Essays
Tournament Elections -- an essay describing a radical new approach to electing democratic representatives, designed to reduce the power of money and special interest in politics and return political power to its rightful place with the people. This is an expanded and revised version of an essay posted on Kuro5hin.org.
Links
ElectionMethods.org -- a site advocating the Condorcet voting method, with excellent analysis and comparisons of all major methods, including Plurality, Approval, and Instant Runoff.
OpenSecrets.org -- OpenSecrets reveals the sources of financing for every major candidate for US Presidential, Senate and House races.
DemocracyNet -- A excellent site for identifying the candidates and their issues in local elections. Run by the League of Women Voters.
Proportional Representation page at the Center for Voting and Democracy -- Proportional Representation empowers small political parties in elections with multiple winners. Although I do not personally advocate Proportional Representation because it emphasizes political parties rather than individuals, it is always worth considering alternative methods, especially those which empower minority opinions.
Discover Magazine: May The Best Man Lose -- an excellent introductory article to some alternative voting methods, with analysis explaining why the plurality system widely used in the US and elsewhere is bad for democracy. My one problem with this article is that it somewhat advocates the Borda method while not even discussing the Condorcet method. With each method voters rank each candidate, but the simple additive scoring of the Borda method encourages strategic voting (placing disliked but leading candidates at the bottom of the list, below even more disliked candidate, to hurt their chances) while Condorcet does not.
The Jefferson Muzzles -- A list of "awards" given out each year by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression criticizing individuals or organizations that have taken action which limits free expression.