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Invitation to a Dialogue: A Better Way to Elect?</h1><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:georgia,'times new roman',times,serif;font-size:10px;line-height:15px;text-align:left;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"></span><h6 class="dateline" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;color:rgb(128,128,128);font-size:1em;line-height:1.2em;font-weight:normal;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;text-align:left;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

Published: February 7, 2012</h6><div id="articleToolsTop" class="articleTools" style="float:right;margin-top:5px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:5px;width:132px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:georgia,'times new roman',times,serif;font-size:10px;line-height:15px;text-align:left;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

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<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><strong>To the Editor:</strong></p></div><div class="articleInline runaroundLeft" style="float:left;clear:left;display:inline;margin-top:6px!important;margin-right:15px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;margin-left:0px!important;width:190px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:georgia,'times new roman',times,serif;font-size:10px;line-height:15px;text-align:left;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

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Hieronymus</h6><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.2em;line-height:1.25em"></p></div></div><div class="articleBody" style="margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1.7em;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:georgia,'times new roman',times,serif;font-size:10px;line-height:15px;text-align:left;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Every four years a handful of the same old states effectively pick party nominees for president, voting earlier and earlier with campaign spending mattering more and more.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The parties should winnow their field with what is known as the <a title="description of American Plan on FairVote Web site" href="http://archive.fairvote.org/?page=965" style="color:rgb(102,102,153)">American Plan</a>, a nomination schedule that rewards retail campaigning and gives late-entering candidates a better chance. Ten biweekly rounds of voting would be held, starting in small states. Delegates would be<a title="how proportional allocation works from FairVote Web site" href="http://www.fairvote.org/delegate-allocation-rules-in-2012-gop#.TzFko1Zjc4T" style="color:rgb(102,102,153)">allocated proportionally</a> rather than by winner take all.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Up to three candidates for each party would earn a place in a national primary, held in June in conjunction with Congressional primaries.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Ranked-choice voting — a proven system used in national elections in Australia and mayoral elections in a dozen American cities, in which voters rank candidates in order of preference — would ensure that winners earn majority support in an “<a title="explanation of how instant runoff works" href="http://www.instantrunoff.com/the-basics" style="color:rgb(102,102,153)">instant runoff</a>.”</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">For general elections, the nominees of major parties should face more competition from third-party and independent candidates by having fairer ballot access, inclusive debates, ranked-choice voting and, eventually, a <a title="Web site promoting a national popular vote" href="http://nationalpopularvote.com/" style="color:rgb(102,102,153)">national popular vote</a> for president.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">For Congressional elections, creating larger districts with several seats and a proportional voting system to allow more voters to elect a preferred candidate would better represent the left, the right and the center.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">With these changes, all Americans could be engaged in our presidential elections, not just the favored few of Iowa, New Hampshire and the other early primary and caucus states. And we just might regularly end up with better presidents and members of Congress.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">ROB RICHIE<br>Takoma Park, Md., Feb. 6, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">

<em>The writer is executive director of FairVote, which promotes election reform.</em></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<strong><em>Editors’ Note: </em></strong><em>We invite readers to respond to this letter for our Sunday Dialogue. We plan to publish responses and Mr. Richie’s rejoinder in the Sunday Review. E-mail:<a href="mailto:letters@nytimes.com" style="color:rgb(102,102,153)">letters@nytimes.com</a></em></p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">

---------------</p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Jameson here... I think we should definitely take this opportunity to promote reform in general. I'd advise a "yes, and" approach to Richie. As I see it, it is definitely not worth trying to talk about the flaws in IRV. Richie will get his rejoinder; it's impossible to pre-rebut all of the various half-truths or worse that he could come up with, so it's better not to try. Also, remember, we want the average reader to go away thinking that all the experts agree that election reform is a great idea, not feeling that it's a minefield of debate. So say your piece, but be nice to Richie, no matter what you think he deserves.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Personally, I'd love it if the Center for Election Science could have an official response. Similarly for all the people with credentials - votefair, etc.</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">A similar idea: statement signers, do you think we could agree on a response in time to get published on Sunday?</p>

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.467em;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Jameson</p></div>