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John --
On Monday, in honor of Ranked-Choice Voting
Day, Forward founder Andrew Yang joined Better Ballot SC and local
supporters of ranked-choice voting for a rally at the South Carolina Statehouse. Andrew spoke about how RCV is
the solution to the extreme polarization created by the broken
two-party system. “This is the only way to improve our politics,
change the incentives, and make it so our leaders have to answer to
us,” he said. “Half the time your vote doesn’t matter, and most
Americans know that because they’ve been set up in a district where
their vote doesn’t count.”
Another speaker at the rally, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, plans to introduce a ranked-choice voting
bill soon. He emphasized the practical value of RCV. "Ranked-choice
voting will allow us to get rid of those dreaded runoffs we all deal
with and allow us to save millions of dollars that we can put towards
something else, like roads and infrastructure," said Johnson. Costs
associated with conducting runoff elections can be substantial—in
South Carolina, the price tag is about $1.5
million.
Another red
state is taking a look at RCV as well. Like Rep. Johnson, Texas
State Rep. Vicki Goodwin has proposed ranked-choice voting
legislation in Austin. The voting system, if approved, would be used
in municipal elections throughout the Lone Star State, if
municipalities choose to use it. "If we start with our municipal
elections, people may see how it works and realize it has a lot of
benefits," Goodwin said. A similar municipal effort is underway in
New Jersey, as well.
Reps. Johnson and Goodwin are both
Democrats, but ranked-choice voting is a nonpartisan reform that
improves the electoral system for all voters, whether they are
Republicans, Democrats, another party affiliation, or independents.
Forwardists are proud to stand alongside anyone of any party—or
none—who believes that voters deserve more choices in elections and
that every voter’s voice should be heard. Unfortunately, like so many
other issues in American society, from big things like healthcare,
immigration, and climate to the hopelessly trivial, ranked-choice voting has become a victim
of partisan warfare…
OTHER NEWS &
VIEWS
Classified documents
everywhere
One area of
cross-partisan unity so to speak is in the mishandling of
classified documents by former federal officials. The discovery of
documents with classified markings at Republican former Vice President
Mike Pence's Indiana home follows the revelation of classified
materials at Democratic President Joe Biden's Delaware home and former
office and the seizure last year of hundreds of classified documents
from Republican former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Though there are clear differences among the three, the Justice
Department is carefully reviewing each case. —U.S. News & World
Report
Vinnakota & Dubé: Gen Z deserves
better
“We have an
opportunity and an obligation to turn this around for Gen Z. From an
early age, they have been on the frontlines of urgent issues,
including climate change, community violence, mental health, economic
uncertainty, and immigration. They are laser-focused on the future and
embody a spirit of self-empowerment that big change is possible.
However, they are also losing faith in institutions, from the
government to the media to corporate America. They are skeptical of
elected officials on both sides of the aisle. For many of them, the
verdict is out on whether democracy works for all. Investments in
civics can increase their interest in engaging in civic life and help
them learn ways to do so productively.” —Rajiv Vinnakota & Louise
Dubé in The Hill
Haass: Saving democracy is up to
us
“What will matter most
for America’s future is what ordinary citizens do. Calls for political
reforms—even sensible ones—will largely fail if voters are not
prepared to first get informed and then get involved in the political
process, rewarding those candidates who are prepared to make necessary
compromises, reject violence, work across party lines, and put the
country first. We get the government and the country we deserve.
Getting the one we need, though, is up to us.” —Richard Haass in
The Boston Globe
One of the most damaging effects of extreme
partisanship is how it cuts off potentially advantageous innovations
from discussion (much less execution) once they’re “tarnished” by one
or the other party’s brand. The detrimental but entirely expected
result is no progress. On anything. Ranked-choice voting can change
all of that and has a real shot at widespread adoption—as long as we
don’t let polarization kill the very reform meant to resolve
it.
All the best,
The
Forward Party Team
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