Letter to the Editor: Ranked Choice Voting
Naomi Ludman, chair of the Cass County Democratic Party, writes, “Our representative democracy only works when we all believe it works based on our lived experiences. This is one reason that many disillusioned voters are turning to Ranked Choice Voting.”
Millions of eligible voters in our state don’t vote, not because they are lazy or uninformed, but because they have become disillusioned and made the conscious choice to opt-out of participation.
Our representative democracy only works when we all believe it works based on our lived experiences. This is one reason that many disillusioned voters are turning to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).
RCV is a simple change to the way we vote that we can adopt now. It levels the playing field for candidates with the best ideas, but not the biggest bank accounts, to compete and win.
We recognize that change can be hard, especially for those responsible for implementing it. But, we desperately need change in American politics. We cannot continue down the same path. To paraphrase a common expression, the definition of insanity is using the same systems and methods and expecting different results.
RCV gives more meaningful choice to voters; it encourages more issue-focused campaigns and increased voter participation in elections.
The good news is that RCV is tried, tested, and proven. Fourteen million U.S. voters in 22 states already use RCV, including five Michigan municipalities.
It’s also important to note that both “Red” and “Blue” states use RCV. Six southern states dominated by the GOP already use RCV for military and overseas voters. “Red” Alaska and “purple” Maine use it statewide, and “Red” Utah continues to expand its use.
The Cass County Democratic Party supports Ranked Choice Voting because we believe in a representative democracy in which more people vote. We invite our Republican counterparts to join us.
To learn more about Ranked Choice Voting, watch an explainer video, and read answers to frequently asked questions, visit RankMIVote.org.
Naomi Ludman
Cass County
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