How to end the gerrymandering wars: FairVote celebrates reintroduction of the Fair Representation Act
Bill would give voters more choice and more voice with ranked choice voting, stop gerrymandering with multi-member districts, & make Congress work better
July 23, 2025 – As Texas Republicans and blue-state Democrats both threaten mid-decade gerrymandering for partisan advantage, FairVote celebrated today’s reintroduction of the Fair Representation Act (H.R.4632) by Reps. Don Beyer (VA-8) and Jamie Raskin (MD-8).
The Fair Representation Act would end the gerrymandering wars and make every congressional district competitive – by combining ranked choice voting with multi-member U.S. House districts and uniform redistricting rules. The bill also includes a ban on mid-decade redistricting. Voters can ask their member of Congress to support the bill by using this link.
“Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say elected officials don’t care what people like them think. We need ranked choice voting and proportional representation to make our government work for the American people,” said Meredith Sumpter, president and CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections. “The Fair Representation Act gives voters more choice and more power. It would make our elections fairer and more competitive, and offer a path away from gerrymandering and polarization. It would reward candidates and elected officials who build coalitions and work across the aisle to get things done for voters, rather than those who succeed by turning Americans against one another.”
“Hyperpartisan gerrymandering has suppressed meaningful electoral competition, which in turn has allowed extremist ideologies to hijack our political discourse and sown public distrust of our political system,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Our Fair Representation Act would provide necessary solutions by implementing critical reforms to strengthen our electoral system, ensure every voter has their voice represented, and restore public trust. This is how we create a Congress made up of Members who prioritize pragmatic legislative results and solutions for the benefit of the American people.”
“Every day brings more bad news of gerrymandering, extreme gerrymandering and straight-up disenfranchisement,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin. “The Fair Representation Act is the opposite of all that: it brings democracy up to date in the 21st century instead of turning the clock back to the white primaries, grandfather clauses, literacy tests and poll taxes of the 20th century.”
The Fair Representation Act has three main components:
- Multi-member districts. In three- or five-member districts, nearly every voter will elect a candidate they support. Urban Republicans and rural Democrats will be represented in Congress. Gerrymandering will become nearly impossible. (Sample maps are available here, 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, national rules for congressional redistricting
How the Fair Representation Act would improve representation
Each state with three or more Representatives would draw multi-member districts instead of single-member districts, creating more opportunities for Americans across the political spectrum to be represented in government. Research has found that this system would lead to fair partisan and racial representation, regardless of how district lines are drawn.
Massachusetts Republicans haven’t elected a House member in 30 years. Arkansas and Oklahoma Democrats are similarly shut out. With the Fair Representation Act, they would have representation.
How the Fair Representation Act would improve campaigns
Currently, over 80% of House districts are completely safe for one party, leaving tens of millions without real representation and shifting accountability to polarizing primary elections.
With the Fair Representation Act, each multi-member district will be competitive in the general election, not just the primary. With ranked choice voting, successful candidates will have to appeal to more voters and different bases of support, often asking for 2nd- and 3rd-choice support. Everywhere it’s used, voters say they like and understand RCV.
How the Fair Representation Act would make Congress work better
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.
Fair Representation Act supporters
In 2021, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship – co-chaired by Dr. Danielle Allen – recommended multi-member districts and ranked choice voting as key reforms in its Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century report. The bill has also been supported by leading scholars across the nation. A full list of organizations supporting the bill is available here.
In addition to Reps. Beyer and Raskin, the Fair Representation Act is also co-sponsored by Reps. Ro Khanna, James McGovern, and Scott Peters. (9/5/25 update: Since this press released was published, Reps. Joe Neguse and Rashida Tlaib have also co-sponsored the act.)
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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.
