Should Everyone Be Required to Vote?

Is voting a right, a responsibility—or both? This episode explores one of democracy's most debated ideas: mandatory voting. Political scientist Lisa Hill shares what Australia's decades-long experience with compulsory voting can teach us about voter turnout, public trust, political polarization, and civic participation. The conversation examines what might happen if every eligible citizen was expected to cast a ballot—and what that could mean for the future of American democracy.ABOUT THE GUEST:Dr. Lisa Hill is a professor of politics at the University of Adelaide and one of the world's leading experts on democracy and compulsory voting. Her research explores electoral law, political participation, democratic institutions, and the challenges facing modern democracies. She is a fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and holds leadership roles with the Stretton Institute for Public Policy, the Centre for Public Integrity, and the Electoral Regulation Research Network.LEARN MORE: https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/lisa.hillABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: thegovernmentfix.org Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65XgbSILalWGZmB8DliZnjqyxEpIgy0v&si=Ah_WzQ7INfnXqjVn Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/should-everyone-be-required-to-vote/  The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

What if the problem with government efficiency is that we're measuring the wrong thing? Civic tech experts Marina Nitze and David Eaves challenge the idea that doing more with less should be government's ultimate goal. From redesigning foster care bureaucracy to preparing public services for AI, they explore what it actually takes to make complex systems work better for the people who depend on them. Along the way, they unpack why crises can unlock transformational change, how governments can learn from one another, and why the future of government may depend less on efficiency—and more on effectiveness.ABOUT THE GUESTS:Marina Nitze is a partner at Layer Aleph, a crisis engineering firm, and co-author of Crisis Engineering and Hack Your Bureaucracy. A former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and technology advisor in the Obama White House, she now works on complex-system transformation and improving America's child welfare system through New America's New Practice Lab.David Eaves is Associate Professor of Digital Government and Co-Deputy Director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London, where he studies digital public infrastructure, state capacity, and how governments build and buy technology. Previously a lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School and CEO of civic tech company ReCollect, he has advised governments around the world on delivering public services in the digital age.ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: thegovernmentfix.org Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65XgbSILalWGZmB8DliZnjqyxEpIgy0v&si=Ah_WzQ7INfnXqjVn Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/what-the-debate-about-government-efficiency-is-missing/   The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

What if lowering your electric bill was as easy as plugging something into the wall? Utah State Rep. Ray Ward joins The Government Fix to explain the surprisingly simple idea behind plug-in solar: small solar panels that can power your home or apartment  without contractors, permits, or major renovations—even without homeownership. Already popular across Europe, the technology is gaining momentum in the U.S. as lawmakers rethink outdated rules that stand between people and lower energy costs. ABOUT THE GUEST:Rep. Ray Ward M.D., Ph.D., has served in the Utah House of Representatives since 2015. He serves as the House Chair of the Social Services Appropriations Committee.  He focuses his legislative efforts on medical issues and how to lower the cost of housing. He is a family physician in private practice at Cope Family Medicine/Ogden Clinic. In the 2025 session, he sponsored and passed H.B. 340, which made a pathway for the adoption of plug-in solar panels, and within a year, that bill has triggered a great deal of interest in many other state legislatures around the nation.LEARN MORE: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/30/balcony-solar-power-states-lawshttps://pluginsolarus.com/states ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: thegovernmentfix.org Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65XgbSILalWGZmB8DliZnjqyxEpIgy0v&si=Ah_WzQ7INfnXqjVn Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-plug-in-solar-movement-that-could-lower-your-energy-bills/   The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

What happens when a mistake from years ago keeps standing between someone and a job, a home, or even volunteering at their child’s school? In this episode, The Government Fix talks with Dr. Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, about the growing bipartisan movement to automatically seal eligible criminal records and remove barriers to opportunity. Together, they explore how technology and policy can create second chances at scale, why this work has united lawmakers across the political spectrum, and what it means to build a government that helps people move forward instead of holding them back.ABOUT THE GUEST:Dr. Sheena Meade is the CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), a national bipartisan organization working to automate the sealing of eligible arrest and conviction records across the U.S. Under her leadership, CSI has passed laws providing record sealing for more than 18 million people and secured a $75 million commitment from The Audacious Project to expand second chances nationwide. Before CSI, Sheena helped lead the successful campaign to pass Florida’s Amendment 4, restoring voting rights to 1.4 million people.LEARN MORE: https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/https://codeforamerica.org/programs/criminal-justice/ ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: thegovernmentfix.orgWatch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL65XgbSILalWGZmB8DliZnjqyxEpIgy0v Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/how-criminal-records-hold-millions-and-the-economy-back/   The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

What if we started investing in people before they ever had the chance to fall behind? In this episode, The Government Fix sits down with David Radcliffe to explore baby bonds—a policy designed to help children born into low-income families build wealth from birth. He discusses why wealth matters as much as income, how Connecticut became the first state to launch a baby bonds program, and what it will take to give more Americans a stronger financial foundation for adulthood.ABOUT THE GUEST:David Radcliffe is the State and Local Policy Director at The New School’s Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy. He previously worked as policy director for the Office of Connecticut State Treasurer, where he championed implementation of the first-in-the-country “baby bonds” wealth building initiative; as policy analyst with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston; and as a grassroots community organizer. He has a strong passion for working with people to build places and economies where everyone can live happy, fulfilling, prosperous, and productive lives.LEARN MORE: https://racepowerpolicy.org/baby-bonds/https://portal.ct.gov/ott/ct-baby-bonds/overviewABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX:The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: https://thegovernmentfix.orgWatch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-wealth-gap-starts-at-birth-heres-one-fix/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

What does it look like when bold ideas become reality? Season 2 of The Government Fix goes inside solutions already changing lives—from sealing criminal records and building wealth from birth to reducing energy bills and rethinking how democracy works. Host Amanda Renteria speaks with experts and experienced leaders about how change happens, what it takes to build support across political divides, and how promising policies move from theory to implementation. New episodes arrive every other week beginning September 8. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or visit thegovernmentfix.org.   ABOUT THE HOST: Amanda Renteria leads Code for America as CEO, steering a transformative organization that sits at the forefront of civic technology and digital government innovation. Under her leadership, Code for America has emerged as a crucial partner to governments and community organizations nationwide, working to realize the vision of “a government by the people, for the people in the digital age.” Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full episodes on YouTube. The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

Education policy works best when the people most affected by it are a voice at the table. In this episode of The Government Fix, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with Dr. David Johns to explore what it really takes to build an education system that serves all children. Drawing on his experience as a former classroom teacher, congressional staffer, and leader of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, Dr. Johns explains why proximity matters in policymaking—and how decisions made far from students’ lived realities often fail them.  Now Executive Director of the National Black Justice Collective and host of the Teach the Babies podcast, Dr. Johns continues to challenge systems that silence young people—especially Black students, LGBTQIA+ youth, and those from marginalized communities. ABOUT THE GUEST: David Johns is the executive director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), a civil rights organization advancing the empowerment of Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, including those living with HIV/AIDS. He previously served as the first executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans under President Barack Obama. Johns has held senior education policy roles in the U.S. Senate and the Congressional Black Caucus.  LEARN MORE ABOUT: National Black Justice Collective: https://nbjc.org Teach the Babies Podcast: https://teachthebabies.org ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-education/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

Transportation isn’t just about roads or traffic—it’s about access to jobs, housing, and opportunity. In this episode of The Government Fix, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to explore how transportation systems shape daily life—and why fixing them requires long-term thinking and bipartisan leadership. Drawing on his experience as the US Transportation Secretary under President Obama and as the former mayor of Charlotte, Foxx explains how aging infrastructure, uneven funding, and political gridlock have left many communities behind. He breaks down why transit systems are harder to fund than highways, how the FAST Act unlocked long-term investment, and why uncertainty across administrations makes it difficult to plan projects that take decades to complete. ABOUT THE GUEST: Anthony Foxx is the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Public Leadership and Director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. He served as US Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017, where he helped pass the FAST Act and modernize transportation policy. Foxx is also a former mayor of Charlotte and former Chief Policy Officer at Lyft. LEARN MORE ABOUT: Anthony Foxx at Harvard Kennedy School: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/anthony-foxx FAST Act overview (U.S. DOT): https://www.transportation.gov/mission/legislation/fast-act ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-transportation/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

Personal finance often feels abstract, intimidating, or out of reach—especially for communities historically excluded from wealth-building systems. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria sits down with Texas State Representative Linda García to talk about why money conversations leave so many people behind—and how to change that. García shares her journey from her immigrant roots, which left her with a scarcity mindset, to her obsession with Wall Street. She explains why tools like the stock market don’t feel tangible to everyday people and what it actually takes to make investing accessible.  Now, García connects personal finance to public service—showing how financial confidence, dignity, and access can reshape not just individual futures, but entire communities. ABOUT THE GUEST: Representative Linda García is a financial educator, author, and Texas State Representative for District 107. After 17 years in television and film shaping programming for Hispanic audiences at companies including Azteca, Netflix, and Lionsgate, she founded In Luz We Trust to help communities of color build financial confidence and heal generational “money wounds.” She is the author of Wealth Warrior and host of the Investies podcast. Through partnerships with organizations like Wells Fargo and People’s Self-Help Housing, she brings financial literacy directly to underserved communities. LEARN MORE ABOUT: Wealth Warrior (book): https://www.inluzwetrust.com/wealthwarriorbook Investies Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/investiespodcast/ ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-finances/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.

Disaster response is about far more than what happens when a hurricane makes landfall or wildfires spread. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria speaks with disaster researcher and emergency management expert Dr. Samantha Montano about what it really takes to prepare for disasters.  Drawing from her experience in post-Katrina New Orleans and her book Disasterology, Montano explains why disasters disproportionately impact marginalized communities, how government systems often fail during recovery, and why “returning to normal” isn’t enough. Together, they explore what governments can do now to build resilient systems, invest before disaster strikes, and ensure communities aren’t left behind when the crisis fades from the headlines. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Samantha Montano is an emergency management expert whose career began in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She has worked on disaster recovery and response for nonprofits, earned her Ph.D. in Emergency Management, and authored Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis. Samantha is an associate professor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and co-founder of Disaster Researchers for Justice and the Center for Climate Adaptation Research. Her work spans research, policy evaluation, and public engagement, and she is frequently featured in national outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. LEARN MORE ABOUT: Dr. Samantha Montano: https://www.samanthamontano.com Disasterology (book): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704030/disasterology-by-samantha-montano/ FEMA & Emergency Management: https://www.fema.gov ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts    Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-disaster-response/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org.