Don't Count Out the Little Guy



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Hi Friend,



Greetings, fellow fans of hockey and democracy! OK — so that’s not your
typical combination. But as the puck drops in the NHL playoffs next Monday,
it's an exciting time for hockey enthusiasts like me, especially since my
record setting Boston Bruins go into the playoffs as a top-seed. My hopes are
high but as any fan knows, nothing is certain in the playoffs, and upsets
happen when we least expect it. Just take the 20M+ March Madness brackets that
were busted before the Sweet 16 had even started a few weeks ago.



What does this have to do with the Voters First movement, you ask? Well, just
like an underdog team can defy the odds and come out on top, so too can
election reform. Alaska, California, and Washington have already seen their
nonpartisan primaries “upset” partisan control in their elections while ranked
choice voting is winning up and down the ballot in 63 cities, counties, and
states including the Virginia Republican Party’s nomination process. So, as you
cheer on your favorite team this playoff season, take a moment to consider the
power of an upset, how it benefits the fans (i.e. voters), and the potential
for change when we come together to put country over party. (When it comes to
my Bruins, though, I’ll be rooting for the overdog.)





The Border Crisis Reveals Why the Status Quo of Elections Prevents Big
Problem-Solving
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Politicians have been trying and failing to tackle this issue for the entirety
of this century. Finding common ground to pass meaningful legislation has
seemed like a game of tug-of-war between our two major parties but without any
possibility of success. The reason for this? A broken political system that
rewards partisan entrenchment over progress — because one party’s idea of
perfection always ends up being the enemy of the good.



Semafor, a news and media platform, recently launched a new video series
called "The Agenda
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," which explores Washington's highest-stakes challenges and the good faith
efforts to solve them. And what's their first issue? You guessed it — the
border crisis. In the video, independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona notes,
"The reality is that the extreme positions on both ends of this political
debate are hurting our ability to solve this problem and get things done."
Sinema and Republican Sen. Thom Tillis are members of a bipartisan working
group attempting to find common ground and offer solutions that many Americans
agree on with this issue.



We hope they succeed and more efforts like theirs become common place as
election reforms start changing the incentives of not just how our leaders are
elected, but how they legislate and work across the aisle.



Check out their video <[link removed]> to learn
more!





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Alaskans Spill the Tea on New Election System: Do they Love it, or Leave it?
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SPOILER ALERT: They love it! Remember when we told you about The McKinley
Research Group’s latest report on Alaska's new election system a few weeks
back? Well, if you missed it, not to worry, as it’s so good we’re covering it
again! The "Alaska's Election Reforms: Voter Perceptions & Experiences" report
provides valuable insights into how Alaskans feel about their new election
system in its first year of implementation. We've got all the juicy details and
graphics in atweet thread
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miss out on this gem of a report. Check it out now and let us know what you
think!

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Partisan Politicians in Panic: Fighting Tooth and Nail to Protect our Broken
Election System
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As election reform gains traction across the country, partisan lawmakers are
fighting tooth and nail to maintain their grip on power. In states like Idaho
and South Dakota, laws prohibiting ranked choice voting (RCV) have already been
signed, with Montana and Texas considering following suit. And it's not just
about RCV; Arizona lawmakers have introduced a resolution that would prevent
nonpartisan primaries and any new voting methods from being implemented. Why
are these lawmakers so determined to keep the status quo? Because the current
system serves their interests and maintains their power, at the expense of
voter choice, accountability, and representation. As was written in an
Independent Voter Newsarticle this week
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:



“There is a tremendous demand for change in how the US elects its
representatives. Voters see the deteriorating state of public discourse as a
result of a system that rewards partisanship, and inevitably punishes people
who would put people above party.



Voters see a system that seeks only to divide Americans to serve the private
interests of those in power. They feel the disenfranchisement that has left
them without a voice and without meaningful representation.”



The good news is that with more and more Americans demanding an election
system that takes into account all their perspectives, election reform is
pointed in a winning direction.
  


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Regards,



Alana
__
Alana Persson
Unite America

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