Letter: Reforming Politics Through Ranked-Choice Voting

Submitted (unpublished) Letter to the Editor, Bloomington Sun Current

After our recent presidential debate, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find an American who doesn’t want our politicians to do better. Democrats and Republicans alike have resorted to blaming, fact-less arguments, and personal insults rather than focusing on constructive discourse and creative problem solving.

A democracy should not be two parties at war with one another. It should be a system wherein elected leaders do their best to represent the interests of the electorate, regardless of party lines. I believe ranked-choice voting (RCV) creates a pathway back to a truly representative government. 

With RCV, voters are better able to communicate their priorities by selecting not only their first choice candidate, but also ranking other candidates. This provides more feedback to candidates about what is truly important to voters. Want a Democratic candidate who is pro-life? Want a Republican candidate who supports increasing the minimum wage? In our current political climate, these options are nearly impossible. With RCV we could see a wider array of policy platforms on the ballot.

Who doesn’t want more choice? People who are happy with the way things are, I suppose. Does such a person exist? 

Laura Hannemann, Bloomington