The Philippines Election was Corrupt—and a Victory for Democracy

In the New President, Some See a Demagogue but Others See a Much-Needed Reformer

The Philippines is a sports-loving nation—from boxing to basketball. Seven years ago, the government even named the martial art known as Modern Arnis as our national sport.

But the country’s actual national sport may be the political election.

The Philippines has just gone through a campaign season that engaged the whole country to a degree I have not seen before—and made news all over the world. It culminated in electing our new president Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte, a lawyer and former mayor known for outrageous populist rhetoric that has drawn comparisons to …

How the Politics of Resentment Corrupted Wisconsin’s Culture of Nice

Savvy Candidates Spent the Last Decade Pitting Rural Voters Against City Folks

The April 5 presidential primaries in Wisconsin are expected to be close in both parties, and critical to deciding the Republican contest between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. And the …

Can Denmark Still Drink to Democracy?

The Country Has Always Bridged Its Political Differences Over Beer, But a New Regime Is Widening the Gap

No country celebrates its democracy like Denmark. But is that democracy still worth celebrating?

During Denmark’s election last week, voters threw out their center-left government in favor of the far-right people’s …

Let’s Put Voting Machines in In-N-Out Burger

L.A. Voter Turnout Is So Dismal We've Got Nothing to Lose

Like a man who bangs his head against the wall to cure a headache, Los Angeles will hold more municipal elections this March. The certain result: another low-turnout embarrassment that …

I Do the Math That Keeps Elections Honest

It May Not Be Glamorous, But I Travel Around the Country Counting Votes

I was standing outside a metal warehouse building that was part of the Volusia County, Florida elections department on November 16, 2004, worried that I might leave empty-handed.

I had come …

When 82 Percent Voter Turnout Isn’t Good Enough

Election Participation in My Swedish City Could Crush Any Town in America. But We Decided There Was More to Be Done.

I did not receive the warmest welcome from my colleagues four years ago, at my very first meeting of the Falun Election Commission. In fact, most members of the authority …