With a new year comes a new legislative session in state houses around the U.S. 2016 has seen state legislators nationwide use this opportunity to empower voters by introducing bills that create new uses of ranked choice voting (RCV) at the state and local levels. Just one month into this year’s session, at least 27 pro-RCV bills have been introduced in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

If success in the debates means anything, then John Kasich ought to have an incredibly strong showing in the New Hampshire primary.

Historically, especially in the 19th century, debates were essential to the process--like the famous Lincoln-Douglass debates--and often could catapult an unknown to the front of the line.

Political commentators believe that Tuesday's primary contest in New Hampshire is a make-or-break moment for Donald Trump. Lacking a traditional ground game in Iowa, Trump failed to morph his popularity in the polls to actual votes, and that could very well happen again in the Granite State.

The drive for reforming the drawing of congressional maps has gained a supporter who is hoping to ride a reformist challenge against a long-time incumbent.

Independent Maps seeks to get its initiative on the 2016 state ballot to create an independent redistricting commission in Illinois to determine congressional district boundaries. For years, politicians have drawn the lines. In a state such as Illinois, it can even be done without input from the opposition party.

Undoubtedly, there has been a growing movement in America for the past several decades -- that those successful in business should take the helm as our nation's leaders.

H. Ross Perot made the first modern nationwide appeal for this in 1992, claiming that only someone with business prowess could solve our nation's economic problems.

Was he, and others like him, right?