Majority Rules Parent Guide

If there’s one thing all polls agree on, it’s growing disenchantment amongst American voters. Unsatisfactory candidates, gridlock in Washington, and increasingly virulent rhetoric all combine to turn people away from the political process.

The 2024 documentary Majority Rules offers a suggestion on improving both voter satisfaction and the overall functioning of American democracy. What if voters felt like they had a real say in who they elected, instead of just choosing the lesser of two evils? And what if politicians felt free to represent all of their voters instead of throwing red meat to their base? According to the politicians and activists interviewed in this film, one of the answers is electoral reform.

Before elaborating on the solution, Majority Rules carefully provides some background on the problem. Because an increasing number of congressional districts are uncompetitive (they always vote for the same party), the biggest challenge for would-be congressional representatives isn’t the general election: it’s the primary. As the need to please primary voters becomes the most powerful imperative for politicians, their rhetoric and voting records become increasingly extreme. Cooperation across the aisle dwindles, legislators become unproductive and contentious, and voters lose faith in the system.

To combat this problem, Majority Rules takes viewers to Alaska, where the 2022 election saw the state introduce three voting reforms. The first, an open primary, gives all Alaskan voters a single primary ballot, featuring all the candidates running for every party (and includes independents). The second, a top four ballot, puts the most successful primary candidates (from any party) on the ballot. The third, ranked choice voting, requires voters to pick their first, second, and third choice candidates. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, second choice ballots will be counted, and so on, until someone receives a clear majority.

The results of Alaska’s special election in summer 2022 are surprising, and the mid-term November election even more so. More diverse campaigns, more motivated voters, and controversy are the result. But as Majority Rules points out, voter reform isn’t simply an Alaskan issue – it’s brewing in several states and will be on the ballot this year.

I will admit my nerd credentials here and confess to a lifelong interest in electoral reform and a fascination with the topics explored in this highly informative, carefully non-partisan documentary. But you don’t have to be obsessed with politics to find this film fascinating. In fact, this is exactly the kind of doc that will spark open discussions in high school classrooms, university lecture theaters, or any other public forum. If you’re interested in politics, if you’re frustrated by politics, or if you have your own ideas for change, give Majority Rules a watch and get to work in your own state.