Center for Voting and Democracy - Definition and Overview

The Center for Voting and Democracy is a non-profit organization based in Takoma Park, Maryland which provides information to the public about the impact of voting systems on political representation, proportional representation, and voter turnout. It was founded in 1992 by scholars, civic leaders, and former elected officials such as John Bayard Anderson, the former Illinois congressman who ran for president in 1980. Since CVD's founding, Rob Richie has served as its executive director and lead organizer.

The Center advocates for the greater use of Instant-runoff voting in single-winner elections, and Single Transferable Vote systems and other forms of proportional representation in multiple-winner elections. It also issues reports on legislative redistricting and competition in U.S. Congressional elections.

In 2003 it launched the Democracy USA initiative, which seeks to initiate greater cooperation and coordination among pro-democracy organizations.

External links

• Center for Voting and Democracy (http://www.fairvote.org/)
• Democracy USA (http://www.democracyusa.org/)