[EM] Election-Methods Digest, Vol 103, Issue 1

[Jonathan Denn]

Greetings!

As I've mentioned previously, I am on the board of a nonprofit that will be announcing a Clean Government Alliance shortly. It will have two prominent far left/ far right reformers, probably another pair of center left/right will be joining them. The purpose is to draft a Constitutional Amendment for omnibus electoral reform. For these people everything is on the table. We had to pass on another household name because that person wouldn't put Term Limits on the table. 

I have been flying your flag: Ban Single Mark Ballots, and I have to say, that these sophisticated folk need it explained to them. Anyway, and I have asked this question before, "What is the solution for primaries?"

This is the biggest "open item" in the work that has to be done. 40% of the electorate are independents, probably centrists. We cannot vote in primaries in almost all states. It's a gaping yaw in a democratic republic. 

I've used this example before. I did live in CT until a few weeks ago, now MA, in the last Senate election there was a great Republican Brian K Hill, a reformer. And the former Democratic Sec of State Susan Byceiwicz was also an interesting candidate. I would have liked to vote for both in the primary, and would have loved to seen them in the general election against each other. Instead we had a plutocrat running against a billionaire. In the end the oligarchs won.

I expect the amendment will begin being drafted in DC in a few weeks, so please, load me up with the arguments.

Cheers,
Jon Denn
@jmdenn