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In the Season 3 finale, co-hosts Ruth and Colin bring the lessons of Australia home. They look at FairVote’s modeling of a proportional US House, which would give Republicans seats in Massachusetts and Democrats more seats in Georgia, and research from the Data and Democracy Lab showing how it could greatly expand the power of Black, Latino, and AAPI voters to elect candidates of choice. They also look at Portland’s first proportional election, and the Fair Representation Act, which could pass with a simple act of Congress. Listen to the end to see where we are heading next for season four of The Future of Our Former Democracy! Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:Dr. Marija Taflaga, Centre for the Study of Australian Politics, Australian National University and co-host of Democracy Sausage podcast about Australian Politics Professor David Smith, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Mentioned Resources: FairVote, Fair Representation Act modeling Data and Democracy Lab, proportional representation and communities of color study Fix Our House, Polling on Americans’ views of the two-party system New York Times Editorial Board, “A Congress for Every American”Our Common PurposeDemocracy Sausage podcast  The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

It’s the moment Colin has been waiting for all season: the lab experiment. In Australia, the same voters use the same ranked ballot on the same day to elect two chambers, but the winner-take-all House produces a two-party landslide while the proportional Senate produces a crossbench that the government can’t pass laws without. Ruth and Colin dig into what that difference means for accountability, extremism, and representation, including how First Nations Senators kept Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on the national agenda after the 2023 Voice referendum failed, and what it would take to bring these lessons home to the United States. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:Professor David Smith, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Dr. Marija Taflaga, Centre for the Study of Australian Politics, Australian National University and co-host of Democracy Sausage podcast about Australian Politics Dr. Jill Sheppard, Australian National University Dominic Knight, Australian Broadcasting Corporation Mentioned Resources: 2025 Australian Senate Election Results Map The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy's work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

After the slaughter at Gallipoli, Australia began to see itself as more than an outpost of the British Empire, and it kicked off its greatest era of democratic experimentation. Ruth and Colin walk through the questions Australians asked and answered along the way, exploring reforms ranging from preferential voting and compulsory voting to proportional representation in the Senate. Then they get into the weeds of the Australian ballot itself, from the “tablecloth” ballots of 250 candidates to the 2016 reforms sparked by the surprise election of a Motoring Enthusiast Party senator, showing how even ballot design can reshape a democracy. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Paul Daffy, Melbourne Tour Guide Professor David Smith, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Dr. Jill Sheppard, Australian National University Mentioned Resources: Australian Ballot Image The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy's work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

Australia built its democracy on the idea of a "fair go," but who was it actually for? Ruth and Colin examine the White Australia policy, the Stolen Generations, and the dictation tests designed to keep non-white immigrants out, drawing stark parallels to Jim Crow literacy tests and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act. Ruth reckons with her own family's role in a massacre of Wiradjuri people, MED’s George Cheung walks through Melbourne's Chinatown, and the hosts explore the failed Voice referendum and how states like South Australia and Victoria are stepping in where the nation fell short. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Professor Thalia Anthony, University of Technology Sydney Professor Frank Bongiorno, Australian National University Mark Wong, CEO, Museum of Chinese Australian History Simon Chen, Founder and Director, Art Atrium Gallery, and President, Chinese Australian Forum The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy's work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

How does a British penal colony become one of the world's most trusted democracies? Ruth and Colin head back to 1788 to trace how a society of convicts and guards pioneered the secret ballot, the living wage, and the eight-hour workday, blending Washington and Westminster into a democracy all its own, built on the ethos of the "fair go." But that story is inseparable from the dispossession and genocide of First Nations people, raising the question of who Australian democracy was actually built for. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Dr. Mark Dunn, Historian and Author of The Convict Valley Professor Thalia Anthony, University of Technology Sydney Professor Frank Bongiorno, Australian National University Dr. Marija Taflaga, Centre for the Study of Australian Politics, Australian National University and co-host of Democracy Sausage podcast about Australian Politics Paul Daffy, Journalist and Tour Guide Mentioned Resources Link The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy's work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

Welcome to Season 3 of The Future of Our Former Democracy! Colin is joined by new co-host Ruth Greenwood, director of Harvard Law School's Election Law Clinic and proud Australian expat, as the show heads Down Under. In Australia, elections are "boring, boring, boring," and voters across the political spectrum trust the results in a way Americans rarely do. Colin and Ruth explore why. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode: Dr. Marija Taflaga, Centre for the Study of Australian Politics, Australian National University and co-host of Democracy Sausage podcast about Australian Politics Professor David Smith, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Professor Thalia Anthony, University of Technology Sydney For more information on our electoral systems work, visit democracynow.org. The Future of Our Former Democracy is a production of More Equitable Democracy and Mori Strategies. For more information on More Equitable Democracy's work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/

This bonus episode is a recording of a panel presentation from More Equitable Democracy's 2025 learning tour to Germany. The panel featured four international voices - immigrants, international students, and refugees - living in Germany today. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   - Hesham Moadamani, Office of Civic Engagement, Bard College Berlin - Liza Nezhyva, Mriï Collective, Bard College Berlin - Khalil Hammod, Alumni, Bard College Berlin - Mariia Krychevska, Mriï Collective, Bard College Berlin ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠⁠

In this bonus episode, Berit, born in East Germany, and Khuê, born in West Berlin, share their respective perspectives and stories of growing up during German reunification. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   - ⁠⁠⁠Dr. Berit Ebert⁠⁠⁠, Bard College Berlin - ⁠Khuê Phạm⁠, Author and journalist ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠⁠

Throughout this season, we've heard excerpts from interviews and presentations that were part of a February 2025 learning tour organized by More Equitable Democracy. This tour brought US academics, racial justice advocates, and political reformers to Germany to see proportional representation in action during their national elections. In our season 2 finale, some of the learning tour's participants share their reflections—not just about what they learned in Germany, but about what they intend to bring back home to their work in the US. Then, we visit Portland, Oregon, which in 2024 became the first major US city since the 1950s to use a system of proportional representation. We'll hear from community organizers, elections administrators, journalists, and candidates (both successful and less so) who ran under Portland's new system. Does Portland represent the future of our former democracy? Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   ⁠⁠- Dr. Berit Ebert⁠⁠, Bard College Berlin - Deb Otis, FairVote - Professor Kevin Deegan-Krause, Voters Not Politicians - LaShanda Jackson, Philanthropic Advisor - Neal Ubriani, Institute for Responsive Government - Professor Spencer Overton, Multiracial Democracy Project - Shane Dixon Kavanaugh⁠, The Oregonian - Leah Benson, Multnomah County Elections Division - Andrés Oswill, Oregon Futures Lab - Sameer Kanal, Portland City Councilmember - Tiffany Koyama Lane, Portland City Councilmember - Steph Routh, 2024 Candidate for Portland City Council - Hermann "Bobby" Grampp, ⁠⁠Berlin-based historian and music critic⁠ - Nicola Hieke⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen Rechtsextremismus⁠⁠ (Bavaria State Coordination Office Against Right-Wing Extremism) - Professor Doctor Magnus Brechtken⁠, ⁠⁠Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History⁠ Referenced works: The Oregonian: "Portland’s ranked-choice debut sees voter engagement crater" Portland Mercury: "Portland’s Ranked Choice Voting Was a Success (Despite What the Oregonian Claims)" More Equitable Democracy: ⁠2025 Portland Learning Symposium ⁠⁠⁠"Lift Every Voice" Data and Democracy Lab: Study of the 2024 STV City Council Election in Portland, Oregon Salon: "⁠Sorry, haters: Ranked-choice voting produced the most diverse city council in NYC history⁠" Additional links: Oregon Public Broadcasting: "In East Portland, a light post offers hope for a change in City Hall representation" Rose City Reform: "Diversity By Design - An analysis of Portland City Council’s 2025 voting record" ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠⁠ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

While Germany makes a continuous effort to grapple with their past and practice remembrance of historic atrocities, there are still significant tensions today about German identity: what a German sounds like, what a German looks like, and what it means to be German. Heather and Colin take a focused look at how identity shows up in the context of modern Germany's government. For immigrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities, how does the German system fare when it comes to a sense of belonging in society and representation in government? Is the grass any greener than in the US? Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   - Khuê Phạm, Author and Journalist - Hesham Moadamani, Bard College Berlin - Haşim Anık, Tour Guide - Dr. Yaşar Aydın, German Institute for International and Security Affairs and Center for Applied Turkey Studies USA Today: Does my country want me? Germany's historic far-right election gain worries me by Khuê Phạm Study on "Heritage Cultural Identity" in Germany: Understanding Ethnic-Racial Identity in a Context Where “Race” Is Taboo ⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠⁠⁠

In Germany, as in the United States and much of Europe, there has been a rising surge of support for far-right populism and anti-democratic forces. This is exemplified in the growth of the far-right political party "Alternative for Germany" (AFD). In this episode, Heather and Colin compare still-simmering political tensions between former East and West Germany with those between red and blue states in the US — and examine why German democracy has, so far, proven more resilient to authoritarianism than US democracy. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   Martin Lange, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tour with a Berliner⁠⁠ ⁠Dr. Berit Ebert⁠, Bard College Berlin Alec MacGillis, ProPublica Nicola Hieke⁠, ⁠Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen Rechtsextremismus⁠ (Bavaria State Coordination Office Against Right-Wing Extremism) ⁠Professor Thomas Gschwend⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠University of Mannheim⁠ German Democratic Republic borders, 1949-1990 Map of German federal election results, 2025 The New Yorker: The Complicated Rise of the Right in Germany’s Left-Behind Places by Alec MacGillis ⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠⁠

In this episode, Heather and Colin walk through how Hitler and the Nazi Party executed their plan to dismantle Germany democracy and, often under-examined, how German democracy was rebuilt after World War II. Most importantly, they explore electoral system design decisions made to prevent a party like the Nazis from ever coming to power again, including the 5% threshold and the so-called "firewall against the far-right" — in German, "die Brandmauer." Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   Timothy Ryback, The Atlantic ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martin Lange, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tour with a Berliner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Jonny Pechstein⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Geschichte für Alle⁠ Dr. Berit Ebert, Bard College Berlin ⁠⁠Professor Thomas Gschwend⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠University of Mannheim⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Nicola Hieke⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen Rechtsextremismus⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Bavaria State Coordination Office Against Right-Wing Extremism) Brendan MacGurk, Tour Guide (to arrange a private tour, email inquiries to bmacgurk(at)web(dot)de) Professor Doctor Magnus Brechtken, ⁠Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History⁠ By Timothy Ryback: The Atlantic: ⁠How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days⁠ The Atlantic: ⁠The Oligarchs Who Came to Regret Supporting Hitler⁠ Timothy's forthcoming book: 53 Days: How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy, The Atlantic Monthly Press, publishing September 2026. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠⁠ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Many people know that the Nazis came to power in 1933 under Germany's democratic system, but fewer people know how they got there in the first place. In this episode, Colin and Heather explore the economic and social conditions that led to the birth of Germany's first democracy — and why it quickly came crashing to an end. Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   Brendan MacGurk, Tour Guide (to arrange a private tour, email inquiries to bmacgurk(at)web(dot)de) Hermann "Bobby" Grampp, ⁠Berlin-based historian and music critic⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Martin Lange, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tour with a Berliner⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Finn Ballard, ⁠Finn Ballard Tours⁠ ⁠Nicola Hieke⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen Rechtsextremismus⁠⁠ (Bavaria State Coordination Office Against Right-Wing Extremism) Excerpt from the 1998 Broadway revival of "Cabaret" ⁠⁠⁠Music and archival references⁠⁠⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/⁠⁠ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠⁠⁠

While the United States slips deeper into authoritarianism, Heather Villanueva and Colin Cole from More Equitable Democracy explore how Germany redesigned their elections after World War II to prevent another fascist takeover. As we prepare to rise to our own challenge, how can the U.S. learn from the mistakes and course-corrections of another nation that's been where we are now? Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   Nicola Hieke, Landeskoordinierungstelle Bayern gegen Rechtsextremismus (Bavaria State Coordination Office Against Right-Wing Extremism) Martin Lange, ⁠⁠Tour with a Berliner Professor Thomas Gschwend, ⁠⁠University of Mannheim Jonny Pechstein, Geschichte für Alle Brendan MacGurk, Tour Guide (to arrange a private tour, email inquiries to bmacgurk(at)web(dot)de) ⁠Music and archival references⁠   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: ⁠https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/ For more information on Larj Media, please visit: ⁠https://www.larjmedia.com/⁠

American Democracy sucks right now! More specifically, the United States' electoral system is outdated and needs reform to better represent its diverse population. George Cheung and Colin Cole from More Equitable Democracy probe what the U.S. can learn from Northern Ireland's adoption of proportional representation to overcome political divisions and achieve fairer representation. The episode examines the origins of the American electoral system, critiques its current inefficiencies, and makes a case for rethinking democracy by looking at Northern Ireland. Through historical context, personal stories, and expert interviews, the podcast seeks to inspire listeners to consider radical changes that can lead to a more equitable and representative democracy.  Special thanks to the experts featured in this episode:   Dominic Bryan, Queens University Belfast   Paul Donnelly, Dead Center Tours  Daragh Fitzgerald, Historical Walking Tours  Claire Hanna, MP for South Belfast and Mid Down  Gerry Lynch, former Executive Director of the Alliance Party (2007-2011)   Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph  Music and archival references   For more information on More Equitable Democracy’s work, please visit: https://www.equitabledemocracy.org/    For more information on Larj Media, please visit:   https://www.larjmedia.com/