Article shared by Cathy L. Stewart on December 03, 2024 at 11:47 AM

On November 21st, Respect Voters co-founders and hosts of Behind the Ballot, Katie Fahey and Brittany Buford, talked with Jackie Salit, President of Independent Voting, and Cathy Stewart, Vice-President for National Development of Independent Voting, about the recent election, and the role of independent voters.

Watch the Full Conversation Below!

Here are some highlights from the conversation...

Katie Fahey asked,

"What do you guys believe are the most important structural forms to democracy right now? Are there any that stand out to you? And do any of them seem particularly important or poignant for the independent voter movement?"

Stewart:

"One thing that I would say, a fundamental bottom line that didn't come from an analysis, it didn't come from academia, it didn't come from studies on democracy, it came from independent voters. It’s the issue of all voters being able to vote in all rounds. To me, this is a fundamental fairness issue. It's a fundamental voting rights issue. And we just, we have to take care of that. We have to give all voters equal access to shaping what's on the ballot in November. And again, we've been championing that issue for decades. And it came from the voters we were talking to, independent voters, who were saying, I can't vote in the primary."

At the end of the interview, Katie Fahey asked Jackie,

"If there's anything else that you want to end on for us to think about when it comes to respecting voters?"

Jackie shared:

"I think that we're at kind of a pivot moment, a hinge moment, in the country. And I know people have very intense feelings about the results and fears and concerns and for some people, excitement. There are opportunities here to do new things and new ways and all of that. I think I feel all of that too. And I think this is a good environment to build in. And I think we have to build smart. I think we have to cast off some of our own presuppositions and premises that we've been carrying around for however many years. This is a growth moment for our movement and for our country. And I hope we can make good things out of it. I think the possibility of that exists...."

You can learn more about Respect Voters Coalition here!