Making The Case for “Universal Voting” and Voter Access
Miles Rapoport, a former Secretary of the State and co-author of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, and Evelyn Mantilla, former legislator and longtime Latina advocate, will lead a discussion on democracy and election reforms on Monday, April 20th, at New Britain City Hall’s Community Room, 27 West Main Street.
The League of Woman Voters New Britain Area (LWVNBA)) will host the free, public forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. as part of the local League’s voter education program.
Rapoport and Journalist E.J. Dionne wrote 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting in 2022. Citing extensive research, surveys and voting systems in Australia and other democracies, the book favors “civic duty” voting that would make voting a requirement of citizenship much like jury duty in the courts.
Publication of the book led to the formation of the 100% Democracy Initiative that is “dedicated to the proposition that a representative democracy is only truly representative when everyone participates. Our goal is to reimagine voting as both a fundamental right and a civic responsibility, with every eligible citizen required to participate in this most fundamental act of self-governance.” Rapoport has been joined at 100% Democracy by Evelyn Mantilla, a former Hartford state representative, who is CT organizing director for the initiative and Marc Caplan, a member of the organization’s Board of Directors and longtime citizen action organizer. Mantilla and Caplan will participate at the New Britain forum.
In addition to universal voting the 100% Democracy Initiative advocates for “gateway reforms” such as early voting that Connecticut introduced in 2024 and no excuse absentee voting that has required a change in Connecticut’s state constitution. To counter restrictive voting laws 100% Democracy is urging adequate funding of election administration and safeguards against “overly aggressive” purging that has been a means of excluding citizens in some jurisdictions when they show up at the polls.
Rapoport, who served five terms as a state representative from West Hartford, served as Secretary of the State from 1995 to 1998 where he pushed legislation and initiatives for greater access to voting. He was a Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School from 2017-2022 and served as president of Common Cause and Demos, national organizations that seek campaign finance reforms and the strengthening of voter rights.
Mantilla, a leader in the Puerto Rican community who served in the CT General Assembly from 1997 to 2007 representing Hartford’s 4th District, was the first Hispanic woman to serve as Deputy Majority Leader in the CT legislature. She has been a lifelong advocate for civic participation and equity for underrepresented voices and serves as Principal of Mantilla Leadership Solutions.
Marc Caplan, a longtime organizer for citizen action, has led issues-based and coalition building organizations in Connecticut and New England, has managed statewide political campaigns, and has been a senior program officer at the Proteus and Piper Funds, addressing the excessive corporate and special interest influence on our political system. He presently consults for the Working Families Party in New Jersey.
The LWVNBA chapter is a non-partisan, grassroots organization serving New Britain, Berlin, Plainville, Farmington, and Unionville. LWV New Britain focuses on informed civic engagement and voter participation.
For more information on the 100% Democracy forum on April 20th contact New Britain Ward 4 Alderman John McNamara, johnhmcnamara@gmail.com; 860-416-0665.
NB Politicus 