The Democracy Volunteers Podcast

Why is the Electoral College still Used?

Why does the US still choose its president through the Electoral College, a system designed for an 18th-century country of 13 states?   To answer this question, Joshua P

Elections Across the World: Zambia Special

Zambia's August election was billed as a test of one of Africa's most stable democracies. It ended with the arrest of the main opposition candidate, accusations of a stag

How to Increase Turnout: Compulsory Voting

Should voting be compulsory? In this podcast, Joshua Paisley is joined by Shane Singh, Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, to ask

The Effects of Social Media on our Elections

In this episode, Joshua Paisley is joined by Professor of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield, Kate Dommett, to expl

How to Increase Turnout: Internet Voting

This episode marks the start of a Democracy Volunteers Series where we discuss the radical ideas that countries across the world have implemented to increase turnout and

Elections Across the World: July

In this episode, Joshua Paisley breaks down the elections that shaped our world in July 2026.    With the help of Professor Martin Evans and Dr Dalia Ghanem, Joshua disc

The Story of Democracy in Ancient Greece

In this episode, Democracy Volunteers goes back further than any election we've ever observed - 2,500 years, to 5th-century BC Athens, credited as the birthplace of democ

Inside Democracy Volunteers

What does Democracy Volunteers actually do, and why does it matter? In this episode, host Joshua Paisley sits down with Director John Ault and Deputy Director Harry Busz

Elections Across the World: June

In this episode, Joshua Paisley breaks down the elections that shaped our world in June 2026. From chaos at the ballot box in South Korea, to the arrival of a new Colombi

After Dark: Blackadder's Youngest Prime Minister - Behind the Scenes of Dish and Dishonesty

Joshua Paisley is joined by Simon Osborne, the actor who played William Pitt the Younger in Blackadder III's opening episode Dish and Dishonesty, for a behind-the-scenes

After Dark: Blackadder Goes Forth to the Polls — Dish and Dishonesty

Joshua Paisley speaks with Jem Roberts, author of The True History of Blackadder, about Dish and Dishonesty — the opening episode of Blackadder III and the most political

Historic Elections: The 1997 General Election and Blair's New Labour Revolution

Ethan Reuter speaks with Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, and

After Dark: The Simpsons and the Springfield Ballot Box

Joshua Paisley is joined by Simpsons enthusiast Damon Balgen to examine two of the show's most politically charged episodes - Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on E

Bob Servant Independent: Fiction, By-Elections, and the Art of the Accidental Candidate

John Ault speaks with Neil Forsyth, the writer behind the critically acclaimed BBC Scotland series Bob Servant Independent, about the creation of one of television's most

Historic Elections: The 1979 General Election and Thatcher's Iron Revolution

Ethan Reuter speaks with Iain Dale, award-winning broadcaster, author, and political commentator, about the 1979 general election that ended five years of Labour governme

Historic Elections: The 1964 General Election and Harold Wilson's White Heat

Ethan Reuter speaks with Professor Stephen Fielding, Emeritus Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham, about the 1964 general election that brought

Historic Elections: The 1945 General Election and Attlee's Welfare Revolution

Ethan Reuter speaks with Professor Stephen Fielding, Emeritus Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham, about the 1964 general election that brought

Dutch Should End On-Demand Proxy Voting

Democracy Volunteers deployed observers across the Netherlands for the parliamentary elections in October. Deploying 32 observers and experts, 25 of whom were based in th

Tech and Democracy: How Big Tech Safeguards Elections

One of the world's largest technology companies has made protecting elections a core part of its mission — but why does a tech giant care about democracy, and what exactl

Electoral Reform Special: Voter ID and Bank Cards

Lily Russell-Jones explores the government's plans to expand acceptable voter ID to include bank cards, a key part of wider electoral reforms announced in July. The episo