primaries. The event will focus on Dr. Barton’s research into the benef…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
September 14, 2023 at 5:00 PM

How Maine is chipping away at the Primary Problem

Plus, all kinds of Primary Solution news!Hi Friend,  In a presidential election or midterm election year, Labor Day typically marks the start of “election season.” We’re starting to pack our summer stuff away, kids are going back to school, football season is starting, and campaigns kick into high g…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
August 31, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Did you watch last week’s GOP debate?

It’s also the first anniversary of Alaska’s special election resultsHi Friend,  It’s hard to believe that August (and summer) is almost over. Wherever you are, I hope you’re getting ready to enjoy the long Labor Day weekend and soak up these last weeks of warm weather. As for me, I’m headed up to th…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
August 17, 2023 at 2:28 PM

Coming next March: The Primary Solution, by Nick Troiano

Plus, Mississippi and Ohio hold important elections Hi Friend,  We apologize if you received an earlier version of Three Things this morning. Due to a technical issue, last week's was sent to some of you. Below is this week's scheduled programming.  Former President Donald Trump is back under the sp…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
August 17, 2023 at 1:59 PM

Book coming next March: The Primary Solution!

Plus, Sen. Murkowski touts Alaska’s nonpartisan primary electionsHi Friend,  We are at a defining moment in America’s political history: the federal indictment of a former president for allegedly using "unlawful means" to attempt to subvert an election.   The indictment itself is a stark reminder of…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
August 9, 2023 at 5:45 PM

A Resounding Win: Majority Rule Upheld in Ohio

Exciting news! Dear Friend, Great news: In a special election Tuesday, Ohio voters defeated a constitutional amendment that would have undermined majority rule and made it more difficult for voters to have a direct say in our democracy.  Major credit goes to our in-state partner, One Person One Vote…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
August 3, 2023 at 6:58 PM

Next week’s critical election in Ohio

Plus, Sen. Murkowski touts Alaska’s nonpartisan primary electionsHi Friend,  We are at a defining moment in America’s political history: the federal indictment of a former president for allegedly using "unlawful means" to attempt to subvert an election.   The indictment itself is a stark reminder of…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
July 20, 2023 at 12:00 PM

Is America in its Nonpartisan Primaries Era?

Plus, the No Labels dramaHappy Thursday Friend,  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that an epic phenomenon has been sweeping football stadium crowds off their feet across the nation: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. (I swear, there’s a point to this.) Last weekend, she performed two breathta…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
July 12, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Friday: A deep dive into fair representation with Kent Thiry

Don't miss out! Dear Friend,   Exciting news: Unite America Co-Chair Kent Thiry is starring in an interactive discussion this Friday, July 14 at 1 p.m. EST hosted by our partner, Open Primaries. The event, titled "What it Takes to Deliver Fair Representation for the American People", is an extraordi…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
July 6, 2023 at 4:00 PM

This is a BFD: Oregon lawmakers pass instant runoff voting

Happy Independence Day!Hi Friend,  Happy (belated) July 4th! I hope you had a great weekend and time off celebrating Independence Day. It’s a great time of year to not only reflect on the progress we’ve made as a nation since our founding, but also recognize that it’s our patriotic duty to make Amer…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
June 29, 2023 at 7:00 PM

Survey: Help shape the future of Three Things Thursday

We’re eager to hear from you! Hi Friend,  We hope you’re gearing up for a restful and enjoyable July 4th weekend! Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us shape the future of Three Things Thursday and make it even more relevant and engaging. So before the holiday weekend, we wanted to send…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
June 22, 2023 at 4:00 PM

Lessons from Birmingham & the Civil Rights Movement

Plus, dispatches from Virginia and CaliforniaHi Friend,  As members of an effort working to put voters first, we recognize how critical it is to reflect on our nation’s history and learn from previous movements for civil rights and voters’ rights. In this spirit, we held our mid-year retreat in Birm…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
June 8, 2023 at 3:24 PM

California dreaming: New report shows Top Two is a political game-changer

Nonpartisan primaries are dampening polarization, improving governanceHi Friend,  Happy anniversary to California’s Top Two election system! Today, June 8th, marks the 13-year anniversary of California voters saying YES to fixing the Primary Problem. In 2010, they approved Proposition 14, which elim…
  Ross Sherman · [email protected]
May 25, 2023 at 10:00 PM

This Memorial Day, let’s recommit to putting country over party 🇺🇸

Here’s how we’re marking the holidayHi Friend,  You’re not imagining things — there is indeed a different name on the Three Things Thursday email this week. Ross Sherman here, I’m the new Unite America Press Director. I’ve been in the democracy reform space for the last two years with RepresentUs, a…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
May 18, 2023 at 12:15 PM

Border woes and broken politics

It all comes back to the Primary ProblemHi Friend,  The U.S.-Mexico border has been in the spotlight lately due to the expiration of Title 42, a COVID-era policy that allowed authorities to expel asylum seekers under the rationale of public health. In the days leading up to the policy’s expiration, …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
May 11, 2023 at 7:19 PM

It’s time for every voter to have a voice

Don't leave independents hanging! Hi Friend,  Today marks the end of a three-year chapter in our nation's history: the Covid-19 national and public health emergency. It's been a long and difficult road to this moment — one which upended our nation to a magnitude we have not seen in our lifetimes and…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
May 4, 2023 at 7:00 PM

May the nonpartisan primaries guide you

May the Fourth be with you Hi Friend,  Happy May the Fourth! Today, I can't help but think of the legendary Star Wars phrase, "May the Force be with you." And this year, it got me thinking — what if we applied that same sentiment to the world of politics? It's the Voters First movement meets the Jed…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 27, 2023 at 7:00 PM

We’re playing the long game

Incremental changes toward large outcomesHi Friend,  Oh, Congress. They can’t seem to agree on anything, even when the stakes are this high. Take this week’s all too familiar partisan stalemate surrounding the debt ceiling. Both sides have their approach, but ultimately there was little in the way o…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 20, 2023 at 6:28 PM

A little box on your tax form called something to mind this week ...

A reminder of why we’re putting voters first! Hi Friend,  Tax Day rolled around yet again this week, and if you remember what was on your 1040, you probably remember seeing this question: “Do you want $3 of your federal tax to go to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund?” This public funding progr…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 13, 2023 at 4:01 PM

Rally for Election Reform as the Ultimate Underdog!

Don't Count Out the Little GuyHi Friend,  Greetings, fellow fans of hockey and democracy! OK  — so that’s not your typical combination. But as the puck drops in the NHL playoffs next Monday, it's an exciting time for hockey enthusiasts like me, especially since my record setting Boston Bruins go int…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
April 6, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Abracadabra...pass election reformsus! 🪄

If only we had a magic wandHi Friend,  Recently, a few team members here at Unite America HQ contemplated the question: “If you had a magic wand, how would you improve our politics?” It should come as no surprise that our collective answer was: We would use our powers to pass sweeping election refor…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 30, 2023 at 5:00 PM

The Voters First Movement is having a stellar month

New guides, research, and reform wins!Hi Friend,  We’re back! As you may have noticed, you didn’t receive an edition of Three Things Thursday last week. However, the lapse was not without good cause. Our team was working diligently to finalize a new report co-authored by Protect Democracy and Unite …
  Beth Hladick · [email protected]
March 28, 2023 at 8:26 PM

Unite America releases a new report on moving Towards Proportional Representation

Exciting new research co-published with our partners Protect Democracy Dear Friend,   It’s no secret that trends are destabilizing American Democracy: a collapse in competitive elections, biased outcomes that strategically advantage — or dilute — the power of one voting bloc over another, and esca…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 16, 2023 at 5:24 PM

You've finished researching your brackets. Here's some research on reform

A week of facts and figuresHi Friend,  It's every employee's favorite Thursday and Friday — the start of the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments. Now that everyone's finished researching their brackets and picking their Final Fours... how about Three Things on a different kind of research …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 10, 2023 at 10:00 PM

Reform doesn’t have an off-cycle year

More like Three Things Friday.Hi Friend,  On March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt became president of the United States and was left to face the calamity of our nation’s worst economic period: The Great Depression. Standing before a divided, despondent, and fearful nation, he delivered his famou…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
March 2, 2023 at 6:00 PM

Upcoming ways to learn about the Voters First movement

A big announcement from UA!Hi Friend,  One of the greatest strengths of the Voters First movement boils down to the diversity of leadership driving the movement forward. Today, Unite America is proud to introduce five new members of its operating board, whose wealth of experience — including experie…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
February 23, 2023 at 8:00 PM

The Times They Are a-Changin'

A period of rebirth for the nationHi Friend,  It seems a tad ironic that Presidents Day is celebrated in honor of George Washington’s birthday, considering he wasn’t actually a fan of birthday celebrations. In fact, diary entries from his 28th birthday indicated that he was busy working on a fence r…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
February 16, 2023 at 8:01 PM

A strech of unprecedented events

We must come together to solve our nation's greatest challengesHi Friend,  Last week, our nation and world experienced events that were some combination of significant, unprecedented, and catastrophic. In a span of a few days, the U.S. government, in conjunction with the North American Aerospace Def…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
February 9, 2023 at 6:00 PM

Bipartisanship is in the air

Legislators are seeking opportunities to work togetherHi Friend,  During this week’s State of the Union address, President Biden kept pounding the drum for one recurring theme: bipartisanship. In his address, he urged legislators on both sides of the aisle to come together around four bipartisan goa…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
February 2, 2023 at 10:54 PM

Election reform is for problem-solvers

No to performative government, yes to new ideas and needed solutionsHi Friend,  It’s not just those in the election reform world who are talking about the benefits of it; the news of its transformative impact on our government is creating chatter in newsrooms around the country and statehouses alike…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
January 12, 2023 at 1:00 PM

The two sides of the Primary Problem on full display in D.C.

We finally have a Speaker!Hi Friend,  We finally have a House of Representatives! As in … there’s a speaker. House members have been sworn in and now can do their jobs, which had been impairing the government’s national security function.  The process it took to get there was nothing short of absolu…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
January 5, 2023 at 1:01 PM

New Year's reminders, not just resolutions

It’s time to get back to workHi Friend,  2023 didn't even wait a week to remind the world of the urgency of solving The Primary Problem. Right out the gate, we are approaching the second anniversary of the January 6th insurrection in the U.S. Capitol, a day that left the world watching our governmen…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
December 15, 2022 at 1:00 PM

Happy holidays from Unite America!

Thanks for a great 2022! Hi Friend,  Last week, our team spent time in the beautiful Colorado mountains for our annual end-of-year retreat. Team members joined to collaborate in person, team build, reflect on the past year, and plan for 2023. As we’ve seen from this year's successes, the Voters Firs…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
December 1, 2022 at 2:59 PM

Congress is great at kicking the can🥫

Let’s leave booting it downfield to the World CupHi Friend,  We hope you all had a safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Here at Unite America, we enjoyed a week away from our desks, allowing us to spend quality time with friends and loved ones. Now, we’re back — rested and ready to hit the ground …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
November 23, 2022 at 6:59 PM

An early Happy Thanksgiving from Unite America! 🦃

There’s much to be thankful for this yearHi Friend,  Happy Thanksgiving! It’s been an incredibly exciting year for the election reform movement, and here at Unite America we have a lot to be thankful for, including all of you.  2022 has already proven to be one for the books, as the victories from t…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
November 17, 2022 at 7:00 PM

Election reform won! 🎉

The Voters First movement gains momentum Hi Friend,  Across the country, tens of millions of voters turned out to decide midterm elections up and down the ballot at levels only bested by the 2018 midterms. While the majority of media attention focused on the unexpected nature of results and partisan…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
November 10, 2022 at 12:30 PM

History was made this midterm

Post-election analysis Hi Friend,  On Tuesday, tens of millions of Americans cast their ballots to determine the outcome of the 2022 election. As reformers, we recognize there is a lot on the line this midterm — the integrity of our democracy is at stake, and a historic number of ballot initiatives …
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
November 3, 2022 at 5:01 PM

5 Easy Ways to Make a Difference This Election!

It takes a nation to uphold democracy Hi Friend,  The midterm elections are less than a week away and, as you well know, there’s a lot on the line this November.   Powerful reforms to engage more voters and improve representation are on the ballot, but they’ll only be pushed over the finish line co…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
October 27, 2022 at 12:01 PM

Hug a poll worker this election season

Election interest is “eye-popping” Hi Friend,  The November election is still 12 days away, yet reporters are already calling this midterm election “eye-popping” with 70% of all registered voters expressing high interest in voting, according to a new NBC News poll. This is the highest percentage eve…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
October 20, 2022 at 12:00 PM

Early voting starts this week 🗳

It's time to cast your ballotHi Friend,  The LA Times hit the nail on the head in its recent article, “American politics is stuck in a rut. Why does nothing change?” The answer to this is complex, so we’ll underscore the most salient points:  The calcification of our dysfunctional politics is growin…
  Alana Persson · [email protected]
October 13, 2022 at 9:00 PM

It’s the voters’ turn this midterm

More voice and better choices are on the ballot in tons of jurisdictions Hi Friend,  Yesterday, three political advertisements for candidates flashed back-to-back across my television screen — something Americans across the country are noticing, and likely you are, too.  It begs an important and rec…