About

Gauchos for Election Reform (GAFER) was founded in 2025 by Ava Johnson, a student leader passionate about electoral reform, and Laurence Marks, a Silicon Valley executive with experience in electoral reform.  GAFER is dedicated to strengthening U.S. democracy by raising awareness of electoral dysfunction, and advancing the need for fair, non-partisan reforms. The organization seeks to match passionate college students as volunteers/interns with organizations leading election reform changes. In addition, GAFER plans to educate UCSB students about threats to democracy and reform efforts and discuss and envision new solutions with invited speakers and faculty