What Makes Us Vote the Way We Do?
According to some political scientists, it's more about group identity than personal interests.
Voting Rights for People Convicted of Felonies
Formerly incarcerated people comprise the largest group of disenfranchised American voters. The American Prison Newspapers collection offers fresh insight into the issue.
The Voting Rights Act 1965: Annotated
The passing of the Voting Rights Act in August 1965 prohibited the use of Jim Crow laws and discriminatory tests to disenfranchise Black voters.
The Dorr Rebellion for Voting Rights
In 1842, an attempt to enfranchise all men in Rhode Island resulted in two governors, two constitutions and what we now know as the Dorr Rebellion.
Why Vote? Lessons from Indian Villages
The voters one scholar studied didn't necessarily think they would benefit materially from being on the winning side. But turnout was over 90 percent.
Voting in American Politics: A Syllabus
From battles to expand the franchise to the mysteries of turnout, voting is one of the most important things to understand about U.S. politics.
Why Do We Vote by Secret Ballot?
Election days used to be raucous affairs, with individual votes sometimes cast orally for all to hear.
Suppressing Native American Voters
South Dakota has been called "the Mississippi of the North" for its long history of making voting hard for Native Americans.
Just How Unrepresentative Are the Iowa Caucuses?
There's no denying the whiteness of the state. But scholars cite other qualities that make Iowa more like the rest of the country.
Lawrence Lessig: How to Repair Our Democracy
Law professor and one-time presidential hopeful Lawrence Lessig on campaign finance, gerrymandering, and the electoral college.