Join the Institute on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, as we welcome Dr. Charles Wheelan, former Congressional candidate and founder of Unite America, who will speak about political innovation in the American election process. He contends that while the individuals we elect are clearly important, the methods we use to elect them are equally, if not more, significant. Wheelan maintains that the current electoral mechanisms—especially gerrymandering combined with partisan primaries—result in electing representatives who are more radical than the general populace and less inclined to engage in the compromises essential for governing a diverse nation.

Wheelan will delve into Alaska's pioneering 2020 referendum, where voters abolished party primaries in favor of a single, open primary system and introduced ranked-choice voting for the general election. Similar electoral reforms are being considered in several states for the 2024 elections.

Free and open to the public.