Founded in 1998 by professor and political analyst Larry Sabato, the institute is housed in Montesano, on property once owned by United States Senator Thomas S. Martin, and functions with the funding support from a variety of public and private sources.

Alongside its focus on civic education and engagement, the CfP also publishes Sabato's Crystal Ball, a source of comprehensive election analysis which is recognized as providing the most accurate electoral predictions.

[1][2][4][5] In 1999, the CfP launched The Youth Leadership Initiative, and was noted as the nations 'only center dedicated to restoring the health of the American democratic system'.

[8] In 2008, the Center moved into Montesano, an early 20th-century Georgian Revival house on land previously owned by Thomas Staples Martin, US Senator from Virginia.

[10] The Youth Leadership Initiative began as a response to a perception of increasing political apathy among citizens and a decline in the number of schools incorporating civics lessons into their curricula.

Since it was first launched in September 2002, the Crystal Ball has garnered a reputation for fair analysis and accurate predictions and is frequently cited by journalists and other political watchers.

Panelists included journalists Mike Allen and Susan Page; congressman Roy Blunt; and strategists Paul Begala, Alex Castellanos, and Leslie Sanchez.

[18] The keynote speaker of the convention was Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, and it also featured remarks by former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro and former senator Bob Dole.

CfP Director Larry J. Sabato has written over a dozen books, most notably Feeding Frenzy, Year of Obama, and A More Perfect Constitution.

[25] It focuses on three priorities: As part of the Campaign, the CfP organizes an annual Voter Registration Coalition to register students to vote.

Recently, the series has brought then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to the University of Virginia and hosted several discussions on "taboo subjects" like the roles played by race, religion and gender in political campaigns.