Beneath the choppy surface of the presidential election, an exciting wave is building.

These days, we're all being tossed around in the same turbulent waters. Must be a presidential election year in America! But take a quick peek under the choppy surface, and you'll discover that a momentous wave is building. At the federal and state levels, so many creative and bipartisan policy prescriptions for what ails our divided country are gaining meaningful traction.

Below, you'll learn about the heroic efforts of nonpartisan campaigners in multiple U.S. states to open up primaries, implement ranked choice voting, and protect these gains for the future. From Alaska to Nevada to South Dakota, and many states in between, democracy innovation that reduces partisan division is on the ballot in November 2024. (And hot off the presses, the bipartisan, federal-level draft Let America Vote Act is gaining fast momentum, too!)

You'll also learn about the bipartisan Building Civic Bridges Act, with Republican and Democratic sponsors in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate championing an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding plus a funding vehicle to strengthen local communities across America.

Meanwhile, Future Caucus just wrapped an inspiring annual summit, attended by Republican and Democratic state legislators from across the country. Check out the highlights below.

In November 2024, democracy innovations
that bridge divides are on the ballot.

Sometimes you might feel that our elections, politicians, and policymaking are hopelessly broken. And some bad faith actors are working hard to convince you of this. But it simply isn't true. Change is within our reach. Getting behind the reforms, policies, and programs detailed below is easy and rewarding.

Look for the "EZ buttons" all through today's newsletter!  

Red and blue Americans agree:
Open up primaries to increase voting
and decrease division

Watch "The Primary Problem," then scroll further below to learn how bipartisan grassroots campaigns are working hard to solve the problem, from coast to coast."Most of our voting happens in the general election, so we assume that's the election that matters. But it's not that simple ..."Closed, partisan primaries attract more extreme candidates, and encourage them to appeal to more extreme "base" voters.Watch The Primary Problem (3 min)Revealing ReportDid you know that a recent Gallup poll found that more American voters identify as "Independent" than Democrat or Republican? And that laws in 15 closed primary states prohibit 17M+ voters from casting a ballot in consequential primary elections? Download and read "Not Invited to the Party: Independent Voters and the Problem of Closed Primaries" by the Unite America Institute for a quick education in how closed primaries disenfranchise voters while deepening our political divisions.

Download "Not Invited to the Party"

Provocative PodcastSubscribe to the award-winning podcast The Purple Principle to hear from heroic American reformers on the front lines of efforts to overcome hyper-partisanship and restore problem-solving in our national, state, and local politics.  Hear how bipartisan campaigners in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Washington D.C. are putting democracy innovation on the ballot in Nov 2024!Subscribe to "The Purple Principle"

Hop on the wave!
Support national and state efforts to
let all Americans vote.

This November, voters across the country will have an opportunity to demand that primary elections include non-party affiliated voters, and to implement other democratizing and depolarizing innovations like ranked choice voting. National organizations and state-level campaigns that need our support now include:

• Unite America (national)
• Open Primaries (national)
• FairVote (national)
• Alaska: Alaskans for Better Elections
• Arizona: Make Elections Fair AZ
• Idaho: Idahoans for Open Primaries
• Montana: Montanans for Election Reform
• Nevada: Vote Nevada
• South Dakota: South Dakota Open Primaries
• Washington D.C: Make All Votes Count D.C.
• Wisconsin: Democracy Found

Check out primary rules in your state

The Building Civic Bridges Act:
A Powerful Tool to Repair and Strengthen American Communities

Great news! Republican and Democratic sponsors in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are championing the Building Civic Bridges Act, which would establish an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding plus a grant funding vehicle to strengthen local communities across America. More than 100 nonpartisan civil society organizations are also championing the Act, with high hopes of securing its passage in the current Congressional session. Now's the time to write or visit your legislator (the button below makes it soooo easy) to express support for this key legislative tool to fund bridge-building programs, reduce political and social division, and strengthen civic fabric in our local communities!Write your legislator today - here's the EZ Button!

Cross-Partisan Confab!
R and D State Legislators at Future Summit 2024

Civic Health Project grantee Future Caucus held their 2024 Summit -- the nation’s largest bipartisan convening of young state legislators -- in Washington D.C. July 24-27. With bipartisan caucuses of "under 45" legislators in 27 states (and growing), their work is helping build a pipeline of capable, problem-solving, bridge-building policy makers -- many of whom will become our future U.S. Reps, Senators, Governors, and even Presidents. For our money, the team at Future Caucus is doing some of the most important relationship-building, skill-building, and democracy-strengthening work in our country.Learn more about Future Caucus