The Democracy Policy Lab

Your resource for research on the intersections of politics, policy, and democracy. Housed at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, our work uncovers the influence of campaign finance, election administration, civil rights, and labor policies on state-level democratic performance.

State Voting Laws Roundup

2025 in Review: How State Voting Laws Changed

The latest roundup of state voting legislation from the Democracy Policy Lab and the Brennan Center for Justice shows that state legislatures enacted more restrictive voting laws than expansive ones in 2025, breaking a five-year trend.

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NEW REPORT SHOWS EFFECTS OF CITIZENS UNITED ON DEMOCRACY

See how Citizens United changed billionaire spending in federal and state elections from 2010-2024, how the case continues to damage US democracy, and what reforms are necessary.

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Direct Campaign Contribution Limits Do Not Increase Independent Expenditures

New research indicates that states can safely enact direct contribution limits and bans without worrying about an increase to independent expenditures.

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Research

Behavior and Democracy Policy

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Money in politics

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Labor and Democracy

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Young Americans' Political Representation

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Race, Civil Rights, and Democracy

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Election Admin & Redistricting

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The State Democracy Index 2.0

A quantitative measure of democratic performance across all 50 states within the U.S., from 2000 to 2023.

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The State Voting Laws Roundup

Tracking expansive and restrictive state voting legislation around the country.

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WA State Election Database

Estimated racial demographics in electoral precincts in Washington State.

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