Since organizing the Voters Not Politicians 2018 ballot initiative that put citizens in charge of drawing Michigan's legislative maps, Fahey has been the founding Executive Director of The People, which is forming statewide networks to promote government accountability. She regularly interviews colleagues in the world of democracy reform for The Fulcrum.
John Griffin is the Executive Director of Partners in Democracy MA Action, a Massachusetts-based organization working to build a beacon for healthy democracy. The organization is currently supporting three initiatives on this Election Day’s ballot for open records expansion, all-party primaries, and election day registration.
Our conversation was edited for succinctness.
Fahey: How did you get involved in coalition building, and what led you to the work of Partners in Democracy MA Action?
Griffin: I've been at Partners in Democracy since 2022, and in Massachusetts for my entire life. I grew up in a multi-generational household. My grandfather, the son of immigrants, was waiting on a pair of politicians who asked him a question about current events. When he didn't know the answer, one turned to the other and said, "See, this is why we make the decisions." I decided that I wanted to spend my life trying to root out that attitude and stop people from being treated like they were less than.
I started in education policy, but that soon made me realize that our democracy wasn't responsive to people who were suffering different problems and were being shut out of the political process. I realized that I had to work so that people actually had a voice.
Fahey: Tell me about the three ballot questions that you are promoting this Election Day and how their passage would strengthen the ideals of democracy.
Griffin: These three together are about putting choices and power back in the hands of the voters. Transparency with public records, Question One; inclusion and representation with Question Four, which is election day voter registration; and accountability in Question Three, which is all-party primaries.
When voters go to the ballot every year, they see no choices on the ballot. People are not seeing politicians listening to them, and it's causing them to lose faith in democracy. These ballot initiatives are important for making democracy more responsive, more accountable, and more inclusive in Massachusetts.
Fahey: What is the case for opening the legislature and governor’s office to the Public Records Law?
Griffin: The legislature and the governor's office are not subject to the public records law, the legislature gets to decide what kind of information voters are able to see.
Often when legislation fails, it doesn't even get to the floor of the House or Senate for a vote. It dies in committee, where the legislature does not provide how legislators voted.
Citizens should have the right to know what's being done in their name, and if you don't give them that right, it's going to contribute to a culture of cynicism. Information is how you give people confidence that legislators are acting correctly. All but two states do this. It shouldn't be a big lift, and it would do a lot to increase confidence in democracy.
Fahey: How would All-Party Primaries change Massachusetts elections?
Griffin: Most of our November elections were essentially decided in the primary.
All-party primaries say the people that decide should be the November voters, sometimes more than 70% of voters who vote there, versus the 20% that come out in the primary.
We've seen in states that use this system that you have more competition, more races decided in November, and better representation. It's meant to make sure that the general election voters have a choice, and it's no longer the case that you can control power in the state by capturing a slice of one party's electorate in a low-turnout primary.
Fahey: What would Election Day Registration change?
Griffin: Massachusetts has a 10-day voter registration deadline and big gaps in voter turnout and voter inclusion, specifically when it comes to populations that are most likely to use Election Day registration. We have the biggest gaps in some of our lower-income cities that have larger communities of color and with students and with renters. When you move, you have to deal with voter registration again and again.
If we switch to election day registration, you would just be able to vote. You have to provide documentation showing that you live at the place you're claiming as your address when you vote; that can be an ID from the state, or something like a utility bill.
Fahey: How has Partners in Democracy MA Action worked to get these questions on the ballot, and where did your team see the most support and face the biggest obstacle to your efforts?
Griffin: Our director of organizing, David Green, our organizer, Deysi Gutierrez, and I have gathered a lot of signatures. We’ve been going around the state to build grassroots support for these initiatives and democracy in Massachusetts. Lots of miles put in, trying to make sure that people are aware of these initiatives. We've had to make sure that we're getting our message out to every corner of the state and to people on every side of the ideological spectrum.
Fahey: How can citizens get involved or support your work?
Griffin: If people live in Massachusetts, vote yes on one for transparency, yes on four for representation, and yes on three for accountability, and tell people that you know.
Democracy renovation is a long-term process, and we're trying to take the first steps toward building a political culture of inclusion and accountability. But there's a long way to go. Regardless of the outcome of any of these ballot questions, we're going to be here trying to build toward real representation, a political system where elected officials listen, and people have a real voice. Partners in Democracy could use help from folks in Massachusetts and around the country to do that. At PartnersinDemocracy.us, we'll have opportunities for people to get engaged to transform our political culture in a more constructive and inclusive direction.
Fahey: How would you describe what being an American means to you?
Griffin: I think about my grandparents, who had the opportunity to build families and live in a place that honored their voices and their contributions. They were able to instill both opportunity and civic responsibility in their children, grandchildren, and me.
That’s the real spirit of America: we take people of all different origins, places, and political persuasions, and we're a country where, when we do it well, you have a voice no matter where you came from, and you're able to contribute the best of yourself. We understand that no one person has the entirety of any answer, and we find ways to come together, and each contribute to solutions for the future.
That's why it's so important that we build a political system where that is still possible and people can see opportunity in the future. That requires people not to be pushed out, that people not feel like the future is closed to them, and that we have the opportunity to work through difficult questions together instead of leaving them to the powers that be.
Katie Fahey is Executive Director of The People.
