A Discussion About Democracy with the Ash Center: Problems at the Polls, Mid-Term Elections and How Fragile is our Democracy - Ash Center's Archon Fung, Tova Wang, and Visiting Fellow George (Chip) Greenidge, Jr. discuss these issues right before the election. By George (Chip) Greenidge, Jr.
I have decided to put together in this blog a series of articles, forums, and podcasts with the Ash Center's Archon Fung, Senior Fellow Tova Wang, and myself (Visiting Fellow George (Chip) Greenidge, Jr.) discussing the problems at the polls, mid-term elections and how fragile is our democracy.
This week on The PowerPLAY Show with Tonia Magras A Mid-Terms Election Discussion
We are a few days away from the mid-term elections. Locally in Boston, our next Governor and Attorney General are at stake. Nationally, races in Georgia and Florida are making news. We’ll break down what’s at stake with my guest George "Chip" Greenidge, Jr., Director of Greatest MINDS and Visiting Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation - coming up next on The PowerPLAY Show!
Problems at the Polls?
Election Administration in the Midterms
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Institute of Politics invites, and HKS Black Alumni Association invite you to a discussion with former West Virginia Secretary of State and current Institute of Politics Fellow Natalie Tennant, who will be joined by the Ash Center’s Tova Wang for a discussion on running an election in turbulent times. Tennant and Wang will discuss some of the biggest challenges to running a safe and transparent election process this year, such as new restrictive voting laws, low voter turnout, distrust of outcomes, and threats being made against election officials. Opening remarks by Director of the Ash Center Archon Fung.
How fragile is our democracy?
Five midterm indicators from Archon Fung
"As the midterm election results come in, most of the attention will focus on whether the Democrats or Republicans end up controlling Congress. As significant as that question is, other, less prominent aspects of the midterm elections may give us indications about a more fundamental question: Is our democracy becoming more fragile?" writes Ash Center Director Archon Fung in a new essay. - Here is the link: https://ash.harvard.edu/how-fragile-our-democracy-five-midterm-indicators
As he details in his essay, Fung argues there are five midterm indicators we should be watching for on election night and after:
• Voter turnout: How many people will vote in the midterms?
• Contestation over election results: Will election deniers continue to push back on election outcomes?
• Political violence: Will there continue to be violence against political leaders as well as threats against poll workers and town clerks?
• Partisan election administration: Will partisanship drive the decisions of election administrators?
• Energy for democratic innovation: Will down-ballot reforms like rank choice voting and fusion voting pass?
