[LWVNM Action] Convention item
George Richmond
geomrich1 at comcast.net
Thu Apr 8 13:57:07 MDT 2021
Thank you Meredith for your most timely email on Ranked Choice Voting.
I am very impressed that "Lots of Leagues have done extensive studies"
and so it seems logical that LWV Los Alamos, Santa Fe County and Central
New Mexico should concur and accept Ranked choice Voting as well. This
year the City of Albuquerque will elect a Mayor and five of their nine
city councilors. So using Ranked Choice Voting to save the money and
time of a run off election when the vote by Ranked Choice Voting can
accomplish the goal in one vote makes sense.
George Richmond
On 4/8/2021 1:41 PM, Meredith Machen via Action wrote:
> For background on why the state board approved and supports updating
> our Election Procedures position as presented in the Spring La Palabra
> Program Report, see below. Plurality voting is a democratic system
> that requires a majority in order to win while “winner takes all”
> fails to do that. Thanks for studying the issue. Santa Fe and Las
> Cruces joined many enlightened governments by instituting ranked
> choice voting. The Maine uses it for all elections even primaries.
> Lots of Leagues have done extensive studies and have lobbied for
> voters to support the change.
>
> Meredith Machen
> mermachen at cybermesa.com
> 505 577 6337
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> *From:* Paula Lee <paula.lee at comcast.net>
>> *Date:* April 8, 2021 at 11:27:34 AM EDT
>> *To:* Kayla Vix <KVix at lwv.org>
>> *Cc:* LWV New York - Dare Thompson <darethompson at gmail.com>, LWV
>> Colorado - ED Beth Hendrix <bhendrix at lwvcolorado.org>, Carol Moon
>> Goldberg <cmoongoldberg at lwvc.org>, League of Women Voters State
>> Presidents <lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com>
>> *Subject:* *Re: Mt Holyoke professor Douglas J Amy*
>>
>>
>> Professor Douglas Amy’s book “Behind the Ballot Box: A Citizens Guide
>> to Election Systems had a great list of criteria
>> California Local Leagues used to evaluate different electoral systems
>> in California’s state study of election systems.
>>
>> I am not familiar with ALL his work but Professor Amy has been
>> writing about the problems with U.S. plurality elections for many years.
>> As an alternative to plurality winner take all elections, he argues
>> for proportional representation.
>>
>> After 20 years of LWV state and local electoral reform studies, our
>> LWVUS *Voter Representation and Election Systems*
>> position supports alternatives to plurality voting and supports
>> proportional representation.
>>
>> Perhaps it is what motivated Prof. Amy to contact some local leagues
>> rather than “self promotion”?
>>
>> The specific position language can be found in LWVUS publication
>> "Impact on Issues" page 47 and 48
>> https://www.lwv.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/LWV-impact-2020.pdf
>> <https://www.lwv.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/LWV-impact-2020.pdf>
>>
>> "we support electoral systems that “implement alternatives to
>> plurality voting”
>> and
>> "The League supports electoral systems that elect policy-making
>> bodies–-legislatures, councils, commissions, and boards—that
>> proportionally reflect the people they represent.”
>>
>> Paula Lee
>> LWV Sacramento, CA
>> 916-704-0195 Cell & Text
>>
>> P.S. I found this when I looked up his book *Real Choices/New Voices*:
>>
>> There is a growing realization that many of the problems afflicting
>> American elections can be traced to the electoral system itself, in
>> particular to our winner-take-all approach to electing officials.
>> Douglas Amy demonstrates that switching to proportional
>> representation elections―the voting system used in most other Western
>> democracies, by which officials are elected in large, multimember
>> districts according to the proportion of the vote won by their
>> parties―would enliven democratic political debate, increase voter
>> choice and voter turnout, ensure fair representation for third
>> parties and minorities, eliminate wasted votes and "spoilers," and
>> ultimately produce policies that better reflect the public will.
>> Looking beyond new voting machines and other quick fixes for our
>> electoral predicament, this new edition of Real Choices/New
>> Voices offers a timely and imaginative way out of the frustrations of
>> our current system of choosing leaders.
>>
>>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 7:40 AM, Kayla Vix <KVix at lwv.org
>>> <mailto:KVix at lwv.org>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I would caution against promoting resources that LWV doesn’t endorse
>>> or control. There may be some good content here, but this feels
>>> mostly like self-promotion—especially if this person is getting in
>>> touch with many Leagues in this way.
>>> *Kayla Vix*(she/her)
>>> <https://www.lwv.org/league-management/dei-resources/pronoun-and-gender-guidance>
>>> Communications Manager
>>> League of Women Voters of the United States
>>>
>>> 1233 20th St NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036
>>> 202-809-9668 |kvix at lwv.org <mailto:kvix at lwv.org>
>>> lwv.org <https://www.lwv.org/>|Facebook
>>> <http://facebook.com/leagueofwomenvoters>|Twitter
>>> <http://twitter.com/lwv>
>>>
>>> <image001.jpg>
>>> *From:*lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com><lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com>>*On Behalf Of*Dare
>>> Thompson
>>> *Sent:*Monday, April 5, 2021 5:31 PM
>>> *To:*LWV Colorado - ED Beth Hendrix <bhendrix at lwvcolorado.org
>>> <mailto:bhendrix at lwvcolorado.org>>
>>> *Cc:*Carol Moon Goldberg <cmoongoldberg at lwvc.org
>>> <mailto:cmoongoldberg at lwvc.org>>; League of Women Voters State
>>> Presidents <lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com>>
>>> *Subject:*Re: Mt Holyoke professor Douglas J Amy
>>> My local League got the same message and I was impressed by what I
>>> saw of his writings and background but we don't endorse even the
>>> finest of finest scholars so we couldn't think what to do about his
>>> request except maybe to ask him to speak to us. I'm also on the NY
>>> state board and haven't heard how we responded if we did.
>>>
>>> Dare Thompson
>>> 36 Reservoir Road, Marlboro, NY 12542
>>> 845-236-3074 (preferred) 845-591-3445 (cell)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Apr 5, 2021 at 3:10 PM Beth Hendrix
>>> <bhendrix at lwvcolorado.org <mailto:bhendrix at lwvcolorado.org>> wrote:
>>>
>>> One of our state Leagues forwarded a message from Dr. Amy, which
>>> prompted a bit of background research – he seems legit and a
>>> valid resource, we decided – that said, we haven’t contacted him
>>> at this point.
>>> Best --
>>> Beth
>>> Beth Hendrix
>>> (she/her)
>>> Executive Director
>>> <image002.jpg>
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lwvcolorado.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604188254%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=yNg9cWzQleMBVyZRUugc21U0CUcrpRm21eNhdqUfjpE%3D&reserved=0>
>>> Empowering voters. Defending democracy.
>>> Empoderar a los votantes. La defensa de la democracia.
>>> 303-863-0437 office
>>> 303-588-5470 cell
>>> *From:*lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com><lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com>>*On Behalf
>>> Of*Carol Moon Goldberg
>>> *Sent:*Monday, April 5, 2021 12:50 PM
>>> *To:*'League of Women Voters State Presidents'
>>> <lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com
>>> <mailto:lwv-state-presidents at googlegroups.com>>
>>> *Subject:*Mt Holyoke professor Douglas J Amy
>>> Hello everyone,
>>> A couple of our local Leagues have been contacted by a retired
>>> Mt. Holyoke professor named Douglas J. Amy suggesting that his
>>> website be posted on their websites. I believe this is the site
>>> https://governmentisgood.com/about.php
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernmentisgood.com%2Fabout.php&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604198201%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=GMwNq%2F82BW5CcnZfL6ILriVQpsDfDsoNpZrEwLpglqw%3D&reserved=0>
>>> Government is Good - About this website
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernmentisgood.com%2Fabout.php&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604198201%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=GMwNq%2F82BW5CcnZfL6ILriVQpsDfDsoNpZrEwLpglqw%3D&reserved=0>
>>> About this website.governmentisgood.com
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgovernmentisgood.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604208160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=BrM3B4tu7ZNtpmoPSFfuI8qz4kMaOrPuFEme60rKFRI%3D&reserved=0>–
>>> a web project of Douglas J. Amy. I am a Professor of Politics at
>>> Mount Holyoke College, where I have taught American politics for
>>> over 20 years. My main area of expertise has been electoral
>>> system reform, and I have written a number of books including
>>> Real Choices, New Voices: How Proportional Representation
>>> Elections Could Revitalize American ...
>>> governmentisgood.com
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgovernmentisgood.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604208160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=BrM3B4tu7ZNtpmoPSFfuI8qz4kMaOrPuFEme60rKFRI%3D&reserved=0>
>>>
>>> He's created a library on proportional representation for FairVote.
>>> Have you or any of the Leagues in your states had contact with
>>> this? What are your opinions of it, if you have any.
>>> Thanks so much,
>>> Carol Moon Goldberg(she, her)
>>>
>>> President
>>>
>>> League of Women Voters of California
>>>
>>> Phone (916) 715-2604
>>>
>>> cmoongoldberg at lwvc.org <mailto:cmoongoldberg at lwvc.org>
>>>
>>> www.lwvc.org
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lwvc.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604208160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=VxBMPuArDu5xWHdtNkwEDrkwEp%2F0%2BrDyFEO046nzgu4%3D&reserved=0>*|*www.cavotes.org
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cavotes.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604218116%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=55AFDvRVG29FUMt%2F5INgMWyqdewJPS9VsDiBPwDU888%3D&reserved=0>*|*www.easyvoterguide.org
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.easyvoterguide.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604218116%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=G33ji%2B8ued5DEOcO9%2FfPBtoSZngABRUTQrPZpbliwcA%3D&reserved=0>*|*www.votersedge.org/ca
>>> <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.votersedge.org%2Fca&data=04%7C01%7Ckvix%40lwv.org%7C0cc7488acddc45a561fe08d8f87a190c%7C90befbfe6dce4edfba8a35fb67131124%7C1%7C0%7C637532550604228070%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=yTBqEcW%2BgpbKZH8NzmLfBZfOZr6pxnV96tCXxy%2FaSGQ%3D&reserved=0>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
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>>> --
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>>>
>>> --
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>>>
>>> --
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>>
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>
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--
George M. Richmond
152 Juniper Hill Road, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87122-1913
C: 505-280-2105
E: geomrich1 at comcast.net
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