The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 23, 2023

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Residents of the District of Columbia may have a chance to implement ranked choice voting and open primaries by 2026.  That is, IF they can overcome opposition from the Democratic party’s leadership.

A citizen ballot initiative for the “Make All Votes Count DC Act of 2024” must collect signatures from 5% of the District’s 524,000 registered voters to qualify for the ballot, over 86,000 of whom are unaffiliated voters.

Those unaffiliated voters – the second largest group of voters in DC – can’t currently participate in closed Democratic and Republican primaries without switching party affiliation first.  The Make All Voters Count act would create semi-open primaries, where unaffiliated voters could choose which party primary ballot they’d like to use.   

The Act would also implement ranked choice voting for federal, District and local primary and general elections.   The Washington City Paper reports that the city council’s at-large positions often have numerous candidates.  In one recent race, the winning candidate had only 15% of the vote.  Ranked choice voting requires a 50%+1 majority to win.

The City Paper also notes that Democratic Party leadership has opposed these reforms in the past, which are seen as loosening the parties’ grip on controlling the election. Advocates have six months to collect required signatures.

We have links to the Make All Votes Count DC Act details at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  Follow us on Facebook @AmericanDemocracyMinute.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Washington City Paper – A New Ballot Initiative Could Bring Ranked-Choice Voting and Open Primaries to D.C. Expect a Big Fight.
WTOP – Ballot initiative may bring major changes to DC voting
Make All Votes Count DC – Text of the Ballot Initiative

DC Board of Elections – Statistics of Registered Voters April 2023
DC Municipal Rules – INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

Groups Taking Action:
Make All Votes Count DC, Rank the Vote DC, DC for Democracy, Fair Vote, other coalition members

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