In every major election, several million eligible and interested voters end up not voting or not having their vote count. Much has changed since George Washington first took the oath as president in 1789. Our election democracy two centuries later still features many outdated voting practices and procedures, especially problemmatic in that they vary so widely among its 50 states, 3,000 counties and local cities and towns.

In the last 50 to 100 years, many ideas and opportunities have emerged towards an election democracy that encourage participation, electoral fairness and choice. Democracies today have adopted national and international standards, such as having elections conducted by nonpartisan rather than partisan officials or  ensuring the kind of transparency and level playing field that makes democracy the world's most compelling system of government.  A cause that many aspire to today.

This section draws from the ideas of institutes, organizations and scholars to address many of U.S. democracy's most fundamental election issues, challenges and opportunities.