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John --
With the
U.S.-hosted international Summit for Democracy taking place this week, it’s a fitting time
to assess the state of our own democracy. Our take? It could use some
work. Here are two metrics that spell it out pretty
clearly:
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There are more than a half million
elected positions in this country. Around 70% are uncontested.
(BallotReady)
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In 2020, despite historically high
voter turnout, only 10% of eligible American voters nationwide cast
ballots in the primary elections that effectively decided the winners
of 83% of Congressional seats. (Unite America)
Voting is
the predominant way we participate in democracy as Americans. So why
do our votes count for so little?
It’s not
hard to figure out. Gerrymandered districts where candidates from
other parties don’t have a fighting chance means there’s no point in
running at all. And for those who do run, closed primaries that keep
unaffiliated voters out means the most extreme candidates will
win—every. single. time.
Some
democracy.
All is
not lost. Forwardists across the country, state by state, are working
feverishly to right these wrongs. But we need all the help we can get.
Two disappointments over the past week show that we have our work cut
out for us.
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South Dakota: Gov. Kristi Noem signed 12
election-related bills last Wednesday—among them a statewide ban on
ranked-choice voting.
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Connecticut: Despite an endorsement from Gov. Ned
Lamont, legislative proposals to explore or implement ranked-choice
voting options failed in committee yesterday and will not advance this
year.
Needless
to say, these are not the results we hoped for. But, as the Forward Party of Connecticut expressed so perfectly, “Rest assured, this
only hardens the resolve of the Forward Party in Connecticut. Towns
and cities across the state will be hearing a lot from us in the
coming months and years.”
Exactly.
We know the journey won’t always be easy. But setbacks only make us
that much more determined to keep moving Forward for the sake of
American democracy.
OTHER NEWS &
VIEWS
What does the data show? RCV
works
“[S]tates with Top
2, Top 4 ranked-choice voting (RCV), or statewide RCV were three times
less likely to have an election denier win in the 2022 general
election compared to states without these reforms in use. Even more
encouraging, we found widespread support for these reforms, as nearly
6 in 10 voters nationwide said they would support a reform similar to
Top 4 in Alaska in their state. The alarm must not silence in the wake
of high-profile election deniers losing this past election cycle,
because as the data shows, this is likely just the beginning. The
democracy community must band together to disrupt the potential side
effects of election denial in the campaign process and support reforms
that enable moderation and competition.” —Mindy Finn in The
Fulcrum
More ranked-choice voting
news:
SCOTUS declines to hear
gerrymandering case
“The
U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined a request from voters in Kansas
to review a state court decision they say allows for racial
gerrymandering of congressional districts there. In a controversial
decision last year, the Kansas Supreme Court upheld a Republican-drawn
map that had been blocked by a lower court over partisan
gerrymandering and the dilution of minority voting strength. The new
congressional map split Wyandotte County—home to Kansas City—into two
congressional districts for the first time in several decades. The
court’s decision to not hear the case means that the newly redrawn map
will remain in play.” —CNN
More gerrymandering
news:
Political parties should defend
democracy, not tear it down
“Political parties in a multiparty system, operating under free
and fair elections, are the backbone of democracy. They are
institutions where like-minded individuals come together to elect
political candidates. When they work best, political parties are the
connective tissue between voters and political leaders, strengthening
the voice of the one into many in order to make a change and drive
policy. Fully democratic and functioning political parties are a
fundamental organizing component in every successful democracy.”
—Birgitta Ohlsson in The
Hill
Building
a new political party that boldly defends and innovates democracy is
hard work—especially when well-funded, well-connected parties don’t
want you to succeed. But all of us at Forward consider it one of the
most important things we’ve ever done. Our democracy needs us. We’re
in it for the long haul.
All the
best,
The Forward Party Team
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