The George W. Bush Institute, the Partnership for American Democracy, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia are pleased to present Elections — A More Perfect Union, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Dallas, Texas.
Free, fair, and secure elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. While voter turnout and engagement are at historical highs, too many Americans have lost confidence in our elections as national debates raise doubts around security, access, and credibility. This is of great concern as our elections — and our belief in them — have been the vehicle for ensuring the peaceful transfer of power at all levels of government for more than two centuries. The future of our democracy depends on rebuilding this trust.
Through a series of conversations with thought leaders, election practitioners, analysts, and democracy experts, the event engages a diverse group of Americans on how elections work, why they matter, and how we maintain their continued integrity and credibility.
Specifically, Elections — A More Perfect Union examines:
- The role of elections in a democratic society, how they have evolved over time, and how important it is to safeguard elections against challenges of the day.
- How the integrity of elections is being protected in various states and conveying the threats currently facing election administration and workers.
- The experience of elections in other countries and how America’s commitment to the peaceful transfer of power play in inspiring and advancing democracy abroad.
We hope that this event will be a rallying point for addressing attacks on and bolstering confidence in our elections and provide actionable steps for our audience to do so. As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, “The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of private citizen.”