Fair Representation Act Would Transform Congressional Elections, Stop Gerrymandering
March 20, 2024 – FairVote celebrated the reintroduction of the Fair Representation Act by Reps. Don Beyer (VA-8) and Jamie Raskin (MD-8). This bold, comprehensive solution can effectively solve partisan gerrymandering, make every congressional district competitive, and encourage politicians to represent everyone instead of just their base. Video of this morning’s reintroduction event is available here.
The Fair Representation Act can be passed without a constitutional amendment, has been endorsed by leading scholars from across the nation, and has three main components:
- Multi-member districts. In three- or five-member districts, nearly every voter will elect a candidate they support. Voters like Massachusetts Republicans and Oklahoma Democrats will be represented in Congress. Gerrymandering will become nearly impossible. (Sample maps are available here for the Fair Representation Act, with expected partisan and racial representation.)
- Ranked choice voting for all U.S. House and Senate elections. RCV frees voters to support their favorite candidates, and encourages candidates to reach out to more voters for second-choice support. When RCV is used in multi-member districts, it is a form of proportional representation.
- Uniform rules for congressional redistricting
“Our country is ready for reform, and now is the time for Congress to act,” said David Daley, Senior Fellow at FairVote. “The Fair Representation Act would create swing districts everywhere and make every contest competitive in every state. It would end gerrymandering and more fully represent the breadth of ideas held by voters. It would greatly expand opportunities for communities of color to build power. And it would create incentives for legislators to work productively in service of the public interest rather than to obstruct and demean their opponents.”
The problem
When 51% of votes earns 100% of representation, most voters are locked into congressional districts that skew heavily toward one party. Massachusetts Republicans haven’t elected a House member in 30 years. Arkansas and Oklahoma Democrats are similarly shut out. 62 million Americans live in congressional districts safe for the party they oppose.
Minor parties are shamed as “spoilers.” Women remain deeply underrepresented, making up only 29% of the “People’s House.” People of color are similarly underrepresented.
A record 85% of U.S. House districts are completely safe for the party that holds them. This shifts accountability for members of Congress exclusively to low-turnout primary elections, feeding polarization and gridlock and making the House ever more dysfunctional.
The solution
With the reforms in the Fair Representation Act, Americans would experience better representation, better political campaigns, and better governance.
Better representation
Each state with three or more Representatives would draw multi-member districts instead of single-member districts. Research has found that this system would lead to fair partisan and racial representation, regardless of how the lines are drawn.
The Fair Representation Act will create more opportunities for Americans across the political spectrum to be represented in government. If a community represents 25% of voters in a three-member district or 17% in a five-member district, they’ll be able to elect a candidate of their choice. This maximizes the number of voters who can elect someone who represents their interests – including urban Republicans and rural Democrats, women, and people of color.
Better campaigns
Each multi-member district will be competitive in the general election, not just the primary. With RCV, successful candidates will have to appeal to more voters and different bases of support, often asking for 2nd- and 3rd-choice support on voters’ ranked ballots. Issues, rather than mudslinging, will take center stage.
With RCV, voters won’t “waste” their vote on a longshot candidate; their vote can simply count for a backup choice if their favorite doesn’t stand a chance. Additionally, RCV allows voters to rank candidates from multiple parties.
Better governance
Multi-member districts would likely elect members of both major parties, incentivizing collaboration across party lines. By making more voters count in the general election, the Fair Representation Act will reward elected officials for their ability to tackle big issues. Most democracies worldwide use proportional systems to elect more functional legislatures; Ireland and Australia have both used RCV and multi-member districts for 100 years, and citizens in both countries are far more satisfied with their democracy than Americans.
In 2021, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship – co-chaired by Dr. Danielle Allen, FairVote’s Board Chair – recommended multi-member districts and ranked choice voting as key reforms in its Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century report.
In addition to Reps. Beyer and Raskin, their co-sponsors, and leading scholars, organizations supporting the bill include: The Bridge Alliance, Center for Common Ground, Church World Service, Fix Democracy First, Hip Hop Caucus, Interfaith Alliance, Let’s Fix This, Meetings of Opposites, National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers, National Council of Jewish Women, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting, People Power United, Rank the Vote, RCV for Colorado, RepresentUs, RepresentWomen, Secure Elections Network, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, Walking to Fix Our Democracy, and The Workers Circle.
The Fair Representation Act truly has the potential to transform our political system and create a more inclusive and deliberative government which respects and empowers all voices. Learn more about the bill here.
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FairVote is a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all. We research and advance voting reforms that make democracy more functional and representative for every American.
