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Political Reform and Moderation in California’s Legislature: Did Electoral Reforms Make State Representatives More Moderate?

By Eric McGhee

California implemented several important election reforms at the start of this decade. Each was intended in part to promote more flexible, moderate decision-making among California’s elected officials in an era of increasingly acrimonious partisan conflict. This report looks at the moderating effect of three reforms: the shift of authority to draw legislative and congressional districts from the state legislature to an independent redistricting commission; the loosening of term limits for state legislators; and a highly open “top two” primary system.

Report

Do Registration Reforms Add New Voters or Keep Californians Registered?

By Eric McGhee, Jennifer Paluch, Mindy Romero

In recent years, new voter registration and voter address updates have surged—due largely to California’s new process for automatic voter registration. But registration reforms have not significantly diversified the electorate, and the state may need to do more to engage newly registered voters.

blog post

Electoral Reforms Face New Test

By Eric McGhee

California’s political reforms—redistricting and the top-two primary—were meant to shake up the status quo, and in 2012, they didn’t disappoint. Things are calmer in this year’s legislative and congressional races.

blog post

California’s Election Reforms at the Dawn of a New Decade

By Eric McGhee

The June primary marked the tenth of anniversary of two major changes to elections in California: the Citizens Redistricting Commission and the Top Two primary. What can the recent primary’s results tell us about the impact of these reforms?

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