John,
What would it look like to have an expansive democracy where every voter knows that their vote will be cast for the candidate of their choice? Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) ensures that every voter’s voice is fully heard at the ballot box, the antidote to low voter turnout and high voter frustration.
Just last week, Democrat Mary Peltola, who is native Yup’ik, won a Congressional seat in Alaska, besting two Republicans. She is the first indigenous person to win a Congressional seat in Alaska. And she did it using Ranked Choice Voting.
Had it been a winner take all race, Sara “I can see Russia from my house” Palin, would have won with less than 50% of the vote. But because of Ranked Choice Voting, the candidate with the most support from most of the people won the three-way race.
This is one of the reasons that Ranked Choice Voting is the most popular voting reform in the country. RCV expands democracy. It makes it possible for underrepresented people to win.
But can we really expand democracy when we are having to work so hard just to save democracy?
We can and must do more because everything is at stake but this work takes resources. Will you help build up the organizing, research, and staff it will take to both preserve the foundations of democracy and fully realize the potential of reforms like Ranked Choice Voting by making a contribution to the DFA Advocacy Fund today?
This year DFA-AF is launching Voter Choice=Voter Voice a multifaceted program that is working to educate the public about RCV, engage voters in support of RCV referendums in key states and municipalities and in presidential primaries, and work with our national coalition partners to coordinate and amplify support for RCV.
If you’re not sure how RCV works, look at this photo below for a breakdown of the process.
In addition to being good for voters, RCV gives progressives, particularly women and BIPOC candidates a greater chance to run and win. It reduces negative campaigning and forces candidates to talk about issues, not personalities. It eliminates the party elite’s ability to discourage newcomers and people who look more like the districts they represent. It is a win-win-win. And a key side benefit is that it is also the only way to stop the far-right candidates from winning their primaries- like in Alaska last week.
DFA Advocacy Fund is on the verge of making something big happen.
But we need you to help us. We need you to volunteer in these referendum campaigns (you can do it from anywhere) to help us win.
And we need your financial support. Your contributions will help DFA-AF not only save democracy but expand democracy for the long term. It will help reopen democracy for the people it is supposed to represent. It will reduce negative campaigning. It will combat voter apathy and frustration.
Help us today.
Thank you for joining us in this exciting and critical moment.
— Betsy
Betsy Sweet
Democracy Ambassador
Democracy for America Advocacy Fund
