Advocates for Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) announced Monday the freshest step in their Effort to Build a National Movement around the Form of Voting that allows People to Support more than One Candidate.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland, 8th District), Suburbs North of D.C., said he would introduce a Bill in the House this week to Mandate All Federal Elections be conducted using RCV.
At least in the short term, however, the Legislative Drive will be entirely about Political Messaging and Raising Awareness of RCV. The Bill stands No Chance of Enactment by the currently Divided Congress. And Advocates of this Form of Voting almost always frame their Cause as persuading the other 49 States, One at a Time, to Embrace Maine in applying this Process to Congressional and Presidential Contests.
"People will be able to vote for exactly who they want," Raskin said at a News Conference with his Primary Co-Sponsor, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA, 8th District), Suburban Virginia just outside D.C.
The Two also introduced a Bill in July that included RCV but had Other Reform Provisions, including establishing Independent Commissions to Draw the Legislative District Maps after the Decennial Census.
Under RCV, Voters List Candidates in Order of Preference and, if No One Secures an outright Majority of No. 1 Votes, a Sort of Automatic Runoff takes place. The Candidate with the Fewest 1st Place Votes is Eliminated, then those Ballots are Re-Allocated to Other Candidates based on their Second Place Ranking, and that Process continues until Someone has a Majority. I would add, you continue to Count until the remaining Votes won't change the Outcome.
Raskin said this has Three Advantages:
1. Guarantee the Winners enjoy Support from a Majority of their Constituents. Now, in Races with Multiple Candidates, the Victor may Secure much less than 50% of the Vote.
2. Reduce Negative Campaigning, because Candidates would have an Incentive to try to be an Acceptable Second Choice for Voters who Rank someone else as No. 1.
3. Eliminate the need for In-Person Runoffs Elections, which are Costly and usually have far Lower Turnout than the Original Election.
Beyer described his Frustration with a Congress that has less than a 20% Approval Rating and has a Hollowed-Out Political Center because of Partisan Politics.
Rob Richie, President of FairVote, the Nonpartisan Group most Responsible for pushing for expanded use of RCV, used the News Conference to tout other Developments going on at the State and Local Level across the Country.
New York City - will Vote on a Ballot Initiative this fall that would Implement RCV in Municipal Elections.
Organizers in Massachusetts are attempting to Collect 120,000 Signatures to get a RCV Referendum on the Ballot in 2020.
Upcoming Implementations:
Amherst, Massachusetts: Adopted Charter in 2018 with RCV and Passing Implementation Statute before Projected first use in 2021.
Benton County, Oregon: Adopted by Voters in 2016 for General Elections for County Offices of Sheriff and Commissioner. It will be used in November 2020.
Eastpointe, Michigan: Adopted to Resolve a Federal Voting Rights Act Lawsuit. It will be Used for Two City Council Seats, At-Large, Proportional, in November 2019.
Las Cruces, New Mexico: Adopted by the City Council in 2018 for All Municipal Elections beginning in November 2019.
St. Louis Park, Minnesota: Adopted in 2018 for Municipal Offices including Mayor and City Council. It will be used in November 2019.
Payson, Utah: A Local Options Bill was Passed in 2018, and the City Opted-In for City council Seats in November 2019, At-Large, Winner-take-All.
Vineyard, Utah: A Local Options Bill was Passed in 2018, and the City Opted-In for City Council Seats in November 2019, At-Large, Winner- take-All.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment