January 7, 2026
A “Fix-The-Rules” Focus Can Give Us Hope for America in 2026
As 2026 dawns, another year of all-consuming politics has begun in America. To reduce polarization and ensure fairness for all, we need to fix the rules of democracy.
As 2026 dawns, another year of all-consuming politics has begun in America. To reduce polarization and ensure fairness for all, we need to fix the rules of democracy.
In 2026, dozens of secretaries of state across the country — including Jocelyn Benson in Michigan — will be on the ballot while overseeing the very elections they administer. That fact alone should not trigger federal oversight. ✅ As we outline in our latest commentary, what matters more is transparency and clear evaluation of conflicts of interest — not knee-jerk federal intervention.
California’s Prop 50 shows why fair redistricting matters. A few more seats won’t save democracy if the system itself stays rigged.
In a time when our democracy is under threat, increasing polarization represents a growing risk to the nonpartisan functioning of local election boards—which are the frontlines of our democracy. This proposal offers an innovative new structure for local election boards that would encourage greater neutrality while still allowing efficient decision making.
ERN issues commentary denouncing the U.S. State Department's reversal of 40-years of policies supporting free and fair elections abroad.
This discussion draft is for the National Steering Committee on Trusted Elections.
President Trump's March 25 executive order on elections illustrates how far we have fallen behind democratic standards. In no other major democracy would the head of government change election rules by decree, as Trump has attempted to do.
Innovation is key to strengthening democracy and confronting contemporary political challenges, from hyper-partisanship and polarization to governmental gridlock and dysfunction. ERN's Kevin Johnson discusses how to improve our country’s political health and secure democratic governance for future generations.
Citizen-initiated ballot measures have emerged as a critical political battlefield in the United States. This groundbreaking report identifies the abuses by legislative and executive powers to the ballot initiative process and details remedies for partisan meddling.
The following text excerpts the key provisions of a proposed amendment to safeguard the citizens’ right to initiative in Missouri by establishing the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Ballot Questions.