Lessons Learned From Election Reform Efforts

by Stephen Abouchar and William Pierson

October 28, 2025

Evaluating Alternative Voting Methods

Introduction

The American electoral system has been a long standing symbol of the democratic process, and yet in recent years, there has been a growing sense of dissatisfaction from the public due to party influence, unequal representation and political polarization. This has sparked calls for a change to the current system - specifically, electoral reform. The two-party system has limited voter choice, and reinforced polarization, highlighting the need for an alternative voting method that can produce a candidate who more accurately represents voters and reduce the influence of wealth in elections. Among these alternatives, Fusion Voting, Approval Voting, and Ranked Choice Voting have come out as promising proposals. All three of these systems potentially allow for broader representation and more flexibility in how voters express their preferences, but they often run into obstacles in terms of implementation, public understanding, and resistance from elected officials who are invested in the current political system. This analysis has been conducted through the lens of James Wilson’s vision for American democracy, shaped by direct participation and equal representation. Using this framework, this paper examines how the three different systems could potentially 

One of the efforts to improve the process of candidate selection was Americans Elect, a political organization that sought to hold a national primary entirely online for the 2012 presidential election. While Americans Elect was able to gain ballot access status in 29 states, they were unable to produce a candidate for the 2012 race due to a variety of issues, including lack of voter participation,  lack of public trust in the initiative, and lack of transparency. However, its failure provides insight on future improvements for future electoral reform efforts. Through Wilson’s vision, Wilson’s Fountain, an initiative aiming to facilitate free and equal elections in the United States, seeks to overcome the challenges faced by Americans Elect and offer a better and more reliable method to improve the voting process to show the will of the people. 

Abstract

Amid the current political dissatisfaction in the United States, there have been constant questions about the way voting is conducted in elections, opening the door for possible alternative methods. Three systems, Fusion Voting, Approval Voting, and Rank Choice Voting have the potential to change voter choice and the structure of elections. This paper explores the benefits, drawbacks, legislative implications, and financial aspects of those three systems, as well as the failure of Americans Elect to gain traction.