With the 2020 general elections fast approaching and the nominee of the Democratic Party still undecided, this election year is bound to be contentious and fraught with anxieties. Foreign interference, gerrymandering, voter suppression, the census, the purging of voter registration logs, fake ballots, the malfunction and hacking of voting machines — each of these issues poses a distinct threat to the fairness and security of our elections. Although the right to vote is not constitutionally conferred, it is one of the central ideals of representative democracy. Given the reality of low voter turn-out and the peculiarities of the electoral college, the coordination and galvanization of blocks of like-minded voters can prove decisive in shifting elections. As such, many worry that voting rights are threatened by by both foreign and domestic forces who seek to sway elections in their favor.
Recorded on March 3, 2020 — the day of the “Super Tuesday” primary — this panel discussion consider a wide range of issues related to the security and fairness of our elections. The panel was presented by UC Berkeley’s Social Science Matrix as part of the “Matrix On Point” discussion series, and was co-sponsored by the Institute of Governmental Studies.
The panel included Sarah Anzia, Michelle J. Schwartz Associate Professor of Public Policy & Associate Professor of Political Science; Bertrall Ross, Chancellor’s Professor of Law; and Eric Schickler, Professor, Jeffrey & Ashley McDermott Endowed Chair of Political Science.
Watch the video of this event above or on YouTube.
