XPost: alt.politics.elections, alt.politics.republicans, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: talk.politics.guns, sac.politics   
   From: democrat-insurrection@mail.house.gov   
      
   https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ranked-choice-voting-loses-   
   everywhere-except-alaska.html   
      
   For a while there, the electoral reform known as ranked-choice voting   
   (or as some call it, instant runoff voting) had some momentum. The idea   
   was that traditional first-past-the-post general elections often   
   disenfranchise popular majorities and promote major-party hegemony along   
   with partisan and ideological polarization.   
      
   Often combined with the abolition of party primaries (replaced by   
   nonpartisan primaries that let four or five candidates proceed to   
   general elections), the reform idea broke into public view via   
   successful ballot initiatives in two states (Maine and Alaska) and a   
   variety of localities (notably New York City and San Francisco).   
      
   Often, if not always, RCV has been opposed by leaders in both major   
   political parties, who are loathe to endanger their duopoly, and backed   
   by wealthy good-government types and those representing ideological   
   minorities. But it’s safe to say the bitterest opponents of RCV recently   
   have been conservative Republicans who view the system as a way to   
   eliminate their veto power over GOP general-election candidates.   
      
   RCV proponents hoped that 2024 was going to be a breakthrough year for   
   their movement, with statewide ballot initiatives to introduce the   
   system on the ballot in four states (Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada   
   — with Nevada having already approved an initiative earlier but   
   requiring a second approval for enactment). But at the same time,   
   conservatives sponsored anti-RCV ballot measures in Alaska (aimed at   
   repealing the RCV-Top 4 Primary system voters approved in 2020) and in   
   Missouri (a constitutional ban on RCV for the state and for localities,   
   though with an effective date that would allow St. Louis to continue to   
   use RCV).   
      
   In keeping with the national rightward trend on November 5, the new   
   statewide RCV ballot measures all lost (by a 54–46 percent margin in   
   Colorado, a 53–46 percent margin in Nevada, a 70–30 percent margin in   
   Idaho, and a 58–42 percent margin in Oregon). Meanwhile, Missouri voters   
   approved the proposed ban on RCV by a robust 68–32 percent margin.   
      
   Arguably, the most important ballot battle was in Alaska, where RCV   
   (with a Top 4 nonpartisan primary) was utilized in 2022 and was widely   
   credited with making possible statewide victories by centrist Democrat   
   Mary Peltola (running for the state’s open at-large House seat) and   
   centrist Republican Lisa Murkowsi (an incumbent senator running for   
   reelection), both of whom defeated Trump- and state-GOP-backed   
   conservatives.   
      
   To underline the upheaval the new electoral system represented, Peltola   
   and Murkowski (who shared a base in Alaska’s large Native population)   
   endorsed each other. Peltola’s defeated opponent, Sarah Palin,   
   spearheaded a drive to repeal the system that undid her comeback bid. A   
   repeal measure was on the 2024 ballot and looked to be succeeding on   
   Election Night. But final returns showed RCV surviving by 664 votes out   
   of 340,110 cast.   
      
   This RCV victory didn’t carry over to prior beneficiary Peltola, who   
   narrowly lost her seat to Republican Nick Begich III (who finished third   
   in the 2022 balloting), helping the GOP maintain control of the House.   
      
   But it was very good news for Murkowski, the maverick Republican who is   
   up for reelection in 2028. If she chooses to stick around, Alaska’s   
   system gives her a fighting chance to win, while she’d be toast (Donald   
   Trump really dislikes her, and she has committed multiple heresies   
   against MAGA conservatism) in a traditional party primary.   
      
   Perhaps RCV opponents in the state will try again to repeal it, but   
   usually once voters learn to navigate RCV, it becomes less   
   controversial. In the meantime, national supporters of this election   
   reform will lick their wounds and perhaps find a way to regroup.   
      
      
   --   
   November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look   
   forward to America being great again.   
      
   The disease known as Kamala Harris has been effectively treated and   
   eradicated.   
      
   We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that   
   stupid people won't be offended.   
      
   Durham Report: The FBI has an integrity problem.  It has none.   
      
   Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden   
   fiasco, President Trump.   
      
   Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the   
   The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood   
   queer liberal democrat donors.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)