User:Jessesl66/sandbox
Proposed Voting Reforms
[edit]FairVote has advocated the following voting reforms:
Instant Runoff Voting
[edit]FairVote has advocated the use of instant-runoff voting (IRV) in elections[1] . Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference, in contrast to a plurality voting system.
In 2002, FairVote backed a San Francisco ballot initiative amending Section 13.102 of the city charter to allow instant-runoff voting in local elections. [2][3] [4] The city began using IRV to elect local officials on November 2, 2004.[5] Subsequent ballot initiatives supported by FairVote have since allowed the use of IRV in the following cities (listed with first year of use) :
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (2009) [6] [7]
- Oakland, California (2010) [8]
- Portland, Maine (2010) [9] [10]
- San Leandro, California (2010)
- St. Paul, Minnesota (2011)
- Springfield, Illinois (2011)
- Takoma Park, Maryland (2012)
- Telluride, Colorado (2011)
- Memphis, Tennessee (not in use, scheduled for use in 2015)
- Santa Fe, New Mexico (not in use, scheduled for use in 2016)
National Popular Vote
[edit]FairVote supports the replacement of the electoral college with a national popular vote in the United States presidential election.[11] FairVote advocates the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, [12] an agreement between several states and the District of Columbia to award their electoral votes to the candidate with the highest popular vote total.[13]
FairVote has played an active role in lobbying state officials to join the compact. In New York, assemblyman Fred Thiele claimed to have first proposed New York's entrance into the compact after being approached by FairVote.[14]
Proportional Representation
[edit]FairVote supports the use of proportional representation in multi-seat assembly and council elections throughout the United States. [15] In this system, each candidate or party controls a share of the seats equal to its share of the vote. The organization has proposed combining several congressional districts into one to allow for proportional representation in the United States Congress, [16] as well as the California and Michigan state assemblies.[17] [18]
Right to Vote Amendment
[edit]FairVote has backed the proposed Right to Vote Amendment (House Joint Resolution 44), sponsored by United States congressmen Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) (under which citizens would be guaranteed a constitutional right to vote.[19] FairVote filed a policy brief in support of the legislation, stating that "We believe that the right to vote is a cornerstone of representative democracy that depends upon broadly defined voter eligibility, universal voter access to the polls, and election integrity." [20]
Universal Voter Registration
[edit]FairVote advocates universal voter registration, a system in which all citizens of legal voting age would be registered to vote automatically.[21]
- ^ "FairVote.org | Instant Runoff Voting/Ranked Voting".
- ^ [www.sfrcv.com www.sfrcv.com].
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "City and County of San Francisco: Ranked-Choice Voting".
- ^ "American Legal Publishing - Online Library".
- ^ [www.sfrcv.com www.sfrcv.com].
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Why RCV is Better | FairVote Minnesota".
- ^ "Measure to overhaul municipal races passes | Star Tribune". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Oakland IRV: Yes on Measure O!".
- ^ "PortlandVotes123 – Home".
- ^ "Portland returns to electing its mayor | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram".
- ^ "FairVote.org | National Popular Vote".
- ^ "What is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?".
- ^ "The Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote" (PDF).
- ^ "N.Y. Lawmakers Aim To Curb Electoral College". The New York Sun. 31 July 2006.
- ^ "Fair Voting/Proportional Representation".
- ^ Richie, Rob (18 Oct). "Rebuilding the 'big tent'" (Web). The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=and|year=/|date=mismatch (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Competitive Elections & Fair Representation" (Web). FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Independent Districting and Districts Plus: A Powerful Reform Combination" (PDF). FairVote. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Pocan and Ellison Announce Right to Vote Amendment" (Web). 13 May 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Hailey, Mollie (24 June 2013). "A Constitutional Right to Vote: The Promise of House Joint Resolution 44" (PDF). FairVote Policy Perspective. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Why Universal Registration?". FairVote. 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.