The Nation.

Democracy on the Net

By Katrina vanden Heuvel

This article appeared in the July 21, 2008 edition of The Nation.

July 1, 2008

Here are links to some of the leading prodemocracy groups working to build a more perfect union:

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FairVote: As a reform catalyst it develops and promotes innovative strategies to win a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for President, instant runoff voting and proportional representation.

Demos.org: A nonpartisan policy research and advocacy organization focusing on increasing electoral participation and civic engagement--including enforcing national voting standards and enacting election day registration.

DC Vote: DC Vote works to secure full voting rights in Congress for the disenfranchised residents of the District of Columbia.

Public Campaign: A network of national and state campaign reform efforts to dramatically reduce the role of big special-interest money in our politics.

Brennan Center for Justice: The center's work includes voting rights, redistricting reform and restoring the vote to people with felony convictions.

Common Cause: A nonpartisan advocacy organization committed to honest, open and accountable government as well as encouraging citizen participation.

Change-Congress.org: Internet guru Lawrence Lessig's new organization is using online tools to build a national movement to end corruption in Congress.

Free Press: Launched in 2002 by media scholar Robert McChesney, journalist (and The Nation's DC correspondent) John Nichols and Josh Silver, it is the largest media reform organization in the United States.

Sentencing Project: Focuses on restoring the vote to felons.

WhyTuesday.org: Uses online tools to increase voter turnout and participation. Its primary focus is to end elections held during the middle of the workweek.

New America Foundation: Its political reform program promotes innovative changes such as instant runoff voting, proportional representation and free airtime.

Center for Responsive Politics: A nonpartisan research group that tracks money in politics and its effect on elections and public policy.

About Katrina vanden Heuvel

Katrina vanden Heuvel is Editor and Publisher of The Nation.

She is the co-editor of Taking Back America--And Taking Down The Radical Right (NationBooks, 2004).

She is also co-editor (with Stephen F. Cohen) of Voices of Glasnost: Interviews with Gorbachev's Reformers (Norton, 1989) and editor of The Nation: 1865-1990, and the collection A Just Response: The Nation on Terrorism, Democracy and September 11, 2001.

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