By Mike Kazmierski
Ever wonder why it seems that neither of the candidates you get to choose from when you vote is the best candidate, or even one capable of doing the job? The reason is simple: our current system of elections is not only broken but rigged. If you are not a registered Democrat or Republican, comprising more than 40% of the voters in the state, you didn’t get to vote in the primaries other than in a few nonpartisan races. At the same time, our next senator, congressperson, and legislators were being decided on by just 16% (331,399) of the more than two million registered voters in Nevada. How does just one out of six registered voters get to decide who will be our choice for office in November? Because our political system is broken — not because of voting machines or illegal votes, but because our two-party political system has fixed the elections.
Fixed elections may sound a little harsh, but it’s accurate. We all suffer when great candidates can’t get elected because our two political parties maintain absolute control over who wins in a primary. While many highly qualified political candidates run in the party system, the two major parties ultimately decide who will represent us. The closed primaries block everyone not registered to vote in that party from voting. Each party usually endorses its preferred candidate, one that subscribes to their often-extreme views and then promotes them as the “party” choice. There is no room for a real moderate. Then, a small “loyal” minority of party members (just 8% of the two million registered voters) vote for that party’s candidate in the primary, and those two candidates become our only choice to vote for (or against) in November.
There is no longer room for a moderate candidate in either party. Currently, every candidate must agree to support all the party positions on key issues, regardless of their personal beliefs or the community’s needs. If the candidate is moderate, the two major parties will not support them and instead support and endorse a more loyal (even extreme) candidate. That candidate then wins the primary and, if elected in the general election, becomes a politician who will reliably vote the “party line.” Moderate candidates who believe in working with the other side to develop compromises to solve real problems (we used to call them “statesmen”) never make it past the primary.
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) Question 3 is the solution we’ve been waiting for. With RCV, regardless of party affiliation, voters can express their preferences for every candidate by marking their first, second, and third choices (or more) for each office. The system ensures a winner who is supported by the majority. According to electionreformers.org, “Ranked-choice voting is fundamentally the same as a runoff election — which, again, is used in many states and was even proposed for presidential elections by Mitch McConnell.” “Elections in Maine, Alaska, and New York City, among others, have been more positive and civil once they shifted to ranked-choice voting,” according to rankedvote.co. RCV also reduces wasted votes; your second choice now counts and may result in selecting the candidate with the most overall support.
Beware the naysayers. In every state that has implemented RCV, the two major parties and most of the elected officials in those two parties have come out strongly against it for one reason: they will lose control. The naysayers tell us that the voters will get too confused or that it is too hard to understand. If every politician is against it, that should tell you something! With RCV, the two dominant parties lose total control over the primaries, and the severe party litmus tests (absolute commitments to party dogma) are no longer required to get on the ballot.
Let’s not underestimate the voters. The primary argument against RCV is that it’s too complex for voters to understand. But we all make informed choices daily; we’re more than capable of handling this. RCV is our chance to be heard. It was passed in 2022, and most of us voted for it. Now, it’s our opportunity to fix our broken primary system. If you’re unsure, take the time to learn more about it. Don’t just believe what your party tells you. We need more Nevadans in office, serving the people of our state. I’m excited about the prospect of voting in the next primary, along with 800,000 other Nevadans who currently have no voice in our primary elections. Let’s seize this chance for change. Vote Yes on Question 3.
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