We believe that every single issue we care about — from climate change to gun safety, from health care to military spending — cannot be fixed until we FIX DEMOCRACY FIRST
Equal Citizens — a nonprofit founded by Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig — is dedicated to reforms that will achieve citizen equality. Through a series of projects that aim to restore the core promise of citizen equality in our Constitution, we will end the corruption of our representative democracy.
OUR PROJECTS
EQUAL VOTES
A legal challenge to the winner-take-all allocation of electoral votes
In a democracy, all votes should count equally. In our democracy, when voting for the president, they do not. Because of the winner-take-all allocation of electoral votes, if you don’t vote for the candidate who wins your state, your vote counts for nothing. That violates the Constitution’s “one person, one vote” principle. We plan to challenge this system in the courts. Join this fight for citizen equality. Learn more →
END SUPER PACS
We’re fighting super PACs in Alaska. If we win, we could end super PACs nationwide.
Working with citizens in Alaska — where state law gives citizens the right to demand election law be enforced — we want to take this question to the Supreme Court: What would the Framers have said about super PACs? Learn more →
ELECTORS FREEDOM
Resolving the constitutional freedom of presidential electors.
We are currently providing legal help to the electors in Colorado and Washington who were threatened or fined by their state government for voting their conscience in 2016. Learn more →
ANOTHER WAY PODCAST
Can we make 2020 something more than a civil war between Democrats and Republicans?
Is there a way to make the 2020 election about something more than simply defeating President Trump? Can it become an election that unites America? Can we leverage what unifies America, and get an (unrigged) democracy that could work? That’s the hope described in this six episodes — Another Way, Season One. Listen →
RANKED CHOICE VOTING FOR PRESIDENT
End the spoiler effect once and for all.
The ability to vote for a candidate who can represent you best is an essential part of a democracy. Yet, because of the two-party system in America, third party candidates are too often “spoilers,” not choices. Learn more →
OUR PROJECTS
EQUAL VOTES
A legal challenge to the winner-take-all allocation of electoral votes
In a democracy, all votes should count equally. In our democracy, when voting for the president, they do not. Because of the winner-take-all allocation of electoral votes, if you don’t vote for the candidate who wins your state, your vote counts for nothing. That violates the Constitution’s “one person, one vote” principle. We plan to challenge this system in the courts. Join this fight for citizen equality. Learn more →
END SUPER PACS
We’re fighting super PACs in Alaska.If we win, we could end super PACs nationwide.
Working with citizens in Alaska — where state law gives citizens the right to demand election law be enforced — we want to take this question to the Supreme Court: What would the Framers have said about super PACs? Learn more →
ANOTHER WAY PODCAST
Is there a way to make the 2020 election about something more than simply defeating President Trump? Can it become an election that unites America? Can we leverage what unifies America, and get an (unrigged) democracy that could work? That’s the hope described in this six episodes — Another Way, Season One.
Listen →
ELECTORS FREEDOM
We are currently providing legal help to the electors in Colorado and Washington who were threatened or fined by their state government for voting their conscience in 2016.
Learn more →
RANKED CHOICE VOTING FOR PRESIDENT
End the spoiler effect once and for all.
The ability to vote for a candidate who can represent you best is an essential part of a democracy. Yet, because of the two-party system in America, third party candidates are too often “spoilers,” not choices. Learn more →
WHAT WE FIGHT FOR
EQUAL
REPRESENTATION
Citizens should be represented equally in elections
EQUAL
DEPENDENCE
Representatives should depend on citizens equally
EQUAL FREEDOM
TO VOTE
Citizens should have the same opportunity to vote
LATEST NEWS
KUOW: Electoral College debate heads to Washington’s Supreme Court
Three Washington Democrats will explain Tuesday to the state Supreme Court why they voted against their party's presidential nominee in the 2016 election. The three, Levi Guerra, Esther V. John, and Peter B. Chiafalo, were among 12 Democrats the state sent to the...
Medium: Equal Citizens January 2019 Update
It’s the 15th, which means we owe you a message about where we are and where we’re going. And while we’ve got many sticks in the fire — and one I’m itching to launch asap (more on that soon I hope) — let me use these paragraphs to talk a bit more about what our legal...
The Hill: The ‘Trump shutdown’ is also a failure of Congress – particularly Mitch McConnell
The Independent: Trump is the real ‘national emergency,’ Harvard law professor says
Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig, a respected constitutional law expert has disregarded Donald Trump’s description of a “crisis” at the Mexican border, saying the real national emergency is the president himself. Mr Lessig was asked about Mr Trump’s threatening...
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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JOIN THE FIGHT
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