How Independent Voters Can Save American Democracy

On Tuesday November 1 at 2pm EST our Virtual Discussion Series will host a brand new discussion: How Independent Voters Can Save American Democracy featuring Jackie Salit (President, IndependentVoting.org) & Thom Reilly (ASU).

Salit and Reilly have written a new book The Independent Voter and are co-directors of an exciting new project–The Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University.

The Center seeks to study this emerging community of voters, conduct new, innovative research, create a space for dialogue on how best to address the challenges our democracy faces, and examine ways to make a shift to nonpartisan alternatives and governance.

As Reilly puts it: “We at the Center are seeking to learn whether a viable pathway to nonpartisan governance exists, whether major reform to our political structure is possible and if we are able to remake the terms of self-governance…We ask if there is a part that independent voters can play in such a change.”

Taking place one week ahead of the 2022 midterm general election this discussion could not be more timely. As Salit describes it: “Independents have been misunderstood, classified incorrectly and generally minimized in national and local politics. Yet, they determine the outcome of major elections, stand in the forefront of political reform and are adding numbers to their ranks every day.”

Open Primaries President John Opdycke will host the conversation and Q&A and we’ll be doing a deep dive into the rise of independent voters, how they’re transforming our democracy and how they could ultimately save it.