POWER TO MORE PEOPLE
We will advocate for
Responsible Representation
These changes will make our elections fairer and more competitive.
- Nonpartisan Primaries
- Final Five/Four Instant Runoff General Elections
- Independent Redistricting Commissions
Accountable Government
These changes will improve how government works and put people before party.
- No Budget, No Pay
- Bipartisan/Majority Bills get a vote
- Maintaining the Filibuster in the US Senate
- Term Limits for Congress and the Supreme Court
Policies to Secure the Future
These policies will ensure security and opportunity for all Americans.
- Border Security
- Economic Security
- Individual Security
THE MIDDLE IS GROWING
ACROSS AMERICA
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- Topic Overview
- Elected Officials
- Election Information
- Add Your Voice
We are the Sensible Majority.
We share common values
We seek common ground
We are frustrated and angry with the state of politics today
There are more of us than you think! Click on your state to learn more.
We share common values
We seek common ground
We are frustrated and angry with the state of politics today
Partisan Map
This map shows which states are controlled by one political party.
Single party control is when the Senate, House, and the Governor’s office are controlled entirely by Republicans or Democrats. Only 11 states have divided control, where Democrats and Republicans share control over the state government.
Enter your zip code above to see who controls your state.
Competitive Congressional Races
of district races in are competitive.
% of voters are part of the Sensible Majority and can be the swing vote in an election.
This map shows what states have competitive congressional races in the 2024 general election.
Only 40 of the 435 aces were decided by 5% or less of the total votes. The vast majority of races are not competitive due to partisan primaries and gerrymandering, which is when district boundaries are drawn to favor one party over the other.
Primaries
This map shows primary election systems per state. Click on your state to learn more.
Partisan primary elections favor extreme, partisan candidates, restrict independent voter participation, and lead to uncompetitive general elections.
The four main types of primary elections:
- Nonpartisan: All candidates are on one ballot, and any voter can participate.
- Open: Any voter can vote in any party’s primary.
- Semi-Closed: Independents can vote in any primary, but party members must vote in their own.
- Closed: Only party members can vote in their primary; independents can’t vote at all.
General Elections
Single-winner, plurality voting
In this system, candidates participate in partisan primary elections. The winners from each party primary then move to the general election. The candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don’t have over half the votes.
Single-winner, Final 4 instant runoff, majority voting
This system starts with one nonpartisan primary where all candidates compete together, regardless of party. The top four finishers advance to the general election. Voters rank these four, and the candidate who eventually secures more than half the votes wins.
Single-winner, Top 2, majority voting
All candidates participate in a single nonpartisan primary, regardless of party affiliation. The top two candidates then face off in the general election. The winner must receive more than half the votes to win in the general election.
Single-winner, majority voting, with Top 2 runoffs
Candidates go through party-based primaries first. The winners advance to the general election, where a candidate must secure over half the votes to win. If not, the top two finishers go to a separate runoff election.
Single-winner, majority voting, with Instant Runoff voting
Candidates advance from party primaries to the general election. Voters rank all candidates. If no one has more than half the votes initially, instant runoffs will eliminate last place candidates until a majority winner is found.
This map shows general election systems per state. Click on your state to learn more.
The other 44 states use plurality voting in their general election.
The 5 main types of voting systems used in general elections:
- Single-winner plurality: Candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.
- Final 4 instant runoff: Rank candidates; the winner needs over 50%.
- Top 2 majority: Top two finishers from the primary, winner must get a majority.
- Majority voting with Top 2 runoff: If no majority, top two candidates face a runoff.
- Majority voting with Instant Runoff: Rank candidates; votes transfer until someone wins with over 50%.
Majority voting:
A candidate must win with over 50% of the vote.
Plurality voting:
A candidate can win with less than 50% of the vote.
Gerrymandering
This map shows how states draw their congressional boundaries.
Gerrymandering manipulates district boundaries to secure partisan advantages, undermining fair representation. Independent commissions should oversee redistricting to prevent bias and promote competitiveness. Currently, 43 states let legislatures control redistricting, based on census data, updating maps every 10 years to reflect demographic shifts.
The three main types of redistricting:
- Independent Redistricting Commissions: Puts citizens and experts in charge of the map-making process.
- Other advisory/redistricting commission: Appointed by legislators to make recommendations, however politicians have the final say.
- State drawn: Politicians are in charge of the map-making process.
Term Limits
This map shows term limits for state Governors and Legislatures.
Term limits govern how many times a politician can be elected to office. Term limits vary by state and by office. There are states with no term limits, single term limits, consecutive term limits, and lifetime term limits. Often, states have different term limits for different offices. Single term length refers to the length in years of a single term in office. A consecutive term limit means how many terms a politician can serve back to back. A lifetime term limit refers to how many terms a politician can be elected to office over the course of a lifetime, whether consecutive or not.
Enter your zip code above to see if your state has term limits.
Elected Officials
Election Information
ARE YOU PART OF THE
SENSIBLE MAJORITY?
ARE YOU PART OF THE
SENSIBLE MAJORITY?
We share a lot in common, but we are not all the same.
Democracy Defenders:
- Values: Democracy and Equality
- Identity: Politically exhausted
- Political Engagement: Highly engaged voters who will vote for the right candidate from either party
Disconnected Realists:
- Values: Freedom and Family
- Identity: Skeptical of the system
- Political Engagement: Will vote when they connect with the candidate or issue
Independent Observers:
- Values: Equality and Independence
- Identity: Fiercely independent
- Political Engagement: Searching for politicians who put results over partisanship
Engaged Traditionalists:
- Values: Family and Responsibility
- Identity: Country before party
- Political Engagement: Engaged and vocal about bringing back common sense to our politics
