What happens when only a small percentage of voters actually decide elections? TSA delays and government shutdowns. This is the end result of a political system driven by closed primaries, low turnout, and strategic campaigning.

Chad Peace, Cara McCormick, and Shawn Griffiths break down how the spoiler effect, media influence, and super PAC spending shape outcomes long before voters have a real say, and what reforms could open the system to real competition and broader participation.

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Government Shutdown Hits TSA and Travelers

00:02:45 – Who’s to Blame? Breaking Down the DHS Funding Fight

00:07:09 – The Bigger Problem: Political Dysfunction by Design

00:10:07 – Closed Primaries and Why Most Voters Don’t Matter

00:13:08 – 23% Wins: How Broken Elections Undermine Representation

00:15:03 – The Spoiler Effect Explained (and Weaponized)

00:18:13 – California Governor Race and the Illusion of Choice

00:23:40 – Name ID, Media Power, and How Candidates Are Chosen

00:25:08 – Super PAC Money and the Real Influence Behind Elections

00:33:30 – Media Narratives and Why Independents Get Ignored

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most Americans support voter ID, so why is this fight so explosive? It’s simple: the two-party system keeps turning a broadly popular reform into a partisan weapon. Instead of solving the issue, both sides use it to energize their base and deepen distrust. We unpack the SAVE America Act, the cost and paperwork of proving citizenship, and the independent case for balancing election security with equal access to the ballot.

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:
00:00:00 – The Politics of Voter ID and Election Integrity
00:01:12 – Inside Today’s Episode: Wealth Tax, Voting Laws, and Reform Updates
00:02:19 – California’s Billionaire Wealth Tax Explained
00:06:11 – California’s Budget, Spending Questions, and Tax Policy Debate
00:08:31 – Why Wealth Taxes Failed in Europe
00:13:02 – The Voter ID Debate: Federal SAFE Act vs California Proposal
00:18:41 – Could Strict Voter ID Requirements Become a Poll Tax?
00:33:38 – Independent Candidates and California’s Nonpartisan Primary System
00:38:10 – Ranked Choice Voting Momentum in Wisconsin and DC
00:41:42 – Oklahoma Reform Effort Blocked by Petition Signature Rules

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Money in politics isn't just a talking point - it's reshaping every policy outcome in Washington. This week, Chad and Cara sit down with Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, a 4-million-member organization fighting to get dark money out of our elections and power back to the people. They dig into the real mechanics: the stock trading ban, discharge petitions, transparency legislation, and why Congress spends 30 hours a week fundraising instead of governing. Plus - Cara's big Maine win and what it means for the broader movement. If you're skeptical that anything can actually change, this episode is for you.

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction & The Case Against Citizens United

00:01:33 - Meet Tiffany Muller: From Social Worker to Democracy Activist

00:04:23 - How Do We Actually Fix This? The Mechanics of Reform

00:06:12 - The Maine Win & Nonpartisan Support for Reform

00:07:32 - Constitutional Amendments, Supreme Court & Super PACs

00:09:49 - The Stock Trading Ban & Congressional Gridlock

00:12:53 - Transparency, Dark Money & How Big Money Adapts

00:15:53 - The People vs. The Money: Can Reform Actually Win?

00:18:41 - Congress Spends 30 Hours a Week Fundraising

00:23:40 - How to Get Involved & Final Thoughts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Talarico wins Texas’ Democratic Senate primary as campaigns point to unusually high independent participation in the state’s open primary system. Then Dallas County’s last-minute switch back to precinct-only voting sparks confusion, long lines, and a legal fight over ballots cast after 7 p.m. in the GOP primary between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn.

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Texas Primary Night & Dallas Voting Chaos

00:07:42 Ken Paxton, Open Primaries & The Independent Vote

00:09:18 Talarico, Cruz & How Low Turnout Elects Senators

00:13:50 ShamWow Guy Runs for Congress

00:14:15 U.S. Strikes Iran & The War Powers Debate

00:20:15 Fetterman Shakes Trump's Hand — Alone

00:28:30 The FEC Is Shut Down & Campaign Finance Wild West

00:33:01 Ranked Choice Voting Coming to Los Angeles?

00:37:32 Voter ID Bills: Not All Are the Same

00:41:49 California Billionaire Wealth Tax Explained

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in for our independent breakdown of Trump’s record-length 2026 State of the Union: voter ID + proof of citizenship, immigration rhetoric, affordability vs “winning” messaging, a rare bipartisan beat on banning stock trading, and the moment the chamber unified around a Coast Guard rescue.

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Cold Open: Citizenship, Voter ID & Affordability

00:01:21 – IVP Poll Goes Viral

00:03:00 – Voter ID and the Republican Trust Gap

00:06:15 – SAVE Act, Proof of Citizenship & Texas Voters

00:09:05 – State of the Union: Decorum & Political Theater

00:11:55 – Both Parties Tone Deaf on the Economy

00:14:31 – ICE, Hard-Line Rhetoric & Creating Enemies

00:17:42 – Gerrymandering & the Broken Primary System

00:21:07 – Killer Tomatoes & Campaign Finance Reform

00:28:23 – Maine, Ranked Choice Voting & the Road Ahead

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are election rules protecting voters or protecting parties? Chad Peace and Cara McCormick break down voter ID laws, Texas Republicans shutting out independents, the FCC's move against late night TV, and why Gallup stopped polling. Independent voters are nearly half the electorate,  and the parties are scared. 

This episode is sponsored by the Independent Voter Project and produced by Olas Media. 

Listen to more episodes and read in-depth coverage at: https://ivn.us  and https://independentvoterproject.org 

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Cold Open, What Gives Us Energy
00:02:03 – Voter ID: SAVE Act vs California Initiative
00:06:09 – Clean Voter ID or Political Overreach?
00:10:15 – Colbert, CBS, and FCC Censorship Debate
00:15:53 – Trump, Media Bias, and the First Amendment
00:20:46 – Texas Open Primaries and Party Hypocrisy
00:26:16 – States’ Rights and Who Controls Elections
00:28:56 – Ranked Choice Voting, NFL MVP, and Reform Debates
00:34:53 – California Primaries, Gerrymandering, and Party Power
00:40:02 – Gallup Ends Presidential Polling and the Future of Public Opinion

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The House just passed the SAVE America Act - national voter ID + proof of citizenship to register. On the Independent Voter Podcast, we unpack what’s in the bill, why polls show broad support for voter ID, and the sticking points: which IDs count (student ID?), costs (should IDs be free?), and whether new rules could block eligible voters before 2026. 

Listen to more episodes and join the conversation at IVN.us and olasmedia.com

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Welcome to the Independent Voter Podcast

00:02:30 – Missouri Gerrymander and Filing Deadline Chaos

00:05:24 – Maine Ranked Choice Voting Expansion Debate

00:10:04 – Ballot Initiatives and Signature Verification

00:12:32 – California’s Top-Two Primary and Governor’s Race

00:20:50 – Congressional Stock Trading Ban Stalemate

00:22:13 – SAVE Act and National Voter ID Debate

00:26:00 – Federal Overreach and the “Mega Act”

00:29:16 – Mail Voting, Ballot Harvesting, and Election Integrity

00:34:04 – IVP Updates and Closing

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emmy-winning investigative reporter Chris Papst (Project Baltimore) unpacks Failure Factory: soaring Baltimore City Public Schools budgets, stagnant outcomes, grade-changing allegations, and public-records battles that raise waste and potential fraud red flags. What real accountability could look like for taxpayers, parents, and students. As the nation grapples with government fraud allegations across the country, Papst brings a unique perspective.

Listen to more episodes and join the conversation at IVN.us and olasmedia.com

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Why Independent Voters Need a Different Education Conversation
00:00:29 – Introducing Chris Papst and the Failure Factory Investigation
00:01:42 – Following the Money: Rising School Budgets, Stagnant Outcomes
00:05:27 – Graduation Rates vs Math Proficiency: The Data Gap
00:07:28 – Where the Money Really Went: Administrators Over Classrooms
00:11:46 – Grade Changing and the Illusion of Student Success
00:14:01 – Suing the School System and Uncovering Systemic Fraud
00:16:29 – Accountability Failure and the Role of Local Elections
00:21:18 – Broken Incentives, Leadership Failure, and Voter Responsibility

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Peace, co-founder of the Independent Voter Project and architect of California’s top-two primary, breaks down the wide-open CA governor’s race and why campaigns still think in party buckets. The hosts dig into open primaries + ranked-choice, ICE/immigration and civil liberties, voter ID and ballot security, and the controversy over seized Fulton County ballots—plus a quick update on Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and the USS Midway’s Freedom Park.

Listen to more episodes and join the conversation at IVN.us and olasmedia.com

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Welcome to the Independent Voter Podcast
00:00:45 – Introducing Steve Peace and his role in California reform
00:02:00 – California’s wide-open governor’s race and early contenders
00:07:00 – Open primaries, party power, and why campaigns haven’t adapted
00:16:00 – Ranked choice voting and reform incentives
00:23:45 – ICE, immigration enforcement, and political overreach
00:31:10 – Voter ID, mail ballots, and election trust
00:44:10 – Federal seizure of ballots and election integrity debates
00:52:00 – Fear-driven fundraising and partisan narratives
01:02:30 – Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and closing reflections

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the 4th Amendment protect only U.S. citizens - or everyone on U.S. soil? Chad and Cara dig into warrants, search-and-seizure limits, and how immigration enforcement tests constitutional boundaries. They also weigh the politics of voter ID - why it polls well, how ballot measures get framed, and what it means for trust and access in elections.

Listen to more episodes and join the conversation at IVN.us and olasmedia.com

Chapters:

00:00:00 – Welcome Back and What’s Ahead
00:02:00 – Does the Constitution Apply to Everyone on U.S. Soil?
00:05:00 – ICE, Warrants, and Dangerous Precedents
00:07:30 – When Extremes Replace Nuance in Immigration Enforcement
00:08:25 – Oklahoma’s Fight to End Taxpayer-Funded Closed Primaries
00:13:50 – FCC, Equal Time Rules, and Leaving Independents Out
00:19:15 – Why Congress Still Won’t Ban Stock Trading
00:23:20 – Voter ID as an 80/20 Issue That Gets Weaponized
00:26:00 – California’s Governor Race and the Independent Lane
00:28:40 – Gerrymandering, Forced Party Registration, and the Way Forward

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.