New Faces of Democracy

Nancy is joined by guest host Betsy Morgan on this episode featuring superstar activist Jess Piper speaking about how Democrats can win with rural voters. Jess has become a prominent voice for rural Democrats and in her work at Blue Missouri, she and her colleagues are working to run a Democrat in every race in the state. Jess, Betsy and Nancy talk about the desperate state of affairs in rural Missouri where infrastructure has been gutted by the Republican state supermajority; what Democrats get wrong when it comes to rural voters; and how a relatively small increase in Democratic turnout in those areas can have outsize impacts on top of ballot races.To learn more about Jess and her work, check out her Substack newsletter and to support Blue Missouri, you can do so here.The University of New Hampshire study that Jess refers to in the podcast can be found here.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

This episode features Jackie Payne of Galvanize Action, an organization that focuses on moderate women living in rural, small town and suburban areas. These women want progress on key issues but aren’t reliably playing a role to get us there. Galvanize Action helps them connect with their values in a way that impacts their civic behavior. Nancy and Jackie talk about the neuroscience and behavioral psychology underlying the work at Galvanize Action; the nuanced concerns of this group of women that constitute the largest voting bloc in the country; and the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation. To learn more about Galvanize Action and see examples of their top-performing messaging, check out their highlights page.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

This episode features a conversation with Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District. Founded in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Sister District is a women-led grassroots political group that is dedicated to building lasting Democratic power in state legislatures. The group is powered by volunteers in blue districts that pair or “sister” up with key swing districts where their efforts can really move the needle. Unlike some other groups that have petered out over the years, the folks at Sister District have taken their mandate and run with it, expanding their operations to much more than just elections. Sarah and Nancy talk about the secret sauce that makes Sister District different, their work with local grassroots groups, and the community that people can find within the local chapters. Sister District is doing really interesting, smart and multifaceted work; you can check out their website to learn more and get involved.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

This episode features a conversation with Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy, a cross-ideological nonprofit devoted to stopping authoritarianism. Nancy first featured Protect Democracy on this podcast four years ago, shortly after the January 6th insurrection. Given the rollercoaster that we have been on since then, and the new and dangerous threats that we face as a country, this seemed like a good time to check back in. Amanda and Nancy discuss the challenges of imposing political consequences without political power, and how the pro-democracy coalition must channel the energy and anger of the current moment into meaningful pressure from the outside in and the bottom up. They also talk about he ways in which Trump is following the authoritarian playbook to dismantle democratic institutions, as well as specific, concrete actions that we can all do to protect democracy.Mentioned in the episode:Sign up for the If You Can Keep It newsletterThe Authoritarian Playbook for 2025How *You* Can Protect DemocracyHow to Pay AttentionThank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Is registering Democrats the key to saving the world? That’s the premise behind Field Team 6 whose founder Jason Berlin is Nancy’s guest on this episode. Jason and Nancy first spoke five years ago when Field Team 6 was registering voters in parking lots. Now the group has grown into a grassroots powerhouse that is reaching millions of unregistered voters online and in person and getting out the vote in swing states and districts around the country. Jason and I talk about the massive volunteer army that powers his organization, with teams of experts in their fields; and the measurable impact of their work in winning elections with the slimmest margins of victory; and their initiative to combat ballot rolloff. In a time when it feels hard to smile, Jason and his great sense of humor make resistance fun. And one last thing – we are excited to announce that New Faces of Democracy is now a member of the Democracy Group, a network of podcasts and organizations that create educational content about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse. Check it out! Here is the New Faces of Democracy profile of Jason from 2020.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

This episode features a conversation with Dana Castner, founder of Choice Tracker, a new and important tool in the fight for reproductive freedom. When the Supreme Court ruled in June 2022  that abortion laws must be decided by the states, that put a lot of power in the hands of our state legislators, many of whom we had never heard of, let alone knew their stances on abortion. That’s what Dana discovered and led her to start the all-volunteer group Choice Tracker just two weeks after the Dobbs decision. Nancy and Dana discuss the value in providing voters all the available information on their state representatives in one place; what actions people can take both in election cycles and off years; and why constitutional abortion protections are not enough to save us on their own. Listen to the end if you want to know how to bring Choice Tracker to your state and other ways you can help now, not just right before the next election.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send an email to info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

This episode features a conversation with activist Jess Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water. With close to half a million followers on TikTok and 53,000 subscribers to her substack, Jess is a fierce and passionate warrior for democracy. On this episode, Jess shares with Nancy her view of what it means to be an activist at this time full of so many unknowns, how to find hope through action, some of her favorite organizations right now, and so much more. Tune in for a dose of sanity and humanity, and you will leave both calmed and energized for whatever it is that lies ahead.Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

This season is dedicated to helping you get your head out of the sand after a brutally disappointing election, finding strength through community and taking action that helps real people in palpable ways. If you’re looking for rage, this may not be the place for you, but if you seek inspiration, and maybe even hope, then tune into to Season 5 of the New Faces of Democracy podcast.

This episode features a conversation with Grace Cowan of Frogmore Stew, a podcast focused on South Carolina politics. Nancy and Grace thought it would be interesting, on the cusp of this momentous election, to see how life looks like on the other side of our red state and blue state fences. They talk about how when it comes down to everyday issues there really is a lot more blurring of the partisan lines than the media and national party propaganda would have us believe. They also discuss how certain issues like climate change can transcend party, and that, in the end, there is much more that unites us than divides us. Sure, we have different opinions, but in a nation dominated by an us vs. them mentality, this conversation will make you feel better about the prospect of coming together as a country again. We just have to keep talking. Frogmore Stew is a podcast about South Carolina politics, political history and political culture.  Grace and her guests talk through the intersection of national and state politics, she feature guests that give deep insight into a variety of topics, and she looks at how pop culture has become intertwined in our political vernacular.  Frogmore Stew is a realistic and educated approach to the policy issues that affect South Carolinians everyday.  Thank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here. If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send an email to info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

What if Trump wins? On this episode, Nancy has a conversation with Mark Bergman about something none of us want to think about: what would happen to the rule of law and American democracy in a second Trump term. Last spring, Mark was an observer at a series of large scale simulated exercises (aka war games) stress testing democracy under an authoritarian ruler. Hosted by the Brennan Center, a nonpartisan think tank at NYU Law School, the exercises were conducted as part of theDemocracy Futures Project. Nancy and Mark discuss the outcome of the games, our lack of preparedness for an unfettered Trump, a few positive takeaways and important groups defending democracy that need our support. The number one most important lesson of these exercises? Elect Kamala Harris on November 5th.Mark S. Bergman is a former international corporate lawyer who, through 7Pillars Global Insights, LLC, comments, briefs and convenes on a range of political, geopolitical and democracy-related topics. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the International Crisis Group, a Director of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the rising tide of polarization, extremism, weaponization of hate and disinformation worldwide), a Director of Bellingcat US and a Director of TIM Cooperative (an NGO focused on information quality). Mark is also a member of the National Finance Committee of the Democratic National Committee.Pro-Democracy Organizations Recommended by MarkProtect DemocracyDemocracy ForwardPrinciples FirstState Democracy Defenders ActionACLUThe National Immigration Law CenterThank you for being a listener!Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send an email to info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

This episode features a conversation with Nimit Sawhney of Voatz, a mobile voting app that uses cutting edge technology to make voting more accessible, secure and auditable. Spelled V-O-A-T-Z, the app is already in use in elections around the world and has the potential to transform our electoral system here in the U.S. Nimit and Nancy discuss the app’s blockchain-based technology; they do a deep dive on security concerns; and Nimit explains how Voatz has the potential to restore public trust in the voting process. This episode is the third in a series on the transformative power of mobile voting. The first was Episode 47 with Ramon Perez of the Digital Democracy Project, followed by Jocelyn Bucaro of the Mobile Voting Project in Episode 48. Taken together, these three conversations address the security of mobile voting, different applications for the technology, and why making it easier for people to vote may be the key to reinvigorating American democracy. You can try out the Voatz app for yourself by participating in the Digital Democracy Project, where you can tell your legislators how you want them to vote on upcoming legislation. It’s currently available for Florida residents only but will soon expand nationwide. Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here. If you like this podcast, please subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

This episode features a conversation with Nathaniel Stinnett of the Environmental Voter Project, a nonprofit that is building political power for climate issues not by changing minds but by changing behavior. As a political campaign veteran, Nathaniel noticed that an enormous number of registered voters lists the environment as a top priority but does not vote. So he came up with the brilliant idea of turning them into consistent voters to build the political power to fix the climate crisis. Nathaniel and Nancy discuss the highly accurate predictive models that they use to identify these voters; how to turn these super environmentalists into super voters using behavioral science; and how once this environmental electorate is in place, politicians will have no choice but to act on climate and the environment. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to have a big impact on elections, including the ones right around the corner, there are many ways to get involved.To volunteer for or donate to the Environmental Voter Project, go to www.environmentalvoter.org.Sign up for the New Faces of Democracy newsletter here.If you like this podcast, please subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

Nancy catches up with activist Margie Stein of 140 Florida Blue who continues to work tirelessly to make Florida blue again. Nancy and Margie speak about why she is once again recruiting and funding Democrats to run in every single Florida district, even where Democrats don’t normally win; the reverse coattails effect; the abortion amendment on the ballot; and the path to making Florida a swing state once again. It does cost money to help a candidate run, but the long term impact could be priceless. Click here to donate and click here to watch David Pepper’s video on 140 Florida Blue. 

This episode features a conversation with Jason Springer about how the Education Truth Project, a New Jersey super PAC, is keeping school boards free of extremist voices. Jason and Nancy discuss how, in recent years, out of state groups have been infiltrating  local school boards, using children as pawns to advance political agendas; how we need to return to dialogue versus the “my way or the highway” mentality; and the importance of local solutions to local issues. For more information on the Education Truth Project, visit their website.

On this episode, Nancy speaks with Drew Kromer, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party in North Carolina. Could Mecklenburg County hold the key to flipping North Carolina blue?  According to Drew, the answer is yes. Nancy and Drew talk about the huge numbers of Democrats in the county and the slim margins needed to win state-wide races; why people have historically not shown up to the polls; and how to scale up their volunteer operation in time for November and create lasting Democratic infrastructure for the future. To donate or volunteer, see the links below.https://www.meckdems.org/https://swingbluealliance.org/northcarolina/

This episode features a conversation with Jocelyn Bucaro of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Mobile Voting Project. Could mobile voting save democracy? Jocelyn and Nancy speak about how it’s already being used in many jurisdictions in the US and around the world; creating public trust in the technology; and how it has the potential to transform our hyper partisan political landscape and help our democracy work better for us all. For more information, go to the Mobile Voting Project website where you can also sign up to volunteer or follow them on social media.

This episode features a conversation with Ramon Perez of the Digital Democracy Project. Imagine a world where you have the same access to your representatives as a lobbyist or a wealthy donor, where you get to say how you would like them to vote on a bill and see how they vote in real time. And it’s all on an app on the phone in your pocket. That’s called the Digital Democracy Project, and it’s currently a reality in Florida with plans to expand to all 50 states. Ramon and Nancy speak about how tools like blockchain keep the app safe and secure; how most people are more nuanced than our partisan system would have you believe; and why we shouldn’t have to wait four years to have a say in the running of our government. To learn more about the Digital Democracy Project or watch Ramon’s TED talk, visit their website.

Who among us isn’t feeling at least a tinge, if not a tsunami, of panic right now, with a disastrous debate, dystopian Supreme Court decisions and Project 2025 lurking in our nightmares? I’m not good at sitting with anxiety, so my reaction is always to get to work – and right now that means more new episodes of the New Faces of Democracy podcast. So if you’re looking for a balm for your frazzled soul, check out the new season that’s well underway featuring conversations with people who are nothing short of warriors for democracy.

What to do after a disastrous presidential debate and devastating Supreme Court rulings? This episode features a conversation with Brian Derrick of Oath, who has one solution: smart, impactful giving to candidates up and down the ballot who will protect democracy and defend our most cherished rights. Oath is an online fundraising platform that helps Democratic donors identify where their money is most needed in the races that mean the most to them, whether their focus is flipping the House, state legislatures, reproductive rights and more. Nancy and Brian talk about the problem of wasted donations to long shot candidates; the nimble, data-driven scoring system they use at Oath to make their recommendations; and one side benefit of using Oath which is ending the nonstop barrage of emails and text messages from campaigns. Listen to the end to hear how to stay positive during what’s shaping up to be a challenging summer. To learn more about Oath, check out their website at oath.vote. 

This episode features a conversation with Emily White of #iVoted Concerts. For all the technology in our world today, voter turnout tactics, like door knocking and phone banking, have seen remarkably little innovation in decades. But when, in 2016, Wisconsin native and music industry insider Emily White first heard about the narrow vote margin that helped Donald Trump win the White House in her home state, she thought, “Wait a minute, that’s the size of a concert venue!”. That was the lightbulb moment when Emily came up with the idea of organizing election night concerts with free tickets for people who show a selfie in front of their polling place. The result has been a beautiful marriage of music and data to engage more voters and strengthen democracy. Emily and Nancy talk about the fact that young people are twice as likely to attend a concert than vote; the MIT analysis showing the remarkable increase in voter turnout that resulted from #iVoted Concerts; and the highly targeted, data-driven events planned for this year around the country, particularly in swing states. If you want to learn more about #iVoted Concerts or to support their work, check out their website where you can donate and find links to their social media.