Have you heard there’s an upcoming election?? 😅 We’re guessing you have –– from the pleas for campaign donations to numerous emails and negative attacks ads. As you know, there is a better way. We can have more civil, spoiler-free, issue-based campaigns with Ranked Choice Voting. And Alaska just showed us how. Please read our Election Edition Newsletter for updates on the Alaska ranked-choice election, prospects for electing a pro-RCV state legislature in Minnesota, the growing momentum for this reform around the country, and how you can help.
Alaska Ranked-Choice Election Update
In the special congressional election in August, Mary Peltola defeated Sarah Palin and made history as the first Alaska Native elected to Congress as well as the first woman to represent her state in the U.S. House. Democrat Peltola won by focusing on issues that mattered to Alaskans, building a broad, diverse cross-party coalition, and by earning enough 2nd-choice votes from Republican Nick Begich (who had been eliminated) to earn a majority. This election showed, once again, the power of RCV to give more choice and more power to voters, help elect more women and people of color to office, and reduce the opportunity for extremists to win.

Peltola will run for the full term in the November general election where she and Sen. Lisa Murkowski recently crossed party lines to endorse each other. As the Washington Post noted, "They are..independent-minded consensus-builders focused on Alaska’s needs.., not the partisan and culture wars playing out in the Lower 48." This is the power of Ranked Choice Voting.

While Alaska election officials plan to report first-round results for the November election soon after polls close, they won’t report the final election results for 15 days after receiving all absentee ballots as required by the Alaska Division of Elections. This timing allows for all the absentee ballots to arrive from remote areas and from out of state and is not not due to RCV. For more information and FAQs on the Alaska election see: [link removed].

As we start Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the election of the first Alaska Native to the U.S. Congress. Representation matters, and as Alaska has shown, RCV can help create a more inclusive, representative democracy. We’re grateful for the leadership and contributions of our Indigenous democracy champions Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Sen. Mary Kunesh, Rep. Jamie Becker Finn, Rep. Heather Keeler, and Alicia Kozlowski.


Get ready to vote
Your voice is critical to our democracy, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need to vote. Find out what’s on your ballot on the Secretary of State’s website HERE. You can vote early by mail (note deadlines below), vote early in person or vote on election day at your local polling location. If you are voting by mail, your ballot must be received by Election Day November 8 or it will not be counted. Return your ballot by mail or package delivery service (such as FedEx or UPS). You can also return your ballot in person no later than 3 p.m. on Election Day to the election office that sent your ballot. If you choose to vote on election day, please take a moment to check your polling location. Due to redistricting, your polling location may have changed.

Review our 2022 Voter Information page on our website, or go to mnvotes.org to find out everything you need to know for the 2022 elections!
Vote and volunteer for pro-RCV candidates
If we can elect pro-Ranked Choice Voting majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate, we can be the first state to pass RCV statewide through legislative action. These last few days leading up to Election Day on November 8 are critical, and you can help by:
● Voting for pro-RCV candidates. Find your candidates here: fairvotemn.org/supporters. While there are important races for governor and other statewide offices, make sure you complete your ballot and vote for state house and senate races. Many voters drop off on down ballot races, and yet these races have never been more crucial.
● Sharing pro-RCV candidates with your family, friends and neighbors. Our supporters tend to be informed voters, and your contacts will appreciate your advice. Feel free to share the link above or help us amplify this message by sharing our Facebook and Twitter posts.
● Volunteering to door knock or phone bank for pro-RCV democracy champions. These last few days are focused on voters who tend to support the candidate but who have not yet voted (so they’re really positive conversations), and we’re devoting all of our resources to help get out the pro-democracy vote! Join us by signing up HERE: fairvotemn.org/volunteer.
● Donating to support our efforts to get out the vote for pro-RCV democracy champions. As you may have heard, a generous donor has agreed to MATCH all donations through November 7, and we’re so close to meeting our match goal to fully fund our GET OUT THE VOTE program. Donate whatever you can today and it will be DOUBLED.

If we all just contribute a few hours of our time in the next 6 days, it can make a big difference in these state legislative races. Our volunteers have had a positive experience, and they know that they have contributed to a critical election where democracy is on the ballot.


Historic Number of RCV Ballot Measures Around the Country
In 2022, there are 10 RCV ballot measures across the country, more than ever before. The 10 include a statewide referendum on RCV in Nevada combined with top five primaries, plus local measures in the following jurisdictions: Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Evanston, Illinois; Fort Collins, Colorado; Ojai, California; Clark County, Washington; San Juan County, Washington; Multnomah County, Oregon; and Portland, Maine. Find out more about these ballot measures from our colleagues at FairVote.

The momentum for this promising reform continues to grow across the country, and as more voters become familiar with it, the more they like it and the more it continues to spread. FairVote Minnesota and our supporters have been leading on this reform, and we hope to continue that role as we elect a pro-RCV majority in the legislature, along with a pro-RCV governor, and aim to pass RCV statewide in 2023.


Source: fairvote.org

This election is a critical and exciting time in the evolution of our democracy, and we’re forever grateful for your support, time and energy in moving RCV forward.

All our best,

The FairVote Minnesota Team

*This is an independent expenditure prepared and paid for by FairVote MN Action Fund, 550 Vandalia St. #203, St. Paul, MN 55114. It is not coordinated with or approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it.
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