John --



Happy Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. This is our newest federal holiday, and one that makes some people uncomfortable because of its links to race and the stain of slavery. But at its heart, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, of innovation, of the relentless pursuit of "a moreperfect union."



As much as we love America, it will never be perfect -- and it was never meant to be. Instead, our founders believed it would be the job of each successive generation to make our country better; closer to perfect.



That spirit of innovation has allowed us, and allows us still, to do so much good in the world. It has also allowed us, and allows us still, to right our nation's wrongs. There is no shame in doing better.



And it's that same spirit of innovation that will save America from the extremes in our politics and culture that seek to tear us apart, to forget our shared values, to appeal to the worst in us -- and all in the pursuit of power.



There are simple political innovations that would empower the Reasonable Majority, allow for actual, durable problem solving, and dramatically reduce negative campaigning -- not by banning it, but by disincentivizing it.



Beyond defeating toxic extremists, the practical and critical work of educating the public, mobilizing volunteers, and leading campaigns to enact these innovations is the great task of Country First. We're proud and grateful to have you alongside us as we seek to make our beloved country moreperfect



Together,





Country First Team









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MEET MAX FREDRICKSMEYER



Max Fredricksmeyer, hailing from the great state of Colorado, has been a volunteer with Country First since. Since joining, Max has served as the co-chair of the National Next Generation Advisory Council and is committed to advancing the movement among college students. 



"I come from a politically diverse household and grew up understanding how to disagree with people and remain cordial and friendly. In addition, I view civil debate as the crux of effective government. However, since polarization and political hostility became more intense, people seem to have forgotten how to interact civilly with those of differing viewpoints. When I heard that Congressman Kinzinger had formed a movement seeking to combat this hostility, I knew it was something that I had to be a part of. In spreading the Country First movement, I feel I am making an impact and working towards a better tomorrow. In addition, Country First has allowed me to interact with people from all walks of life and learn about their experiences in such a divisive political time. Moreover, I have had the opportunity to connect with some of the nation's brightest and principled young leaders. More than anything else, my experiences with Country First replaced my pessimism with optimism for the nation's future. In speaking with so many individuals with diverse views and backgrounds, I believe that common in every true American is a desire for democracy over autocracy, unity over division, and love over hate."



Thank you, Max, for all of your hard work and dedication to promoting and preserving democracy!If you have an idea for someone who should be featured in a future Memo, reach out to [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.







ELECTION REFORM



NY1 <[link removed]>: How does ranked-choice voting work?



Ranked-choice voting is back on New York City’s ballots. The system of voting allows New Yorkers to rank candidates running for office in order of preference. Here's a refresher on how ranked-choice voting works. Your ballot will include a list of candidates, each of whom will have five bubbles displayed next to their names. Fill out the bubble for your top preferred candidate in the first-choice column. Then, if you want to, you can fill in a bubble for your second, third, fourth and fifth choices in the second, third, fourth and fifth columns, respectively. 



Caledonian Record <[link removed]>: Maine considers ranked choice voting for governor races



Maine is advancing a proposal that would make it the second state to elect its governor using ranked choice voting, and it is expected for a vote in the state Legislature in the coming weeks after receiving a key committee approval. Maine and Alaska both use the ranked voting format for congressional and presidential elections, and cities in many other states are embracing it for mayoral and other elections. Alaska uses a version of it for governor. Proponents of ranked voting say it prevents “spoiler” candidates and promotes cooperation, civility and political moderates.



The Hour <[link removed]>: Letter to the editor: Ranked-choice voting benefits all parties



In March, ranked-choice voting advocates organized hours of testimony from dozens of Connecticut voters in support of a bill which, among other things, proposed allowing political parties to use RCV in party primaries. The bill secured written testimony from Gov. Ned Lamont in addition to numerous young voters who feel unheard and unrepresented in our democracy and veterans who fear that our elections are increasingly designed to boost incendiary candidates. RCV offers tremendous benefit to voters by promoting collaborative candidates and increasing competition in our elections, thus pushing more candidates to listen to and engage with their voters, but political parties stand to reap rewards from employing RCV in their primary elections, too.



2024 ELECTION



NBC <[link removed]>: States have introduced nearly 200 bills this year to 'subvert' elections, report finds



Legislators in 38 states have introduced nearly 200 bills this year that would allow state governments to "subvert" elections, according to a report by three nonpartisan groups tracking such bills. The analysis found that legislators — predominantly Republicans — put forward 185 bills in their state legislative sessions from Jan. 1 through May 3 that would increase the risk of subversion by politicizing, criminalizing or interfering with elections.



USA Today <[link removed]>: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez joins 2024 race. Here's why his GOP bid matters and how he could win



Miami Mayor Francis Suarez officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign Thursday, pitching himself to voters as a candidate focused on solutions, not divisiveness.



"In Miami, we stopped waiting for Washington to lead," Suarez said in his announcement video. "America's so-called leaders confuse being loud with actually leading."



But to win the Republican nomination, Suarez must beat back two other Floridians blocking his path to the presidency: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Suarez has, in the past, placed himself at odds with the two GOP frontrunners.



The Hill <[link removed]>: No Labels pledges to end third-party push if Biden 'way' ahead of Trump in spring 



Political organization No Labels committed to end its third-party push if polling shows President Biden "way" ahead of former President Trump next spring. No Labels, a bipartisan group, has been pursuing an effort to launch a "unity ticket" in the 2024 presidential election that would include a Republican and a Democrat "if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees." Trump and Biden are currently leading the polls among candidates in their respective parties. Democrats are wary of third-party recruitment pushes amid concerns that most polls show it would benefit Trump more than Biden.



GERRYMANDERING



ABC <[link removed]>: New voting districts could change again in some states before the 2024 elections



The 2022 elections marked the first using new voting districts drawn from updated census data. Those districts typically last for a decade, but they could be short-lived in some states. Court challenges could force lawmakers or special commissions to draw yet another set of maps before the 2024 elections for representatives in Congress and state capitols. That means voters who were just shifted into new U.S. House or state legislative districts could be grouped with different communities when they go to vote the next time.



The State <[link removed]>: Racial gerrymandering in Alabama slapped down by SCOTUS. Could the same happen in SC?



South Carolina voting rights advocates who challenged how the state’s Congressional districts were drawn are "encouraged" by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that rejected Alabama’s congressional map. The Alabama case mirrors concerns raised in South Carolina, specifically that both state’s Congressional maps discriminate against Black voters. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that Alabama’s map violated the federal Voting Rights Act. The 5-4 ruling upheld a lower court decision that said Alabama’s map was likely unconstitutional because it included only one majority Black seat out of seven districts in a state where more than one in four residents is Black.







Actions you can take right now to help make a difference!



WATCH <[link removed]>our latest advertisement, highlighting all the ways #DefaultDon has defaulted! Share it with your friends!



SIGN <[link removed]>tthe petition pledging your support of the recent removal of Tucker Carlson and reaffirm your commitment to the truth!



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Check out our Volunteer Working Groups!



As a grassroots coalition, Country First is dedicated to providing each member with the opportunity to contribute to the success of the movement. National Volunteer Working Groups are separated by interest and are aligned with one of Country First’s key pillars.



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