On Thursday, Sept. 18, Bruce Cain, a Stanford political science professor and one of the nation’s leading experts on American politics and democratic theory, spoke to about 35 Academy students and faculty at a lunchtime event hosted by the Davis Democracy Initiative.
Cain, who has advised governments and written extensively on elections, representation and political reform, discussed ongoing redistricting and gerrymandering in Texas and California, explaining their potential impact on the 2026 midterms and beyond. He highlighted the challenges of defining fairness in the U.S. Constitution, the role of the Voting Rights Act, and the possible future use of AI in redistricting. The session ended with a lively Q&A, where Cain emphasized that today’s students will play a crucial role in shaping the future of American democracy.
