Center for Ballot Freedom

America’s political system is broken. We are a cross-partisan nonprofit project that protects and strengthens American democracy by reviving #FusionVoting 🗳️

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

What we’re trapped in now isn’t just polarization; it’s a kind of political badlands, a two-party doom loop that keeps us running in place.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

By allowing smaller parties to cross-nominate candidates and demonstrate their electoral strength, fusion creates new avenues for coalition-building, broadens representation, and gives voters more meaningful ways to express their political preferences.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

American democracy didn't break overnight—and it won't be rebuilt overnight either. That's the focus of This Old Democracy, a new podcast hosted by Micah Sifry exploring the ideas, movements, and people working to build a more inclusive, representative, and resilient political system. Tune in and join the conversation. https://t.co/MjuyRDyPqC

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

For single-winner offices like governor, senator, and president, fusion voting gives political factions a way to build influence without acting as spoilers. Each party gets its own ballot line, its support is publicly measured, and coalitions are built in the general election—not forced into a binary choice months before voters cast their ballots. @leedrutman @newamerica

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Sign up for The Monthly Ticket to stay informed! Receive updates on #fusionvoting and our efforts to reduce extreme partisan polarization, replacing it with a vibrant, multi-party #democracy. Sign up below 👇👇👇: https://t.co/tydE5thlxn

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting would create incentives for political parties and their candidates to build broader coalitions. @jefftimmer

A candidate seeking support from a common-sense, pro-democracy, reform-oriented party would need to demonstrate real commitment to those values. A candidate seeking support from a libertarian party would need to address civil liberties and limits on government power.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting doesn’t just give voters more choices — it helps build real parties rooted in communities. @gelliottmorris @leedrutman @newamerica

In New York, the Working Families Party often endorses Democrats, but its votes are counted separately, giving the party real leverage and showing elected officials exactly how much support came from its base. That’s how smaller parties can organize, grow, and influence policy without acting as spoilers.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

The latest This Old Democracy features @tabathaabuelhaj on associational party building, the power of a ballot line, and what democratic accountability can look like in practice.

Something is missing from American politics — and it's not a policy position or a charismatic leader. It's a structural connection between the people who hold office and the communities they claim to represent.

https://t.co/MjuyRDyPqC

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting was once common in the U.S. and played a significant role in Michigan politics before anti-fusion laws spread during a period when major parties moved to limit the influence of emerging minor parties and reform movements.

That history still matters today: Michigan’s fusion ban continues to reinforce the existing two-party structure by limiting competition and cross-party coalition-building. @jefftimmer

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting lets multiple parties support the same candidate while still giving voters a meaningful choice. In New York, for example, voters in 2024 could support Kamala Harris on either the Democratic or Working Families Party line — or Donald Trump on either the Republican or Conservative Party line. @gelliottmorris @leedrutman

It’s a way to build broader coalitions, give smaller parties a voice, and reduce the “spoiler effect” without splitting the vote.

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Today, we celebrate the birth of Wisconsin's legislative tradition in 1836. During much of the 1800s, fusion voting was legal and played a role in the rise of reform coalitions — until it was banned in 1897. United Wisconsin believes that ban should be lifted — join us!

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Bipartisan politicians agree: Fusion Voting is powerful.

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Have YOU heard of Fusion Voting? If not: https://t.co/OPcMfXdNjm

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Bring back the bipartisan election tool: Fusion Voting.

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Fusion voting: a powerful political tool that was banned because it threatened the major parties. Bring it back!

[United Wisconsin @UnitedWisc]

Our pro Fusion Voting lawsuit is in the news:
Two parties, one candidate: Lawsuit challenges Wisconsin's fusion voting ban https://t.co/MEGwpBpuHT via @WISCTV_News3

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting isn't just a workaround for winner-take-all elections. Even in institutions like the U.S. Senate, fusion can expand representation without changing the structure of the office itself.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

New York City is proof that third-party ballot lines can matter—even in single-member district elections. Fusion voting gives smaller parties a way to build support, shape coalitions, and influence outcomes without acting as spoilers. It turns organized political identities into real electoral leverage and a stronger voice in government. @leedrutman @newamerica @PolReformNA https://t.co/xi1b4SmRm5

[Dan Cantor @DanCantor_]

Greetings all—it's #Juneteenth, a powerful day in the Black freedom struggle. In NC's history, newly emancipated Black voters allied with poor White farmers through fusion politics. That same spirit can guide us today. #FusionVoting can break the two-party doom loop—and build a real multiracial, multiparty #democracy.

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

Fusion voting isn't a silver bullet, and no single reform can fix everything that's broken in our politics. But it is a practical step toward a healthier democracy—one that gives voters more choices, strengthens parties beyond the two-party duopoly, and creates new incentives for coalition-building. @LawForward

[Center for Ballot Freedom @fusionvoting]

🎉 Happy Juneteenth! 🎉 Today, we celebrate Black freedom, but freedom means political power too. Fusion voting once helped abolitionists and Black leaders gain representation. Imagine if it still existed nationwide today. #Juneteenth #FusionVoting #BlackVoicesMatter