The Democracy Lab

The Democracy Lab
  • 5.0 (2)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two weeks, hosts Eveline Dowling, Rob Richie, and Nivea Krishnan speak with scholars, organizers, and innovators at the forefront of the movement to advance participation and representation. Through our conversations, we test pro-democracy ideas, lift up solutions, and highlight communities strengthening and expanding democracy each and every day.

Episodes

  1. 1H AGO

    The Reform Playbook

    In this episode, Rob, Eveline, and Nivea explore two under-the-radar developments in the democracy reform movement: a new documentary examining a long-ignored provision of the U.S. Constitution that could enforce voting rights protections, and the growing momentum behind the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. They unpack how these efforts aim to reshape presidential elections, what they reveal about the evolving reform landscape, and what they signal about where the movement could head next. Check out our website and Substack at expanddemocracy.org.

    31 min

  2. JAN 30

    When Lawmakers Won't Act, Voters Can

    Ballot initiatives are one of the most direct ways people can shape the laws that govern their lives. In this episode, President and Founder of Expand Democracy Rob Richie sits down with Maresa Strano of New America to explore how citizen-led initiatives work, why they’ve been so impactful, and what they reveal about the power of voters when traditional politics breaks down. Check out our work and our Substack today!

    34 min

  3. JAN 23

    Freedom vs. Democracy

    Historian Jefferson Cowie joins Expand Democracy Senior Fellow and Research Analyst Eveline Dowling to unpack the core arguments of his book Freedom’s Dominion and the complicated role “freedom” has played in American history. They explore how appeals to freedom have often been used not to expand democracy, but to justify exclusion, control, and oppression. The conversation closes with a timely discussion on what this history means for today’s pro-democracy movement—and how organizers can talk about freedom in ways that truly strengthen democratic values.

    39 min

  4. 12/18/2025

    The Reformists: Where They've Been and Where They're Going

    In this episode, we sit down with Meredith Sumpter, CEO of FairVote, and Rob Richie, who led the organization for more than three decades, for a wide-ranging conversation on the democracy reform movement. Together, they reflect on how the movement has evolved over time, from strategy and language to public awareness, as well as what core principles have remained constant. Meredith and Rob also discuss the current inflection point for reforms like ranked choice voting and proportional representation, and what recent wins and setbacks reveal about the road ahead. Finally, they share their perspectives on where the movement is headed next, and what it will take to build a more representative, resilient democracy in the years to come. Learn more about the issues we cover at expanddemocracy.org and find our analyses on the state of our democracy on Substack.

    39 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    The Fight to Get Dark Money Out of Politics

    In this episode, Rob sits down with Tom Moore from the Center for American Progress to unpack how dark money shapes our political system and what the Transparent Election Initiative is doing in Montana to get rid of it. We also explore the promise and pitfalls of AI election assistants and what they could mean for voters navigating civic information. Plus, we dig into the ongoing push for DC statehood and why representation remains a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Learn more about the issues we cover and find additional resources at expanddemocracy.org.

    55 min

  6. 11/20/2025

    Democracy Defense is For the People, Not Parties (ft. Lisa Rice)

    In this episode, Senior Fellow Eveline Dowling sits down with political strategist and CEO of Grow Democracy DC Lisa Rice to break down the herculean grassroots effort to bring ranked choice voting to DC and discuss Rice's broader hopes for the democracy reform movement going forward. And, Rob, Eveline, and Nivea spotlight some exciting developments in the democracy space, from research into best practices for election governance to NFL teams' surprising yet welcome leadership in civic engagement. Check out our work and Substack at expanddemocracy.org.

    48 min

  7. 11/06/2025

    Building a Better Democracy Across Generations

    Every democracy is an experiment—and so is this podcast. In our first episode, we unpack ideas like fusion voting and the role of protests in a healthy democracy,, and sit down for an open, cross-generational conversation about how every generation contributes to the movement for a stronger, fairer democracy. Check out our website for more information on our work at expanddemocracy.org, and subscribe to our Substack for deeper dives into the ideas we discuss here! If you have thoughts on future guests and/or topics for us, we want to hear them! Email us at team@expanddemocracy.org.

    53 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Democracy Lab is a new podcast from Expand Democracy exploring the ideas, reforms, and civic energy shaping the future of American democracy. Every two weeks, hosts Eveline Dowling, Rob Richie, and Nivea Krishnan speak with scholars, organizers, and innovators at the forefront of the movement to advance participation and representation. Through our conversations, we test pro-democracy ideas, lift up solutions, and highlight communities strengthening and expanding democracy each and every day.

Information

  • Creator
    The Democracy Lab
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Democracy Lab
  • Show Website
    The Democracy Lab