Redefining Democracy: How Approval Voting Could Transform U.S. Politics

In this interview episode (originally published in 2022), we explore how approval voting could change the political landscape in America with Aaron Hamlin, Executive Director of The Center for Election Science. Aaron shares his journey from political intrigue in grad school to advocating for a voting method that lets voters express a broader range of candidate preferences. Approval voting, a simple yet impactful system, allows people to vote for as many candidates as they approve of, with the candidate receiving the most votes winning. By tackling vote splitting and enabling voters to support multiple candidates, approval voting seeks to foster representation and discourage extremist candidates.

Aaron offers insights into the success of approval voting in Fargo, St. Louis, and upcoming initiatives in Seattle, as well as the broader potential for state and even national adoption. We discuss how this system can reduce polarization, give voters more genuine choices, and improve political continuity by enabling policies that reflect broader support.

Key Highlights:

• What is Approval Voting? Aaron breaks down the mechanics of approval voting, explaining how it differs from the "choose one" voting system and ranked-choice voting.
• Real-World Success Stories: Approval voting has seen success in Fargo and St. Louis, with campaigns expanding to other cities and states.
• How Approval Voting Reduces Vote Splitting & Extremism: By letting voters support multiple candidates, approval voting helps prevent extremist candidates from capitalizing on vote splitting, a common pitfall in primary elections.
• The Road to National Adoption: Aaron shares the Center for Election Science's roadmap to implementing approval voting on a national scale, allowing states to decide how their electoral votes are assigned.

Take Action

Listeners inspired by this episode can learn more and join local chapters to advocate for approval voting through The Center for Election Science. Visit ElectionScience.org to take action, join the community, and get updates on campaign progress across the country.

Tune in to rethink what it means to vote for a better democracy, where every vote is valued, and every voice matters!

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