Do we want to send our District 1 U.S. Representative to Washington with only 18% of the vote? Under the present system, that is possible this November 5. There are four candidates on the ballot: Brendan Gomez, Matt Loesby, Kaylee Peterson and incumbent Russ Fulcher, and two write-in candidates, David Bot and Margot Dupre.
It is possible for six candidates to have individual totals of 18%-17.5%-17%-16.5%-16%-15% — so the winning candidate is supported by only 18% of the voters.
Wouldn’t it be better for a winning candidate to have a broad coalition of voters behind him, to whom he is accountable?
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is better named “Instant, computer-tabulated run-offs until one candidate has 50-percent”– and is only used in General Elections.
You mark your first choice for each office and those votes are tabulated. Suppose your first choce is knocked out in the initial vote-count; you are not required to make second choice. Your ballot is not thrown out, you just give up your voice in subsequent run-offs if you list first choice only.
If you listed a second choice, the computer “looks” at your ballot and in effect says, “Sally’s first choice (for Bob) — counted on the first tally — but Bob got the least votes, so he’s out of the next run-off. If Sally listed a second choice, that becomes her first choice in next instant run-off.”
It is always one person, one vote for each run-off.
Vote YES on Proposition One to get fair elections with Open Primaries/Ranked Choice Voting!
Orrin Everhart
Bonners Ferry