Civic engagement is a difficult endeavor that takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Yet an app called Sway seeks to make it much more accessible, giving any voting group the power to organize and engage constituents on a wide variety of elections and political issues. Could Sway change the game for citizen outreach?

One of Sway's co-founders, Claire Shoreall, joined the Politics with Paul Podcast this episode to discuss the ambitious goals for the app. Listen in as Claire discusses the current impacts Sway has had, its plans for the future, and her insights on how to improve civic engagement. If you've been looking for ways to improve your outreach as a candidate, campaigner, consultant, activist, pundit, or concerned citizen, Sway may be one of the solutions you're looking for.

(0:00) Intro: Sway, Civic Engagement, Claire Shoreall

(1:33) Why Claire Got Into Civic Engagement

(5:10) Why Co-Found Sway and What Sway Seeks to Do for Civic Engagement

(12:22) Why Use Sway Over Other Messaging Platforms?

(17:43) Who Can Use Sway, Issues You Can Make Groups About

(22:57) What Anonymous Users Can and Can't Do With Sway

(26:14) Sway's Influence on Lesser-Known Races, Political Issues

(30:28) How Sway Can Cut Through Polarization, Bridge Political Divides

(34:55) The Biggest Roadblocks to Civic Engagement

(38:44) Is Civic Engagement More Difficult Than it Should Be?

(44:50) The Domestic, and Global, Future of Sway and Civic Engagement

(48:48) The Impartiality of Sway, How the Whole Political Spectrum Can Use it

(55:37) Actionable Tips for Anyone Trying to Improve Civic Engagement

(58:53) Random Question: Favorite State You Have NOT Lived In?

(1:03:49) Closing and Our Links

Uncontested elections - races that only have one candidate - are a considerable problem in American politics. These elections aren't just uncompetitive; there's no competition at all. The choice has already been made before voting. Despite the threats uncontested elections pose to democracy and civic health, however, this issue doesn't get nearly as much attention as it should.

But the first step to solving a problem is knowing it exists. Today's episode of Politics with Paul showcases how often we see these uncontested elections, many of the factors that can lead to an uncontested election, reasons why they are a problem for democracy and civic health…and perhaps most importantly, what YOU can do practically to help push back against the frequency of uncontested elections.

(0:00) Introduction to Uncontested Election

(1:31) What is an Uncontested Election?

(3:57) How Common are Uncontested Elections?

(8:26) Reasons Why We See Uncontested Elections

(8:53) Reason #1: Lopsided Part Affiliation in the Electorate

(12:38) Reason #2: Ballot Access Laws Create a Barrier to Entry

(15:19) Reason #3: Lone Candidate has a Lot of Money

(19:47) Reason #4: Compensation for Certain Elected Officials

(23:16) Reason #5: The Elected Office and/or its Timing is Not Well-Known

(26:21) Reason #6: People Think a Particular Office Doesn't Matter

(28:34) Reason #7: The Lone Candidate has Strong Pre-existing Support

(30:57) Reason #8: Term Limits

(33:00) Why Uncontested Races are Bad for Democracy and Civic Health

(33:54) Problem #1: There is No Real Choice in the Election

(35:04) Problem #2: They are Excuses for Election Winners to Declare a Voter Mandate

(37:19) Problem #3: They Suggest a Lack of Political Efficacy

(39:48) Problem #4: They Can Imply People Do Not Care

(41:56) Problem #5: They Hinder Representativeness in Elections

(44:52) Problem #6: People are Afraid to Get Involved in Politics

(47:54) What YOU Can Do About Uncontested Elections

(48:58) Method #1: Run for Office Yourself

(50:13) Method #2: Share Election, Candidate Info with Your Community

(51:01) Method #3: Join or Create a Civically-Minded Group

(52:57) Method #4: Hold People Accountable Regardless of Party or Beliefs

(54:43) Method #5: Pushing Back Against ALL Mid-Decade Redistricting Efforts

(57:54) Method #6: Applying Australia's Community Independent Movement to American Politics

(1:02:12) Closing and Media

Elections are complicated and difficult, which makes for plenty of mistakes made on the campaign trail from newbies and veterans alike. But it's not just the actual campaigns where mistakes and misunderstandings happen - it occurs with how elections are analyzed and covered, too. Campaigners, candidates, pollsters, media, academics, and citizens all have different perspectives and interests, leading to shortcomings and exacerbating the missteps about campaigning.

In today's episode, Alex Patton sits down with me to discuss these mistakes that are made by campaigns and by those seeking to understand campaigns. Alex draws on his long career in political consulting and survey research to spotlight these common errors, including some that he made early on in his career. Whether you're new to the political game, seeking to enter it, or seasoned with experience, his insights will benefit anyone.

(0:00) Introduction to Campaign Mistakes, Alex Patton

(1:42) Why Alex Got Into Political Campaigning

(6:17) Early Mistakes Made in Alex's Political Consulting Career

(11:28) Common Mistakes Made by Political Consultants in General

(15:30) Federal Elections Research Isn't Very Applicable to State/Local Elections

(21:46) Are Voters Persuadable but Campaigners Use the Wrong Tactics?

(29:15) Mistakes Pollsters Make in Creating Polls

(36:42) There is Inherently a Little Uncertainty in Polling

(42:08) Be Careful About Using 2025 Elections to Predict 2026

(49:06) We Need to Accept Some Uncertainty and Nuance in Politics

(51:28) Mistakes Made by Academics in Analyzing Campaigns

(1:01:56) Final Thoughts on Mistakes by Campaigners, Those Who Analyze Campaigns

(1:06:06) Random Question: Fun Sporting Events You've Been to

(1:12:18) Closing and Our Media

One of the most fundamental questions a political campaign must ask themselves is this: How much are you trying to persuade voters and how much are you trying to mobilize them? Some voters are never going to vote for your side, some voters are always going to vote for your side, some are up for grabs, and some are rarely (or never) going to participate at all. Knowing who is who, and how to appeal to them, is one of the keys to winning elections.

There is no clear checklist that tells you how much your campaign must mobilize and how much it must mobilize. You can also have multiple people look at the same exact campaign and give you different answers about how to mobilize and/or persuade. However, today's episode covers many of the electoral factors to consider, how they impact your mobilization and persuasion strategies, and why it's important for you to know - even if you are not involved in politics for a living.

(0:00) Introduction to Mobilization vs. Persuasion in Campaigns

(1:28) The Difference Between Mobilization and Persuasion

(8:42) Mobilization and Persuasion are NOT Mutually Exclusive

(10:59) Differing Views on When to Mobilize vs. Persuade

(12:55) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Party Affiliation

(17:51) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Primaries vs. General Elections

(25:24) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Partisan vs. Nonpartisan Elections

(27:46) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Ballot Measure Campaigns

(32:01) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Name Recognition

(32:36) Mobilize vs. Persuade: How Much Money, Other Resources You Have

(33:47) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Open Seat vs. Incumbent-Held Seats

(36:30) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Low Voter Turnout Elections

(37:29) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Salient and Heated Issues

(39:00) Mobilize vs. Persuade: Swing-Voting Districts

(40:57) How Mobilization/Persuasion Strategies Affect You

Have you ever wondered how to make sense of the text of legislation and laws but you didn't know where to begin, or you felt the task too intimidating or daunting? Then this episode is for you! It's a crash course to introduce you to how legislation is interpreted at the federal and state levels so that is more accessible and understandable.

Understanding how laws are interpreted is incredibly important for civic knowledge and the ability of citizens to hold government and political commentators accountable. Today's episode shows how the debates about interpretation have evolved from the very beginnings of US Constitutional debates to the tools used to interpret federal and state statutes - including information pulled from my own webinar I give to civics and public affairs organizations on how to understand legislation for themselves and their clients.

(0:00) Introduction to Interpreting Laws and Legislation

(1:56) Origins of Legal Interpretations: Enumerated vs. Implied Powers in the US Constitution

(6:46) Constitutional Interpretation: Originalism vs. Living Constitutionalism

(9:16) Arguments Made For/Against Originalism

(12:35) Arguments Made For/Against Living Constitutionalism

(17:11) Basics of How to Read Statutes: Purposivism vs. Textualism

(21:35) The Five Main Tools of Legislative Interpretation

(25:52) Legal Interpretative Tool #1: Ordinary Meaning

(32:59) Legal Interpretative Tool #2: Statutory Context

(36:32) Legal Interpretative Tool #3: Canons of Construction

(40:10) Legal Interpretative Tool #4: History of the Legislation

(42:26) Legal Interpretative Tool #5: Statutory Implementation

(45:29) Closing Thoughts: Why it is Important to Know How to Read Legislation

(55:15) Closing and My Links

Could a plan called "Voter Dollars" be the key to solving the issues with campaign finance laws in American politics? The exorbitant levels of spending in political campaigns have dismayed Americans across parties and ideologies, contributing to the disenchantment many voters (and would-be voters) feel about politics.

Despite concern about politicians being bought by special interests, campaign finance reform has been particularly difficult to implement in America. However, today's guest, Dan McMillan of Make Voters the Donors, makes his case for why "Voter Dollars" is the answer we've all been looking for and how his organization plans to implement it.

(0:00) Intro: Campaign Finance, Voter Dollars, Dan McMillan

(1:49) What is the "Voter Dollars" Solution for Fixing Campaign Finance?

(7:32) What Got Dan Interested and Involved in Campaign Finance Reform?

(16:16) The Biggest Problems Caused by Current Campaign Finance Laws

(22:23) Why is Campaign Finance So Difficult to Fix?

(28:14) How Campaign Finance Laws Got to Where They are Now

(30:52) The Plan to Implement, Gain Public Support for Voter Dollars Reform

(42:07) Is Voter Dollars Just for Federal Races? Or Also for State, Local Level?

(44:27) Most Common Rebuttals to "Voter Dollars," Dan's Counterarguments

(49:26) Would Voter Dollars Plan Increase Voter Turnout?

(52:08) Why Dan Supports Voter Dollars Over Other Campaign Finance Reforms

(57:59) Practical Ways You Can Be Involved in the Voter Dollars Campaign

(1:01:25) Random Question: Lesser-Known US Historical Figure Who Should Be More Well-Known

(1:10:10) Final Thoughts on Voter Dollars, Campaign Finance

Pluralism is a core part of American politics--or at least, it's supposed to be. Our civic life is meant to be a blend of varied backgrounds and viewpoints coming together to improve our political system. Yet far too often, we are siloed into echo chambers and see divisiveness and polarization reign in our discourse.

So how do we get back to upholding pluralism in America? That's what Liz Vogel, co-executive director of New Pluralists, discusses on today's episode, including what pluralism looks like today, what challenges to pluralism we must overcome, and how we individually can promote pluralism.

(0:00) Intro: Pluralism, Liz Vogel of New Pluralists

(1:47) Why Liz is Invested in Pluralism, Joined New Pluralists

(4:38) The Goals and Work of New Pluralists

(8:48) What Exactly is Pluralism About?

(12:07) What are the Keys to a Pluralistic System?

(18:38) Places We See Pluralism at Work

(24:26) How to Show Skeptics that Pluralism is Needed in American Politics

(30:30) Can There Be Too Much Pluralism (Hyperpluralism)?

(36:27) Largest Threats to Pluralism, Political Bridge-Building Today

(42:07) Do We Need to Incentivize Pluralism to Get More People to Buy in?

(45:49) Ways We Can Individually Uphold, Promote Pluralistic Values

(51:14) The Importance of Daily Practicing Pluralism

(53:00) Random Question: Should Pluto Be Restored to Planet Status?

Democracy in America is fragile, yet a lot of the rhetoric surrounding it is fraught with biases and appeals that are about winning elections and political battles rather than truly preserving democracy. There are also a lot of misunderstandings and debate about what democracy is and should be.

To truly uphold and preserve democracy in this country, we must truly understand what it means and the challenges that face it. Today's episode of Politics with Paul explores what the core of American democracy is about, including whether we truly are a democracy, public perceptions of American democracy, and threats that we must wary of and address.

(0:00) Introduction to Democracy in America

(1:44) What Exactly is a Democracy?

(8:22) Is the American Government a Democracy? Yes...and No

(13:04) Where We See Democracy in America

(25:19) What are the Ideals of American Democracy?

(32:40) How Americans Have Felt About US Democracy Historically

(39:12) How Americans Feel About US Democracy in 2025

(48:10) Threats to Democracy Going Forward

(49:05) Threat to Democracy: Political Polarization

(50:51) Threat to Democracy: Delegitimization of Political Institutions

(54:58) Threat to Democracy: Huge Economic Inequality

(58:45) Threat to Democracy: Worship and Praise of Candidates

(1:03:21) Closing: The Need to Discuss How to Uphold Democracy

The power of the US presidency has expanded considerably over 235 years. But has it gone too far and broken our system of separation of powers? If so, how do we (and especially the US Supreme Court) rein it back in? Retired attorney Peter Cohen looks at these questions in his new book, "In the Supreme Court's Own Words: First Principles for Checking Presidential Power and Preserving the Republic."

Our conversation includes discussion about how to make legal rulings more understandable, constitutional restraints that presidents of both parties have tested, whether the "activist judge" argument has caused problems in our political discourse, and how we change our opinion on expanded presidential power based on whether we support the president.

(0:00) Intro: Peter Cohen, Presidential Power vs. Supreme Court

(2:09) Peter's Experience With Legal Cases About Presidential Power

(6:40) Why Peter Wrote "In the Supreme Court's Own Words"

(14:16) How to Make Legal Discussions Accessible, Understandable to the Public

(20:21) Constitutional Restraints that Presidents of Both Parties Have Overstepped?

(28:19) Have Congress, SCOTUS Willingly Ceded Too Much Power to the Presidency?

(35:25) Should Government Be More Efficient or More Deliberative?

(44:02) Has SCOTUS' "Political Questions" Doctrine Let Presidents Accumulate Power?

(50:08) On the "Activist Judge" Argument, Whether it Has Empowered Presidents

(58:54) Do We Support Expanded Presidential Power Simply if We Like the President?

(1:08:51) Practical Ways We Can Hold Presidents Accountable for Overstepping Boundaries

(1:14:06) Random Question: Ridiculous Legal Cases You Have Seen/Tried

(1:22:23) Closing, Peter's Links, My Links

Imagine a one-stop shop for political research where every candidate is seen, every citizen is heard, and every journalist is free to speak. Is such a thing possible? Can we create a level playing field for candidates, citizens, and journalists all through one central hub?

That is what today's guest, Travis Misurell, is building through the Future is Now Coalition (FiNC). Included in our discussion are the difference between power-first and people-first candidates, how FiNC seeks to fix the ballot information problem without overwhelming voters, and incentivizing a more unified sense of purpose and action.

(0:00) Intro: to Civic Empowerment, Travis Misurell, FiNC

(1:42) Why Create FiNC? What Does it Seek to Do?

(6:19) "People-First" vs. "Power-First" Public Servants

(9:03) How FiNC Educates Voters on "People-First" Candidates

(12:20) Creating a Level Playing Field for Election Candidates

(19:50) Creating a Level Playing Field for Citizens and Activists

(23:47) Simplifying Election Research for Voters

(28:49) Creating a Level Playing Field for Independent Journalists

(32:29) The Consolidation of Media and its Impact on Our Consumption

(36:59) How to Provide More Info for Voters Without Overwhelming Them

(44:58) Practical Ways We Can Push Back Against Tribalism, Polarization

(51:30) What Travis Most Wants to Change in Elections, Campaign Finance

(55:11) Final Thoughts on Empowering Citizens, Leveling the Playing Field

(58:52) Random Question: What Would Be Your Entrance Music?

(1:02:10) Closing and Our Links