Elections are the heartbeat of a democracy. They are the mechanism through which ordinary people shape collective power, choose their leaders, and hold institutions accountable. But voting is more than a simple act—it is a reflection of who counts, whose voice is valued, and how accessible democracy truly is. Every law governing registration, ballot access, vote counting, and district design influences who participates and who gets left out. When elections are free, fair, and trusted, they strengthen the legitimacy of government. When barriers, disinformation, or manipulation distort the process, they undermine the very foundation of democratic rule.
Voting behavior is equally important. How, when, and why people vote reveals the health of the political system itself. Patterns of turnout expose inequalities. Shifts in public opinion signal what issues matter. And the choices voters make—at the ballot box or by abstaining—shape the policies and leadership that follow. When large groups disengage, democracy becomes vulnerable to capture by those with the most power, resources, or motivation. When participation is broad and informed, it creates a government that reflects the full diversity and interests of its people.
In this collection of podcasts, election administrators, legal experts, scholars, organizers, pollsters, and reformers take listeners inside the machinery of American elections. You’ll hear how local officials safeguard accuracy and accessibility, what state leaders are doing to protect elections from threats and misinformation, and how voting laws—from early voting to mail ballots to voter ID—shape turnout and representation. These episodes explore the racial disparities in electoral participation, the national debate over ranked-choice voting, the fight for State Voting Rights Acts, and the rise of election denialism. They also shine light on the human side of elections: the poll workers, civil servants, data experts, and volunteers who keep the system functioning despite unprecedented pressure.
Together, these conversations reveal a central truth: democracy survives only when elections are fair, secure, and inclusive—and when voters trust that their ballots matter. Understanding how elections work, how voting behavior changes, and what reforms strengthen participation is essential to protecting the promise of self-government. A democracy is only as strong as the people who show up to defend it—and it begins with the simple, powerful act of casting a vote.
Voting rights are the foundation of democratic governance. But recent changes in elections policies have disenfranchised millions of Americans, and the voting gap between White and minority voters is continuing to expand.
Host Alex Lovit is joined by Sean Morales-Doyle. Morales-Doyle is the director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Listen to the full episode on The Context: Sean Morales-Doyle, The US Doesn’t Have Fair Elections. What Can We Do?
An enormous amount of work goes into planning for Election Day. For months, poll workers and election administrators prepare to run their local elections smoothly to ensure that no one is left out of the democratic process. In this episode, host Simone Leeper takes listeners on a journey through the intricate process of running a local election, from its initial stages to the final vote tally. This comprehensive exploration highlights the checks and balances in place to facilitate voter participation and to guarantee that the final results will be accurate. In interviews with election administrators and experts, this episode underscores the commitment to ensuring free, fair and secure elections while promoting inclusivity and accessibility for all eligible voters.
Simone engages in a captivating conversation with two experienced election workers: Scott Jarrett from Maricopa County, Arizona, and Lorena Portillo of Las Vegas, Nevada. They provide a valuable insider's perspective on the behind-the-scenes workings of the electoral process. Simone also speaks with Campaign Legal Center’s Director of Voting, Advocacy and Partnerships, Jonathan Diaz, who breaks down the election process, from voter registration and polling station setup to ballot counting and result certification. Each guest offers a detailed glimpse into the meticulous planning and execution that goes into safeguarding the democratic process.
Listen to the full episode on Democracy Decoded: Your Community, Your Election
Until recently most of us outside state government didn’t know much about the role of Secretary of State, the state’s top election official. We simply didn’t think about it. But since the 2020 presidential race, election laws and procedures have been in the spotlight – and election officials have come under attack.
In this episode of Let’s Find Common Ground we meet Democrat Steve Hobbs, Secretary of State for Washington, and Republican Michael Adams, Secretary of State for Kentucky.
Kentucky is a vote in-person state, while Washington has voting by mail and at the dropbox. But no matter how people vote, suspicion of the electoral process is rife. In recent years both men have encountered election deniers and faced threats to themselves and their staff.
“These abuses, even if they’re not full-fledged threats of violence - it adds up,” says Michael Adams, “and it begins to really lay some strain on our election process.”
Hear what each of our guests is doing to protect democracy in his state, why being part of the Electronic Registration Information System (ERIC) is so important, and why volunteers are a vital part of free and fair elections. All on this episode of Let’s Find Common Ground.
Listen to the full episode on Let's Find Common Ground: How States Hold Fair Elections
In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Lee talks with Kevin Morris about demographics, voting rights, and elections. Morris, a Senior Research Fellow and Voting Policy Scholar at the Brennan Center, is the co-author of the report Growing Racial Disparities in Voter Turnout, 2008–2022.
How have voting rights laws, policies, and practices evolved over time? How has the Shelby County v. Holder decision impacted voting laws within states? Is there a correlation between state laws and voter turnout among communities of color? These are some of the questions Lee explores in this week’s episode.
Listen to the full episode on Politics in Question: How do voting laws impact turnout?
Voter turnout is much lower in the U.S. than in many other democracies around the world. In this episode, we look at an innovative initiative to use the internet to boost the number of voters in every election.
"Our mission" says the non-profit group Democracy Works "is to make voting a simple, seamless experience for all Americans, so that no one misses an election."
A lot of people want to vote but they forget to do it, or they don't get registered to vote. Democracy Works is a team of software developers, policy wonks and civic organizers who say they are working to upgrade the infrastructure of democracy.
In this episode, we speak with the non-profit group's CEO and co-founder. Seth Flaxman. "At the end of the day, we think every American is going to want a sort of service like a concierge helping them to vote in all the election," says Seth, "even people who say they never miss elections sign up to get the reminders."
This episode is funded with a grant from Solutions Journalism Network as part of "Renewing Democracy", to encourage reporting about how people and institutions are trying to reinvigorate democracy in communities across the country.
Democracy Works is affiliated with Bridge Alliance, a coalition of over 90 organizations dedicated to U.S. revitalization. With each organization focusing on a different sector of the movement, its members represent a combined three million supporters in the burgeoning field of civic reform and civil discourse
Listen to the full episode on How Do We Fix It?: Boosting Voter Turnout: Seth Flaxman
Kim Allen, Co-Founder of Power the Vote, talks about Dems’ proactive legal strategy for protecting the vote in Georgia, what recent election rules changes might mean for certifying the vote, and what you can do in Georgia or in your state to protect the vote.
Listen to the full episode on Freedom over Facism: Will Your Vote Count? Kim Allen, Co-founder Power the Vote GA
Miles Rapoport and E.J. Dionne are the co-authors of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting. In a time when the erosion of democracy is real and undisputed, they argue that every adult American citizen should be made to vote. We discuss the big idea at the core of America: democracy!
Democracy itself needs to be on the ballot and the dangers of extremism need to be on the ballot. If we want something close to 100% democracy, we have to abandon the idea that including everyone in the electorate is a partisan effort. It's a myth that if more people vote, Democrats automatically win the election. We had one of the highest turnouts ever during the pandemic because Republican and Democratic officials all over the country made it easier for people to vote. Moreover, 61% of Americans think that voting is both a right and a duty.
Listen to the full episode on Future Hindsight: Universal Civic Duty Voting: E.J. Dionne & Miles Rapoport
With hundreds of elections deniers running in the midterms, democracy is on the ballot this fall. The team at the States United Democracy Center is at the forefront of efforts to ensure free, fair, and secure elections in 2022, 2024, and beyond. Cofounders Norman Eisen, Joanna Lydgate, and Christine Todd Whitman join us this week to talk about how they're doing it in states across the country and how everyone can support their efforts.
Through legal, policy, and communications work, States United is fighting back empowering state leaders as they defend elections. These officials are the frontline champions in the battle for our democracy. Governors help enshrine voter protection into law, and attorneys general defend those laws—along with election results. Secretaries of state oversee elections, and law enforcement leaders make sure they are safe and free from violence. States United’s mission is to bring these leaders together to protect elections, prevent political violence, fight disinformation, and pursue accountability for those who step outside the bounds of our democracy.
Eisen is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, former Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and special counsel to the White House for ethics and government reform. Lydgate is the former chief deputy attorney general of Massachusetts. Whitman is the former governor of New Jersey and Environmental Protection Agency administrator in the George W. Bush administration. They are the recipients of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy's 2022 Brown Democracy Medal.
States United Democracy Center
States United: A Survival Guide for Our Democracy - Eisen, Lydgate, and Whitman's book written as part of receiving the Brown Democracy Medal
Listen to the full episode on Democracy Works: States united for democracy
Mike talks with Deb Otis, Director of Research and Policy at FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all.
Topics Mike & Deb discuss include:
– problems with our current voting system
– the benefits of ranked choice voting (RCV)
– potential issues with RCV
– the pushback against RCV in Republican states
– the Fair Representation Act
– multi-member districts
– nonpartisan redistricting
– expanding the House of Representatives
– Senate representation and the Electoral College
Listen to the full episode on The Politics Guys: FairVote and Reforming Voting
Imani Brooks, Policy Fellow with Legal Defense Fund (LDF), joins the podcast this month to give us an overview on State Voting Rights Acts (SVRAs) across the country. She and Chris discuss what SVRAs do, how to build a strong SVRA, and what you can do to help pass one in your state.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Listen to the full episode on RCV Clips: All About State Voting Rights Acts with Imani Brooks
More than any other state, California is obsessed with ballot initiatives — for better, and sometimes worse. This episode tells the story of one of the state’s most notorious initiatives, the Three Strikes proposition, as well as the campaigns to reform and repeal it — all of which were fought with ballot initiatives. We also explore the history of initiatives in California and why the state has, in the words of one expert, “gone crazy for propositions.”
Listen to the full episode on When the People Decide: America, fast forward
This episode features a conversation with data and analytics expert and political polling thought leader Mike Berland. Mike is the founder & CEO of research, data, and analytics firm Decode M and is an expert on how people think and behave as voters and decision-makers. Mike has appeared extensively on national television to speak about elections, candidates, and business issues. He has served as a strategic advisor to politicians like Michael Bloomberg and Hillary Clinton, and MSNBC has called him a “genius pollster.” Mike also recently authored the book “Maximum Momentum.” Mike and I talk about how polls should really be used, what the heck happened in the election, and how to harness the power of momentum to effect positive change in our society.
Listen to the full episode on New Faces of Democracy: Polls, Momentum and What Just Happened
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