Nick Troiano
Civic Entrepreneur.
Political Reformer.
Denver, CO
About Nick
Nick Troiano is the founding executive director of Unite America, a philanthropic venture fund that invests in nonpartisan election reform to foster a more representative and functional government. He is the author of the forthcoming book, The Primary Solution: Rescuing our Democracy from the Fringes (Simon & Schuster, March 2024).
Since 2019, Unite America has invested over $50 million to help win three major statewide ballot initiatives and over a dozen state legislative and municipal policy victories. In 2014, Troiano ran for the US House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 10th District and was both the youngest candidate of the cycle and the most competitive independent Congressional candidate nationally in over two decades.
Nick earned both his BA and MA in American government from Georgetown University and, as an undergraduate, cofounded an endowed Social Innovation and Public Service Fund. He regularly provides commentary to a range of media outlets on topics of democracy and politics, and he has been featured in three documentaries: Follow the Leader (PBS), Broken Eggs, and Unrepresented. He lives in Denver, Colorado.Unite America
A movement to bridge the partisan divide.
Interview on FOX News
Nick talked to Steve Hilton about America's Primary Problem.
Interview on MSNBC
Nick talked to Stephanie Ruhle about the primaries in Alaska and Wyoming.
Podcast: Reforms to Fix Politics
On the Matt Lewis and The News podcast, Nick explains Unite America's strategy to support nonpartisan election political reforms.
State of Democracy
This report summarizes the impact and status of four key structural political reforms.
Case for Political Philanthropy
This 2020 report makes the case for philanthropic investment in democracy reform.
Op-Eds
A highlight of some recent writings.
It's The System, Stupid
July 28, 2023
On one thing, both sides should agree: Our presidential election system is broken. No Labels would not face such daunting odds, nor would their opponents have as much reason for concern, if we had a level playing field that facilitated more competitive elections capable of producing more representative outcomes.
March 30, 2021
January 6 should be the kick America needs to abolish partisan primaries. Some states have already started.
September 25, 2020
The time for reform is now. What hangs in the balance is not a single Supreme Court seat, but the legitimacy of our entire experiment of democratic self-governance.
May 29, 2020
The best way out of our current crisis is to simultaneously help prevent the next one –– by improving our democracy and fostering a much healthier body politic.
January 27, 2019
Howard Schultz’s candidacy could catalyze a new movement focused on fixing our broken political system — including advancing reforms, such as ranked-choice voting, that would permanently level the playing field for new competition.
January 17, 2019
History calls for a new unity ticket in 2020 –– one that pledges to make reforming our broken political system a top priority in its new administration.
November 6, 2018
We cannot and should not go one more election where the outcome brings a swing to our politics rather than a solution to our problems.
March 1, 2018
The politics industry is ripe for disruption and innovation, and a new startup — Unite America — is ready to bring it by recruiting and electing common-sense, independent candidates to office.
April 27, 2017
Macron's success offers hope that leaders can channel the electorate's anti-establishment anger in a way that unites rather than divides people across partisan and cultural lines.
TV & Documentaries
Highlighted television interviews.
Troiano on A Plus
Topic: 2020 Election Integrity
Troiano on Fox Business
Topic: Howard Schultz's potential candidacy.
Troiano on MSNBC
Topic: Nick's Congressional campaign.
Troiano on PBS' The Open Mind
Topic: Reclaiming the political center.
Documentary: Unrepresented
Nick's work on democracy reform was featured in this film about our broken political system.
Documentary: Broken Eggs
Nick's work on fiscal reform was featured in this film about America's looming retirement crisis.
Interview on CNN
In 2018, Unite America was focused on electing independent candidates to office. We endorsed 30 candidates for state and federal legislature.
Read our full organizational recap report here, and our 100-page election debrief here.Interview on C-SPAN
Nick explained Unite America's 2018 strategy to elect independent candidates to office.
Speaking
Highlighted speeches and talks.
Talk at Summit Series
Nick spoke about the election reform movement (2022).
"Be Kind to Others"
Nick delivered these remarks upon his honorary induction to the Delaware Valley High School chapter of Rho Kappa (2019).
Panel: Political Trends in CO
Nick participated in the opening panel at "The Energy Summit" to discuss political trends in the state of Colorado (2019).
Talk at "Unrig the System"
Nick makes the case for independent leadership in this short "spark" talk.
TEDxGeorgetown
Nick's TEDx talk on "The Internet and 21st Century Democracy" (2011). You can also watch's Nick's TEDxHendrixCollege talk on "Politics and the Common Good."
Delaware Valley Commencement
Nick's high school commencement speech as student body president (2007).
Change Politics
Change Politics is a non-partisan platform that empowers voters to make informed decisions on Election Day.
Voting Made Simple
We produced an animated, overview video to announce the new platform in January 2016.
#VoteLocal
We hired "street teams" in Cleveland & Philadelphia to spread the word about our #VoteLocal campaign at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
Congressional Campaign
Nick Troiano ran an independent, citizen-funded campaign for U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 10th District in 2014.
Campaign Recap
- Won 22,691 votes (13%) – the highest of any independent U.S. House candidate running in a three-way race
- Raised $167,893 from nearly 1,000 supporters – without accepting a dime from any PAC, lobbyist, union, or corporation
- Collected 7,053 signatures to become the first independent in PA-10's history
- Garnered over 250 press hits – including profiles in National Journal and Washington Post
- Secured 21 endorsements from Mayors – from both parties and 11 different counties
Campaign Policy
Nick's campaign produced 23 "Chat with Troiano" videos, a weekly YouTube series to feature bipartisan policy ideas, and published seven white papers on his campaign platform:
Campaign Press & Letters
Selected press:
- A compilation of over two dozen Letters to the Editor written from citizens across the district
- Young and Seeking Office, Without a Party
Washington Post – May 23, 2014
- No Party for This Young Man: A Millennial Storms the Gates of Washington
National Journal – April 6, 2014
- The Independents Who Could Tip the Senate in November
The Daily Beast – October 13, 2014
10th District Debate
Pocono Record: "Incumbent Congressman Tom Marino easily lost the debate. The winner was probably Troiano, although Brion too gave a strong performance."
- Won 22,691 votes (13%) – the highest of any independent U.S. House candidate running in a three-way race
The Can Kicks Back
From 2012-2015, The Can Kicks Back engaged young Americans and elected officials to "stop kicking the can down the road" on addressing our national debt.
About the Campaign
The Can Kicks Back was formed in 2012 to advocate for policies to reduce our long-term deficits in a bold, generationally balanced, and bipartisan way. Our Advisory Board included the co-chairs of the 2010 fiscal commission, Erskine Bowles and former Senator Alan Simspon. The above video introduced the campaign and quickly went viral. Read our 2013 Annual Report.
Generational Equity Tour
The generational equity tour was a five-week, cross-country series of events organized with over 70 partner organizations on 20 college campuses –– featuring our mascot, AmeriCAN. At the tour's conclusion, more than 800 messages on tin cans were delivered to Congressional offices on Capitol Hill. See the tour's blog.
INFORM Act
The Intergenerational Financial Obligations Reform Act (INFORM Act) is a bipartisan bill, whose introduction was championed by The Can Kicks Back, to increase transparency in the federal budget. The INFORM Act has been endorsed by over 1,000 economists, including more than a dozen Nobel Laureates. Learn more.
"Swindled" Report
In 2013, The Can Kicks Back released a report called "Swindled: How The Millenial Generation Will Pay the Price of Washington's Paralysis." It analyzed the effect our nation's unaddressed fiscal challenges will have on the millennial generation. The report also examines the fiscal gap: an estimate of the unfunded responsibilities that must be paid by future generations.
Media
Short films Nick produced.
We the People
A 2010 documentary Nick co-produced, shot, and edited with Doug Bailey for Americans Elect.
Controversy on the Delaware
A 2006 documentary Nick hosted & co-produced about the failed "Tocks Island" dam project (2006).
Buried in History
A 2010 documentary Nick edited & co-produced about buried weapons in Washington, DC.
One Year in Washington
A 2011 video Nick co-produced for Americans Elect, using photography from a time-lapse photography project he ran for four years.
Research
Nick's Master's thesis on the under-representation of young Americans in the United States Congress, and its implications for American democracy.
Other Op-eds
Other Op-Eds
- Ben Sasse should leave the Republican Party
USA Today – September 14, 2018
- Change Politics offers voters a new solution on election day
The Gazette – June 15, 2016
- Tech & Technology Can Change Politics
The Hill – January 19, 2016
- The Worst Kind of Compromise
Milford Now – December 20, 2015
- Time to Open the Presidential Debates
Medium – July 2, 2015
- Open Our Primaries
Patriot News – May 11, 2015
- Time to "Run for America"
USA Today – March 4, 2015
- Fixing a Deficit of Facts
Roll Call – May 10, 2013
- No debt agreement, no break
Los Angeles Times – March 25, 2013
- Reducing the Deficit
New York Times - February 22, 2013
- Ben Sasse should leave the Republican Party
Contact
Or please drop me a note at nick@uniteamerica.org
© 2014 Nick Troiano