Earlier today, Rob Richie and Board Chair Purnima Chawla shared that Rob will be stepping down as FairVote’s President and CEO on November 1, and taking on a new full-time Senior Advisor role. 

In his email to staff and partners, Rob writes: “The Board and I agree that this is exactly the right time to act. Our reform movement is strong and the staff is driving excellent work…. I’m profoundly optimistic about what we can achieve together to seek a more perfect union.” 

Rob and Purnima’s full emails to staff and partners – with more information about the transition, the search for FairVote’s next permanent President/CEO to start this month, and Rob’s vision of future service to the democracy reform movement – are below. Continue to follow our blog for updates.

Rob Richie’s Message

I am writing to share that I will step down as President and CEO of FairVote on November 1 and take on a new full-time Senior Advisor role within the organization. The FairVote Board has begun to work on a search process for a permanent President/CEO. 

I’ve been on a long-planned sabbatical that will continue through October 31. The Board supported my sabbatical goals: to recharge my batteries after what has been 365-days-a-year intensely devoted to FairVote since 1992; to create space for me to write a book about ranked choice voting and travel to engage with reformers internationally; and to enable the FairVote staff to lean into their leadership. 

My sabbatical relates to discussions I’ve had with the Board for years about when to move to a new role that best serves the interests of FairVote and the broader electoral reform movement – well aware that CEO succession for a founding leader can be challenging. The Board and I agree that this is exactly the right time to act. Our reform movement is strong, the staff is driving excellent work, FairVote is financially healthy, and we are preparing a new strategic plan to govern our work for the rest of the decade. It has been inspiring to see the emergence of so many national, state, and local partners.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead FairVote and see its extraordinary impact bloom. Yet, I’ve had challenges running a growing organization with more than 30 colleagues. Day-to-day management isn’t where I can best contribute to our mission. Instead, in the years to come, I want to leverage my experience and insights to help others succeed, go deeper into strategy and thought leadership, and in general, prioritize my contributions to match our movement’s needs. 

I look forward to a measured, intentional and collaborative transition during which I will fully support FairVote’s Board, staff, and permanent CEO in building on our progress. In my new role, I’ll continue to participate in our strategic planning and support my colleagues with policy development, thought leadership, fundraising and partnerships, and our biannual FairVote Awards. The Board and I are also talking with staff and partners about how I can best help the broader movement.

I want to provide a special thanks to my FairVote colleagues. With Lan Nguyen’s leadership as Acting CEO, they’re all doing great work. The Board’s commitment to FairVote’s ongoing success and taking on the demands of this CEO search process is unparalleled.

I’m profoundly optimistic about what we can achieve together to seek a more perfect union. Nationally, this coming decade holds the promise of sweeping change through advocacy for ranked choice voting and progress toward advancing the Fair Representation Act for Congressional elections. Let’s keep pushing forward for the reform victories we know are there to be won – and to ensure a vibrant, healthy FairVote ready to move forward under a new generation of leadership.

With appreciation,
Rob

Purnima Chawla’s Message

On behalf of the FairVote Board, I want to thank Rob for his visionary and dedicated service to the mission of the organization and for the work he has done to build a powerful pro-democracy movement in America. This work has been possible only with his leadership – not just within FairVote, but as a campaign-builder and strategic partner for dozens of organizations and hundreds of advocates in the democracy space.

As is necessary for any organization with a long-term vision, the Board and Rob have been collaboratively engaged in succession planning for years. The transition from the founder to the second generation of leadership is crucial for an organization that intends to go the distance. FairVote has been preparing for this transition and we are now ready. It is a testament to Rob and Lan’s leadership, and the great work that you all do every day, that FairVote is stronger than ever before and poised for continued success in the next phase of its history. 

The Board will soon be initiating a search for FairVote’s next permanent President/CEO. Over the next few weeks, we hope to have conversations with all of you about the future of FairVote. Your input will be vital to our thinking about the kind of leader we will be seeking. 

We are grateful that Rob has chosen to continue his work for the movement and this organization by stepping into a consultative role as Senior Advisor. This role will enable him to contribute to FairVote’s work in a substantive and strategic way, but will not entail management or operational responsibilities. In this way, FairVote will continue to benefit from his strategic insight and thought leadership, as will the entire movement. 

I also want to share that Dr. Danielle Allen is taking over as the new Chair of the FairVote Board. As you may recall, I stepped in as Board Chair for a six-month interim term in December 2022 after the departure of Alice Underwood. I am now happy to pass the baton to Danielle, who has been elected to a regular two-year term. Danielle has deep experience and leadership in governance and government reform efforts, and I can think of no one better to help guide the organization at this critical time. I will remain on the Board and continue to contribute in all the ways that I can. 

Please be assured that the work of FairVote – including initiatives that Rob has spearheaded – will continue as planned. We have great confidence in Lan’s leadership as Acting CEO, and we share Rob’s pride in the FairVote team – what it has accomplished in the past, what it is planning in the present, and what it will achieve in the future. This team is extraordinary.

Sincerely,
Purnima