Democracy Program
The Democracy Program at the Institute for Southern Studies provides research, analysis, and educational tools to promote a stronger democracy. Through the program, the Institute monitors key democracy issues, reports on democracy trends in the Institute's online magazine Facing South, and collaborates with partners to advance a pro-democracy agenda, with a special focus on North Carolina. For more information, contact Benjamin Barber, Democracy Program coordinator, at ben@southernstudies.org.
Resources and Reports
Report: Blueprint for a Stronger Democracy (North Carolina, 2025)
Issue Backgrounder: Voter and Election Official Intimidation in North Carolina (2023)
Issue Backgrounder: Independence of Boards of Elections in North Carolina (2023)
Issue Backgrounder: Youth Voting Access in North Carolina (2023)
Issue Backgrounder: Early Voting and Same-Day Registration in North Carolina (2023)
Report: Blueprint for a Stronger Democracy (North Carolina, 2023)
Report: Blueprint for a Stronger Democracy (North Carolina, 2021)
Democracy Dispatches in Facing South
N.C. advocates release 'Blueprint' to strengthen democracy (9/23/25)
GOP escalates campaign to weaken donor transparency in NC (7/25/25)
N.C. election board chair peddled election denial and unsubtantiated voter fraud claims (5/9/25)
Key takeaways from the 2024 elections in the South (11/26/24)
Been here, still here (11/22/24)
N.C. election officials, GOP leaders revealed to have close ties to key election denial group (11/2/24)
2024 election resources for voters (11/1/24)
Democracy at the grassroots (11/1/24)
'Heirs to a powerful inheritance' (10/17/24)
'Things fell into place' (9/27/24)
Advocates take on voter disinformation ahead of November elections (9/13/24)
'Committed to our neighbors, whoever they may be' (9/10/24)
Southern states push new voting restrictions ahead of 2024 elections (7/26/24)
Key Southern ballot measures to watch in 2024 (7/26/24)
Voting rights journalist Ari Berman on opposing minority rule (5/29/24)
AI disinformation poses new risks for Southern voters (5/1/24)
Honoring John Lewis' expansive vision of American democracy on the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday (3/4/24)
Election disruptions and barriers in Southern states point to challenges for 2024 (11/17/23)
Language access at the ballot box lags in a diversifying South (9/27/23)
Defamation and democracy: N.C. Supreme Court agress to hear case over false claims of voter fraud (9/1/23)
Unite N.C. tour mobilizes communities as lawmakers pass restrictive voting changes (8/30/23)
10 Years post-Shelby, NC lawmakers advance slate of new voter restrictions and election changes (6/29/23)
Pro-democracy 'blueprint' guides key voting bills in North Carolina (3/30/23)
Media Coverage
New North Carolina Election Bill Would Suppress Votes, Voting Groups Say (Cardinal & Pine, 6/21/23)
North Carolina advocates share blueprint for a stronger democracy (Carolina Public Press 4/25/23)
Interview with Melissa Price Kromm of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections (NC NewsLine 3/27/23)
Groups rally in Raleigh urging NC lawmakers to strengthen democracy (CBS17 2/26/23)
New report lays out vision for democracy reform in North Carolina (NC NewsLine 6/9/21)