WHAT IF CHANGING THE WAY WE VOTE COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING?
With America's democratic experiment mired in division and dysfunction, the state of Alaska votes to revolutionize their election system. The surprising results spark new alliances, a growing call for election reform, and fierce pushback from political parties. Could changing how Americans vote also change politics for the better?
WATCH NOW:
NEW DOCUMENTARY NOW PLAYING IN SELECT CITIES
Majority Rules premiered at the DC/DOX Film Festival in Washington, D.C. and is now screening in select cities.
TRAILER
ABOUT
Alaska is gearing up to do something that no other state has ever done: Adopting a pair of election reforms that will eliminate traditional party primaries and allow voters to rank their candidates by preference. Just as election workers, citizens, and politicians are beginning to adapt to this new system, the state's longest-serving Congressman unexpectedly dies, creating an open seat and prompting a special election that will test this system months earlier than expected. As dozens of candidates –including former Governor Sarah Palin– jump into the race for the highly coveted seat, everyone must learn how these new voting reforms will change the rules of campaigning and winning. The surprising outcome in that special election leads to a groundswell of support for election reform in other states and fierce pushback from political parties and partisans, just as the Alaska general election gets underway..
Veteran political documentary filmmaker AJ Schnack (Caucus, Convention) returns to the campaign trail asking whether these new Alaska reforms, an all-candidate open primary and an instant runoff general election, might be a prescription for what ails the American democratic experiment. Traveling across the country, Schnack and his crew interview reform supporters and opponents, looking at where these reforms are already in place and where they may soon be adopted. The resulting film answers two of our nation’s most pressing questions: How did the American electoral system become so dysfunctional, and can changes to how we vote change our entire system for the better?
FILMMAKERS
Written and Directed by AJ Schnack
Produced by Nick Troiano
Produced by AJ Schnack and Alana Schwartz
Producers: Beth Hladick, Chris Ho and Ben Rekhi
Executive Producers: Blair Hull, Steve Kantor, William von Mueffling, David Baszucki,
Jan Ellison Baszucki, Marc Merrill and Kent Thiry
Edited by Leslie Simmer
Director of Photography: Adam Benn
Cinematographer: Chris Ho
Sound Recording and Design: Joel C. Hernandez
Music by: Mark degli Antoni
Motion Graphics by Clean Plate FX - Producer Eric Levy, Creative Director Ben Radatz
With the on screen participation of Nick Begich, Gail Fenumiai, Cathy Geissel, Lisa Murkowski,
Sarah Palin, Mary Peltola and Kelly Tshibaka
WATCH
Majority Rules is available on Apple TV+, Google Play, Prime Video, and YouTube
UPCOMING SCREENINGS
FREE RANK THE VOTE SCREENINGS
Find a screening in your state:
PAST SCREENINGS
June 14, 2024 — DC/DOX Film Festival — Washington, D.C.
June 28 - July 4, 2024 — Village East by Angelika — New York, NY
June 29, 2024 — Montclair Film’s Summer Showcase — Montclair, NJ
July 12-18, 2024 — Laemmle Theatres — Los Angeles, CA
July 17, 2024 — The Flicks: Rick's Cafe Americain — Boise, ID
July 24, 2024 — The Grand Cinema — Tacoma, WA
August 11 & 13, 2024 — Roxy Theatre — Bremerton, WA
August 19, 2024 — Salem Cinema — Salem, OR
August 20, 2024 — Oregon Museum of Science and Industry — Portland, OR
August 22, 2024 — Eugene Art House — Eugene, OR
September 8, 2024 — Manny’s — San Francisco, CA
September 19, 2024 — Gateway Film Center — Columbus, OH
September 25, 2024 — Nantucket Dreamland Theater — Nantucket, MA
October 2, 2024 — Gesa Power House Theatre — Walla Walla, WA
October 6 & 10, 2024 — Mulva Cultural Center — De Pere, WI
October 21, 2024 — Alamo Drafthouse — Littleton, CO
October 18-24, 2024 — Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center — Lincoln, NE
October 27, 2024 — Lincoln Theatre — Mount Vernon, WA
October 29, 2024 — Dairy Arts Center — Boulder, CO
October 29, 2024 — The Flicks: Rick's Cafe Americain — Boise, ID
October 30, 2024 — Landmark's Mayan Theatre — Denver, CO
November 1, 2024 — Billings Art House — Billings, MT
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
‘Majority Rules’: Abramorama Acquires North American Theatrical Rights To AJ Schnack’s Political Documentary
Deadline — May 9, 2024
Abramorama has acquired the rights to North American theatrical distribution of veteran political documentarian AJ Schnack‘s latest film. READ MORE
EXCLUSIVE: DC/Dox Film Festival Unveils Second Annual Lineup
Variety — May 1, 2024
Majority Rules will premiere at the festival, which takes place in D.C., June 13-16. READ MORE
Interview: AJ Schnack on ‘Majority Rules’
Nonfics — July 1, 2024
The filmmaker talks about his return to political documentaries, his hopeful perspective on ranked-choice voting, and his debut in the role of narrator. READ MORE
The Effort to Expand Rank Choice Voting
WNYC — July 2, 2024
AJ Schnack, independent filmmaker and director of "Majority Rules," a new documentary about ranked choice voting, and Tim Dunn, executive director of Unite NY, discuss ranked choice voting in New York City and across the country, and its potential impacts on American polarization. LISTEN NOW
Filmmaker Explores Ranked Choice Voting in New Documentary
Idaho Statesman — July 2, 2024
Having open primaries and ranked choice voting isn’t just some gimmick meant to upend one political party over the other. READ MORE
New Documentary Argues Ranked-Choice Voting Will Boost Democracy From Alaska to NYC
Gothamist — July 3, 2024
Could the solution to New York’s notoriously low voter turnout — and even the nation’s hyper-partisan divide — be to change how we all vote? READ MORE
New Documentary Explores Election Reform and Ranked-Choice Voting
NY1 News — July 3, 2024
In the middle of a big election year, there’s a growing conversation on ways to fix what many call a broken electoral system. WATCH NOW
Interview With AJ Schnack, Director of New Documentary ‘Majority Rules’
The Jan Price Show — July 13, 2024
Award-winning writer and director AJ Schnack discusses his new documentary, Majority Rules, currently playing in film festivals and select theaters. LISTEN NOW
LAist’s FilmWeek Podcast Reviews ‘Majority Rules’
LAist FilmWeek Podcast — July 12, 2024
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Christy Lemire include Majority Rules is their reviews of the latest releases. LISTEN NOW
Informative and Non-Partisan, ‘Majority Rules’ is a Great Introduction to Electoral Reform.
Parent Previews — July 13, 2024
If there’s one thing all polls agree on, it’s growing disenchantment amongst American voters. Unsatisfactory candidates, gridlock in Washington, and increasingly virulent rhetoric all combine to turn people away from the political process. READ NOW
A New Film Explore the Issue of Ranked Choice Voting
NPR Boise State — July 17, 2024
Idahoans will be considering an open primaries initiative this November, which includes a ranked choice voting component. LISTEN NOW
‘‘Majority Rules’ Brings Election Reform to the Big Screen
Sightline Institute — July 18, 2024
The documentary digs into Alaska’s 2022 launch of open primaries and ranked choice voting—and how the changes shook up the status quo. LISTEN NOW
STAY IN THE KNOW
Sign up for email updates and we’ll keep you posted about news and events.
Interested in hosting a screening of Majority Rules in your community?
Click here to download our screening guide.
CONTACT US
Theatrical Bookings
Please contact Cindy Banach at Abramorama: cindy@abramorama.com.
Press Inquiries
Please contact Falco Ink: majorityrules@falcoink.com.