David Daley

David Daley is a senior fellow at FairVote, where his work focuses on electoral reform, voting rights, and the structural dynamics of American democracy. He is the author of the national bestseller Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn’t Count, a widely cited examination of partisan gerrymandering that helped catalyse renewed public debate on redistricting reform. His subsequent books include Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy and Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right’s 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections, which examines the long-term weakening of US democratic institutions and voting rights, including through landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Shelby County v. Holder.

Alongside his books, Daley is a frequent commentator and public speaker on issues relating to gerrymandering, democratic accountability, and electoral integrity. He is the former editor-in-chief of Salon.com and previously served as CEO and publisher of the Connecticut News Project. His journalism has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Slate, and he has contributed analysis across broadcast and radio platforms such as CNN, MSNBC, NPR’s Fresh Air, and Comedy Central.

Daley has also held academic and visiting roles, teaching political science and journalism at institutions including Wesleyan University, Boston College, and the University of Georgia. Through his writing, media work, and public engagement, he has established himself as a leading voice on the evolution of American electoral systems and the impact of redistricting on democratic governance.