IVP was founded in 2006 to provide voters with accurate and reliable information about important public policy issues and to encourage non-partisan voters to vote and to participate in the democratic
In most of the country independent voters, despite their growing numbers, are marginalized by closed partisan primary systems in which the winners are virtually pre-determined in low turnout primaries -- before independent voters can weigh in. Not so in California, where a decade-old non-partisan primary system lets all voters, including
On November 19, a California judge will hear arguments to determine whether California’s presidential primary rules violate the constitutional rights of California’s 5.6 million “no party preference” voters. For presidential contests, the Golden State has some of the most confusing primary rules in the country for independent
Many eyes are on Louisiana right now where the “jungle” primary over the weekend resulted in a “runoff” election in the gubernatorial race. The top two vote-getters, Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, will appear on a special runoff election ballot on November 16 because no
For those familiar with California’s top-two nonpartisan primary, written by the Independent Voter Project, the election process may sound similar. However, there’s a very important distinction.
Presidential Debates
The exclusionary presidential debate rules that prevent any candidate outside the Republican and Democratic Parties from participating is another critical cog in the anti-competitive electoral machine that is crippling our representative democracy.
Open Primaries
San Diego’s KUSI News interviewed IVP attorney Chad Peace on the lawsuit against the California secretary of state. Peace discusses not only the lawsuit, but the solution that IVP proposed years ago that would have prevented the need for legal action. ICYMI: We're Suing the CA Secretary
IVP legal advisor Chad Peace joined KUSI's Paul Rudy to discuss the ongoing problems with the presidential primary, what it means for those who choose to register and run outside the major parties, and the Independent Voter Project's simple solution to fix the confusing and unconstitutional
Imagine that California’s 4.7 million Republican and 8.6 million Democrat voters were not able to vote for a presidential candidate of their choice in March 2020. And NO ONE seemed to care. California’s 5.6 million NPP voters don’t have to imagine, because for the
Pundits ignore us. Primaries exclude us. Political scientists say we are just “closet partisans.” Nonsense. The Independent Voter Project (IVP) is a 501(c)4 organization that seeks to re-engage nonpartisan voters and promote nonpartisan election reform through initiatives, litigation, and voter education. We believe being independent is a mindset,
Open Primaries
The 2016 presidential primaries in California didn’t go smoothly. The election was marred by widespread confusion and frustration as millions of voters had to navigate a complex and restrictive semi-closed primary process. As a result, they were completely disenfranchised by the process. The Independent Voter Project had anticipated this
National Election Reform Groups, the Independent Voter Project and FairVote, are advocating for a primary that advances the “top-four” candidates instead of just two. The groups believe doubling the choices by advancing four candidates out of the primary, allowing write-in candidates, and enacting ranked choice voting to give voters more
In a political world dominated by voices from the Republican and Democratic parties, the Robert J. Dole Institute at the University of Kansas stepped outside of the partisan narrative with its Spring Semester discussion group focusing on the “Rise of the Independents.” By self-identification, independent voters currently make up 45