"It" is the primary elections
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Hi Friend,

 

There seems to be a feeling of anticipation this week. Here in Denver, at
least, it feels like we’re turning the corner, and we’re all eager to get life
back to normal. 


(It’s not almost over, and life probably won’t go back to normal -- for the
record.) 


But as we look ahead with anticipation, it’s important we look back and
reflect. 


With that in mind here are three things to think about this week.

Here’s how we can do primaries better
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On the subject of reflection, our friends at FairVote, Rob Richie and Dave
Daley,co-authored a piece this week
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about how we can do our primary elections better. After a primary election
season marked by coronavirus, the chaos of Iowa (remember that!), and a media
frenzy that saw dozens of candidates drop out before a single vote had been
cast, it’s time to do our presidential primaries better so that they represent
more voters. 


From establishing ranked choice voting to fixing the schedule of the
primaries, there are simple, common sense changes to our primary system that
would make them drastically more representative. 


“There’s an immediate challenge in front of us: A November election that could
take on a radically different form than most Americans are accustomed to,” they
write, “As we protect this fall’s vote, let’s also not lose sight of the
important and easy fixes we can make to preserve and improve democracy for many
more cycles to come.”



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A look back on what happened in Utah
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When thinking about reform-minded states, I’d bet Utah isn’t the first state
that comes to mind. Indeed, Utah, led by both a Republican legislature and
governor, has been a national leader when it comes to adopting reform-minded
policies, as one of only five states that uses universal vote by mail for their
elections. 

An article from a local news station
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in Utah this week shows how this voters-first type of thinking extends even
into their political parties. As state parties grapple with how to hold state
assemblies virtually, both the Utah Republican party as well as the Utah
Democrats have been out in front, adopting election reforms to keep voters safe
and elections secure. 

Both parties are using mobile voting apps to tabulate votes from their
conventions, and both are using ranked choice voting when tabulating those
votes. They’re keeping their delegates safe while keeping democracy trudging.
It’s an impressive bipartisan prioritization from the parties, who are
generally wary of change. As the chairman of the Utah Republican party said, “
As a political party... we’re adapting, and the irony is that political parties
generally haven’t been very quick to adapt.”


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Finally, look ahead (at some new opportunities)
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November is coming up fast, and between now and then, there’s a lot we at
Unite America are trying to accomplish. But it’s not just us. Across the
movement, there are dozens of groups that are still trucking along, in spite of
it all. 

Check out DemocracyJobs.org <[link removed]> and share it with
people in your network. So many Americans are looking for a new job opportunity
now, and we may just be looking for them too. Even if you’re not looking for a
job, someone you know might be.


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Best, 

 

Brett
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Brett Maney
Senior Communications Manager
Unite America
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