Why 87% of Congress Is Rigged Before You Vote (Full)

Your vote barely matters in 87% of House races—locked up by gerrymandering and tiny primary turnouts. Jerremy Alexander Newsome and Dave Conley sit down with Rob Richie, the guy who’s been fighting this mess for 30 years at FairVote. He breaks down why redistricting “fixes” are bandaids, how ranked-choice voting and proportional representation actually give power back, and why the 2000 Florida disaster still haunts us. If you’re pissed your ballot feels pointless—this is the episode that arms you with the truth.

Timestamps:

• (00:00) Ballot Box III – Rob Richie joins
• (00:53) Hidden Truth – most races are already over
• (02:22) Rob Richie’s Origin Story – from college kid to reform legend
• (04:47) Evolution of Voting Systems – we weren’t always this broken
• (12:16) Voting Rights Act Impact – what it fixed, what it didn’t
• (16:12) Partisan Voting Index + Gerrymandering – the math behind the rigging
• (20:53) Maine’s Local Reforms – ranked choice in action
• (25:08) National Popular Vote Interstate Compact – bypassing the Electoral College
• (31:20) Bush v. Gore Fallout – how 2000 still screwing us
• (31:36) Florida’s Butterfly Ballot Disaster – yes, design matters
• (33:16) Help America Vote Act – good intentions, mixed results
• (36:54) Voter ID & Registration Battles – the real suppression playbook
• (39:28) National Voting Holiday Idea – why we vote on a Tuesday in 1870
• (41:50) Teaching Kids How Elections Actually Work – before cynicism sets in
• (45:31) AI in Future Elections – holy shit territory
• (49:40) Voting Machine Security – the stuff that keeps Rob up at night
• (53:35) Where to Plug In – orgs and next steps

Connect:

• Rob Richie – X | Website

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